{"id":2723,"date":"2012-05-14T08:00:29","date_gmt":"2012-05-14T08:00:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=2723"},"modified":"2012-05-14T04:22:00","modified_gmt":"2012-05-14T04:22:00","slug":"to-each-vegetable-its-own-phrase","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/to-each-vegetable-its-own-phrase\/","title":{"rendered":"To Each Vegetable Its Own… Phrase"},"content":{"rendered":"

There is a wonderful Russian saying \u0432\u0441\u044f<\/span>\u043a\u043e\u043c\u0443 \u043e<\/span>\u0432\u043e\u0449\u0443 \u0441\u0432\u043e\u0451<\/span> \u0432\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043c\u044f<\/strong> (there\u2019s time for everything). But as it turns out, \u0432\u0441\u044f<\/span>\u043a\u043e\u043c\u0443 \u043e<\/span>\u0432\u043e\u0449\u0443, \u0444\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u043a\u0442\u0443 \u0438 \u044f<\/span>\u0433\u043e\u0434\u0435 – \u0441\u0432\u043e\u0451<\/span> \u043a\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u043d\u043e\u0435 \u0441\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0446\u043e<\/span><\/strong> (to each vegetable, fruit or berry its own witticism).<\/p>\n

\u041a\u0430\u0440\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0444\u0435\u043b\u044c<\/strong> (potato) is a relative newcomer to Russia, appearing only in Peter the Great\u2019s reign. Much like in other European countries, it took potato a while to overcome initial fear and accusations of being \u0434\u044c\u044f<\/span>\u0432\u043e\u043b\u044c\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u0444\u0440\u0443\u043a\u0442<\/strong> (devil\u2019s fruit). Yet less than 300 years later potatoes are firmly associated with Russia and have become a staple \u0432\u043e\u0441\u043f\u0435\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u043c\u044b\u0439<\/strong> (rhapsodized) in songs and poems and remembered in many \u043f\u043e\u0441\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u0438\u0446\u044b<\/strong> (proverbs) and \u043f\u043e\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u043a\u0438<\/strong> (sayings), including<\/p>\n

\u041b\u044e\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u044c \u043d\u0435 \u043a\u0430\u0440\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u043a\u0430, \u043d\u0435 \u0432\u044b<\/span>\u043a\u0438\u043d\u0435\u0448\u044c \u0432 \u043e\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u043a\u043e<\/strong> – literally, love is not a potato, can\u2019t be thrown out of the window
\n\u041a\u0430\u0440\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u043a\u0443 \u043a\u043e\u043f\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c, \u043d\u0435 \u0440\u0443\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u0438 \u043c\u0430\u0445\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/strong> – literally, to dig potatoes is not the same as to wave arms – this is said when something is easier said, than done.<\/p>\n

Let me just say that \u043a\u0430\u0440\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u043a\u0430 – \u044d<\/span>\u0442\u043e \u043f\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u043e, \u0432\u043a\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u043d\u043e \u0438 \u0430\u0440\u0445\u0435\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u043f\u043d\u043e<\/strong> (potato is a simple, delicious and archetypal food). If you are invited to a simple \u0436\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0435\u043d\u0430\u044f \u043a\u0430\u0440\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (fried potatoes), you know you\u2019ve reached a new level of friendship, where conversation will be especially open and \u0437\u0430\u0434\u0443\u0448\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u044b\u0439<\/strong> (heart-felt, intimate).<\/p>\n

\u041a\u0430\u043f\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0430<\/strong> (cabbage) – ah, so many delicious Russian dishes use this simple vegetable, from \u0433\u043e\u043b\u0443\u0431\u0446\u044b<\/span><\/strong> (stuffed cabbage leaves) to \u043a\u0430\u043f\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u043f\u0438\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0433<\/strong> (cabbage pie). The later is not to be confused with \u043a\u0430\u043f\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u043d\u0438\u043a<\/strong> (an informal performance of, typically, amateur actors) that is such a great Russian tradition. \u041a\u0430\u043f\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0430<\/strong> is also slang for \u201cmoney\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u0412 \u0447\u0443\u0436\u043e<\/span>\u043c \u043e\u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0435 \u043a\u0430\u043f\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0443 \u0441\u0430<\/span>\u0434\u0438\u0442<\/strong> (lit. planting cabbage in someone else\u2019s garden) was said about a nosy person who liked minding others\u2019 business.
\nBack when I was in school, teachers would sometimes shame \u043d\u0435\u0440\u0430\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u044b\u0439 \u0443\u0447\u0435\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u043a<\/strong> (neglectful pupil) by saying that their answers sounded as if they had \u043d\u0435 \u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0430<\/span>, \u0430 \u043a\u043e\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u043d \u043a\u0430\u043f\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u044b \u043d\u0430 \u043f\u043b\u0435\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u0445<\/strong> (not a head, but a head of cabbage on the shoulders).<\/p>\n

\u0420\u0435<\/span>\u043f\u0430<\/strong> (turnip) – if \u043a\u0430\u0440\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u043a\u0430<\/strong> is straightforward and earthy, \u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043f\u0430<\/strong> is elusive and mysterious. Consider this, \u0432\u0441\u0435 \u043f\u043e\u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u043e<\/strong> (all without exception) Russian children know, \u0441 \u043c\u043b\u0430\u0434\u044b<\/span>\u0445 \u043d\u043e\u0433\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u0439<\/strong> (from the youngest age) that \u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043f\u0430<\/strong> exists. \u0420\u0435<\/span>\u043f\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (Turnip), the classic fairy tale, is drilled so deep into our heads, that even as adults we can recite it to our children \u0434\u043e\u0441\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u043e<\/strong> (word for word) and without any need to refresh our memory. Yet it is fairly hard to find an adult (or a child) who actually saw \u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043f\u0430<\/strong>, much less tasted one. This means a lot of confusion in such a seemingly \u043f\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0449\u0435 \u043f\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0435\u043d\u043e\u0439 \u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043f\u044b<\/strong> (a no brainer) task as identifying this veg at an American grocery store.<\/p>\n

\u0420\u0435\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0441<\/strong> (radish) – also known as \u0440\u0435\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u043a\u0430<\/strong> and \u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0434\u044c\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (winter radish such as daikon)\u00a0– is not exactly a vegetable that we can\u2019t live without (it\u2019s used mostly in salads), but has some of the most widely used catch phrases of all the veggies.<\/p>\n

The first one is the expression \u0445\u0440\u0435\u043d \u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0434\u044c\u043a\u0438 \u043d\u0435 \u0441\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u0449\u0435<\/strong> (lit. horseradish is no sweeter than garden radish) meaning \u201csix of one and half a dozen of the other\u201d.<\/p>\n

Now, if you are talking about someone or something mind-numbingly dull, you can say that it is \u0445\u0443<\/span>\u0436\u0435 \u0433\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u044c\u043a\u043e\u0439 \u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0434\u044c\u043a\u0438<\/strong> (lit. worse than a bitter radish).<\/p>\n

Finally, thanks to a wonderful comedy \u0414\u0436\u0435\u043d\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u044b \u0443\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0447\u0438<\/strong> (Gentlemen of Fortune), \u043d\u0435\u0445\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u0438\u0439 \u0442\u044b \u0447\u0435\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u043a, \u0440\u0435\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (you are not a nice person, but a radish) became a popular way of gently rebuking someone.<\/p>\n

\u0421\u0432\u0451<\/span>\u043a\u043b\u0430<\/strong> (beetroot) – its \u0432\u043a\u043b\u0430\u0434<\/strong> (contribution) to the Russian language is a lot more modest than its contribution to the Russian cuisine (i.e. \u0431\u043e\u0440\u0449<\/strong> (borsch) or \u0441\u0432\u0451<\/span>\u043a\u043e\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0438\u043a<\/strong> (cold beet soup) or \u0441\u0430\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u0442 \u0412\u0438\u043d\u0435\u0433\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0442<\/strong> (Russian beet salad), to name a few). It is used a lot as a measure of how red can one\u2019s face get, i.e. \u043d\u0430 \u043c\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0437\u0435 \u0449\u0451<\/span>\u043a\u0438 \u0440\u0430\u0441\u043a\u0440\u0430\u0441\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u0438\u0441\u044c, \u0431\u0443<\/span>\u0434\u0442\u043e \u0438\u0445 \u0441\u0432\u0451<\/span>\u043a\u043b\u043e\u0439 \u043d\u0430\u0442\u0451<\/span>\u0440\u043b\u0438<\/strong> (cheeks got so red in the frosty air, as if they were rubbed with beets).<\/p>\n

\u0425\u0440\u0435\u043d<\/strong> (horseradish) – just the opposite of \u0441\u0432\u0451<\/span>\u043a\u043b\u0430<\/strong>, as far as its contributions go. While its culinary applications are mostly as \u043f\u0440\u0438\u043f\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u0430<\/strong> (condiment) and something used in pickling, this fast-spreading vegetable is present in so many key phrases (all mildly \u043d\u0435\u043d\u043e\u0440\u043c\u0430\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u044b\u0435<\/strong> (obscene)) , such as<\/p>\n

\u0445\u0440\u0435\u043d \u0441 \u0442\u043e\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0439!<\/strong> (to the devil with you!)
\n\u043d\u0438 \u0445\u0440\u0435\u043d\u0430<\/span><\/strong> (a nothing) as in \u0442\u0443\u0442 \u0431\u0435\u0441\u043f\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u043e \u043d\u0430\u043b\u0438\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0438, \u043d\u043e \u043f\u043e\u043a\u0430<\/span> \u043c\u043e\u044f<\/span> \u043e<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0434\u044c \u0434\u043e\u0448\u043b\u0430<\/span>, \u043d\u0438 \u0445\u0440\u0435\u043d\u0430<\/span> \u043d\u0435 \u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0441\u044c<\/strong> (they were giving away free drinks here, but by the time it was my turn, there was nothing left)
\n\u0445\u0440\u0435\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u0438\u043d\u0430<\/strong> (thingamaging, watchamacallit) – \u043f\u043e\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0439-\u043a\u0430 \u0432\u043e\u043d \u0442\u0443 \u0445\u0440\u0435\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u0438\u043d\u0443<\/strong> (pass me that watchamacallit)<\/p>\n

To be continued…<\/p>\n

What\u2019s your favorite or most puzzling Russian expression with fruits or vegetables in it?<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There is a wonderful Russian saying \u0432\u0441\u044f\u043a\u043e\u043c\u0443 \u043e\u0432\u043e\u0449\u0443 \u0441\u0432\u043e\u0451 \u0432\u0440\u0435\u043c\u044f (there\u2019s time for everything). But as it turns out, \u0432\u0441\u044f\u043a\u043e\u043c\u0443 \u043e\u0432\u043e\u0449\u0443, \u0444\u0440\u0443\u043a\u0442\u0443 \u0438 \u044f\u0433\u043e\u0434\u0435 – \u0441\u0432\u043e\u0451 \u043a\u0440\u0430\u0441\u043d\u043e\u0435 \u0441\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0446\u043e (to each vegetable, fruit or berry its own witticism). \u041a\u0430\u0440\u0442\u043e\u0444\u0435\u043b\u044c (potato) is a relative newcomer to Russia, appearing only in Peter the Great\u2019s reign. Much like in…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3,8],"tags":[117584,385636,56889,1248,117583,117585,117571,111747],"class_list":["post-2723","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-culture","category-language","tag-names-of-vegetables-in-russian","tag-russian-food","tag-russian-idioms","tag-russian-language","tag-russian-sayings-about-potatoes","tag-russian-swear-words","tag-strange-russian-sayings","tag-useful-russian-phrases"],"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