{"id":147,"date":"2008-06-26T10:43:33","date_gmt":"2008-06-26T14:43:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=147"},"modified":"2014-07-16T17:57:08","modified_gmt":"2014-07-16T17:57:08","slug":"the-russian-motion-as-expressed-by-its-verb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/the-russian-motion-as-expressed-by-its-verb\/","title":{"rendered":"The Russian Motion, As Expressed By Its Verb"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since today is THE <\/em>day of Russia\u2019s big soccer match against Spain [in a matter of hours!], while 20 times more Russian flags are being sold than usually at this time of the year, I thought we should start our discussion about \u00ab\u0433\u043b\u0430\u0433\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044b \u0434\u0432\u0438\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> [verbs of motion] with one of the more appropriate verbs: \u00ab\u0431\u0435\u0436\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [to run]. This is a verb of motion that\u2019s \u043e\u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u0435\u043b\u0451<\/span>\u043d\u043d\u043e<\/strong> [specific], which means that it describes a motion \u0432 \u043e\u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u0435\u043b\u0451<\/span>\u043d\u043d\u0443\u044e \u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u043d\u0443<\/strong> [in a specific direction]. It has a \u2018friend\u2019<\/em>, let\u2019s call it that, like all other verbs of motion, in this case it\u2019s \u00ab\u0431\u0435<\/span>\u0433\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong>, which is \u043d\u0435\u043e\u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u0435\u043b\u0451<\/span>\u043d\u043d\u043e<\/strong> [unspecific] and stands for a motion \u0432 \u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u043d\u044b<\/strong> [in different directions]. Each and every motion in Russian is described in verb couples like this one (or verb-friends<\/em>, if you may). Let\u2019s see if we can use this verb in a suitable soccer situation: \u00ab\u0424\u0443\u0442\u0431\u043e\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u044b \u0431\u0435<\/span>\u0433\u0430\u044e\u0442 \u043f\u043e \u0444\u0443\u0442\u0431\u043e\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u043c\u0443 \u043f\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044e\u00bb<\/strong> [The soccer players are running (around) on the soccer field]. That\u2019s a movement that\u2019s unspecific, as they\u2019re plainly chasing a little ball around and not really moving in any definite direction. The specific variant of this movement could be \u00ab\u0424\u0443\u0442\u0431\u043e\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u044b \u0431\u0435\u0433\u0443<\/span>\u0442 \u043a \u0432\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u0430\u043c\u00bb<\/strong> [The soccer players are running toward the goal], since they sometimes go forward just once, in one direction, without coming back, only to score a goal once. Even though one could of course add to this, seemingly simple verbs, an abudance of different prefixes and have a field day explaining all sorts of activities in any way imaginable, here there and back again, but I\u2019m thinking we are to learn how to walk before we run. That\u2019s why I think we should, logically, go back and take on the verb couple \u00ab\u0445\u043e\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [to walk (around, there and back again)] and \u00ab\u0438\u0434\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [to walk (in a specific direction, only once and not back again)].<\/p>\n


\nTo be frank about things, verbs of motion are tricky, and they don\u2019t make much sense to many of us without a mother tounge from the Slavic family of languages. We never ask ourselves questions like: \u2018Am I going there just once, right now?\u2019<\/em> or even worse when you get to the past tense: \u2018Did I go there and come back, or am I still there?\u2019<\/em> In English you can use the verb \u2018go\u2019 in a wide array of circumstances. \u2018I\u2019 going there\u2019 <\/em>can mean by foot, by car, on a plane, on a bus, in a wheel chair, on a bike, simply in anyway you\u2019d like to transport yourself. In Russian \u2013 not so much. Let\u2019s try and use the English construction that we have above and translate it into Russian and see what different kinds of \u2018going\u2019<\/em> can be derived from it:<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u042f \u0445\u043e\u0436\u0443<\/span> \u0442\u0443\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> = I\u2019m going there (by foot, in an unspecific direction, many times). To express a repetition of the verb, add for example: \u00ab\u043f\u043e \u043f\u043e\u043d\u0435\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0430\u043c\u00bb<\/strong> [on Mondays].
\n\u00ab\u042f \u0438\u0434\u0443<\/span> \u0442\u0443\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> = I\u2019m going there (by foot, in a specific direction, once). To prove your point, add \u00ab\u0441\u0435\u0439\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u0441 \u0441 \u0442\u043e\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [right now with you].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u042f \u0435<\/span>\u0437\u0436\u0443 \u0442\u0443\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> = I\u2019 going there (by car, bus, in an unspecific direction, many times). Further explain this repeated motion with the words: \u00ab\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u043e \u043f\u043e \u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [often in my job, or for my work].
\n\u00ab\u042f \u0435<\/span>\u0434\u0443 \u0442\u0443\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> = I\u2019m going there (by car, bus, in a specific direction, once). In case people are nosy, tell them \u00ab\u043f\u043e\u0442\u043e\u043c\u0443<\/span> \u0447\u0442\u043e \u0443 \u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f<\/span> \u0442\u0430\u043c \u0432\u0441\u0442\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0447\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [because I have a meeting there].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u042f \u043b\u0435\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u044e \u0442\u0443\u0434\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> = I\u2019m going there (by plane, in an unspecific direction, many times). As a way of defending your \u2018pro-global warming behavior\u2019<\/em> you could always say \u00ab\u0432\u0441\u0435\u0433\u0434\u0430<\/span> \u0432\u043e \u0432\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043c\u044f \u043e<\/span>\u0442\u043f\u0443\u0441\u043a\u0430\u00bb <\/strong>[always during my vacation].
\n\u00ab\u042f \u043b\u0435\u0447\u0443<\/span> \u0442\u0443\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> = I\u2019m going there (by plane, in a specific direction, once). Everyone has their own reasons for flying, and any reason is better than \u00ab\u0432 \u043a\u043e\u043c\u0430\u043d\u0434\u0438\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u043a\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [on a business trip] so let\u2019s use this one instead: \u00ab\u0434\u043b\u044f \u0442\u043e\u0433\u043e<\/span>, \u0447\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0431\u044b \u043f\u043e\u0437\u043d\u0430\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u043c\u0438\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f \u0441 \u0440\u043e\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044f\u043c\u0438 \u043c\u043e\u0435<\/span>\u0439 \u043f\u043e\u0434\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0433\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [to become acquainted with my girlfriend\u2019s parents].<\/p>\n

This was, of course, only a brief introduction to the magically mysterious wonderland of Russian motion verbs. There\u2019s a lot more where this come from, and don\u2019t you worry \u2013 I\u2019m not done with this aspect of the Russian language, I\u2019m going to come back to it again and discuss it more and more and then some more with you. Today it hit me that I only have three days left before I leave Russia. I\u2019m going back home to Sweden on Monday (and then to the states for three weeks!). I\u2019m going to miss this country so much. I don\u2019t know what it is about her, but she does have that something. I\u2019ll be back, you bet I\u2019ll be back!, but not until September\u2026 For two whole months I\u2019m going to be a Russophile in exile. And who knows, that might be fun too?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Since today is THE day of Russia\u2019s big soccer match against Spain [in a matter of hours!], while 20 times more Russian flags are being sold than usually at this time of the year, I thought we should start our discussion about \u00ab\u0433\u043b\u0430\u0433\u043e\u043b\u044b \u0434\u0432\u0438\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0438\u044f\u00bb [verbs of motion] with one of the more appropriate verbs: \u00ab\u0431\u0435\u0436\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00bb…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-147","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-language"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147","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=147"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6061,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/147\/revisions\/6061"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=147"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=147"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=147"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}