{"id":10679,"date":"2018-04-17T07:06:38","date_gmt":"2018-04-17T07:06:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=10679"},"modified":"2018-04-18T20:42:35","modified_gmt":"2018-04-18T20:42:35","slug":"as-good-as-dead-macabre-russian-sayings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/as-good-as-dead-macabre-russian-sayings\/","title":{"rendered":"As Good As Dead: Macabre Russian Sayings"},"content":{"rendered":"

Russian has its share of gallows humor, so I have put together a list of sayings having to do with the dead.<\/p>\n

\"skull\"

Image via Pixabay<\/p><\/div>\n

\u0413\u043e\u0440\u0431\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u0433\u043e \u043c\u043e\u0433\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u0430 \u0438\u0441\u043f\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u0438\u0442<\/h2>\n

\u0413\u043e\u0440\u0431 is a hump, so \u0433\u043e\u0440\u0431\u0430\u0442\u044b\u0439 is a hunchback (not a very nice way to describe someone). \u041c\u043e\u0433\u0438\u043b\u0430 is a grave, and \u0438\u0441\u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0438\u0442\u044c is to correct or fix. So, this saying literally means “(only) the grave will fix someone’s hump.” This saying is used to talk about someone who is set in their ways and impossible to change. Equivalents include “A leopard can’t change its spots” or “Old habits die hard.”<\/p>\n

\u041a\u0430\u043a \u0431\u044b\u043b \u0442\u044b \u043c\u0435\u043d\u0442\u043e\u0301\u043c, \u0442\u0430\u043a \u0438\u043c \u0438 \u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430\u0301\u043b\u0441\u044f. \u0413\u043e\u0440\u0431\u0430\u0301\u0442\u043e\u0433\u043e \u043c\u043e\u0433\u0438\u0301\u043b\u0430 \u0438\u0441\u043f\u0440\u0430\u0301\u0432\u0438\u0442.
\nOnce a cop, always a cop. A leopard can’t change its spots.
\n[\u0410\u043d\u0434\u0440\u0435\u0439 \u0416\u0438\u0442\u043a\u043e\u0432. \u0421\u0443\u043f\u0435\u0440\u043c\u0430\u0440\u043a\u0435\u0442 (2000)]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u041a\u0430\u043a \u043c\u0451\u0440\u0442\u0432\u043e\u043c\u0443 \u043f\u0440\u0438\u043f\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u043a\u0438<\/h2>\n

\u041c\u0451\u0440\u0442\u0432\u044b\u0439 is a noun that has the form of an adjective: \u043c\u0451\u0440\u0442\u0432\u044b\u0439, \u043c\u0451\u0440\u0442\u0432\u0430\u044f, \u043c\u0451\u0440\u0442\u0432\u043e\u0435, \u043c\u0451\u0440\u0442\u0432\u044b\u0435. This word is related to the verb \u0443\u043c\u0438\u0440\u0430\u0301\u0442\u044c\/\u0443\u043c\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0301\u0442\u044c (to die) and the noun \u0441\u043c\u0435\u0440\u0442\u044c (death). \u041f\u0440\u0438\u043f\u0430\u0301\u0440\u043a\u0430 comes from \u043f\u0430\u0440, steam, and is poultice, a kind of a treatment. Together, this saying means “poultices for a dead person.” In other words, it described a useless solution or one that comes too late. A possible equivalent is “flogging a dead horse.”<\/p>\n

\u0418 \u0431\u043e\u043b\u044c\u0448\u0438\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0443\u0301 \u043b\u044c\u0433\u043e\u0301\u0442\u043d\u043e\u0435 \u043d\u0430\u043b\u043e\u0433\u043e\u043e\u0431\u043b\u043e\u0436\u0435\u0301\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u0431\u0443\u0301\u0434\u0435\u0442 \u0443\u0436\u0435\u0301 \u043a\u0430\u043a \u043c\u0451\u0440\u0442\u0432\u043e\u043c\u0443 \u043f\u0440\u0438\u043f\u0430\u0301\u0440\u043a\u0438.
\nFor most, tax breaks won’t be of any help.
\n[\u0412\u043b\u0430\u0434\u0438\u043c\u0438\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430 \u0415\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0430. \u0421\u0415\u041b\u0423 \u041e\u0411\u041b\u0415\u0413\u0427\u0418\u041b\u0418 \u0411\u0420\u0415\u041c\u042f \/\/ \u0422\u0440\u0443\u0434-7, 2003.11.14]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\"tombstones\"

Image via Pixabay<\/p><\/div>\n

\u0412 \u0433\u0440\u043e\u0431\u0443<\/span> \u0432\u0438\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u043b<\/h2>\n

\u0413\u0440\u043e\u0431 is the word for a coffin or casket. \u0412\u0438\u0434\u0430\u0301\u0442\u044c may but doesn’t have to be used instead of \u0432\u0438\u0301\u0434\u0435\u0442\u044c when talking about having seen something ever\/in your life. So, literally, this saying translates to “I’ve seen something in my grave.” It means you have no use or don’t care for something or someone. This saying is pretty colloquial and probably shouldn’t be used in polite company.<\/p>\n

\u042f \u0432 \u0433\u0440\u043e\u0431\u0443\u0301 \u0432\u0438\u0434\u0430\u0301\u043b \u0432\u0441\u0435 \u043a\u043e\u0440\u043f\u043e\u0440\u0430\u0442\u0438\u0301\u0432\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0446\u0435\u0301\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438 \u0432\u043c\u0435\u0301\u0441\u0442\u0435 \u0432\u0437\u044f\u0301\u0442\u044b\u0435.
\nI couldn’t care less about all corporate values combined.
\n[\u0415\u0432\u0433\u0435\u043d\u0438\u044f \u0421\u0423\u041f\u0420\u042b\u0427\u0415\u0412\u0410, \u041e\u043a\u0441\u0430\u043d\u0430 \u0416\u0423\u0420\u0410\u0412\u041b\u0415\u0412\u0410. \u0420\u0438\u0441. \u0412\u0430\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0442\u0438\u043d\u0430 \u0414\u0420\u0423\u0416\u0418\u041d\u0418\u041d\u0410. \u041d\u0430\u0447\u0430\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0438\u043a \u043d\u0430\u043c \u0438 \u0446\u0430\u0440\u044c, \u0438 \u0431\u043e\u0433, \u0438 \u0433\u0443\u0440\u0443! \/\/ \u041a\u043e\u043c\u0441\u043e\u043c\u043e\u043b\u044c\u0441\u043a\u0430\u044f \u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0434\u0430, 2007.11.28]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u041d\u043e\u0433\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u0438 \u0432\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0451\u0434<\/h2>\n

\u041d\u043e\u0433\u0430\u0301, plural \u043d\u043e\u0301\u0433\u0438, can refer to either the leg or the foot. \u0412\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0451\u0434 means ahead or forward, as in “where to?” (The answer to “where (at)?” would be \u0432\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0434\u0438\u0301). So, the saying means “with your feet forward” or “feet first.” This is a reference to the Russian custom of carrying dead people out of the building with their feet first. The saying describes a situation where someone is so unwilling to give up their job, position, or power that they will stay there until they die.<\/p>\n

\u041a\u043e\u0433\u0434\u0430\u0301 \u044f \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0443\u0447\u0430\u0301\u043b \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0301\u0436\u043d\u044e\u044e \u043a\u0432\u0430\u0440\u0442\u0438\u0301\u0440\u0443, \u0438\u0437 \u043a\u043e\u0442\u043e\u0301\u0440\u043e\u0439, \u0434\u0443\u0301\u043c\u0430\u043b, \u0443\u0439\u0434\u0443\u0301 \u0442\u043e\u0301\u043b\u044c\u043a\u043e \u00ab\u043d\u043e\u0433\u0430\u0301\u043c\u0438 \u0432\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0451\u0434\u00bb, \u043c\u043d\u0435 \u043a\u0430\u0437\u0430\u0301\u043b\u043e\u0441\u044c, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u043b\u0443\u0301\u0447\u0448\u0435 \u0438 \u043d\u0435 \u0431\u044b\u0432\u0430\u0301\u0435\u0442.
\nWhen I was getting my previous apartment, where I thought I’d stay for the rest of my life, I thought it couldn’t get any better.
\n[\u0415\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0430 \u0420\u042e\u041c\u0418\u041d\u0410.. \u041d\u0438\u043a\u043e\u043b\u0430\u0439 \u041a\u0430\u0440\u0430\u0447\u0435\u043d\u0446\u043e\u0432: \u041f\u043e\u043a\u0430 \u044f \u0447\u0438\u0442\u0430\u043b \u0441\u0446\u0435\u043d\u0430\u0440\u0438\u0438, \u0441\u044b\u043d \u043c\u043e\u0442\u0430\u043b\u0441\u044f \u043f\u043e \u0442\u044e\u0440\u044c\u043c\u0430\u043c! \/\/ \u041a\u043e\u043c\u0441\u043e\u043c\u043e\u043b\u044c\u0441\u043a\u0430\u044f \u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0434\u0430, 2004.10.26]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Are there any other “dead man” saying you know in Russian? Have you heard any of the ones listed above?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"tombstones\"

Russian has its share of gallows humor, so I have put together a list of sayings having to do with the dead. \u0413\u043e\u0440\u0431\u0430\u0442\u043e\u0433\u043e \u043c\u043e\u0433\u0438\u043b\u0430 \u0438\u0441\u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0438\u0442 \u0413\u043e\u0440\u0431 is a hump, so \u0433\u043e\u0440\u0431\u0430\u0442\u044b\u0439 is a hunchback (not a very nice way to describe someone). \u041c\u043e\u0433\u0438\u043b\u0430 is a grave, and \u0438\u0441\u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u0438\u0442\u044c is to correct or fix. So, this…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":113,"featured_media":10692,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[2709,1268,13008],"class_list":["post-10679","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-language","tag-death","tag-russian-proverbs","tag-russian-sayings"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t