<\/p>\n
As promised, it\u2019s time to talk fruits and berries. Of course, since this is not a gardening blog, but a blog about Russian language and culture, instead of growing advice there will be lots of useful phrases and expressions. Ready?<\/p>\n
First, the word \u0444\u0440\u0443\u043a\u0442<\/strong> itself is interesting. Its main meaning is \u201cfruit\u201d, but when applied to a person, it means \u201ca piece of work\u201d as in<\/p>\n \u0415\u0451 \u0431\u044b<\/span>\u0432\u0448\u0438\u0439 \u043e\u043a\u0430\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0441\u044f \u0435\u0449\u0451<\/span> \u0442\u043e\u0442\u00a0\u0444\u0440\u0443\u043a\u0442 – \u0435\u0439 \u0441\u043a\u0430\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u043b, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u043f\u043e\u0435<\/span>\u0445\u0430\u043b \u0432 \u043a\u043e\u043c\u0430\u043d\u0434\u0438\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u043a\u0443, \u0430 \u0441\u0430\u043c – \u043a \u043b\u044e\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u0438\u0446\u0435.<\/strong> (Turns out, her ex was some piece of work like when he said he was going on a business trip, but instead went to his lover.)<\/p>\n \u041a\u043b\u0443\u0431\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (strawberry) – the diminutive \u043a\u043b\u0443\u0431\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u043a\u0430<\/strong> also means pretty much anything X-rated or erotic. As one woman complained about her husband who spent much of his retirement flipping through lingerie ads:<\/p>\n \u0421\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u044b\u0439 \u0447\u0451\u0440\u0442, \u0430 \u0442\u0443\u0434\u0430<\/span> \u0436\u0435, \u043d\u0430 \u043a\u043b\u0443\u0431\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u043a\u0443 \u043f\u043e\u0442\u044f\u043d\u0443<\/span>\u043b\u043e<\/strong> (The old devil is heading straight for the tasty morsels).<\/p>\n \u041c\u0430\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0430<\/strong> (raspberry) – if you have all you want, if the toast \u043f\u0443\u0441\u0442\u044c \u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0448\u0438 \u043c\u0435\u0447\u0442\u044b<\/span> \u043e\u0431\u0430\u043b\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u044e\u0442 \u043e\u0442 \u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0448\u0438\u0445 \u0432\u043e\u0437\u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0435\u0439<\/strong> (may our dreams be in awe from our (financial) capabilities) describes your life, then for you \u0436\u0438\u0437\u043d\u044c – \u043c\u0430\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0430<\/strong> (life is sweet). On the other hand, if someone \u201cmoved your cheese\u201d or \u201ctook a jelly out of your doughnut\u201d, you can complain that they \u0438\u0441\u043f\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u0442\u0438\u043b\u0438 \u0432\u0441\u044e \u043c\u0430\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0443<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u042f<\/span>\u0431\u043b\u043e\u043a\u043e<\/strong> (apple) – the phrase \u044f<\/span>\u0431\u043b\u043e\u043a\u043e \u043e\u0442 \u044f<\/span>\u0431\u043b\u043e\u043d\u0438 \u043d\u0435 \u0434\u0430\u043b\u0435\u043a\u043e<\/span> \u043f\u0430<\/span>\u0434\u0430\u0435\u0442<\/strong> means exactly the same as \u201can apple doesn\u2019t fall far from the tree\u201d. Remember one of the meanings of \u0440\u0435\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u043a\u0430<\/strong> from an\u00a0earlier post<\/a>? There is also a saying – \u044f<\/span>\u0431\u043b\u043e\u043a\u043e \u0440\u0443\u043c\u044f<\/span>\u043d\u043e\u0435, \u0434\u0430 \u0432\u043d\u0443\u0442\u0440\u0438<\/span> – \u0447\u0435\u0440\u0432\u043e\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0447\u0438\u043d\u0430<\/strong> (lit: a pretty apple, but with a worm inside; appearance can be deceiving).<\/p>\n \u0413\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0448\u0430<\/strong> (pear) – all Russian children know the answer to this \u0437\u0430\u0433\u0430<\/span>\u0434\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (riddle) – \u0432\u0438\u0441\u0438<\/span>\u0442 \u0433\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0448\u0430, \u043d\u0435\u043b\u044c\u0437\u044f<\/span> \u0441\u043a\u0443<\/span>\u0448\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/strong> (a pear is hanging, but you can\u2019t eat it). Do you know what it is?<\/p>\n \u041d\u0435 \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0443<\/span>\u0442 \u043d\u0430 \u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0431\u0435 \u0433\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0448\u0438<\/strong> (lit. pears do not grow on willows) – this is an expression used to say that two things just don\u2019t go together or their combination is nonsensical as in<\/p>\n \u0420\u0430\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u0430 \u0443 \u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f<\/span> \u043b\u044e\u0431\u0438<\/span>\u043c\u0430\u044f, \u043d\u043e \u043c\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u043e\u043f\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u0447\u0438\u0432\u0430\u0435\u043c\u0430\u044f, \u0432 \u043e<\/span>\u0431\u0449\u0435\u043c, \u043d\u0435 \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0443<\/span>\u0442 \u043d\u0430 \u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0431\u0435 \u0433\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0448\u0438.<\/strong> (I love my job even though it pays very little; the two just don\u2019t go together).<\/p>\n \u041a\u043b\u044e<\/span>\u043a\u0432\u0430<\/strong> (cranberry) – the most famous expression is \u0440\u0430\u0437\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0438\u0441\u0442\u0430\u044f \u043a\u043b\u044e<\/span>\u043a\u0432\u0430<\/strong> (a tall tale). The origin of this expression is quite interesting, but unfortunately the relevant Wiki page<\/a> is only available in Russian. In short, the expression was used in a 1910 play that poked fun at Western stereotypical portrayal of Russian culture. Sadly, not much has changed in over 100 years. Most times I watch a Hollywood movie or a show on Fox that has some (usually evil) Russians in the plot, I keep thinking \u043d\u0434\u0430, \u044d<\/span>\u0442\u043e \u043f\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u043e \u0440\u0430\u0437\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0438\u0441\u0442\u0430\u044f<\/strong> \u043a\u043b\u044e<\/span>\u043a\u0432\u0430<\/strong> (well, what a bunch of nonsense).<\/p>\n \u0411\u0443\u0437\u0438\u043d\u0430<\/span><\/strong> (elderberry) – admittedly, this is not a very well-known berry, but the expression \u0432 \u043e\u0433\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0435 \u0431\u0443\u0437\u0438\u043d\u0430<\/span>, \u0430 \u0432 \u041a\u0438<\/span>\u0435\u0432\u0435 \u0434\u044f<\/span>\u0434\u044c\u043a\u0430<\/strong> is. Literally it means \u201celderberry is in the garden and the uncle is in Kiev\u201d. Figuratively, the meaning is \u201cmixing apples and oranges\u201d.<\/p>\n Have I missed anything? What other Russian sayings with fruits and vegetables in them do you know? And don’t forget, post your answers to the “pear” riddle in the comments.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As promised, it\u2019s time to talk fruits and berries. Of course, since this is not a gardening blog, but a blog about Russian language and culture, instead of growing advice there will be lots of useful phrases and expressions. Ready? First, the word \u0444\u0440\u0443\u043a\u0442 itself is interesting. Its main meaning is \u201cfruit\u201d, but when…<\/p>\n