{"id":1212,"date":"2010-08-05T11:35:38","date_gmt":"2010-08-05T11:35:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=1212"},"modified":"2010-08-06T03:41:46","modified_gmt":"2010-08-06T03:41:46","slug":"%c2%ab%d0%bd%d0%b5%d0%bd%d0%b0%d1%81%d1%82%d0%be%d1%8f%d1%89%d0%b8%d0%b5-%d0%b4%d1%80%d1%83%d0%b7%d1%8c%d1%8f%c2%bb-false-friends-part-i","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/%c2%ab%d0%bd%d0%b5%d0%bd%d0%b0%d1%81%d1%82%d0%be%d1%8f%d1%89%d0%b8%d0%b5-%d0%b4%d1%80%d1%83%d0%b7%d1%8c%d1%8f%c2%bb-false-friends-part-i\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00ab\u041d\u0435\u043d\u0430\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f\u0449\u0438\u0435 \u0434\u0440\u0443\u0437\u044c\u044f\u00bb [False friends]: part I"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

If you think the Russian name of Moscow\u2019s famous Red Square<\/a> is \u00ab<\/strong><\/em>\u041a\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/a><\/em><\/strong>\u0441\u043a\u0432\u0435\u0440<\/a>\u00bb<\/em><\/strong>, then you may have fallen victim to what is known as \u2018faux amis\u2019 \u2013 false friends<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n

I know I have been a victim of faux amis many, many times both while learning Russian as well as English. For several years while living in Russia I made a terrible habit of using the Russian word \u00ab<\/strong>\u0444\u0440\u0443\u0441\u0442\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0446\u0438\u044f<\/a>\u00bb<\/strong> as if it meant exactly the same as the English word ‘frustration<\/a>‘ (actually I think I used it with the connotation that it has in my native Swedish)<\/em>. From time to time I would exclaim things like \u00ab<\/strong>\u044f <\/strong>\u0442\u0430\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u044f <\/strong>\u0444\u0440\u0443\u0441\u0442\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u043d\u0430\u044f!\u00bb<\/strong> thinking I was saying \u2018I\u2019m so frustrated!\u2019<\/em>, but actually not saying anything at all. Why not? Because in Russian there is no adjective made from the noun \u00ab<\/strong>\u0444\u0440\u0443\u0441\u0442\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0446\u0438\u044f\u00bb<\/strong>. This word is not at all used in the same way in Russian \u2013 not to mention not as often \u2013 as in English. Or I would shout \u00ab<\/strong>\u0443 <\/strong>\u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f<\/span> <\/strong>\u0442\u0430\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u044f <\/strong>\u0444\u0440\u0443\u0441\u0442\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0446\u0438\u044f!\u00bb<\/strong> [\u2018I have such frustration!\u2019], thinking this would make Russians better comprehend my current state of mind. They didn\u2019t. Usually I was frustrated with my Russian boyfriend, and incidentally he was the one Russian who would never get what I meant when I used the word \u00ab<\/strong>\u0444\u0440\u0443\u0441\u0442\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0446\u0438\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> – this could have been one of the main reasons as to why our relationship didn\u2019t last \u00ab<\/strong>\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u0448\u0435 2 (<\/strong>\u0434\u0432\u0443\u0445) <\/strong>\u043b\u0435\u0442\u00bb<\/strong> [more than 2 years]. The Russian nouns I should\u2019ve used instead to express this particular emotion are \u00ab<\/strong>\u0440\u0430\u0437\u043e\u0447\u0430\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/a>\u00bb<\/strong> [disappointment; frustration; disillusionment; disenchantment; disillusion] or \u00ab<\/strong>\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0439\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e<\/a>\u00bb <\/strong>[disorder; upset; frustration; disturbance; disruption].<\/p>\n

Plenty of Russian words are of foreign origin and sometimes they make you think of an English word \u2013 and it is natural to want to use that word in the same sense. What you should know, however, is that sometimes they in fact have quite a different meaning from the English one. A famous example \u2013 at least among those of us who have read a lot of Russian 19th<\/sup> century classic works \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u043f\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u043b\u0438\u043d\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [in the original] \u2013 is the verb \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u043e\u043d\u0444\u0443<\/span>\u0437\u0438\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f\u00bb<\/strong>. Of course this Russian verb makes you think of the English \u2018to confuse\u2019<\/em>; only that it has the \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> at the end of it \u2013 short for \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u0435\u0431\u044f<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> – and could perhaps thus mean something like \u2018to get confused\u2019<\/em>. Plenty of characters in great works of Russian fiction often \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u043e\u043d\u0444\u0443<\/span>\u0437\u044f\u0442\u0441\u044f\u00bb<\/strong>, but that doesn\u2019t mean that they have a tendency to get confused on a regular basis. This particular verb in its Russian \u2018version\u2019<\/em> has little to do with confusion. What it actually translates into most of the time is \u2018to be embarrassed\u2019<\/em>. When you want to express confusion in Russian language, the verb you\u2019re looking for is \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u0443<\/span>\u0442\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f\u00bb <\/strong>(that\u2019s the imperfect)<\/em>. Russians mostly usually use this verb in the perfect aspect: \u00ab<\/strong>\u0437\u0430\u043f\u0443<\/span>\u0442\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f\u00bb<\/strong>. So when you\u2019re confused in Russia \u2013 and in Russian for that matter \u2013 what you do is you put this verb both in past tense and as well as in perfect aspect and say \u2018I\u2019m confused\u2019 <\/em>like this: \u00ab<\/strong>\u044f <\/strong>\u0437\u0430\u043f\u0443<\/span>\u0442\u0430\u043b\u0441\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> [lit.<\/em> I got confused] if you\u2019re a man, \u00ab<\/strong>\u044f <\/strong>\u0437\u0430\u043f\u0443<\/span>\u0442\u0430\u043b\u0430\u0441\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> if you\u2019re a woman and \u00ab<\/strong>\u043c\u044b <\/strong>\u0437\u0430\u043f\u0443<\/span>\u0442\u0430\u043b\u0438\u0441\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> if you\u2019re more than one person.<\/p>\n

The question of \u00ab<\/strong>\u043d\u0435\u043d\u0430\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0449\u0438\u0435 <\/strong>\u0434\u0440\u0443\u0437\u044c\u044f<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [that\u2019s what I\u2019ve chosen to call \u2018false friends\u2019<\/em> in Russian, even though it can also translate into \u2018not real\/true friends\u2019<\/em>. This is because \u00ab<\/strong>\u043d\u0430\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0449\u0438\u0435 <\/strong>\u0434\u0440\u0443\u0437\u044c\u044f<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> means \u2018true friends\u2019<\/em>, it has nothing to do with what this linguistic phenomenon is actually called in Russian language \u2013 just so you know I\u2019m making up this term all on my own] is a rather big subject with plenty of words that often get confused or misused by non-native speakers like you and me. These words of course differ a lot depending on your native language, and I\u2019m sure that you probably have plenty of examples from your own life of learning from mistakes made. That\u2019s why I have decided to divide this post into two parts. Today we\u2019ll deal with some adjectives that are tricky and\u00a0demand some time of practicing before getting them right \u2013 as well as into the right context. Let\u2019s have a look at a few examples:<\/p>\n

When saying that something is \u2018accurate\u2019<\/em> you think you should use \u00ab<\/strong>\u0430\u043a\u043a\u0443\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u044b\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [punctual, neat, tidy, conscientious]; but the word you\u2019re really looking for is either \u00ab<\/strong>\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0447\u043d\u044b\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [precise] or \u00ab<\/strong>\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u043a\u0438\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [of shooting]. It is a compliment in Russian to say \u00ab<\/strong>\u043e\u043d\u0430<\/span> <\/strong>\u0430\u043a\u043a\u0443\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u0447\u0435\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> because it usually means \u2018she\u2019s a punctual person\u2019<\/em>; not that she\u2019s particularly precise.<\/p>\n

It took me several years of talking, reading and listening before I understood that the English word \u2018actual\u2019<\/em> does not mean the same as the Russian \u00ab<\/strong>\u0430\u043a\u0442\u0443\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [topical, pressing]. That\u2019s why I am full of understanding for native speakers of English who thinks that saying \u00ab<\/strong>\u044d<\/span><\/strong>\u0442\u043e <\/strong>\u0430\u043a\u0442\u0443\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0430\u044f <\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u043e\u0431\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u043c\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> means \u2018it is a real problem\u2019<\/em> when actually they’re saying \u2018it is a pressing problem\u2019<\/em>. The Russian adjectives that you would want to make use of instead are \u00ab<\/strong>\u0434\u0435\u0439\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [real], \u00ab<\/strong>\u043d\u0430\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0449\u0438\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [genuine] or \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u0443\u0449\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0443\u044e\u0449\u0438\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [existing].<\/p>\n

In the same way you might find yourself saying \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u043e\u0440\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u0442\u043d\u044b\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> in a sentence like \u00ab<\/strong>\u044d<\/span><\/strong>\u0442\u043e <\/strong>\u043a\u043e\u0440\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u0442\u043d\u043e\u00bb <\/strong>when what you should say is \u00ab<\/strong>\u044d<\/span><\/strong>\u0442\u043e <\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u0438\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e\u00bb<\/strong> – because the last example is the one that really means \u2018that’s correct\u2019<\/em> in Russian.<\/p>\n

In the 19th<\/sup> century the adjective \u00ab<\/strong>\u0444\u0430\u043c\u0438\u043b\u044c\u044f<\/span>\u0440\u043d\u044b\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> did have the same meaning as the English \u2018familiar\u2019<\/em>. In present day Russian \u00ab<\/strong>\u0444\u0430\u043c\u0438\u043b\u044c\u044f<\/span>\u0440\u043d\u044b\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> is not something that you\u2019d like to be or even come across as when you meet new people, for the meaning of it is rather negative: unceremonious. You would not want people associating you with the verb \u00ab<\/strong>\u0444\u0430\u043c\u0438\u043b\u044c\u044f<\/span>\u0440\u043d\u0438\u0447\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [impfv.<\/em> to be overly familiar (with)<\/em>; take liberties (with)<\/em>] in such a sometimes very formal society as the Russian. In Russia, you have to be very polite with new people: use \u00ab<\/strong>\u0412\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> and try not to jump too easily to \u00ab<\/strong>\u0442\u044b\u00bb<\/strong>. There are three main adjectives in Russian that have the meaning of \u2018familiar\u2019<\/em>: \u00ab<\/strong>\u0437\u043d\u0430\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u043c\u044b\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [familiar (this adjective is also used as a noun and then translates into \u2018acquaintance\u2019)<\/em>] \u00ab<\/strong>\u0438\u0437\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u043d\u044b\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [known; famous; well-known; prominent] and \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u0438\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0447\u043d\u044b\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [habitual; familiar; customary; accustomed; regular].<\/p>\n

Another good example is how \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u0438\u043c\u043f\u0430\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u043d\u044b\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> can be misused because you think it means the same as the English \u2018sympathetic\u2019<\/em>. The sentence \u00ab<\/strong>\u043e\u043d <\/strong>\u0432\u0441\u0435\u0433\u0434\u0430<\/span> <\/strong>\u0442\u0430\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0439 <\/strong>\u0441\u0438\u043c\u043f\u0430\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u043d\u044b\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> doesn\u2019t mean \u2018he\u2019s always so sympathetic\u2019 (in the sense that he always shows sympathy)<\/em> but \u2018he\u2019s always so cute\u2019<\/em>. The two Russian adjectives mostly used to express this particular trait in a person is \u00ab\u0441\u043e\u0447\u0443<\/span>\u0432\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0443\u044e\u0449\u0438\u0439\u00bb <\/strong>[sympathizer; compassionate; friendly; commiserative] and \u00ab\u043e\u0442\u0437\u044b<\/span>\u0432\u0447\u0438\u0432\u044b\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [responsive; understanding; outgoing; softhearted; kind-hearted].<\/p>\n

What other Russian adjectives have you misused because they turned out to be \u00ab<\/strong>\u043d\u0435\u043d\u0430\u0441\u0442\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0449\u0438\u0435 <\/strong>\u0434\u0440\u0443\u0437\u044c\u044f<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [false friends]? In the part II of this post I\u2019m going to discuss nouns \u2013 and that\u2019s an even larger topic than what we\u2019ve covered today, so be sure to be prepared!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

If you think the Russian name of Moscow\u2019s famous Red Square is \u00ab\u041a\u0440\u0430\u0441\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0441\u043a\u0432\u0435\u0440\u00bb, then you may have fallen victim to what is known as \u2018faux amis\u2019 \u2013 false friends. I know I have been a victim of faux amis many, many times both while learning Russian as well as English. For several years while…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":1213,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[8,7828,7826],"tags":[264,267,1237,1248,10503,1674,1696,10504],"class_list":["post-1212","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-language","category-russian-for-beginners","category-when-in-russia","tag-false-friends","tag-faux-amis","tag-russian-grammar","tag-russian-language","tag-10503","tag-1674","tag-1696","tag-10504"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1212","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1212"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1212\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1229,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1212\/revisions\/1229"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1213"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1212"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1212"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1212"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}