{"id":14338,"date":"2021-06-14T08:27:52","date_gmt":"2021-06-14T08:27:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=14338"},"modified":"2021-06-14T08:27:52","modified_gmt":"2021-06-14T08:27:52","slug":"death-in-russian-continued","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/death-in-russian-continued\/","title":{"rendered":"Death in Russian, continued"},"content":{"rendered":"

Remember this blog<\/a> where I mentioned the Russian tradition of bringing an even<\/u> number of flowers to the funeral? We will talk about that and other traditions surrounding Russian funerals as well as vocabulary that relates to death in general.<\/p>\n

Flowers <\/strong><\/h4>\n

So, the even number of flowers comes from old-time beliefs that even numbers symbolize a completed cycle, and therefore are appropriate at a funeral. On the other hand, giving an odd number of flowers for a joyous occasion represents movement and life.<\/p>\n

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Image by Goran Horvat<\/a> from Pixabay<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

And while it\u2019s a thoughtful gesture to bring flowers to a funeral, some people end up stressing about the choice and presentation of flower arrangements, especially when attending a funeral service in a different culture. In Russia, it\u2019s common for people to pick \u0431\u0435\u0301\u043b\u044b\u0435 \u0438 \u043a\u0440\u0430\u0301\u0441\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0433\u0432\u043e\u0437\u0434\u0438\u0301\u043a\u0438<\/strong> (white and red carnations), \u0440\u043e\u0301\u0437\u044b<\/strong> (roses), or \u043b\u0438\u0301\u043b\u0438\u0438<\/strong> (lilies). You might have seen a lot of carnations at the veteran and war memorials or on \u0414\u0435\u0301\u043d\u044c \u041f\u043e\u0431\u0435\u0434\u044b<\/strong> (Victory Day). People can also bring \u043b\u044e\u0431\u0438\u0301\u043c\u044b\u0435 \u0446\u0432\u0435\u0442\u044b \u043f\u043e\u043a\u043e\u0301\u0439\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e<\/strong> (favorite flowers of the deceased person).<\/p>\n

If you have been to Russia, you might have also seen flower wreaths and\/or crosses on the crosswalks, along busy streets, and even on highways (\u043d\u0430<\/strong> \u0442\u0440\u0430\u0301\u0441\u0441\u0430\u0445<\/strong>). Known as \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0434\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0301\u0436\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0432\u0435\u043d\u043a\u0438\u0301<\/strong>\u00a0(roadside wreaths), these cenotaphs (\u043a\u0435\u043d\u043e\u0442\u0430\u0301\u0444\u044b<\/strong>) are a popular way to commemorate someone\u2019s death, usually related to a car accident.<\/p>\n

This cultural \u043e\u0441\u043e\u0301\u0431\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/strong> (peculiarity) is a sensitive topic for many in Russia and you can read more on the debate about \u043a\u0435\u043d\u043e\u0442\u0430\u0301\u0444\u044b<\/strong> or \u043c\u043e\u0433\u0438\u0301\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u043f\u0430\u0301\u043c\u044f\u0442\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0438 \u0431\u0435\u0437 \u043c\u043e\u0433\u0438\u0301\u043b<\/strong> (gravestones without a grave) here<\/a> and see some photo examples here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The image of death<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\u0421\u043c\u0435\u0301\u0440\u0442\u044c<\/strong> [smert\u2019] means \u2018death \u2019 in Russian. It\u2019s a seemingly simple noun but everything about it creates a unique window to the Russian culture \u043e\u0301<\/strong>\u0431\u0440\u0430\u0437 \u0441\u043c\u0435\u0301\u0440\u0442\u0438<\/strong> (image of death). Since the noun\u2019s gender is feminine (<\/strong>\u0436\u0435\u0301\u043d\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0440\u043e\u0301\u0434\u0430<\/strong>),<\/strong> \u2018death\u2019 is often portrayed as a woman in a long dress, as opposed to the genderless, though I would argue more masculine, Grim Reaper. And even if some Russian-speakers don\u2019t explicitly personify \u2018death\u2019 as a woman, because the noun is feminine, they end up referring to \u2018death\u2019 as \u2018\u043e\u043d\u0430\u2019 (she).<\/p>\n

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Photo by\u00a0RODNAE Productions<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0from\u00a0Pexels<\/a><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n

Words that are derived from the word \u201c\u0441\u043c\u0435\u0301\u0440\u0442\u044c<\/strong>\u201d include:<\/p>\n

\u0411\u0435\u0441\u0441\u043c\u0435\u0301\u0440\u0442\u043d\u044b\u0439<\/strong> \u2013 immortal, as in \u041a\u043e\u0449\u0435\u0301\u0439 \u0411\u0435\u0441\u0441\u043c\u0435\u0301\u0440\u0442\u043d\u044b\u0439<\/strong> [Koschei The Immortal]<\/p>\n

\u0411\u0435\u0441\u0441\u043c\u0435\u0301\u0440\u0442\u0438\u0435<\/strong> – immortality<\/p>\n

\u0421\u0434\u0435\u0301\u043b\u0430\u0442\u044c \u0447\u0442\u043e\u0301-\u043b\u0438\u0431\u043e \u043d\u0430\u0301\u0441\u043c\u0435\u0440\u0442\u044c<\/strong> \u2013 to do something that results in certain death, for example:<\/p>\n