{"id":2058,"date":"2011-05-13T08:00:24","date_gmt":"2011-05-13T08:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=2058"},"modified":"2014-07-17T14:46:41","modified_gmt":"2014-07-17T14:46:41","slug":"russian-gestures-silence-is-golden","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/russian-gestures-silence-is-golden\/","title":{"rendered":"Russian Gestures – Silence is Golden"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n

And now I\u2019m thinking of a Russian 4-letter word that starts with \u00ab<\/strong>\u0436\u00bb\u2026<\/strong> Nope, not that one! The word I\u2019m thinking about is \u00ab<\/strong>\u0436\u0435\u0441\u0442\u00bb.<\/strong> As so many Russian words it has more than one meaning.<\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u0412 <\/strong>\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u043d\u043e\u043c <\/strong>\u0437\u043d\u0430\u0447\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [Figuratively], it means \u201can act intended for external effect\u201d:<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0415\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u0440\u0435\u0448\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u0436\u0435\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f \u043d\u0430 \u041c\u0430\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u0438 \u0431\u044b<\/span>\u043b\u043e \u043b\u0438\u0448\u044c \u0431\u043b\u0430\u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u044b\u043c \u0436\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u043e\u043c\u00bb <\/strong>[His decision to marry Maria was just a noble gesture]<\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u041f\u043e\u0434\u0430\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u0432\u0441\u044e <\/strong>\u043a\u043e\u043b\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u0446\u0438\u044e <\/strong>\u043a\u0430\u0440\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u043d <\/strong>\u043c\u0443\u0437\u0435<\/span>\u044e – <\/strong>\u044d\u0442\u043e <\/strong>\u0448\u0438\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u0438\u0439 <\/strong>\u0436\u0435\u0441\u0442\u00bb<\/strong> [To gift the entire collection of paintings to a museum is an act of generosity]<\/p>\n

This post, however, is about \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u044f\u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0435 <\/strong>\u0437\u043d\u0430\u0447\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [direct meaning] of the word \u00ab<\/strong>\u0436\u0435\u0441\u0442\u00bb<\/strong> – a movement of part of the body, especially head or hand, that so frequently accompanies our speech and helps reinforce our verbal messages. Specifically, it\u2019s about \u00ab<\/strong>\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0435 <\/strong>\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [Russian gestures]. Even more to the point, it\u2019s about some of the most common gestures that made their way into proverbial expressions.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with \u00ab<\/strong>\u043c\u0430\u0445\u043d\u0443<\/span>\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u0440\u0443\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [lit. to flick a hand]. Bend your right arm so that the fingers are pointing up. Keeping fingers relaxed, bend the right wrist back a bit and quickly flick the hand forward. Congratulations, you\u2019ve just expressed disapproval, rejection or even hopelessness, as in:<\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u041d\u0430 <\/strong>\u041a\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044e <\/strong>\u0443\u0447\u0438\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044f<\/span> <\/strong>\u0443\u0436\u0435<\/span> <\/strong>\u0434\u0430\u0432\u043d\u043e<\/span> <\/strong>\u043c\u0430\u0445\u043d\u0443<\/span>\u043b\u0438 <\/strong>\u0440\u0443\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [Teachers gave up on Kolya some time ago]<\/p>\n

Don’t get \u00ab<\/strong>\u043c\u0430\u0445\u043d\u0443<\/span>\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u0440\u0443\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> confused with \u00ab<\/strong>\u043c\u0430\u0445\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u0440\u0443\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0439\u00bb<\/strong>.\u00a0 The former means resignation. The latter is used simply to wave \u201chello\u201d or \u201cgoodbye\u201d.<\/p>\n

Another gesture for expressing dismay and resignation is \u00ab<\/strong>\u0440\u0430\u0437\u0432\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0438<\/span> <\/strong>\u0440\u0443\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [lit. spreading your hands]. Don\u2019t worry, you won\u2019t need much space to execute this gesture. Slightly bend your elbows. Turn palms up and relaxed fingers extended. Slowly spread your hands while keeping elbows tucked in.<\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u041c\u044b <\/strong>\u043e\u0431\u0440\u0430\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u0438\u0441\u044c <\/strong>\u043a <\/strong>\u0430\u0434\u0432\u043e\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0443, <\/strong>\u043d\u043e <\/strong>\u0442\u043e\u0442 <\/strong>\u043b\u0438\u0448\u044c <\/strong>\u0440\u0443\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u0438 <\/strong>\u0440\u0430\u0437\u0432\u0451<\/span>\u043b, <\/strong>\u043c\u043e\u043b <\/strong>\u043d\u0438\u0447\u0435<\/span>\u043c <\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u043c\u043e\u0433\u0443<\/span> <\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0447\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [We asked a lawyer, but he just his hands up indicating that he couldn\u2019t help us any].<\/p>\n

Next up is \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0436\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u043f\u043b\u0435\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u0438\u00bb <\/strong> or \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0436\u0438\u043c\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u043f\u043b\u0435\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [shrug one\u2019s shoulders]. This is a universal gesture of \u00ab<\/strong>\u043d\u0435\u0437\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [lack of knowledge] or \u00ab<\/strong>\u043d\u0435\u0434\u043e\u0443\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [bewilderment]:<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u041d\u0430 \u0432\u043e\u043f\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0441 \u043e \u0442\u043e\u043c, \u043a\u0442\u043e \u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u043b\u044e\u0431\u0438<\/span>\u043c\u044b\u0439 \u043f\u0438\u0441\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c-\u0444\u0430\u043d\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0442, \u0410\u043b\u0435\u043a\u0441\u0435<\/span>\u0439 \u043f\u043e\u0436\u0430<\/span>\u043b \u043f\u043b\u0435\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u0438. \u0424\u0430\u043d\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0438\u043a\u043e\u0439 <\/strong>\u043e\u043d <\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u0438\u043d\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0441\u043e\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0441\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> [When asked who was his favorite sci-fi author, Alexei just shrugged his shoulders. He wasn\u2019t into science fiction]<\/p>\n

And while we are at it, a gesture that frequently, but not always, accompanies a shoulder shrug is \u00ab<\/strong>\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u0430\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u0431\u043e\u043b\u044c\u0448\u0438<\/span>\u0435 <\/strong>\u0433\u043b\u0430\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [lit. make big eyes]. This is generally a gesture of surprise, as in<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u041d\u0435 \u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u0430\u0439 \u0431\u043e\u043b\u044c\u0448\u0438<\/span>\u0435 \u0433\u043b\u0430\u0437\u0430<\/span> – \u0442\u044b \u043f\u0440\u0435\u043a\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u043d\u043e \u0437\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u0448\u044c, \u043e \u0447\u0451\u043c \u0438\u0434\u0451<\/span>\u0442 \u0440\u0435\u0447\u044c!\u00bb<\/strong> [Don\u2019t you be making big eyes; you know perfectly well what this conversation is about!]<\/p>\n

A not so nice way of saying \u00ab<\/strong>\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u0430\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u0431\u043e\u043b\u044c\u0448\u0438<\/span>\u0435 <\/strong>\u0433\u043b\u0430\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> is \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u043b\u0443\u043f\u0438\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u0433\u043b\u0430\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> or \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u043f\u0443\u0447\u0438\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u0433\u043b\u0430\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong>, both meaning \u201cgo bug-eyed\u201d.<\/p>\n

How about the good old \u201ccrazy\u201d sign? Start by extending the index finger and touching it to somewhere between your temple and the corner of your eye (the exact placement is not important). Now, quickly rotate the hand, alternating between clockwise and counter-clockwise, so that the finger moves slightly. You can accompany the gesture by saying that the person is \u00ab<\/strong>\u0442\u043e\u0433\u043e<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [it\u2019s pronounced \u201ctovo<\/span>\u201d and means off one\u2019s rocker] as in<\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u0423 <\/strong>\u043d\u0430\u0441 <\/strong>\u0441\u043e\u0441\u0435<\/span>\u0434\u043a\u0430 <\/strong>\u0441\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0437\u0443, <\/strong>\u0441\u043e\u0432\u0441\u0435<\/span>\u043c <\/strong>\u0442\u043e\u0433\u043e<\/span>, <\/strong>\u0445\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0438\u043c <\/strong>\u043d\u0430 <\/strong>\u0446\u044b<\/span>\u043f\u043e\u0447\u043a\u0430\u0445, <\/strong>\u0430 <\/strong>\u043e\u043d\u0430<\/span> <\/strong>\u0432\u0441\u0451<\/span> <\/strong>\u043a\u0440\u0438\u0447\u0438<\/span>\u0442, <\/strong>\u0447\u0442\u043e <\/strong>\u043a\u0430\u043a <\/strong>\u0441\u043b\u043e\u043d\u044b<\/span> <\/strong>\u0442\u043e\u043f\u043e<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u043c\u00bb<\/strong> [Our neighbor below is totally off her rocker; we\u2019re tip-toeing around, yet she screams that we\u2019re stomping like elephants]<\/p>\n

Now, on to the really fun one – \u00ab<\/strong>\u0444\u0438\u0433\u0430\u00bb<\/strong>. Some claim that it\u2019s the Russian equivalent of the American \u201cmiddle finger\u201d gesture. I disagree. First of all, the real equivalent is a different gesture that will require two hands to execute (hmm, not so convenient \u00ab<\/strong>\u0437\u0430 <\/strong>\u0440\u0443\u043b\u0451<\/span>\u043c\u00bb<\/strong> [while driving], come to think of it). Besides, \u00ab<\/strong>\u0444\u0438<\/span>\u0433\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> is a much milder gesture that is widely used by children and women.<\/p>\n

So, the gesture itself consists of making a fist and then sticking your thumb between your index and middle fingers. The result goes by several names – \u00ab<\/strong>\u0444\u0438<\/span>\u0433\u0430\u00bb, \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u0443<\/span>\u043a\u0438\u0448\u00bb, \u00ab<\/strong>\u0448\u0438\u0448\u00bb<\/strong> – all meaning essentially \u201chere\u2019s a big nothing for you\u201d:<\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u0421\u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u0440\u0438\u0442 <\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u043a\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0433\u0443, <\/strong>\u0432\u0438<\/span>\u0434\u0438\u0442 <\/strong>\u0444\u0438<\/span>\u0433\u0443\u00bb<\/strong> means \u201cto stare at the book without comprehending anything\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u0424\u0438\u0433 <\/strong>\u0442\u0435\u0431\u0435<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> or \u00ab<\/strong>\u0424\u0438\u0433 <\/strong>\u0442\u0435\u0431\u0435<\/span> <\/strong>\u0441 <\/strong>\u043c\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u043b\u043e\u043c\u00bb<\/strong> means \u201cHere\u2019s a nothing for you\u201d or \u201cHere\u2019s a buttered nothing for you\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u041e\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u0435\u0439 \u0441 \u0412\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0435\u0439. \u041f\u0440\u043e \u043d\u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u043d\u0435 \u0437\u0440\u044f \u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u044f<\/span>\u0442, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u043e\u043d \u0434\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0436\u0438\u0442 \u0444\u0438<\/span>\u0433\u0443 \u0432 \u043a\u0430\u0440\u043c\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [Be careful with Vasya. People say for a reason that he\u2019ll flip you a bird behind your back].<\/p>\n

Speaking of the middle finger gesture. There\u2019s definitely a cultural disconnect here between Russians and, say, Americans. Russian children are raised with the notion that pointing at something using \u00ab<\/strong>\u0443\u043a\u0430\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u043f\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0435\u0446\u00bb<\/strong> [index finger] is very bad. It\u2019s \u00ab<\/strong>\u043d\u0435\u043a\u0443\u043b\u044c\u0442\u0443<\/span>\u0440\u043d\u043e\u00bb<\/strong> [ill-mannered]. As a result, Russians avoid pointing at objects and people. But when such pointing is unavoidable, they might use the entire hand (like all those statues of Lenin pointing towards \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u043b\u043e\u0435 <\/strong>\u0431\u0443<\/span>\u0434\u0443\u0449\u0435\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [Bright Future]) or do what my father does even after years of living in the US – use their middle fingers.<\/p>\n

There are, of course, lots more gestures. Which ones would you like to add?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

And now I\u2019m thinking of a Russian 4-letter word that starts with \u00ab\u0436\u00bb\u2026 Nope, not that one! The word I\u2019m thinking about is \u00ab\u0436\u0435\u0441\u0442\u00bb. As so many Russian words it has more than one meaning. \u00ab\u0412 \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u043d\u043e\u0441\u043d\u043e\u043c \u0437\u043d\u0430\u0447\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0438\u00bb [Figuratively], it means \u201can act intended for external effect\u201d: \u00ab\u0415\u0433\u043e \u0440\u0435\u0448\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u0436\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f \u043d\u0430 \u041c\u0430\u0440\u0438\u0438 \u0431\u044b\u043b\u043e \u043b\u0438\u0448\u044c \u0431\u043b\u0430\u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0434\u043d\u044b\u043c…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":2059,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3,8,7828,7826],"tags":[57430,57696,57169,13008,8105],"class_list":["post-2058","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","category-language","category-russian-for-beginners","category-when-in-russia","tag-nonverbal-russian","tag-real-russian","tag-russian-gestures","tag-russian-sayings","tag-strange-russian-words"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2058","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\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2058"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2058\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6313,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2058\/revisions\/6313"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2059"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2058"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2058"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2058"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}