Archive for 'language'
The Return of «ибо»! Posted by josefina on Feb 2, 2010
When in Moscow it is a rule to go for a stroll «на Красной площади» [on the Red Square], «ибо это делают все» [because everybody does that] «и туристы, и провинциалы» [both tourists and people from the provinces]. «Провинциал» means ‘provincial, backwoodsman; unsophisticated person’. The female version of the word is «провинциалка». When I first…
Russian Cases: «с чем?» [with what?], or «творительный падеж» [the instrumental case] Posted by josefina on Jan 24, 2010
«Что это?» [what is this?] This is «книжный шкаф С ПОЛНЫМ СОБРАНИЕМ сочинений Владимира Ильича Ленина» [a bookshelf WITH (THE) COMPLETE COLLECTION of works by Vladimir Il’ich Lenin]. But in order to answer the question «сколько в нём томов?» [how many volumes are there in it (lit. ‘in him’ since the noun ‘collection’ in Russian…
Word of the Week: «Возвращение» [Return] Posted by josefina on Jan 14, 2010
Officially the project «мост любви» [bridge of love] was turned down by «правительство города Екатеринбург» [administration of the city of Yekaterinburg] a couple of years ago. But that project concerned another bridge (which can be seen far away in the background). The tradition to put a «замок» [lock] with your names and the date of…
«Отдыхают все!» [Everybody’s on Holiday!] Posted by josefina on Jan 9, 2010
At least «в России» [in Russia] and at least «до 10 (десятого) января» [until the 10th of January] it is true that «все отдыхают» [everybody’s on holiday]. Even though there was much talk in 2009 about finally abolishing those ten days that every Russian gets off in the beginning of every year «из-за экономического кризиса»…
Twist Your Tongue Russian Style! Posted by josefina on Jan 4, 2010
It has been said before, «я знаю» [I know], but there’s nothing wrong with a little «повторение» [repeat, repetition; renewal; relapse; rehearsal] of something good! This blog has some of the best readers out there and thus duly receive plenty of excellent comments from you guys. «Спасибочки!» [‘(tiny) thanks!’ a slang version of «спасибо» placing…
«Готовим оливье!» [Making Oliv’e! (aka The Russian Salad)] Posted by josefina on Jan 1, 2010
Yes, you guessed it! (Did the (impfv.) verb «готовить» [prepare, make ready; train; make, COOK] in the title give it all away at first sight?) Today’s post is indeed «о еде» [about food], and, as you would expect, it is «о русской еде» [about Russian food] – one of the things we Russophiles (well, many…
«Искусство подарить и получить» [The Art of Giving and Recieving] Posted by josefina on Dec 29, 2009
While most of the world has already received their holiday «подарки» [gifts (plural of «подарок»: present, gift; presentation; pledge, donative)], Russia is still waiting for the main holiday of the year when it is custom to «подарить и получить» [give (pfv.) and receive (pfv.); their imperfect ‘verb comrades’ are «дарить» and «получать»]. Whereas most of…