<\/p>\n
Guess whose birthday is celebrated on April 22? Well, lots of famous and important people were born on this day, for example, Alexander Kerensky and Vladimir Nabokov. And, of course,\u00a0\u0412\u043b\u0430\u0434\u0438\u043c\u0438\u0440\u00a0<\/strong>\u0418\u043b\u044c\u0438\u0447\u00a0<\/strong>\u0423\u043b\u044c\u044f\u043d\u043e\u0432<\/strong>\u00a0(Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov) was born on this day back in 1870. He is usually better known by his alias,\u00a0\u041b\u0435\u043d\u0438\u043d<\/strong>\u00a0(Lenin).<\/p>\n So let\u2019s talk about Lenin\u2019s influence on Russian\u00a0history\u00a0language. After all, his collected works take up 54 printed volumes. The name itself launched way more than a thousand renamings of streets, squares and entire cities.<\/p>\n Speaking of the name,\u00a0\u041b\u0435\u043d\u0438\u043d<\/strong>\u00a0sounds very much like\u00a0\u043b\u0435\u043d\u044c<\/strong>\u00a0(laziness), but in fact comes from\u00a0\u041b\u0435\u043d\u0430<\/strong>\u00a0(Lena) which happens to be both a female name and a name of one of Siberia\u2019s three largest rivers. Siberia, of course, was where Vladimir Ulyanov spent a few years in exile.<\/p>\n And now that the name is taken care of, it\u2019s time to learn some\u00a0\u043a\u0440\u044b\u043b\u0430\u0442\u044b\u0435\u00a0<\/strong>\u0444\u0440\u0430\u0437\u044b<\/strong>\u00a0(popular quotations) uttered by or believed to be uttered by the man. Why? Because, as with many other catch phrases, you must know them if you want to truly\u00a0\u0432\u043b\u0430\u0434\u0435\u0442\u044c\u00a0<\/strong>\u043b\u0435\u043a\u0441\u0438\u043a\u043e\u043d\u043e\u043c<\/strong>\u00a0 (command a vocabulary) like a native speaker.<\/p>\n \u0423\u0447\u0438\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f,\u00a0<\/strong>\u0443\u0447\u0438\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f\u00a0<\/strong>\u0438\u00a0<\/strong>\u0443\u0447\u0438\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f<\/strong>\u00a0(To study, to study and to study) – later on, after the cult of Lenin was destroyed, some smarty-pants expanded on this quote, turning it into\u00a0\u0443\u0447\u0438\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f,\u00a0<\/strong>\u0443\u0447\u0438\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f\u00a0<\/strong>\u0438\u00a0<\/strong>\u0443\u0447\u0438\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f,\u00a0<\/strong>\u043e\u0441\u043e\u0431\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e\u00a0<\/strong>\u0435<\/strong>\u0441\u043b\u0438\u00a0<\/strong>\u043d\u0435\u00a0<\/strong>\u0445\u043e\u0447\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f\u00a0<\/strong>\u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e\u0442\u0430\u0442\u044c,\u00a0<\/strong>\u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e\u0442\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00a0<\/strong>\u0438\u00a0<\/strong>\u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e\u0442\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/strong>\u00a0(to study, to study and to study, especially if one doesn\u2019t want to work, to work and to work)<\/p>\n \u041b\u0443\u0447\u0448\u0435\u00a0<\/strong>\u043c\u0435\u043d\u044c\u0448\u0435,\u00a0<\/strong>\u0434\u0430\u00a0<\/strong>\u043b\u0443\u0447\u0448\u0435<\/strong>\u00a0– it means \u201cit\u2019s best to have less, but of higher quality\u201d. Originally, this was a title of an article about strengthening government administration. Interestingly, he also said that the quality must be\u00a0\u043d\u0435\u00a0<\/strong>\u043e\u0442\u0441\u0442\u0430\u044e\u0449\u0438\u043c\u00a0<\/strong>\u043e\u0442\u00a0<\/strong>\u0437\u0430\u043f\u0430\u0434\u043d\u043e\u0435\u0432\u0440\u043e\u043f\u0435\u0439\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0445\u00a0<\/strong>\u043e\u0431\u0440\u0430\u0437\u0446\u043e\u0432<\/strong>\u00a0(not lagging behind Western examples). Several decades after he wrote these words, the country was still struggling with the quantity v quality issues and was still trying to\u00a0\u0434\u043e\u0433\u043d\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00a0<\/strong>\u0438\u00a0<\/strong>\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0433\u043d\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00a0<\/strong>\u0410\u043c\u0435\u0440\u0438\u043a\u0443<\/strong>\u00a0(to catch up with and overtake the USA).<\/p>\n Nowadays the phrase is frequently used in retail sector and in product reviews in the sense of \u201cless is more\u201d.<\/p>\n \u0415\u0441\u0442\u044c\u00a0<\/strong>\u0442\u0430\u043a\u0430\u044f\u00a0<\/strong>\u043f\u0430\u0440\u0442\u0438\u044f!<\/strong>\u00a0(There is such a party!) – was something Lenin exclaimed in the heat of the debate. He asserted that Bolshevik Party was ready to take over governing Russia. Later on, in the Soviet Union, this became one of those phrases that would be crammed down your throat in history courses.<\/p>\n Fortunately, the word\u00a0\u043f\u0430\u0440\u0442\u0438\u044f<\/strong>\u00a0(party) has a few other meanings, such as<\/p>\n A play-off in a sports game as in\u00a0\u0448\u0430\u0445\u043c\u0430\u0442\u043d\u0430\u044f\u00a0<\/strong>\u043f\u0430\u0440\u0442\u0438\u044f<\/strong>\u00a0(a chess game)<\/p>\n A team or a crew as in\u00a0\u0433\u0435\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0433\u043e-<\/strong>\u0440\u0430\u0437\u0432\u0435\u0434\u043e\u0447\u043d\u0430\u044f\u00a0<\/strong>\u043f\u0430\u0440\u0442\u0438\u044f<\/strong>\u00a0(a team of geologists) in\u00a0this article<\/a>.<\/p>\n A batch or a shipment as in\u00a0\u043f\u0430\u0440\u0442\u0438\u044f\u00a0<\/strong>\u0442\u043e\u0432\u0430\u0440\u0430<\/strong>\u00a0(a shipment of goods)<\/p>\n This led to quite a few jokes, such as\u00a0this one<\/a>\u00a0from the movie\u00a0\u041d\u0430\u00a0<\/strong>\u0414\u0435\u0440\u0438\u0431\u0430\u0441\u043e\u0432\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0439\u00a0<\/strong>\u0445\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0448\u0430\u044f\u00a0<\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0433\u043e\u0434\u0430,\u00a0<\/strong>\u0438<\/strong>\u043b\u0438\u00a0<\/strong>\u043d\u0430\u00a0<\/strong>\u0411\u0440\u0430\u0439\u0442\u043e\u043d-<\/strong>\u0411\u0438\u0447\u00a0<\/strong>\u043e\u043f\u044f\u0442\u044c\u00a0<\/strong>\u0438\u0434\u0443\u0442\u00a0<\/strong>\u0434\u043e\u0436\u0434\u0438<\/strong>\u00a0(Weather is good on Deribasovskaya or It rains again on Brighton Beach). In this comedy, a mafia boss disguised as Lenin exclaims\u00a0\u00ab<\/strong>\u0415\u0441\u0442\u044c\u00a0<\/strong>\u0442\u0430\u043a\u0430\u044f\u00a0<\/strong>\u043f\u0430\u0440\u0442\u0438\u044f!\u00a0<\/strong>\u0417\u0430\u043c\u0435\u0447\u0430\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0430\u044f \u043f\u0430\u0440\u0442\u0438\u044f \u043d\u0430\u0440\u043a\u043e\u0442\u0438\u043a\u043e\u0432 \u0438\u0437 \u0422\u0430\u0438\u043b\u0430\u043d\u0434\u0430!\u00bb<\/strong>\u00a0(There is such a party! A great shipment of narcotics from Thailand!)<\/p>\n \u0418\u0437\u00a0<\/strong>\u0432\u0441\u0435\u0445\u00a0<\/strong>\u0438\u0441\u043a\u0443\u0441\u0441\u0442\u0432\u00a0<\/strong>\u0434\u043b\u044f\u00a0<\/strong>\u043d\u0430\u0441\u00a0<\/strong>\u0432\u0430\u0436\u043d\u0435\u0439\u0448\u0438\u043c\u00a0<\/strong>\u044f\u0432\u043b\u044f\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f\u00a0<\/strong>\u043a\u0438\u043d\u043e\u00a0<\/strong>(Of all the arts, cinema is of the outmost importance to us) – this was, of course, before TV. Otherwise, this phrase can be changed to suit your needs by replacing\u00a0\u043a\u0438\u043d\u043e<\/strong>\u00a0(cinema) with whatever strikes your fancy –\u00a0\u0446\u0438\u0440\u043a<\/strong>\u00a0(circus),\u00a0\u0442\u043e\u043a-<\/strong>\u0448\u043e\u0443<\/strong>\u00a0(talk-show),\u00a0\u0442\u0435\u043b\u0435\u0432\u0438\u0434\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/strong>\u00a0(TV),\u00a0\u0424\u043e\u0442\u043e\u0448\u043e\u043f<\/strong>\u00a0(Photoshop),\u00a0\u0431\u0435\u0442\u0430-<\/strong>\u0442\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0438\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/strong>\u00a0(beta testing),\u00a0\u043e\u0431\u0440\u0430\u0437\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/strong>\u00a0(education), etc. For example, the article about a\u00a0ballet festival<\/a>\u00a0in Novosibirsk says\u00a0\u00ab\u0422\u0440\u0438 \u0432\u0435\u0441\u0435\u043d\u043d\u0438\u0445 \u043d\u0435\u0434\u0435\u043b\u0438 \u0432\u0430\u0436\u043d\u0435\u0439\u0448\u0438\u043c \u0438\u0437 \u0438\u0441\u043a\u0443\u0441\u0441\u0442\u0432 \u0432 \u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0434\u0435 \u044f\u0432\u043b\u044f\u043b\u0441\u044f \u0431\u0430\u043b\u0435\u0442\u00bb<\/strong>\u00a0(For three weeks in the spring ballet remained of the outmost importance in the city). Caution – this phrase is sometimes used sarcastically, usually to show that something is being neglected or made a big deal out of without producing results.<\/p>\n \u041c\u044b\u00a0<\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0439\u0434\u0451\u043c\u00a0<\/strong>\u0434\u0440\u0443\u0433\u0438\u043c\u00a0<\/strong>\u043f\u0443\u0442\u0451\u043c<\/strong>\u00a0(We will choose another way) – this phrase\u00a0\u043f\u0440\u0438\u043f\u0438\u0441\u044b\u0432\u0430\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f\u00a0<\/strong>\u041b\u0435\u043d\u0438\u043d\u0443<\/strong>\u00a0(is attributed to Lenin), but in fact is\u00a0\u0434\u0435\u0442\u0438\u0449\u0435<\/strong>\u00a0(a brainchild) of another famous Vladimir,\u00a0\u0412\u043b\u0430\u0434\u0438\u043c\u0438\u0440\u00a0<\/strong>\u041c\u0430\u044f\u043a\u043e\u0432\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439<\/strong>\u00a0(Vladimir Mayakovsky). In Mayakovsky\u2019s poem \u201cVladimir Lenin\u201d, a seventeen-year-old Lenin promises his oldest brother Alexander to pick up the fight against capitalists and win it, but \u201cto choose another way\u201d of going about it.<\/p>\n \u041f\u043e\u043b\u0438\u0442\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0430\u044f\u00a0<\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438\u0442\u0443\u0442\u043a\u0430<\/strong>\u00a0(Political prostitute) –\u00a0reportedly<\/a>\u00a0Lenin loved to describe his political opponents as \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438\u0442\u0443\u0442\u043a\u0438 (prostitutes). Nowadays it is used to describe an unprincipled politician who will do just about anything to get elected. In the US the term, I believe, is a flip-flopper.<\/p>\n \u041b\u044e\u0431\u0430\u044f\u00a0<\/strong>\u043a\u0443\u0445\u0430\u0440\u043a\u0430\u00a0<\/strong>\u0441\u043f\u043e\u0441\u043e\u0431\u043d\u0430\u00a0<\/strong>\u0443\u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u043b\u044f\u0442\u044c\u00a0<\/strong>\u0433\u043e\u0441\u0443\u0434\u0430\u0440\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e\u043c<\/strong>\u00a0(Any kitchen maid can run a country) – this is the most misquoted phrase. In fact, what Lenin did say was\u00a0\u00ab\u043c\u044b \u0437\u043d\u0430\u0435\u043c, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u043b\u044e\u0431\u0430\u044f \u043a\u0443\u0445\u0430\u0440\u043a\u0430 \u043d\u0435 \u0441\u043f\u043e\u0441\u043e\u0431\u043d\u0430 \u0441\u0435\u0439\u0447\u0430\u0441 \u0436\u0435 \u0432\u0441\u0442\u0443\u043f\u0438\u0442\u044c \u0432 \u0443\u043f\u0440\u0430\u0432\u043b\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u0433\u043e\u0441\u0443\u0434\u0430\u0440\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e\u043c…\u00bb<\/strong>\u00a0(we know that any kitchen maid cannot right away start running a country\u2026). He continued by saying that it was time to move away from a false belief that only rich people were capable of doing the daily work of maintaining a functioning government.<\/p>\n \u0412\u0437\u044f\u0442\u044c\u00a0<\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0447\u0442\u0443,\u00a0<\/strong>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u0435\u0433\u0440\u0430\u0444,\u00a0<\/strong>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u0435\u0444\u043e\u043d<\/strong>\u00a0(To take over post, telegraph and telephone services) – this was part of Lenin\u2019s carefully outlined plan for taking over the country in an armed uprising. Nowadays it is used\u00a0ironically<\/a>\u00a0or figuratively to describe first necessary steps in an important undertaking.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Guess whose birthday is celebrated on April 22? Well, lots of famous and important people were born on this day, for example, Alexander Kerensky and Vladimir Nabokov. And, of course,\u00a0\u0412\u043b\u0430\u0434\u0438\u043c\u0438\u0440\u00a0\u0418\u043b\u044c\u0438\u0447\u00a0\u0423\u043b\u044c\u044f\u043d\u043e\u0432\u00a0(Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov) was born on this day back in 1870. He is usually better known by his alias,\u00a0\u041b\u0435\u043d\u0438\u043d\u00a0(Lenin). So let\u2019s talk about Lenin\u2019s influence…<\/p>\n