{"id":2726,"date":"2012-05-16T08:00:45","date_gmt":"2012-05-16T08:00:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=2726"},"modified":"2014-07-17T18:09:52","modified_gmt":"2014-07-17T18:09:52","slug":"eat-carrots-look-like-sophia-loren","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/eat-carrots-look-like-sophia-loren\/","title":{"rendered":"Eat Carrots to Look Like Sophia Loren"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n

Continuing with our exploration of \u043e\u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u0430\u044f \u043b\u0438\u043d\u0433\u0432\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (vegetable garden linguistics), let\u2019s take a look at other vegetables that made their way into Russian proverbs, sayings and literature.<\/p>\n

\u041b\u0443\u043a<\/strong> (onion) – everyone knows that \u043b\u0443\u043a – \u043e\u0442 \u0441\u0435\u043c\u0438<\/span> \u043d\u0435\u0434\u0443<\/span>\u0433<\/strong> (onion helps fight seven illnesses) and in fact so many Russian folk remedies use onion to fight just about any illness. In fact, given onion\u2019s many \u043a\u0443\u043b\u0438\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u043d\u044b\u0435, \u043c\u0435\u0434\u0438\u0446\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0435 \u0438 \u0445\u043e\u0437\u044f<\/span>\u0439\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u043f\u0440\u0438\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f<\/strong> (culinary, medicinal and household uses), the phrase \u0433\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u0435 \u043b\u0443<\/span>\u043a\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0435<\/strong> (lit: onion grief!) seems out of place. Yet it is used a lot, especially when talking to or about \u043d\u0435\u0437\u0430\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0447\u043b\u0438\u0432\u044b\u0439<\/strong> (unlucky, hapless) person as in<\/p>\n

\u0427\u0442\u043e \u0441\u043b\u0443\u0447\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0441\u044c, \u0433\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u0435 \u043c\u043e\u0451<\/span> \u043b\u0443<\/span>\u043a\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0435, \u043e\u043f\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u0441\u043f\u043e\u0442\u043a\u043d\u0443<\/span>\u043b\u0441\u044f \u0438 \u0443\u043f\u0430<\/span>\u043b \u0447\u0442\u043e<\/span>-\u043b\u0438?<\/strong> (What happened, my hapless one, did you trip and fall again?)<\/p>\n

\u041f\u043e\u043c\u0438\u0434\u043e<\/span>\u0440<\/strong> (tomato) – another relative newcomer to Russian cuisine. The word that is so frequently associated with \u043f\u043e\u043c\u0438\u0434\u043e<\/span>\u0440<\/strong> is, strangely, \u0441\u0438\u043d\u044c\u043e<\/span>\u0440<\/strong> (signor). Why \u0441\u0438\u043d\u044c\u043e<\/span>\u0440 \u043f\u043e\u043c\u0438\u0434\u043e<\/span>\u0440<\/strong> (signor tomato), you wonder? It is a character briefly mentioned in a popular children\u2019s story by Gianni Rodari about a little walking and talking onion, \u0427\u0438\u043f\u043e\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u043e<\/strong> (Cipollino). Both Cipollino and Signor Tomato were popular and easily recognizable characters and even had a stamp issued in their honor.<\/p>\n

Other than the Cipollino story, \u043f\u043e\u043c\u0438\u0434\u043e<\/span>\u0440<\/strong> is a star of the phrase \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0448\u043b\u0430<\/span> \u043b\u044e\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u044c, \u0437\u0430\u0432\u044f<\/span>\u043b\u0438 \u043f\u043e\u043c\u0438\u0434\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u044b<\/strong> (love\u2019s gone and tomatoes have wilted). This is a light-hearted way of talking about a not-too-serious romantic involvement, but also about any sudden and unpleasant change in relationships. For example, \u0432 \u043f\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0432\u044b\u0435 \u043c\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u044f\u0446\u044b \u043f\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u043b\u0435 \u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0431\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0432, \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0437\u0438\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0442 \u0431\u044b\u043b \u0432 \u0437\u0435\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435 \u043f\u043e\u043f\u0443\u043b\u044f<\/span>\u0440\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438. \u041d\u043e \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0448\u043b\u0430<\/span> \u043b\u044e\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u044c, \u0437\u0430\u0432\u044f<\/span>\u043b\u0438 \u043f\u043e\u043c\u0438\u0434\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u044b \u0438 \u044d\u0439\u0444\u043e\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u044f \u044d\u043b\u0435\u043a\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0430 \u0441\u043e\u0448\u043b\u0430<\/span> \u043d\u0430 \u043d\u0435\u0442<\/strong> (in the first months after his election, the president was in the zenith of popularity. Yet love is gone, tomatoes have wilted and voters\u2019 euphoria died down).<\/p>\n

\u041e\u0433\u0443\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0446<\/strong> (cucumber) – have you ever tried a simple tomato and cucumber salad that is a mainstay of the Russian table in summer? Oh, that brings back not just memories, but \u0430\u043f\u043f\u0435\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0442<\/strong> (appetite). What\u2019s the most important quality of a good \u043e\u0433\u0443\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0446<\/strong>? Its \u0441\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0436\u0435\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/strong> (freshness), of course! No wonder that the most frequently used cucumber phrase is \u0441\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0436\u0438\u0439, \u043a\u0430\u043a \u043e\u0433\u0443<\/span>\u0440\u0447\u0438\u043a<\/strong> (lit: fresh as a little cucumber; although in English we say \u201cfresh as a daisy\u201d).<\/p>\n

\u0413\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0445<\/strong> (peas) and \u0431\u043e\u0431\u044b<\/span><\/strong> (beans) – first, some important grammar note. The singular \u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u0438\u043d\u0430<\/strong> (a pea) is used much the same as in English – \u043f\u0440\u0438\u043d\u0446\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0441\u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u0438\u043d\u0435<\/strong> (princess and a pea), \u0440\u0430\u0437\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u043c \u0441 \u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u0438\u043d\u0443<\/strong> (the size of a pea), etc. The plural \u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u0438\u043d\u044b<\/strong> (peas) is used only if there is an exact number of peas, such as \u043a\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u0435 \u0442\u0430\u043a \u043d\u0435 \u043f\u043e\u043d\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u0438\u043b\u0430\u0441\u044c \u044d<\/span>\u0442\u0430 \u043f\u0440\u0438\u043d\u0446\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0441\u0430, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u043a\u043e\u0440\u043e\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u0430 \u043f\u043e\u0434\u043b\u043e\u0436\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u0430 \u0435\u0439 \u043d\u0435 \u043e\u0434\u043d\u0443<\/span>, \u0430 \u043f\u044f\u0442\u044c \u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u0438\u043d<\/strong> (the queen disliked this princess so much, that the queen put not one, but five peas under her bed). Innumerable \u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0445<\/strong> is used whenever we speak of more than one \u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0448\u0438\u043d\u0430<\/strong>, but the exact number is unknown or doesn\u2019t matter, as in \u0432 \u044d<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u043c \u043c\u0430\u0433\u0430\u0437\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0435 \u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0445 \u043e<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u043d\u044c \u0434\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0433\u043e<\/span>\u0439<\/strong> (peas are very expensive at this store).<\/p>\n

The most popular phrase that uses either of these two vegetables in it is probably \u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f \u043d\u0430 \u0431\u043e\u0431\u0430<\/span>\u0445<\/strong>, meaning to be left high and dry and back to square one. The other two, about peas, are \u0448\u0443\u0442 \u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0445\u043e\u0432\u044b\u0439<\/strong> (motley fool) and the phrase \u043f\u0440\u0438 \u0446\u0430\u0440\u0435<\/span> \u0413\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0445\u0435<\/strong> (in the days of yore) which is a way to say that something happened a long time ago.<\/p>\n

\u0418\u043c \u043f\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0437\u043b\u043e<\/span>, \u043a\u0432\u0430\u0440\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u0443 \u0432 \u0446\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0442\u0440\u0435 \u043a\u0443\u043f\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u0438 \u043f\u043e \u0434\u0435\u0448\u0451<\/span>\u0432\u043a\u0435 \u0435\u0449\u0451<\/span> \u043f\u0440\u0438 \u0446\u0430\u0440\u0435<\/span> \u0413\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0445\u0435, \u043b\u0435\u0442 \u0434\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0434\u0446\u0430\u0442\u044c \u043d\u0430\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u0434<\/strong> (They were lucky, bought an apartment in the city center cheaply way back when, about twenty years ago)<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s that for the \u043e\u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434<\/strong> (vegetable garden). Speaking of which, the phrase \u043f\u0443<\/span>\u0433\u0430\u043b\u043e \u043e\u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u043e\u0435<\/strong> (a scarecrow) is used to describe someone who doesn\u2019t look all that hot for whatever reason, such as in this phrase from a novel by one of my favorite writers, \u0418\u043e\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u043d\u0430 \u0425\u043c\u0435\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0432\u0441\u043a\u0430\u044f<\/strong> (Ioanna Khmelevskaya):<\/p>\n

\u041a \u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u043a\u0435 \u044f \u043d\u0435\u0441\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u044c \u0441\u043b\u043e\u043c\u044f<\/span> \u0433\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0443 \u0438 \u0447\u0443<\/span>\u0432\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043b\u0430, \u043a\u0430\u043a \u043f\u0430\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u043a \u0441\u044a\u0435<\/span>\u0445\u0430\u043b \u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0431\u043e\u043a, \u0430 \u043d\u0430 \u043b\u043e\u0431 \u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0431\u0438\u043b\u0430\u0441\u044c \u0438\u0434\u0438\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u0441\u043a\u0430\u044f \u0447\u0451<\/span>\u043b\u043a\u0430, \u043c\u0430\u043a\u0438\u044f<\/span>\u0436 \u0440\u0430\u0437\u043c\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u0430\u043b\u0441\u044f, \u0438 \u0432\u043e\u043e\u0431\u0449\u0435<\/span> \u044f \u043d\u0430\u043f\u043e\u043c\u0438\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0430 \u043f\u0443<\/span>\u0433\u0430\u043b\u043e \u043e\u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u043e\u0435.<\/strong><\/p>\n

(I was running for dear life to the bus stop and felt that my wig slipped sideways, stupid bangs got from under it on my forehead, makeup ran and overall I looked like a scarecrow).<\/p>\n

Next post, it\u2019s time to talk about fruits and berries (can\u2019t leave them out, can we?). By the way, who else loves or likes or is familiar with Ioanna Khmelevskaya?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Continuing with our exploration of \u043e\u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0434\u043d\u0430\u044f \u043b\u0438\u043d\u0433\u0432\u0438\u0441\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0430 (vegetable garden linguistics), let\u2019s take a look at other vegetables that made their way into Russian proverbs, sayings and literature. \u041b\u0443\u043a (onion) – everyone knows that \u043b\u0443\u043a – \u043e\u0442 \u0441\u0435\u043c\u0438 \u043d\u0435\u0434\u0443\u0433 (onion helps fight seven illnesses) and in fact so many Russian folk remedies use onion to fight…<\/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":[117588,117547,117587,117589,1321,111747,117586],"class_list":["post-2726","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-culture","category-language","tag-cipollino","tag-gianni-rodari","tag-ioanna-khmelevskaya","tag-sophia-loren","tag-strange-russian-expressions","tag-useful-russian-phrases","tag-vegetables-in-russian"],"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