The corresponding “buttonhole” for a \u043f\u0443<\/span>\u0433\u043e\u0432\u0438\u0446\u0430<\/b> is a \u043f\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u043b\u044f<\/b> or \u043f\u0435\u0442\u043b\u044f<\/span><\/b>. Whichever pronunciation you use, \u043f\u0435\u0442\u043b\u044f<\/b> can also mean a “hangman’s noose” — believe it or knot<\/i>! (Sorry.) But this isn’t as strange as it may seem, because the word’s oldest sense was simply “a loop,” as of \u0432\u0435\u0440\u0451\u0432\u043a\u0430<\/b>, “rope.”<\/p>\n By the early 20th century, buttons on some garments had begun to be replaced with the quick-as-lightning “zipper”, which in Russian is most often \u043c\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043d\u0438\u044f<\/b> (lit. “lightning”), though you may also encounter the term \u0437\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u0439\u043a\u0430<\/b> (lit. “small snake” — also used in reference to “ziploc” plastic bags). And in the 1950s, a Swiss engineer took inspiration from the \u043a\u0440\u044e\u0447\u043a\u0438<\/span><\/b> (“little hooks”) on a plant’s seed-pods, and eventually perfected \u043b\u0438\u043f\u0443<\/span>\u0447\u043a\u0430<\/b> — i.e., “velcro,” from \u043b\u0438<\/span>\u043f\u043d\u0443\u0442\u044c<\/b>, “to adhere”.<\/p>\n On the other hand, a \u043f\u043e<\/span>\u044f\u0441<\/b> (“belt”) or \u0441\u0430\u043d\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0438\u0438<\/b> (“sandals”) or \u043b\u044b<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0431\u043e\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u043a\u0438<\/b> (“ski boots”) will generally be fastened with some sort of \u043f\u0440\u044f<\/span>\u0436\u043a\u0430<\/b> (“buckle”). And speaking of \u043e<\/span>\u0431\u0443\u0432\u044c<\/b> (“shoes; footwear”), little kids today often wear \u043e<\/span>\u0431\u0443\u0432\u044c \u043d\u0430 \u043b\u0438\u043f\u0443<\/span>\u0447\u043a\u0430\u0445<\/b> (“velcro shoes”), but on adult shoes you’re more likely to find \u0448\u043d\u0443\u0440\u043a\u0438<\/span><\/b> (“shoelaces”; sing. \u0448\u043d\u0443\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u043a<\/b>).<\/p>\n But how do you actually operate all these fasteners? In English, we button buttons, zip zippers, and buckle buckles. In Russian, though, there’s one all-purpose verb — or rather, a pair of antonyms — used for such items:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n With both of these verbs, the accusative object can be either the article of clothing, or the fastener itself:<\/p>\n \u042f<\/span> \u0437\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0451\u0433\u0438\u0432\u0430\u044e \u043f\u0443<\/span>\u0433\u043e\u0432\u0438\u0446\u0443.<\/b> (“I’m buttoning the button.”) You can also name both the clothing and the fastener:<\/p>\n \u042d<\/span>\u0442\u0438 \u0434\u0436\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0441\u044b \u0437\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0451\u0433\u0438\u0432\u0430\u044e\u0442\u0441\u044f \u043d\u0430 \u043f\u0443<\/span>\u0433\u043e\u0432\u0438\u0446\u044b.<\/b> And speaking of the \u0448\u0438\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u043a\u0430<\/b> (the “fly” on pants), here’s a sentence that’s definitely worth learning to avoid embarrassing situations:<\/p>\n \u00ab\u0423 \u0442\u0435\u0431\u044f<\/span> \u043c\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043d\u0438\u044f \u043d\u0430 \u0431\u0440\u044e<\/span>\u043a\u0430\u0445 \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0442\u0435\u0433\u043d\u0443<\/span>\u043b\u0430\u0441\u044c!<\/b> Notice that in the last example, the English present tense “it is unzipped” is expressed using the past perfective of the -\u0441\u044f<\/b> form — literally “the zipper has unfastened itself.” But you can, instead, use the short-form of the past passive participle: E.g., \u041f\u0443<\/span>\u0433\u043e\u0432\u0438\u0446\u044b \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0442\u0451\u0433\u043d\u0443\u0442\u044b<\/b>, “the buttons are unbuttoned”.<\/p>\n \u0417\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0435\u0433\u043d\u0443<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/b> and \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0442\u0435\u0433\u043d\u0443<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/b> will work with most clothes. But items that are secured with an \u0443<\/span>\u0437\u0435\u043b<\/b> (“knot”), such as \u0448\u043d\u0443\u0440\u043a\u0438<\/span><\/b> or a \u0433\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0441\u0442\u0443\u043a<\/b> (“necktie”) use a different set of verbs:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Let me illustrate with a gripping domestic drama “torn from the pages of real life” — my nephew doesn’t actually speak Russian, but trust me, the rest is non-fiction. To give you a bit of sentence-reading practice as a “self test”, the English translations for each line of dialogue \u043d\u0430\u043f\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u0430\u043d\u044b \u043d\u0435\u0432\u0438<\/span>\u0434\u0438\u043c\u044b\u043c\u0438 \u0447\u0435\u0440\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u0430\u043c\u0438<\/b> (“are written with invisible ink”) — or rather, in yellow-on-yellow text, which you can read by selecting the colored lines with your mouse.<\/p>\n \u00ab\u0414\u044f<\/span>\u0434\u044f \u0420\u043e<\/span>\u0431, \u0443 \u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f<\/span> \u0448\u043d\u0443\u0440\u043a\u0438<\/span> \u0440\u0430\u0437\u0432\u044f\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0438\u0441\u044c!\u00bb — \u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u0442 \u043c\u043d\u0435<\/span> \u043f\u043b\u0435\u043c\u044f<\/span>\u043d\u043d\u0438\u043a.<\/b> Finally, in respect to shoes, there’s yet another pair of antonyms:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Apart from \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0448\u043d\u0443\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u044b\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/b>, these follow the normal conjugational pattern of -\u043e\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/b> verbs: \u044f<\/span> \u0448\u043d\u0443\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u044e, \u0442\u044b<\/span> \u0448\u043d\u0443\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0435\u0448\u044c<\/b>, etc.; imperative \u0448\u043d\u0443\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0439(\u0442\u0435)!<\/b><\/p>\n The main thing to note here is that the object of these verbs is the actual footwear, and NOT the shoelaces (we can “lace the laces” in English, but in Russian, \u0448\u043d\u0443\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u0448\u043d\u0443\u0440\u043a\u0438<\/span><\/b> sounds redundant). For example:<\/p>\n “\u042f<\/span> \u0432\u043e\u043b\u0448\u0435<\/span>\u0431\u043d\u044b\u043c \u043e<\/span>\u0431\u0440\u0430\u0437\u043e\u043c \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0448\u043d\u0443\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u044e \u043a\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0441\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u043a\u0438 \u0443 \u0432\u0441\u0435<\/span>\u0445 \u0438\u0433\u0440\u043e\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0432 \u0432 \u043a\u043e\u043c\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0434\u0435 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0430!” — \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u043b\u043e\u0436\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u0430 \u043a\u0438\u043a\u0438<\/span>\u043c\u043e\u0440\u0430.<\/b> Getting dressed is one thing. But unless you’re in some kind of tight-fitting spandex, you won’t STAY dressed very long if your clothes aren’t properly secured with some kind of \u0437\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0451\u0436\u043a\u0430 (“fastener”). As young children have to learn, there are various types of \u0437\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0451\u0436\u043a\u0438. For instance, a \u043f\u0443\u0433\u043e\u0432\u0438\u0446\u0430 (“button”) can help keep your \u0440\u0443\u0431\u0430\u0448\u043a\u0430 (“shirt”)…<\/p>\n\n
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\n\u041e\u043d\u0430<\/span> \u0440\u0430\u0441\u0441\u0442\u0435\u0433\u043d\u0443<\/span>\u043b\u0430 \u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0444\u0447\u0438\u043a.<\/b> (“She undid her bra.” — without specifying the fastener)<\/p>\n
\n(“These jeans close with buttons [i.e., not a zipper]<\/em>“)<\/p>\n
\n“The zipper on your pants is unzipped!”\u00bb<\/p>\n\n
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\n “Uncle Rob, my shoelaces are untied!” — my nephew says to me.<\/span>\u00ab\u0420\u0430\u0437\u0432\u044f\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0438\u0441\u044c, \u0442\u0430<\/span>\u043a \u0437\u0430\u0432\u044f\u0436\u0438<\/span>-\u043a\u0430 \u0438<\/span>\u0445 \u0441\u0430<\/span>\u043c. \u0422\u0435\u0431\u0435<\/span> \u0443\u0436\u0435<\/span> \u043f\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0442.\u00bb — \u044f<\/span> \u043e\u0442\u0432\u0435\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u044e, \u0437\u0435\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u044f.<\/b>
\n “If your shoelaces are untied, then tie them yourself. You’re already five years old.” — I reply, yawning.<\/span>\u00ab\u0410 \u044f<\/span> \u043d\u0435 \u0443\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u044e!\u00bb<\/b>
\n “But I don’t know how!”<\/span>\u00ab\u041f\u043e\u0434\u043e\u0439\u0434\u0438<\/span> \u0441\u044e\u0434\u0430<\/span>, \u044f<\/span> \u0442\u0435\u0431\u0435<\/span> \u0441\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u0430 \u043f\u043e\u043a\u0430\u0436\u0443<\/span>. \u0421\u043c\u043e\u0442\u0440\u0438<\/span> \u0432\u043d\u0438\u043c\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e! \u0414\u0435\u0440\u0436\u0438<\/span> \u0448\u043d\u0443\u0440\u043a\u0438<\/span> \u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0442 \u0442\u0430<\/span>\u043a … \u0441\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u0430\u0439 \u0443<\/span>\u0437\u0435\u043b … \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0441\u0443<\/span>\u043d\u044c \u044d<\/span>\u0442\u0443 \u043f\u0435\u0442\u043b\u044e<\/span> \u0442\u0443\u0434\u0430<\/span>… \u043f\u043e\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u043c \u0437\u0430\u0432\u044f\u0436\u0438<\/span> \u0431\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0442\u0438\u043a\u043e\u043c. \u0412\u043e<\/span>\u0442 \u0438 \u0432\u0441\u0451, \u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0442 \u043a\u0430<\/span>\u043a \u0437\u0430\u0432\u044f<\/span>\u0437\u044b\u0432\u0430\u044e\u0442 \u0448\u043d\u0443\u0440\u043a\u0438<\/span>!\u00bb<\/b>
\n “Come here, I’ll show you again. Pay attention, okay? Grab the laces like this… make a knot… stick this loop in here… then tie it in a bow. That’s it — that’s how [people] tie shoelaces!”<\/span>\u00ab\u0421\u043f\u0430\u0441\u0438<\/span>\u0431\u043e!\u00bb — \u0443\u043b\u044b\u0431\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f \u043f\u043b\u0435\u043c\u044f<\/span>\u043d\u043d\u0438\u043a.<\/b>
\n “Thank you!” — smiles my nephew.<\/span>\u00ab\u041d\u0435<\/span> \u0437\u0430 \u0447\u0442\u043e! \u0410 \u0442\u0435\u043f\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u044c \u043d\u0435\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u0434\u043b\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e \u0441\u043d\u0438\u043c\u0438<\/span> \u044d<\/span>\u0442\u0438 \u0442\u0443<\/span>\u0444\u043b\u0438! \u0412\u0435\u0434\u044c \u044d<\/span>\u0442\u043e \u0442\u0432\u043e\u044f<\/span> \u0432\u043e\u0441\u043a\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u043d\u0430\u044f \u043e<\/span>\u0431\u0443\u0432\u044c, \u0434\u043b\u044f \u0446\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0432\u043a\u0438, \u0430 \u0441\u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u044f \u0435\u0449\u0451 \u0432\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u043d\u0438\u043a!\u00bb<\/b>
\n “No problem! But take off those shoes RIGHT NOW. You and I both know these are your Sunday shoes, for church, and today is only Tuesday!”
\n<\/span><\/p>\n\n
\n
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\n(“I shall magically unlace the sneakers of all the players on the opposing team!” — proposed the house-elf.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"A](\"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2012\/06\/dapper_dan-350x252.jpg\")