We know that English influences many languages, including Russian. Numerous words from the domains of science, technology, commerce, and entertainment are borrowed from English. At the same time, some Russian words have English origins but are used in ways unheard of in English. We already covered business words of English origin whose meaning is different in Russian. Here are five more words that knowing English will not help you understand.

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Хэппи-энд

A phrase that probably came to Russian from the film industry is “хэппи энд.” This may quite literally refer to the happy ending of a film or figuratively to a favorable resolution of a difficult situation. Note that the Russian saying is based on “happy end” and not “happy ending.” Perhaps the first people to use it misheard the English or didn’t know it very well?

• Долгий поцелуй, знаменующий традиционный хэппи энд, завершает фильм (The film ends with a long kiss signaling a traditional happy ending). [Людмила Уварова. Артистка // Библиотека «Огонек», 1990]

Фейсконтроль

Фейсконтроль (sometimes incorrectly spelled “фейс-контроль”) is a phrase that may puzzle many English speakers. Obviously, it comes from “face control,” but what does that mean?

Basically, фейсконтроль refers to the right of club or restaurant staff/bouncers to refuse you entry for any reason. Wikipedia describes it as a harsher version of a velvet rope policy. Prospective patrons are granted or refused entry based on their looks, perceived class, income, age and other factors that make them desirable in the eyes of the owners.

• Ресторан «Центральный» на улице Горького, около «Пушкинской». Демократичнейшее было место, доложу вам я. А сейчас ― сплошной фейсконтроль и строгая классовость. (The Tsentralny restaurant on Gorky Street next to the Pushkinskaya metro station used to be a most laid-back place, let me tell you. Now it’s all about face control and rigid class consciousness.) [Денис Драгунский. Изобрази Россию мне! // «Частный корреспондент», 2010]

Бизнес-ланч

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Бизнес-ланч was obviously borrowed from “business lunch,” however, this similarity may be misleading. In English, a business lunch is a meal where you meet with business associates to discuss work-related matters. In Russian, “бизнес-ланч” is simply a lunch combo special in a restaurant. You may have it alone or with some co-workers, and many people do order it on their lunch break from work. The more conventional Russian phrase for the same thing is “комплексный обед” (lunch combo), but that may sound a bit drab and old-fashioned.

• Бизнес-ланч состоит из салата, супа, горячего, гарнира, десерта и напитка (A lunch combo consists of a salad, a soup, a hot dish, a side, and a drink). (Source)

Шейпинг

What kind of “shaping” are we talking about here? Would you be surprised to find out шейпинг was (is?) a popular fitness regimen in Russia? Well, you shouldn’t be — despite its English-sounding name, the routine was invented and patented in St. Petersburg in the late 80s. This exercise method combines aerobic and anaerobic exercise in an effort to “shape” each participant’s body individually. A tape would be played with three instructors on the screen so that each participant could follow one according to their desired level of difficulty.

Шейпинг has lost some of its popularity in Russia, giving way to more conventional fitness routines like aerobics (аэробика). However, apparently, the movement is alive and well — even in places as remote from Russia as Canada.

• Возникло массовое движение за здоровый образ жизни ― мир узнал о нем по моде на шейпинг с фитнесом (A mass movement for healthy living emerged — the world learned about it from the popularity of shaping and working out). [Елена Кудрявцева. Что съесть на завтра // «Огонек», 2014]

Фейк

The word фейк comes from the English “fake” and refers to a range of inaccurate or counterfeit media. This word is a noun in Russian. Фейк can mean a fake account in social media, a doctored image, a false news report and so on.

• Знающие люди распространяют в сети фейки о том, как автомобиль без водителя замечательно тормозит (Knowledgeable people spread misinformation online about how well a car can brake without input from the driver). [Владимир Гаврилов. Доверяй, но проверяй: изучаем эффективность модных автомобильных «помощников» // РБК Дейли, 2013.02.22]

Wikipedia has a list of other English-sounding words that have specific meanings in Russian. Are there any that left you wondering?