{"id":165,"date":"2008-08-27T14:18:47","date_gmt":"2008-08-27T18:18:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=165"},"modified":"2014-07-16T18:16:55","modified_gmt":"2014-07-16T18:16:55","slug":"let%e2%80%99s-go-grammar-crazy-do-comparative-%d0%b8%d0%bb%d0%b8-%d0%ba%d0%be%d0%b5-%d1%87%d1%82%d0%be-%d0%be-%d1%81%d1%80%d0%b0%d0%b2%d0%bd%d0%b8%d1%82%d0%b5%d0%bb%d1%8c%d0%bd%d0%be%d0%b9","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/let%e2%80%99s-go-grammar-crazy-do-comparative-%d0%b8%d0%bb%d0%b8-%d0%ba%d0%be%d0%b5-%d1%87%d1%82%d0%be-%d0%be-%d1%81%d1%80%d0%b0%d0%b2%d0%bd%d0%b8%d1%82%d0%b5%d0%bb%d1%8c%d0%bd%d0%be%d0%b9\/","title":{"rendered":"Let\u2019s Go Grammar Crazy & Do Comparative! [\u0438\u043b\u0438 \u043a\u043e\u0435-\u0447\u0442\u043e \u043e \u0441\u0440\u0430\u0432\u043d\u0438\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e\u0439 \u0441\u0442\u0435\u043f\u0435\u043d\u0438 \u043f\u0440\u0438\u043b\u0430\u0433\u0430\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0445]"},"content":{"rendered":"

It has happened again, and this time it happened rather suddenly \u2013 I found something in Russian language that I haven\u2019t given much thought to as of late but which amused me to such an extreme that I could not refrain from sharing it with you all. The other day I was browsing through a thick book on Russian grammar in Norwegian [it is one of those eccentric, unexplainable twists of fate that Norway should be the country to produce the best grammar book of Russian for people with a Scandinavian language as their mother tongue, because they truly have, sometimes I even wonder if it\u2019s not the best book of Russian grammar in the whole world, that\u2019s how good it is, this Russisk grammatikk<\/a> by Terje Mathiassen<\/a>. Plus, Norwegian is a hilarious language, just as amusing to read as Ukrainan is to a Russian, I suppose] and it dawned on me that I have never discussed the very intriguing \u00ab\u0441\u0440\u0430\u0432\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0430\u044f \u0441\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u043f\u0435\u043d\u044c \u043f\u0440\u0438\u043b\u0430\u0433\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0445\u00bb <\/strong>[comparative<\/a> of adjectives] here. How bizarre! How shameful! \u00ab\u0421\u0442\u044b<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u043e \u043c\u043d\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [I\u2019m ashamed] or even \u00ab\u0441\u0442\u044b\u0434 \u0438 \u0441\u0440\u0430\u043c!\u00bb<\/strong> [(for) shame!], as a native of Russian would be sure to put it, after making further aqientence with this my slip-up. Maybe you\u2019re asking yourself, what\u2019s the big deal? What could possibly be so interesting (though I would personally in this case use \u2018fascinating\u2019<\/em>) about dealing a little bit with the comparative of adjectives? Well, if it sometimes gets as complicated as \u2018this book is good, but this book is better\u2019<\/em> in English, then who knows just how linguistically juicy things could get in an advanced Slavic language?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Instead of mourning the end of summer, one could put it this way: \u00ab\u041b\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u043e \u043a\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u043e\u0435 \u0432\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043c\u044f \u0433\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0430, \u043d\u043e \u043e<\/span>\u0441\u0435\u043d\u044c \u043a\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u0435\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [Summer is a beautiful time of the year, but fall is more beautiful]. Or why not go all the way with honesty in an expression like \u00ab\u041e<\/span>\u0441\u0435\u043d\u044c \u0441\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u043e\u0435 \u043a\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u043e\u0435 \u0432\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043c\u044f \u0433\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [Fall is the most beautiful time of the year]?<\/em><\/div>\n

\u00ab\u041e\u043d \u0436\u0438\u0432\u0451<\/span>\u0442 \u0432 \u0432\u044b\u0441\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u043e\u043c \u0434\u043e<\/span>\u043c\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – He lives in a tall building.
\n\u00ab\u041d\u043e \u0434\u043e\u043c, \u0432 \u043a\u043e\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u043c \u043e\u043d\u0430<\/span> \u0436\u0438\u0432\u0451<\/span>\u0442, \u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0448\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – But the house in which she lives is taller.<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0414\u0435\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u044f \u043c\u043e\u0435<\/span>\u0439 \u0431\u0430<\/span>\u0431\u0443\u0448\u043a\u0438 \u0442\u0430\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u044f \u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0445\u0430\u044f \u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u043c\u00bb<\/strong> – My grandmother\u2019s village is so quiet during the summer.
\n\u00ab\u041d\u043e, \u043a\u043e\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0447\u043d\u043e \u0436\u0435, \u0442\u0430\u043c \u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0448\u0435 \u0437\u0438\u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> – But of course it\u2019s quieter there in the winter.<\/p>\n

\u00ab(\u041c\u043e\u0439) \u043c\u0443\u0436 \u043c\u043d\u0435 \u0431\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0437\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u0447\u0435\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> – My husband is very close to me.
\n\u00ab\u0425\u043e\u0442\u044f<\/span> (\u043c\u043e\u044f<\/span>) \u043c\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u0430 \u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430\u0451<\/span>\u0442\u0441\u044f \u043c\u043d\u0435 \u0431\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0436\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – Though my mother remains closer to me.<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0420\u0430\u0437\u0432\u0435<\/span> \u043a\u0443<\/span>\u043f\u0438\u0448\u044c \u0442\u0430\u043a\u0443<\/span>\u044e \u0434\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0433\u0443<\/span>\u044e \u0444\u0443\u0442\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043a\u0443?\u00bb <\/strong>– Are you realling going to buy such an expensive t-shirt?
\n\u00ab\u041e\u043d\u0430<\/span> \u0445\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u0435\u0433\u043e \u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0430, \u0438, \u043a\u0430\u043a \u043c\u043d\u0435 \u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0436\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f, \u0435\u0441\u0442\u044c \u0444\u0443\u0442\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043a\u0438, \u043a\u043e\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u044b\u0435 \u0434\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u0435, \u043d\u043e \u0445\u0443<\/span>\u0434\u0448\u0435\u0433\u043e \u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> – It is of good quality, and it seems to me that there are other t-shirts that are more expensive but of worse quality.<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u041e\u043d \u0443 \u043d\u0430\u0441 \u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0434\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u0433\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> – He is a rare guest at our place.
\n\u00ab\u0410 \u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u0431\u0440\u0430\u0442 \u0445\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0438\u0442 \u043a \u043d\u0430\u043c \u0432 \u0433\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0438 \u0435\u0449\u0451<\/span> \u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0436\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – But his brother comes to visit us even rarer (more seldom<\/em>).<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u041e\u043d\u0430<\/span> \u0442\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u0441\u0442\u0430\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> – She is fat.
\n\u00ab\u0410 \u043e\u043d \u0442\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u0449\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – But\/And he is fatter.<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u041c\u043e\u0439 \u0441\u043e\u0441\u0435<\/span>\u0434 \u0431\u043e\u0433\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044b\u0439 \u2013 \u043f\u043e\u043a\u0443\u043f\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u0442 \u0441\u0435\u0431\u0435<\/span> \u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u0443\u044e \u043c\u0430\u0448\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0443 \u0440\u0430\u0437 \u0432 \u043c\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u044f\u0446\u00bb <\/strong>– My neighbor is rich \u2013 he buys a new car once a month.
\n\u00ab\u042d<\/span>\u0442\u043e \u0435\u0449\u0451<\/span> \u043d\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span>, \u043c\u043e\u0439 \u0441\u043e\u0441\u0435<\/span>\u0434 \u0431\u043e\u0433\u0430<\/span>\u0447\u0435 \u2013 \u043e\u043d \u043f\u043e\u043a\u0443\u043f\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u0442 \u043f\u043e \u0432\u043d\u0435\u0434o\u0440o<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0443 \u0432 \u043d\u0435\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044e\u00bb<\/strong> – That\u2019s still nothing, my neighbor is richer \u2013 he buys one new SUV every week.<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u042d<\/span>\u0442\u0438 \u043f\u0440\u0438\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u044b \u043b\u0451<\/span>\u0433\u043a\u0438\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – These examples are easy.
\n\u00ab\u041c\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u043e \u043d\u0430\u0439\u0442\u0438<\/span> \u0438 \u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0433\u0447\u0435 \u043f\u0440\u0438\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> – It is possible to give also easier examples.<\/p>\n

I hope these few examples have given you a general idea of how to compare adjectives in Russian. As is probably understood by anyone even in the least familiar with \u00ab\u0432\u0435\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u0438 \u043c\u043e\u0433\u0443<\/span>\u0447\u0438\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [\u201cgreat and mighty\u201d]<\/a> it is rather <\/em>unimpossible to sum up any rule in just a few examples, but one can always try to give a sneak peak of how things might be.<\/p>\n

(P.S. I was just wondering how many of you have read or only heard about the poem by Ivan Turgenev<\/a> \u00ab\u0420\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u044f\u0437\u044b<\/span>\u043a\u00bb<\/strong><\/a>, that the quote above about \u201cgreat and mighty\u201d is from? Or perhaps it is deserving of a post of its own?)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It has happened again, and this time it happened rather suddenly \u2013 I found something in Russian language that I haven\u2019t given much thought to as of late but which amused me to such an extreme that I could not refrain from sharing it with you all. The other day I was browsing through a…<\/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-165","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-language"],"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


\nThen, one asks oneself, how to compare adjectives in Russian? How do you say the sentence above, that one book is good but another one better, in the language of Pushkin<\/a> and Medvedev<\/a>? Simply: \u00ab\u042d<\/span>\u0442\u043e \u0445\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u0430\u044f \u043a\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0433\u0430, \u043d\u043e \u0442\u0430 \u043a\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0433\u0430 \u043b\u0443<\/span>\u0447\u0448\u0435\u00bb<\/strong>. But wait a minute, what happened to the adjective \u00ab\u0445\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u0438\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> here, why didn\u2019t it also turn into \u00ab\u0445\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u0435\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> as in the example with \u00ab\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u044b\u0439\u00bb <\/strong>and \u00ab\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u0435\u0435\u00bb <\/strong>under the picture above? Welcome to the world of irregularities! Just as in English (good, better) Russian has its irregular peculiarities. Though many Russian adjectives are compared in a regular manner, adding to the end \u00ab-\u0435\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> there are very many exceptions to this rule. And since exceptions are both harder to grip and more fun to deal with, I thought we should linger on them today.<\/p>\n