<\/p>\n
Warning: <\/strong>This is a very long post and the winner is announced at the very end of it.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u00ab<\/strong>\u0412\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043c\u044f <\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0434\u0432\u043e\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u0438\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0433\u0438 <\/strong>\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u043d\u043a\u0443\u0440\u0441\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [It\u2019s time to wrap up our contest<\/a>].<\/p>\n Before I announce \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0431\u0435\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [the winner], I got to say this – Russian blog readers ROCK! The total of 83 comments is a new record for this blog. But as I wrote before<\/a>, this is one of the situations when \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e\u00bb<\/strong> [quality] means more than \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u043e\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e\u00bb<\/strong> [quantity].<\/p>\n \u00ab<\/strong>\u041e\u0433\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u043c\u043d\u043e\u0435 <\/strong>\u0441\u043f\u0430\u0441\u0438<\/span>\u0431\u043e\u00bb<\/strong> [Huge thanks] to Rob, Minority, and Delia for fielding the questions and offering help with grammar, translation and additional research. Richard, thank you for your most interesting questions, especially about the word \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u043b\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [vulgarity or kitsch].<\/p>\n Overall, the comments confirm my belief that this is a blog where comments oftentimes provide more valuable information on the topic than the posts themselves.<\/p>\n One of the contributors, Stephanie, added a wonderful saying \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0432\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 – <\/strong>\u043c\u0430\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u0443\u0447\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> [repetition is the mother of learning]. It is a very popular one, so let\u2019s roll with it. I\u2019d like to quickly review some of the entries and add my own \u00ab<\/strong>\u0442\u0440\u0438 <\/strong>\u043a\u043e\u043f\u0435<\/span>\u0439\u043a\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [two cents-worth; lit. three kopeks] to them.<\/p>\n JT\u2019s entry:<\/span><\/strong> \u00ab<\/strong>\u0412\u0441\u0451 <\/strong>\u0438\u0434\u0451<\/span>\u0442 <\/strong>\u043f\u043e <\/strong>\u043f\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0443\u00bb<\/strong> [All is going according to the plan]<\/p>\n \u00ab<\/strong>\u041f\u043b\u0430\u043d\u00bb<\/strong> in Russian usually means \u201cplan\u201d, \u201cdraft\u201d, or \u201cplot\u201d. It can also mean a \u201ctopographic map\u201d. Curiously, it also means \u00ab<\/strong>\u0430\u043d\u0430\u0448\u0430<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [hashish].<\/p>\n Mark\u2019s entry:<\/span><\/strong> \u00ab<\/strong>\u0413\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u044f<\/span>\u0442, <\/strong>\u0447\u0442\u043e <\/strong>\u043a\u0443\u0440 <\/strong>\u0434\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u00bb<\/strong> [Don\u2019t believe everything you hear; lit. Some say chickens can be milked]<\/p>\n One of \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u044b\u0435 <\/strong>\u0432\u043a\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u043d\u044b\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [tastiest] of Russian candies are called \u00ab<\/strong>\u041f\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u044c\u0435 <\/strong>\u043c\u043e\u043b\u043e\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [lit. Birds\u2019 Milk]. You can usually find them in the Russian stores in the US, although they lose much of their \u201cmelt-in-your-mouth softness\u201d after the lengthy transport and storage.<\/p>\n Richard\u2019s entry:<\/span><\/strong> \u00ab<\/strong>\u042f <\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u044f, <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u0430\u0434\u044c <\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u043c\u043e\u044f<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [I didn\u2019t do it! Lit: I\u2019m not myself and the horse isn\u2019t mine]<\/p>\n This one made me smile as I haven\u2019t heard it much after moving to the US! There\u2019s a particular word that comes to mind when I hear this phrase – \u00ab<\/strong>\u043e\u0442\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u0438\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f\u00bb<\/strong>. Typically translated as \u201cto say no\u201d or \u201cto disavow\u201d it loses some of its linguistic charisma, just like another wonderful word – \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0434\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u043a\u0438\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [to say yes].<\/p>\n Alison\u2019s entry:<\/span><\/strong> \u00ab<\/strong>\u043b\u044e\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u044c – <\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u043a\u0430\u0440\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u043a\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [love is not a potato]<\/p>\n Ok, this sounds cryptic, but there\u2019s a second part of the saying: \u00ab<\/strong>\u043b\u044e\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u044c – <\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u043a\u0430\u0440\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u043a\u0430, <\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u043a\u0438\u043d\u0435\u0448\u044c <\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u043e\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u043a\u043e\u00bb<\/strong> [love is not a potato; it can\u2019t be thrown out of the window]. So true! After all, \u00ab<\/strong>\u043b\u044e\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u044c <\/strong>\u0437\u043b\u0430, <\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u043b\u044e<\/span>\u0431\u0438\u0448\u044c <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u043a\u043e\u0437\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [love is cruel]. Another weird love and gardening saying is \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u043e\u0448\u043b\u0430<\/span> <\/strong>\u043b\u044e\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u044c, <\/strong>\u0437\u0430\u0432\u044f<\/span>\u043b\u0438 <\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u043c\u0438\u0434\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [love ended, tomatoes wilted].<\/p>\n Delia\u2019s entry:<\/span><\/strong> \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0434\u043b\u043e\u0436\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u0441\u0432\u0438\u043d\u044c\u044e<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [to play a dirty trick or to cause a major inconvenience; lit. to lay a pig near someone]<\/p>\n If you are wondering why pigs were singled out for the purpose of lying near someone, it\u2019s because pigs, in Russia, are usually associated with \u00ab<\/strong>\u043d\u0435\u0447\u0438\u0441\u0442\u043e\u043f\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [impurity, frequently of thoughts or intentions]. Sounds interesting? Then find out more in this post<\/a> about different animals in Russian sayings.<\/p>\n Simon\u2019s entry:<\/span> \u00ab<\/strong>\u041d\u0435\u0442 <\/strong>\u0445\u0443<\/span>\u0434\u0430 <\/strong>\u0431\u0435\u0437 <\/strong>\u0434\u043e\u0431\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u00bb <\/strong>[every cloud has a silver lining]<\/p>\n The well-known corollary of this is \u00ab<\/strong>\u043d\u0435\u0442 <\/strong>\u0434\u043e\u0431\u0440\u0430<\/span> <\/strong>\u0431\u0435\u0437 <\/strong>\u0445\u0443<\/span>\u0434\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [good luck brings bad luck]. One of the traits that foreigners notice in Russians is a certain measure of fatalism. Another saying that goes with it is \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0436\u0434\u043e\u0439 <\/strong>\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0447\u043a\u0435 <\/strong>\u043c\u0451<\/span>\u0434\u0430 <\/strong>\u0435\u0441\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u043a\u0430 <\/strong>\u0434\u0451<\/span>\u0433\u0442\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> [every barrel-full of honey has a spoon-full of tar].<\/p>\n Drew<\/span><\/strong>\u2019s<\/span><\/strong> entry<\/span><\/strong>:<\/span><\/strong> \u00ab\u041a\u0442\u043e,\u043a\u0442\u043e? \u041a\u043e\u043d\u044c \u0432 \u043f\u0430\u043b\u044c\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [Who? Who? A horse in a coat!]<\/p>\n Thanks, Drew, for reminding me of this saying! I wish there was something as universal in English to slow the barrage of the \u201cKnock-knock. Who\u2019s there?\u201d jokes. Sometimes the mythical \u00ab<\/strong>\u0434\u0435\u0434 <\/strong>\u041f\u0438\u0445\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [Grandfather Pikhto] is substituted for the proverbial horse. There\u2019s much speculation as to who this Grandfather Pikhto is, but some say that he\u2019s a spirit of the \u00ab<\/strong>\u0442\u0430\u0439\u0433\u0430<\/span>\u00bb <\/strong>[boreal forests] which are abundant with \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u0438<\/span>\u0445\u0442\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [fir trees]. As to the horse in a coat, it\u2019s popular enough that there\u2019s a statue of it<\/a> in the town of Sochi.<\/p>\n Olia\u2019s entry:<\/span> \u00ab<\/strong>\u0421\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u0438 <\/strong>\u0441\u044b\u0442 <\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u0431\u0443<\/span>\u0434\u0435\u0448\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [One can\u2019t live on words alone]<\/p>\n Thank you, Olia, for this entry. It goes particularly well with the giveaway theme. Although matreshkas aren\u2019t particularly nourishing either. Another good phrase along the same lines is \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u043e\u0440\u043c\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u043e\u0431\u0435\u0449\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f\u043c\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [to feed with promises] and a corresponding \u00ab<\/strong>\u043e\u0431\u0435\u0449\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f\u043c\u0438 <\/strong>\u0441\u044b\u0442 <\/strong>\u043f\u043e <\/strong>\u0433\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u043b\u043e\u00bb<\/strong> [fed up with promises].<\/p>\n Rob\u2019s entry:<\/span> \u00ab<\/strong>\u0420\u043e\u0441\u0441\u0438<\/span>\u044f – <\/strong>\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0438\u043d\u0430 <\/strong>\u0441\u043b\u043e\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u00bb<\/strong> [Russia – the motherland of the elephants]<\/p>\n Rob always provides exhaustive comments, so the only thing I can add to his explanation is this link to a page on Lurkmor.ru<\/a><\/p>\n Kate<\/span><\/strong>\u2019s<\/span><\/strong> entry<\/span><\/strong>:<\/span><\/strong> \u00ab\u0443\u0441\u043f\u0435\u0445 – \u044d\u0442\u043e \u0443\u0441\u043f\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong><\/p>\n Richard asked for the best way to translate it. Let\u2019s see\u2026 \u00ab<\/strong>