\n
Ok, the usual disclaimer<\/span> goes here: if you are easily offended, do not read this post. Parental advisory recommended. Using any of these words in public is considered mild hooliganism and is punishable by law.<\/p>\n The three whales of \u0440\u0443\u0441\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u043c\u0430\u0442 (Russian curse words) are the three rude words for a male sexual organ, female sexual organ and the sexual act itself. The forth word has a literal meaning of “prostitute”. This in itself is neither new nor original.<\/p>\n What sets Russian obscenities apart from English-language ones is the enormous flexibility and depth of meaning thanks to all the suffixes, prefixes, and compound words formed with \u043c\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u0440\u043d\u044b\u0439<\/strong> (obscene) roots.<\/p>\n It wouldn\u2019t be an exaggeration to say that mastering just one of these three words would get you closer to mastering both the mechanics and that certain je ne sais quoi of the Russian language than \u0448\u0442\u0443\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/strong> (thorough study of) \u201cregular\u201d textbooks or even reading the classics.<\/p>\n Speaking of the classics, it should come as no surprise that they more than dabbled in \u043c\u0430\u0442<\/strong>. I\u2019m not even talking about the modern classics, such as Pelevin or Erofeev. Nope, I mean such \u0441\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u0447<\/strong> (luminary) of Russian literature as Mikhail Lermontov and Anton Chekhov and, of course, \u041d\u0430<\/span>\u0448\u0435 \u0412\u0441\u0451<\/strong> (Our Everything), the great Alexander Pushkin himself.<\/p>\n Anyway, most of the times the obscenities are not used in their literal sense, to describe \u0434\u0435\u0442\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u043e<\/span>\u0440\u0433\u0430\u043d\u044b<\/strong> (genitals) or \u043f\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0439 \u0430\u043a\u0442<\/strong> (sexual intercourse). Instead, they are used for just about anything else. They are used to describe a full range of emotions, complex thoughts and actions, and just about any conceivable situation.<\/p>\n But this mind-boggling flexibility achieved with just four very short words pales in comparison to the virtuosity of a true \u0434\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (old hand) who can stack them together into intricate \u0440\u0443\u0433\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0430<\/strong> (invective) known as \u0442\u0440\u0451\u0445\u044d\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u044b\u0439 <\/strong>or \u043c\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e\u044d\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u043c\u0430\u0442<\/strong> (the three-stories or\u00a0multistory\u00a0obscenity).<\/p>\n Still, please think twice before using even mild \u043c\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u0440\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0441\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0430<\/span><\/strong> (obscene words) in a conversation. Yes, you might come across these words in books. And yes, you might overhear them on the streets or in YouTube videos. And yes, expect to hear at least a few of these \u043a\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043f\u043a\u0438\u0435 \u0441\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0447\u043a\u0438<\/strong> (strong words) in a casual atmosphere of \u0437\u0430\u0441\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u0435<\/strong> (a feast), especially if the conversation turns to politics or economy. Still, resist the temptation to join in or to show off your grasp of colloquial Russian, especially if<\/p>\n 1. You are in the presence of minors or women<\/p>\n 2. You are a woman. Women should never \u043c\u0430\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f, \u043a\u0430\u043a \u0433\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0437\u0447\u0438\u043a\u0438<\/strong> (curse like a stevedore).<\/p>\n 3. You do not have a very firm grasp of all the intricacies of meaning and usage. One wrong prefix and you just call something awesome a total junk. Or, in case of the image at the top of the post, wrong stress turns a very rude “don’t talk!” into no less rude “don’t steal!”<\/p>\n 4. You are in a public place – remember, it is against the law, even if your favorite soccer team is not doing their best… again.<\/p>\n Speaking of cursing in public now being illegal, the new Russian law levies fines on any \u043d\u0435\u0437\u0430\u043f\u0438<\/span>\u043a\u0430\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0439<\/strong> (unbleeped) or incorrectly\/partially bleeped out \u043d\u0435\u0446\u0435\u043d\u0437\u0443<\/span>\u0440\u043d\u0430\u044f \u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0433\u0430\u043d\u044c<\/strong> (strong language; lit: bad language that is not allowed by censorship). This goes not only for what the anchors or journalists themselves might utter, but extends to comments and reactions from readers, listeners and viewers, including comments on the articles or news clips.<\/p>\n Sounds outrageous? Well, as the State Duma explains: \u0441\u0432\u043e\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0430 \u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0447\u0438 – \u044d<\/span>\u0442\u043e \u043d\u0435 \u0437\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0447\u0438\u0442 \u0432\u0441\u0435\u0434\u043e\u0437\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c<\/strong> (freedom of speech doesn\u2019t mean permissiveness).<\/p>\n Interestingly, the new law does not create a \u0447\u0451\u0440\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0441\u043f\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u043e\u043a<\/strong> (black list) of forbidden words. Instead, issues will be resolved on a case-by-case basis by expert philologists. One of the authors of the new law explained that the offensive word must be bleeped or *** enough to completely obscure its meaning. He further said<\/a>:<\/p>\n \u0415<\/span>\u0441\u043b\u0438 \u0432 \u0441\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u0435 \u0438\u0437 \u0442\u0440\u0451\u0445 \u0431\u0443\u043a\u0432 \u0443\u0431\u0435\u0440\u0451\u0442\u0435 \u0446\u0435\u043d\u0442\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0443\u044e \u0431\u0443<\/span>\u043a\u0432\u0443 \u0438 \u0437\u0430\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0442\u0435 \u0435\u0451 \u0437\u0432\u0451\u0437\u0434\u043e\u0447\u043a\u043e\u0439, \u044d<\/span>\u0442\u043e \u043d\u0435 \u0437\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0447\u0438\u0442, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u043d\u0438\u043a\u0442\u043e<\/span> \u043d\u0435 \u043f\u043e\u0439\u043c\u0451\u0442, \u0447\u0442\u043e \u0443 \u0432\u0430\u0441 \u043d\u0430\u043f\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u0430\u043d\u043e<\/strong><\/p>\n (If you take out the middle letter from a three-letter word and replace it with an asterisk, it doesn\u2019t mean nobody understands what you have written)<\/p>\n Can you guess which three-letter word \u0441\u043b\u0443\u0433\u0430<\/span> \u043d\u0430\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u0430<\/strong> (the people\u2019s servant) is talking about? And speaking of the phrase \u201cthree-letter word\u201d… It\u2019s a widely used euphemism for the most widely used obscene word in the Russian language. So when you say \u201c\u0434\u0430 \u043f\u043e\u0448\u0451\u043b \u0442\u044b \u043d\u0430 \u0432\u0441\u0435 \u0442\u0440\u0438 \u0431\u0443<\/span>\u043a\u0432\u044b!<\/strong>\u201d (lit: go to all the three letters!) everyone knows exactly what you meant (a very strong version of \u201cgo to hell!\u201d).<\/p>\n Does it mean that the public use of euphemisms, such as the above \u201cthree-letter word\u201d is also punishable? Too bad because there are truly clever Russian euphemisms for obscenities, such as the word \u0441\u043a\u043e\u043c\u043c\u0443\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0437\u0434\u0438\u0442\u044c<\/strong> meaning \u201cto steal\u201d, \u0440\u0430\u0437\u0434\u043e\u043b\u0431\u0430<\/span>\u0439<\/strong> meaning \u201ca good-for-nothing person\u201d, \u00a0and \u0435\u0434\u0440\u0451\u043d\u0430 \u043c\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/strong>, one of the countless Russian phrases with the meaning closest to the English four-letter exclamation.<\/p>\n This brings to mind one \u0431\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0434\u0430\u0442\u044b\u0439 \u0430\u043d\u0435\u043a\u0434\u043e\u0442 (an old joke):<\/p>\n \u041d\u0430 \u043e\u0434\u043d\u043e\u043c \u0437\u0430\u0432\u043e\u0434\u0435 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0446\u0432\u0435\u0442\u0430\u043b\u0430 \u043c\u0430\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0449\u0438\u043d\u0430. \u0414\u0438\u0440\u0435\u043a\u0442\u043e\u0440 \u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0433\u043e-\u043d\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0437\u0430\u043f\u0440\u0435\u0442\u0438\u043b \u043c\u0430\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0438\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f \u043d\u0430 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0438\u0437\u0432\u043e\u0434\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435. \u0420\u0443\u0433\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043b\u0438, \u043d\u043e \u0443\u043f\u0430\u043b\u0430 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0438\u0437\u0432\u043e\u0434\u0438\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044c \u0442\u0440\u0443\u0434\u0430. \u0414\u0438\u0440\u0435\u043a\u0442\u043e\u0440 \u043d\u0430 \u043f\u043b\u0430\u043d\u0435\u0440\u043a\u0435 \u0441\u043f\u0440\u0430\u0448\u0438\u0432\u0430\u0435\u0442 \u0432\u0435\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0430 – \u0434\u044f\u0434\u044e \u0412\u0430\u043d\u044e, \u0432 \u0447\u0451\u043c \u0434\u0435\u043b\u043e.<\/strong> Try to translate it using this vocabulary or, if all else fails, Google Translate:<\/p>\n \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0446\u0432\u0435\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c<\/strong> – to flourish<\/p>\n \u043c\u0430\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0449\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0430<\/strong> – from \u043c\u0430\u0442<\/strong> (obscenity) is the noun that describes the entire body of obscene words<\/p>\n \u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0433\u043e-\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0433\u043e<\/strong> – an adverb meaning \u201cin the strictest way\u201d, compare to other adverbs such as \u043a\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043f\u043a\u043e-\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u043a\u0440\u0435\u043f\u043a\u043e<\/strong> (in the strongest way), \u043f\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0432\u043e-\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0432\u043e<\/strong> (the very first thing), \u043c\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u043e-\u043f\u043e\u043c\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0443<\/strong> (little by little), \u0441\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u043e-\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/strong> (quickly)<\/p>\n \u043c\u0430\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f<\/strong> – to use obscenities in one\u2019s speech<\/p>\n \u043f\u043b\u0430\u043d\u0451<\/span>\u0440\u043a\u0430<\/strong> – a work meeting<\/p>\n Oh, but it looks like I haven\u2019t told you the exact words for the big three Russian obscenities. Well, you see, I can\u2019t do it. Women should not curse. Plus, as my Mom always said, \u0438\u043d\u0442\u0435\u043b\u043b\u0438\u0433\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0442\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0447\u0435\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u043a \u043d\u0435 \u043c\u0430\u0442\u0435\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0441\u044f<\/strong> (an intellectual does not use obscenities). To this day, it \u0440\u0435<\/span>\u0436\u0435\u0442 \u0441\u043b\u0443\u0445<\/strong> (sets teeth on edge; lit: grates hearing) when someone around me curses in Russian.<\/p>\n Besides, there are quite a few great resources on the subject, including this Wikipedia article<\/a> (in English), this Wikipedia article<\/a> (in Russian), a pretty good Lurkmore article <\/a>(in Russian), the classic<\/a> (in Russian), this video<\/a> (in Russian, a perfect primer to all four big bad words) and, should you really dig deep into the subject, this very comprehensive book<\/a>. Good luck!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Ok, the usual disclaimer goes here: if you are easily offended, do not read this post. Parental advisory recommended. Using any of these words in public is considered mild hooliganism and is punishable by law. The three whales of \u0440\u0443\u0441\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u043c\u0430\u0442 (Russian curse words) are the three rude words for a male sexual organ, female…<\/p>\n
\n – \u0414\u0430, \u0437\u043d\u0430\u0435\u0442\u0435, \u041f\u0435\u0442\u0440 \u0418\u0432\u0430\u043d\u043e\u0432\u0438\u0447, \u0440\u0430\u043d\u044c\u0448\u0435 \u0431\u044b\u0432\u0430\u043b\u043e \u0441\u043a\u0430\u0436\u0435\u0448\u044c: “\u0418\u0432\u0430\u043d, \u043f\u043e\u0434\u0430\u0439 \u0432\u043e\u043d \u0442\u0443 \u0445\u0440\u0435\u043d\u043e\u0432\u0438\u043d\u0443”, \u0430 \u0441\u0435\u0439\u0447\u0430\u0441 \u043f\u043e\u043a\u0430 \u0432\u0441\u043f\u043e\u043c\u043d\u0438\u0448\u044c, \u043a\u0430\u043a \u043e\u043d\u0430 \u043d\u0430\u0437\u044b\u0432\u0430\u0435\u0442\u0441\u044f – \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0447\u0430\u0441\u0430 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0439\u0434\u0435\u0442.<\/strong>
\n
\n<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n