{"id":4574,"date":"2013-03-13T08:00:44","date_gmt":"2013-03-13T08:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=4574"},"modified":"2014-07-17T19:23:43","modified_gmt":"2014-07-17T19:23:43","slug":"three-whales-and-russian-counting-phrases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/three-whales-and-russian-counting-phrases\/","title":{"rendered":"Three Whales and Other Russian Phrases for Counting to Ten"},"content":{"rendered":"

I am trying to figure out a way to talk about the \u0442\u0440\u0438 \u043a\u0438\u0442\u0430<\/span> \u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0433\u043e \u043c\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0430<\/strong> (the three whales of the Russian obscenity) without crossing the line yet without having to use so many *** that it makes the post unreadable. If you have any ideas on how to do this, let me know. In the meantime, let\u2019s talk about these \u201cthree whales\u201d. By the way, they were first mentioned by Rob in his comment on the previous post<\/a>.<\/p>\n

While the expression \u0442\u0440\u0438 \u043a\u0438\u0442\u0430<\/span><\/strong> might seem puzzling, it is actually a very common one. It means \u201cthe three pillars\u201d:<\/p>\n

\u0422\u0440\u0438 \u043a\u0438\u0442\u0430<\/span> \u043c\u0443<\/span>\u0437\u044b\u043a\u0438 – \u044d<\/span>\u0442\u043e \u043f\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u043d\u044f, \u0442\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0435\u0446 \u0438 \u043c\u0430\u0440\u0448<\/strong> (The three pillars of music are song, dance and march).<\/p>\n

But why \u043a\u0438\u0442\u044b<\/span><\/strong> (whales) and not, say, \u0441\u043b\u043e\u043d\u044b<\/span><\/strong> (elephants)? And why \u0442\u0440\u0438<\/strong> (three) and not \u043e\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u043d<\/strong> (one) or \u043f\u044f\u0442\u044c<\/strong> (five)?<\/p>\n

To answer this question and to practice Russian comprehension skills, here\u2019s the explanation:<\/p>\n

\u0412 \u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u0432\u0440\u0435\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0430<\/span> \u043b\u044e<\/span>\u0434\u0438 \u0434\u0443<\/span>\u043c\u0430\u043b\u0438, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u0417\u0435\u043c\u043b\u044f<\/span> – \u043f\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u043a\u0430\u044f, \u043a\u0430\u043a \u0431\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u043d, \u0438 \u043f\u043e\u0434\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0436\u0438\u0432\u0430\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f \u043d\u0430 \u0441\u043f\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0430\u0445 \u0442\u0440\u0451\u0445 \u0431\u043e\u043b\u044c\u0448\u0438<\/span>\u0445 \u0440\u044b\u0431. \u0422\u0430\u043a \u043a\u0430\u043a \u0432 \u0442\u0435 \u0432\u0440\u0435\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0430<\/span> \u0435\u0449\u0451 \u043d\u0435 \u0437\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0438, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u043a\u0438\u0442 – \u043c\u043b\u0435\u043a\u043e\u043f\u0438\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u044e\u0449\u0435\u0435, \u0442\u043e \u043a\u0438\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0432 \u0441\u0447\u0438\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0438 \u0441\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u044b\u043c\u0438 \u0431\u043e\u043b\u044c\u0448\u0438<\/span>\u043c\u0438 \u0440\u044b<\/span>\u0431\u0430\u043c\u0438. \u041b\u044e<\/span>\u0434\u0438 \u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0438\u043b\u0438, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u0442\u0440\u0438 \u043a\u0438\u0442\u0430<\/span> \u0443\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0436\u0438\u0432\u0430\u044e\u0442 \u043d\u0430 \u0441\u0435\u0431\u0435<\/span> \u0417\u0435<\/span>\u043c\u043b\u044e.<\/strong><\/p>\n

(Run this paragraph through Google Translate if you\u2019d like to check your comprehension).<\/p>\n

So I thought, using the whales as an example, why not count to 10 using Russian phrases with numbers in them:<\/p>\n

1 – \u041e\u0434\u0438\u043d<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u041e\u0434\u043d\u0430<\/span> \u043d\u043e\u0433\u0430<\/span> \u0442\u0443\u0442, \u0434\u0440\u0443\u0433\u0430<\/span>\u044f – \u0442\u0430\u043c<\/strong> (One leg here, the other one – there) – this might sound like a phrase out of a particularly gruesome episode of CSI, but its meaning is absolutely benign. It simply means to get something done in a jiffy, on a double:<\/p>\n

\u0421\u0431\u0435<\/span>\u0433\u0430\u0439 \u0437\u0430 \u043f\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u043e\u043c, \u0442\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043a\u043e \u0431\u044b<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e, \u043e\u0434\u043d\u0430<\/span> \u043d\u043e\u0433\u0430<\/span> \u0437\u0434\u0435\u0441\u044c, \u0434\u0440\u0443\u0433\u0430<\/span>\u044f – \u0442\u0430\u043c<\/strong> (Run and fetch beer, but make it quick).<\/p>\n

2 – \u0414\u0432\u0430<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u041d\u0430 \u0434\u0432\u0430 \u0444\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u043d\u0442\u0430<\/strong> (On two fronts) – you are as likely to come across this phrase in history books as in everyday speech as in<\/p>\n

\u041e\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u044b\u0432\u0430\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f, \u043c\u043e\u0439 \u0431\u044b<\/span>\u0432\u0448\u0438\u0439 \u0432\u0441\u0442\u0440\u0435\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0441\u044f \u0435\u0449\u0451 \u0441 \u043e\u0434\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0439 \u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0449\u0438\u043d\u043e\u0439, \u0442\u0430\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u044f \u0432\u043e\u0442 \u043b\u044e\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u044c \u043d\u0430 \u0434\u0432\u0430 \u0444\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u043d\u0442\u0430 –<\/strong> Turns out, my ex was seeing someone else, love on two fronts so to speak.<\/p>\n

While in the above sentence the meaning of \u201c\u043d\u0430 \u0434\u0432\u0430 \u0444\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u043d\u0442\u0430<\/strong>\u201d is clearly \u201ctwo-timing\u201d, in general the phrase is used to describe a situation when efforts and resources are split between two goals.<\/p>\n

3 – \u0422\u0440\u0438<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u0422\u0440\u0438 \u043a\u0438\u0442\u0430<\/span><\/strong> – see above. Can you name the Three Whales of the Marxism-Leninism from the image at the top of the post?<\/p>\n

4 – \u0427\u0435\u0442\u044b\u0440\u0435<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u0412 \u0447\u0435\u0442\u044b\u0440\u0451\u0445 \u0441\u0442\u0435\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0445<\/strong> (Between four walls) – someone who \u0436\u0438\u0432\u0451\u0442 \u0432 \u0447\u0435\u0442\u044b\u0440\u0451\u0445 \u0441\u0442\u0435\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0445<\/strong> (lives between four walls) is someone who rarely or never goes outside. You can use this phrase to prod your Wii-addicted spouse to go for some Italian:<\/p>\n

\u0414\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0433\u043e<\/span>\u0439, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u043c\u044b \u0432\u0441\u0451 \u0432 \u0447\u0435\u0442\u044b\u0440\u0451\u0445 \u0441\u0442\u0435\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0445, \u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u0435\u0442 \u0441\u0445\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0438\u043c \u0432 \u0440\u0435\u0441\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u043d?<\/strong> (Darling, why do we always stay home; how about going out to a restaurant?)<\/p>\n

If this fails, guilt trip him with \u042f \u0434\u043b\u044f \u0442\u0435\u0431\u044f<\/span> \u043f\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u043e \u0441\u0444\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0430 \u0443\u0441\u043b\u0443<\/span>\u0433 \u0432 \u0447\u0435\u0442\u044b\u0440\u0451\u0445 \u0441\u0442\u0435\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0445!<\/strong> (I am just an in-house services provider for you!)<\/p>\n

Or you can complain about your cabin fever:<\/p>\n

\u042f \u0431\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u0448\u0435 \u043d\u0435 \u043c\u043e\u0433\u0443<\/span> \u0441\u0438\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u0432 \u0447\u0435\u0442\u044b\u0440\u0451\u0445 \u0441\u0442\u0435\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0445!<\/strong> (I can no longer stay indoors!)<\/p>\n

5 – \u041f\u044f\u0442\u044c<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u041f\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u0435 \u043a\u043e\u043b\u0435\u0441\u043e<\/span><\/strong> (the fifth wheel) has the same exact meaning in Russian as it does in English. So let\u2019s use \u043f\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044b\u0439 \u0443<\/span>\u0433\u043e\u043b<\/strong> (the fifth corner) instead. Here\u2019s some geometry – a four-walled room (from the sentences above) has four corners. If you are looking for the fifth corner, it means you are working really hard looking for a place to hide or for an escape route.<\/p>\n

\u041c\u043e\u0439 \u043f\u0451\u0441 \u0431\u043e\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0441\u044f \u0433\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u043c\u0430. \u041a\u0430<\/span>\u0436\u0434\u044b\u0439 \u0440\u0430\u0437 \u0432\u043e \u0432\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043c\u044f \u0433\u0440\u043e\u0437\u044b<\/span> \u043e\u043d \u0438<\/span>\u0449\u0435\u0442 \u043f\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044b\u0439 \u0443<\/span>\u0433\u043e\u043b.<\/strong> (My dog is scared of thunder. Every time during a thunderstorm he is trying really hard to hide.)<\/p>\n

6 – \u0428\u0435\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u0428\u0435\u0441\u0442\u044c \u0434\u043e\u0441\u043e<\/span>\u043a<\/strong> (Six boards) – what can you make with six boards? Yep, a box. What kind of a box? How about the kind that is put six feet under.<\/p>\n

7 – \u0421\u0435\u043c\u044c<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u0421\u0435\u043c\u044c \u043f\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u0438\u0446<\/strong> (Seven Fridays) – do you have a flaky friend, the one who promises to go to a club with you, but calls you at the last moment to say something came up? Or maybe you are the one who can never make up your mind about where to go for your vacation. Or maybe you\u2019ve heard a politician to flip-flop on a particularly important issue? That\u2019s exactly what \u0441\u0435\u043c\u044c \u043f\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u0438\u0446 \u043d\u0430 \u043d\u0435\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u0435<\/strong> (seven Fridays in a week) means – to act flaky, to flip-flop, to change one\u2019s mind in a way that\u2019s irritating or upsetting to others:<\/p>\n

\u041c\u043e\u0439 \u0434\u0440\u0443\u0433 – \u0447\u0435\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u043a \u043d\u0435\u043e\u0431\u044f\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0439. \u0423 \u043d\u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0447\u043d\u043e \u0441\u0435\u043c\u044c \u043f\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u0438\u0446 \u043d\u0430 \u043d\u0435\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u0435<\/strong>. (My friend is flaky. He always changes his mind about things.)<\/p>\n

8 – \u0412\u043e\u0441\u0435\u043c\u044c<\/strong><\/p>\n

Do you know any phrases that have \u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u0435\u043c\u044c<\/strong> in them? I don\u2019t. And \u0412\u043e\u0441\u044c\u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0435 \u043c\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0442\u0430<\/strong> (March 8th, the International Women\u2019s Day) doesn\u2019t count for this game. Although, if nothing else, this will do or as we say \u043d\u0430 \u0431\u0435\u0437\u0440\u044b<\/span>\u0431\u044c\u0435 \u0438 \u0440\u0430\u043a \u0440\u044b<\/span>\u0431\u0430<\/strong> (something is better than nothing; lit: when there\u2019s no fish, crayfish will count as fish). Besides, crayfish has 8 walking legs. So there!<\/p>\n

9 – \u0414\u0435\u0432\u044f\u0442\u044c<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u0422\u0440\u0438\u0434\u0435\u0432\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u0435 \u0446\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e<\/strong> (The thrice ninth kingdom) – A mythical kingdom of Russian fairy tales, it is also known as \u0442\u0440\u0438\u0434\u0435\u0441\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u0435 \u0433\u043e\u0441\u0443\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e<\/strong> (the thrice tenth state). So basically, it\u2019s a far-away land where math works differently, I s’pose since 3×9=27, but 3×10=30, so how can these two be the same place?<\/p>\n

10 – \u0414\u0435\u0441\u044f\u0442\u044c<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u0414\u0435\u0441\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u0430\u044f \u0432\u043e\u0434\u0430<\/span> \u043d\u0430 \u043a\u0438\u0441\u0435\u043b\u0435<\/span><\/strong> (The tenth water of kissel) – ok, so kissel is a type of thick drink of sweet juice and starch. And the entire phrase means \u201cforty-second cousin\u201d or someone who\u2019s a very-very-very distant relative, perhaps not even a relative at all:<\/p>\n

\u041c\u043e\u0439 \u0434\u044f<\/span>\u0434\u044f \u0412\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u044f – \u043d\u0435 \u0441\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u044b\u0445 \u0447\u0435<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u043d\u044b\u0445 \u043f\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u0438\u043b, \u0434\u0430 \u0438 \u0432\u043e\u043e\u0431\u0449\u0435<\/span> \u043e\u043d \u043c\u043d\u0435 \u043d\u0435 \u0434\u044f<\/span>\u0434\u044f, \u0430 \u0442\u0430\u043a, \u0434\u0435\u0441\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u0430\u044f \u0432\u043e\u0434\u0430<\/span> \u043d\u0430 \u043a\u0438\u0441\u0435\u043b\u0435<\/span>.<\/strong> (My uncle Ivan is not of the high ideals, and he is not even my uncle, but some forty-second cousin of mine or something.)<\/p>\n

Some might argue that it should be \u0441\u0435\u0434\u044c\u043c\u0430<\/span>\u044f \u0432\u043e\u0434\u0430<\/span> \u043d\u0430 \u043a\u0438\u0441\u0435\u043b\u0435<\/span><\/strong> or \u0434\u0435\u0432\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u0430\u044f \u0432\u043e\u0434\u0430<\/span> \u043d\u0430 \u043a\u0438\u0441\u0435\u043b\u0435<\/span><\/strong>, or even \u0434\u0432\u0435\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0434\u0446\u0430\u0442\u0430\u044f \u0432\u043e\u0434\u0430<\/span> \u043d\u0430 \u043a\u0438\u0441\u0435\u043b\u0435<\/span><\/strong>, but all the versions are equally valid and are in use.<\/p>\n

Now is your turn to look for Russian expressions with numbers in them. Can\u2019t think of any? Think of some in your language and find out how to translate them into Russian.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

I am trying to figure out a way to talk about the \u0442\u0440\u0438 \u043a\u0438\u0442\u0430 \u0440\u0443\u0441\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0433\u043e \u043c\u0430\u0442\u0430 (the three whales of the Russian obscenity) without crossing the line yet without having to use so many *** that it makes the post unreadable. If you have any ideas on how to do this, let me know. In…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":4576,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3,8],"tags":[7999,1248,7998,257576],"class_list":["post-4574","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","category-language","tag-how-to-count-in-russian","tag-russian-language","tag-russian-numbers","tag-strange-russian-phrases"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4574","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4574"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4574\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11233,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4574\/revisions\/11233"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4576"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4574"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4574"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4574"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}