{"id":2631,"date":"2012-03-19T08:00:11","date_gmt":"2012-03-19T08:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=2631"},"modified":"2014-07-17T17:59:01","modified_gmt":"2014-07-17T17:59:01","slug":"womans-work-part-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/womans-work-part-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Woman’s Work – Part 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

I am pretty sure that most Russians over 30 are familiar with the opening lines of Gianni Rodari<\/a>\u2019s poem \u0427\u0435\u043c <\/strong>\u043f\u0430<\/span>\u0445\u043d\u0443\u0442 <\/strong>\u0440\u0435\u043c\u0451<\/span>\u0441\u043b\u0430<\/strong> (What jobs smell like<\/a>):<\/p>\n

\u0423 \u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0436\u0434\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u0430<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u0417\u0430<\/span>\u043f\u0430\u0445 \u043e\u0441\u043e<\/span>\u0431\u044b\u0439<\/strong><\/p>\n

(Each trade<\/p>\n

Has its special smell)<\/p>\n

This short poem mentions quite a few jobs, all using masculine nouns – \u043c\u0430\u043b\u044f<\/span>\u0440<\/strong> (painter), \u0441\u0442\u0435\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u0449\u0438\u043a<\/strong> (windows installer), \u0448\u043e\u0444\u0451<\/span>\u0440<\/strong> (driver), \u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0447\u0438\u0439<\/strong> (laborer), \u043a\u043e\u043d\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u0440<\/strong> (baker), \u0434\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u0442\u043e\u0440<\/strong> (doctor), \u043a\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0442\u044c\u044f<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u043d<\/strong> (farmer), and \u0440\u044b\u0431\u0430<\/span>\u043a<\/strong> (fisherman). Even \u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u044b\u0440\u044c<\/strong> (idler) is a masculine word. This simply won\u2019t do it nowadays.<\/p>\n

First of all, the word \u0440\u0435\u043c\u0435\u0441\u043b\u043e<\/span><\/strong> (a trade) is not used much and instead is replaced with \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0444\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0441\u0438\u044f<\/strong> (profession):<\/p>\n

\u041f\u0440\u043e\u0444\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0441\u0438\u044f \u0448\u043e\u0444\u0451<\/span>\u0440\u0430-\u0434\u0430\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0439\u0449\u0438\u043a\u0430 \u0441\u0447\u0438\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f \u043e\u0434\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0439 \u0438\u0437 \u0441\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u044b\u0439 \u043e\u043f\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u043d\u044b\u0445. <\/strong>(A long-haul trucker job is considered to be one of the most dangerous.)<\/p>\n

When it comes to jobs, there\u2019s really no rule, as far as I know, for when to use a feminine form and when to stick with the masculine. Instead, we seem to follow some \u043d\u0435\u043f\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u0430\u043d\u044b\u0435 <\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u0438\u043b\u0430<\/strong> (unwritten rules) of linguistic and cultural etiquette. So you know what to expect now – confusion.<\/p>\n

First, there are jobs for which separate words exist for a male worker and a female worker:<\/p>\n

\u0420\u0430\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0447\u0438\u0439<\/strong> (male laborer or worker) and \u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u0438\u0446\u0430<\/strong> or \u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0447\u0430\u044f<\/strong> (female laborer or worker)<\/p>\n

\u0410\u0440\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u0442 <\/strong>\u0431\u0430\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u0430<\/strong> (male ballet dancer) and \u0431\u0430\u043b\u0435\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0430<\/strong> (female ballet dancer)<\/p>\n

\u0423\u0447\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c<\/strong> (male teacher) and \u0443\u0447\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0438\u0446\u0430<\/strong> (female teacher)<\/p>\n

\u041f\u043e\u0440\u0442\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0439<\/strong> (female tailor) and \u043f\u043e\u0440\u0442\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0445\u0430<\/strong> (female tailor)<\/p>\n

\u041c\u0435\u0434\u0431\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0442<\/strong> (male nurse) and \u043c\u0435\u0434\u0441\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0440\u0430<\/span><\/strong> (female nurse)<\/p>\n

\u041b\u0451<\/span>\u0442\u0447\u0438\u043a <\/strong>(male pilot) and \u043b\u0451<\/span>\u0442\u0447\u0438\u0446\u0430<\/strong> (female pilot)<\/p>\n

Then there are jobs that do not have a feminine version or, if they do, it is usually restricted to \u0440\u0430\u0437\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u043d\u0430\u044f <\/strong>\u0440\u0435\u0447\u044c<\/strong> (colloquial speech). These are the jobs that historically were closed to women, i.e. various trades and many professional jobs. Even when a feminine version exists, it\u2019s the masculine form that is used in job ads and on resumes.<\/p>\n

\u0428\u043e\u0444\u0451<\/span>\u0440<\/strong> – driver<\/p>\n

\u041f\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u0430\u0440\u044c<\/strong> – baker<\/p>\n

\u0421\u0442\u043e\u043b\u044f<\/span>\u0440<\/strong> – joiner<\/p>\n

\u041f\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u0438\u043a<\/strong> – carpenter<\/p>\n

\u0421\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0430\u0440\u044c<\/strong> – mechanic<\/p>\n

\u0414\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u043d\u0438\u043a<\/strong> – street cleaner<\/p>\n

\u0412\u0440\u0430\u0447<\/strong> and \u0434\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u0442\u043e\u0440<\/strong> – medical doctor, although there is a conversional feminine version \u0432\u0440\u0430\u0447\u0438<\/span>\u0445\u0430<\/strong> and \u0434\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0448\u0430<\/strong>. Also, words for medical specialties, such as \u0445\u0438\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0440\u0433<\/strong> (surgeon), \u043d\u0435\u0432\u0440\u043e\u043f\u0430\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0433<\/strong> (neurologist), \u0433\u0438\u043d\u0435\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0433<\/strong> (gynecologist), \u043f\u0435\u0434\u0438\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0440<\/strong> (pediatrician) – are always masculine.<\/p>\n

\u0414\u0438<\/span>\u043a\u0442\u043e\u0440<\/strong> – network announcer, although \u0434\u0438<\/span>\u043a\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0448\u0430<\/strong> (female announcer) is a common conversational word.<\/p>\n

\u0411\u0443\u0445\u0433\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0442\u0435\u0440<\/strong> – accountant. The feminine \u0431\u0443\u0445\u0433\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0448\u0430<\/strong> is often used in conversations.<\/p>\n

\u0418\u043d\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0440<\/strong> – engineer<\/p>\n

\u0424\u043e\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0433\u0440\u0430\u0444 <\/strong>– photographer<\/p>\n

\u041f\u0435\u0434\u0430\u0433\u043e<\/span>\u0433<\/strong> – educator<\/p>\n

\u041f\u043e\u0441\u043e<\/span>\u043b <\/strong>– ambassador<\/p>\n

Technically, you can form a feminine version from almost any masculine one. However, there are two problems here.<\/p>\n

The first one is that many such attempts will sound not only strange, but carry \u043f\u0440\u0435\u043d\u0435\u0431\u0440\u0435\u0436\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0439<\/strong> (contemptuous) connotation as in \u043c\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0435\u0434\u0436\u0435\u0440\u0448\u0430<\/strong> (female manager).<\/p>\n

The second problem is that forming a feminine version might, in some cases, be confusing. For example, words such as \u0434\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0448\u0430<\/strong> or \u0438\u043d\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0448\u0430<\/strong> traditionally mean a wife of a doctor (former) or of an engineer (latter).<\/p>\n

In general, when in doubt, use masculine form to describe a woman\u2019s occupation:<\/p>\n

\u041d\u0430\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u044f – <\/strong>\u0441\u043f\u0435\u0446\u0438\u0430\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u0442 <\/strong>\u043f\u043e <\/strong>\u0432\u0435\u0431-<\/strong>\u0434\u0438\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u0439\u043d\u0443<\/strong> (Natalia is a web-design specialist)<\/p>\n

\u0415\u043a\u0430\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0430 <\/strong>\u0412\u0430\u0441\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u0435\u0432\u043d\u0430 – <\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u0435\u043a\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u043f\u0435\u0434\u0430\u0433\u043e<\/span>\u0433<\/strong> (Ekaterina Vasilyevna is a wonderful educator)<\/p>\n

\u041c\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u0443\u0447\u0430\u0441\u0442\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u0432\u0440\u0430\u0447 <\/strong>\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u043f\u0438\u0441\u0430\u043b\u0430 <\/strong>\u0431\u043e\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u043d\u044b\u0439<\/strong> (The neighborhood doctor wrote me a sick-leave note) – notice that here we know that the doctor is a female because of the endings of the past-tense verb \u0432\u044b\u043f\u0438\u0441\u0430\u043b\u0430 (wrote).<\/p>\n

\u0423 <\/strong>\u041b\u0438<\/span>\u0434\u0438\u0438 <\/strong>\u0434\u0432\u0430\u0434\u0446\u0430\u0442\u0438\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u0438\u0439 <\/strong>\u0441\u0442\u0430\u0436 <\/strong>\u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u044b <\/strong>\u0431\u0443\u0445\u0433\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0442\u0435\u0440\u043e\u043c <\/strong>\u043d\u0430 <\/strong>\u043a\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u043f\u043d\u043e\u043c <\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u043f\u0440\u0438\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u0438<\/strong> (Lidia has twenty years of experience as an accountant at a large enterprise)<\/p>\n

\u041c\u043e\u044f<\/span> <\/strong>\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0430<\/span> <\/strong>\u0432\u043e\u043b\u043d\u0443<\/span>\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f, <\/strong>\u0447\u0442\u043e <\/strong>\u0435\u0451 <\/strong>\u0441\u043e\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0442\u044f<\/span>\u0442, <\/strong>\u043d\u043e <\/strong>\u043e\u043d\u0430<\/span> <\/strong>\u0436\u0435 <\/strong>\u043d\u0435\u0437\u0430\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u043c\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u0432\u044b\u0441\u043e\u043a\u043e\u043a\u0432\u0430\u043b\u0438\u0444\u0438\u0446\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>\u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u0438\u043a <\/strong>(My wife is worried she might get laid off, but she is an irreplaceable and highly qualified worker)<\/p>\n

\u041f\u043e\u0439\u043c\u0438<\/span>, <\/strong>\u041c\u0430<\/span>\u0448\u0430, <\/strong>\u0435<\/span><\/strong>\u0441\u043b\u0438 <\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u0431\u0443<\/span>\u0434\u0435\u0448\u044c <\/strong>\u0443\u0447\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f, <\/strong>\u0442\u043e <\/strong>\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0435\u0448\u044c <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u0441\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0435\u0448\u044c <\/strong>\u0434\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u043d\u0438\u043a\u043e\u043c<\/strong> (Masha, do understand that if you don\u2019t study now, you will become a street cleaner when you grow up).<\/p>\n

Your turn now – tell us what it is you do and, for our male readers, what does your girlfriend, wife, mother, sister or female friend does for a living.<\/p>\n

\u041f\u0440\u0438\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u0440: <\/strong>\u041c\u043e\u044f<\/span> <\/strong>\u043c\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u0430 <\/strong>\u0434\u043e <\/strong>\u043f\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0441\u0438\u0438 <\/strong>\u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u0430\u043b\u0430 <\/strong>\u0432\u0440\u0430\u0447\u043e<\/span>\u043c<\/strong> (Example: My mother was a doctor before she retired).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

I am pretty sure that most Russians over 30 are familiar with the opening lines of Gianni Rodari\u2019s poem \u0427\u0435\u043c \u043f\u0430\u0445\u043d\u0443\u0442 \u0440\u0435\u043c\u0451\u0441\u043b\u0430 (What jobs smell like): \u0423 \u043a\u0430\u0436\u0434\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0434\u0435\u043b\u0430 \u0417\u0430\u043f\u0430\u0445 \u043e\u0441\u043e\u0431\u044b\u0439 (Each trade Has its special smell) This short poem mentions quite a few jobs, all using masculine nouns – \u043c\u0430\u043b\u044f\u0440 (painter), \u0441\u0442\u0435\u043a\u043e\u043b\u044c\u0449\u0438\u043a (windows installer)…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":2632,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[8,7828],"tags":[117547,13099,1227,117546,1237,1248],"class_list":["post-2631","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-language","category-russian-for-beginners","tag-gianni-rodari","tag-learn-russian","tag-russian-culture","tag-russian-feminine-and-masculine-words","tag-russian-grammar","tag-russian-language"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2631","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=2631"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2631\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6412,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2631\/revisions\/6412"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2632"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2631"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2631"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2631"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}