Mr. Jenner. Yes; you are.
You used a 10-year-old comparison as to vocabulary. What would you say as to your Russian grammar—that is, command of the technicalities of grammar? Would it be superior to an 8-to 10-year-old?
Mrs. Paine. My vocabulary——
Mr. Jenner. I mean sentence construction.
Mrs. Paine. An 8-to 10-year-old would do better than I do in actual conversation, but would not be able to give you the names of parts of speech as I can in Russian. I have a book knowledge of grammar in Russian. But this doesn't prevent me from making more mistakes than an 8-or 10-year-old would make if he grew up native to the language—many more mistakes.
Mr. Jenner. Would you say that is true of your writing—that is, when you compose a letter?
Mrs. Paine. My writing would be with fewer mistakes, because I can think about it more in putting it down, but still very many mistakes occur in it.
Mr. Jenner. Would you say your fluency in the command of the Russian language as of the time you first met the Oswalds in February of 1963 was comparably about the same as your fluency with that language now?
Mrs. Paine. I have improved, particularly over the period of 2 months that Marina was at my home—I have improved my ability to converse, and certainly increased my vocabulary very markedly.
Mr. Jenner. Your experience with Marina has served to improve your command both of vocabulary and of the use of the language generally?