{"id":611,"date":"2010-03-19T09:57:51","date_gmt":"2010-03-19T09:57:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=611"},"modified":"2010-03-19T09:57:51","modified_gmt":"2010-03-19T09:57:51","slug":"color-me-russian","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/color-me-russian\/","title":{"rendered":"Color Me Russian!"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a><\/p>\n

To learn a new language is to enter into a new world. And in this new world you\u2019re bound to come across things you didn\u2019t know anything about before (hence why I\u2019m stressing the importance of the concept \u2018new world\u2019 here)<\/em>, things that never even crossed your mind before. To speak a foreign language is to look at the world with different eyes \u2013 and different eyes will undoubtedly come to see a different world. This is as true for any language as it is for our darling \u00ab\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u044f\u0437\u044b<\/span>\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> [Russian language]. In Russian there is \u00ab\u043c\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0433\u043e \u043b\u044e\u0431\u043e\u043f\u044b<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e\u00bb <\/strong>[a lot of curious (things)<\/em>] but because it is pointless to write \u00ab\u043e\u0431\u043e \u0432\u0441\u0435\u043c \u0438 \u0441\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u0443\u00bb<\/strong> [about everything and straight away] lets today focus on one thing and one thing only: \u00ab\u0446\u0432\u0435\u0442\u0430<\/span> <\/strong>\u0432\u043e\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0441<\/strong> <\/strong>\u0438<\/strong> <\/strong>\u0433\u043b\u0430\u0437<\/strong> <\/strong>\u043f\u043e-\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u0441\u043a\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [hair and eye colors in Russian]. \u00ab<\/strong>\u0426\u0432\u0435\u0442\u0430<\/span><\/strong>\u00bb<\/strong> is the plural form of the noun which in singular looks like this: \u00ab\u0446\u0432\u0435\u0442\u00bb<\/strong> [color; dye, coloring; hue, particular shade of a color; flower; blossom]. When speaking of colors in Russian (or Russian colors for that matter)<\/em>, the first thing that should be noted and remembered well is that sometimes this language differs colors which are not differed in, for example, English (at least not when stated \u00ab\u0431\u0435\u0437 \u0443\u0442\u043e\u0447\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> [without more precise definition] like \u2018light\u2019 or \u2018dark\u2019, etc)<\/em>. Did you know that there are two adjectives in Russian for the color \u2018blue\u2019<\/em>? These are \u00ab\u0441\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [blue; navy blue, dark blue] and \u00ab\u0433\u043e\u043b\u0443\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [blue, azure]. The first one, \u00ab\u0441\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0439\u00bb<\/strong>, belongs to the special group of adjectives called \u2018soft adjectives\u2019 <\/em>\u2013 with an ending on \u00ab\u0438\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> together with masculine nouns, \u00ab\u0435\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> for neuter, \u00ab\u044f\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> for feminine and \u00ab\u0438\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> for plural \u2013 and that\u2019s why it has to be declined in the following way:<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0423 \u043d\u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u044b\u0439 \u0441\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0439 \u043a\u043e\u0441\u0442\u044e<\/span>\u043c\u00bb<\/strong> – [He has a new dark blue suit].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0422\u044b \u043a\u0443\u043f\u0438<\/span>\u043b \u0441\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u044e\u044e \u043a\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u043a\u0443?\u00bb<\/strong> – [Did you buy dark blue paint? (accusative)<\/em>].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0412\u0435<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0440\u043e\u043c \u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u0435 \u0431\u044b<\/span>\u043b\u043e \u0441\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0435\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – [In the evening the sea was dark blue].<\/p>\n

\u00ab\u0413\u0434\u0435 \u044f \u043f\u043e\u0442\u0435\u0440\u044f<\/span>\u043b\u0430 \u0441\u0432\u043e\u0438<\/span> \u0441\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u043f\u0435\u0440\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u043a\u0438?\u00bb<\/strong> – [Where have I misplaced my dark blue gloves?]<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

On Monday and Tuesday earlier this week I attended a conference at \u00ab\u042e<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u043e-\u0423\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u0433\u043e\u0441\u0443\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0443\u043d\u0438\u0432\u0435\u0440\u0441\u0438\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u00bb<\/strong> [South Ural State University] \u00ab\u0432 \u0427\u0435\u043b\u044f<\/span>\u0431\u0438\u043d\u0441\u043a\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [in Chelyabinsk]. And I think it would be correct to say that \u00ab\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0431\u043e \u0433\u043e\u043b\u0443\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [the sky is (light) blue)] over the main building on this building.<\/em><\/p>\n

In Russian, blue \u00ab\u0433\u043b\u0430\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [pl.<\/em> eyes; singular:<\/em> \u00ab\u0433\u043b\u0430\u0437\u00bb<\/strong>] can be both \u00ab\u0441\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [dark blue] as well as \u00ab\u0433\u043e\u043b\u0443\u0431\u044b<\/span>\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [light blue]. However, brown eyes can not be described as anything else but \u00ab\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0438\u0435 \u0433\u043b\u0430\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [brown, hazel eyes] in Russian. When looking up the color \u2018brown\u2019<\/em> in the dictionary you\u2019re bound to find three different translations of it: \u00ab\u043a\u043e\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u043d\u0435\u0432\u044b\u0439\u00bb<\/strong>, \u00ab\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0438\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> (also a \u2018soft\u2019 adjective!)<\/em> and \u00ab\u043a\u0430\u0448\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u043e\u0432\u044b\u0439\u00bb<\/strong>. Usually the difference in how you should use these adjectives correctly is explained by the following contexts: \u00ab\u043a\u043e\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u043d\u0435\u0432\u044b\u0439 \u0446\u0432\u0435\u0442\u00bb<\/strong> [the color brown], \u00ab\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0438\u0435 \u0433\u043b\u0430\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u00bb <\/strong>[brown eyes] and \u00ab\u043a\u0430\u0448\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u043e\u0432\u044b\u0435 \u0432\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0441\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [brown hair]. So even if you, for example, have eyes the same color as your hair and you\u2019re also wearing a matching t-shirt in the very same color (this color being brown)<\/em>, you have to use three different adjectives in Russian to explain what is really only just one color\u2026<\/p>\n

This makes me feel rather lucky to have been blessed with an eye color that doesn\u2019t cause any trouble in Russian: \u00ab\u0437\u0435\u043b\u0451<\/span>\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0433\u043b\u0430\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [green eyes]. But then again, my own hair color \u2013 known as simply \u2018blond\u2019<\/em> in English \u2013 is described in Russian by two different adjectives: \u00ab\u0431\u0435\u043b\u043e\u043a\u0443<\/span>\u0440\u044b\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> and \u00ab\u0441\u0432\u0435\u0442\u043b\u043e\u0432\u043e\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u044b\u0439\u00bb<\/strong>. Though I think that really my hair color is better described by the adjective \u00ab\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u044b\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [light brown], which is \u2013 it seems to me like it is, anyway \u2013 the most common hair color in Russia. Maybe not so strange, if you consider how much it looks like the words \u00ab\u0420\u0443\u0441\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [Rus] and \u00ab\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [Russian]. Also this hair color is usually defined more precisely in speech by either \u00ab\u0442\u0451<\/span>\u043c\u043d\u043e-\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u044b\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [darker ligh brown] or \u00ab\u0441\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u043b\u043e-\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u044b\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [lighter light brown].<\/p>\n

But the truly lucky people out there \u2013 who have it easier than everyone else when it comes to explaining their hair color in Russian \u2013 are the ones with \u00ab\u0447\u0451<\/span>\u0440\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0432\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0441\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [pl.<\/em> black hair] or \u00ab\u0440\u044b<\/span>\u0436\u0438\u0435 \u0432\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0441\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [pl.<\/em> red hair]! Those two colors cause no trouble at all in Russian. Let\u2019s finish off today\u2019s post with a couple of useful phrases to know in this context:<\/p>\n

Question:<\/span> \u00ab\u041a\u0430\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0433\u043e \u0446\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u0430 \u0442\u0432\u043e\u0438<\/span> \u0433\u043b\u0430\u0437\u0430<\/span>?\u00bb<\/strong> – [lit.<\/em> \u2018Of what color\u2019 are your eyes?]<\/p>\n

Answer:<\/span> \u00ab\u0423 \u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f<\/span> \u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0438\u0435 \u0433\u043b\u0430\u0437\u0430<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> – [I have brown eyes].<\/p>\n

Question:<\/span> \u00ab\u041a\u0430\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0433\u043e \u0446\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u0430 \u0442\u0432\u043e\u0438<\/span> \u0432\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0441\u044b?\u00bb<\/strong> – [lit.<\/em> \u2018Of what color\u2019 is your hair?]<\/p>\n

Answer:<\/span> \u00ab\u0423 \u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f<\/span> \u0440\u044b<\/span>\u0436\u0438\u0435 \u0432\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0441\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> – [I have red hair].<\/p>\n

And no, in Russian \u00ab\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u043e\u0441\u044b \u043d\u0435 \u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0433\u0443\u0442 \u0431\u044b\u0442\u044c \u043a\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u043d\u044b\u043c\u0438\u00bb <\/strong>[hair cannot be \u2018red\u2019<\/em> (the same adjective used in, for example, the word Red Square)<\/em>]\u2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

To learn a new language is to enter into a new world. And in this new world you\u2019re bound to come across things you didn\u2019t know anything about before (hence why I\u2019m stressing the importance of the concept \u2018new world\u2019 here), things that never even crossed your mind before. To speak a foreign language is…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":612,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[3,8,7828,913],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-611","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","category-language","category-russian-for-beginners","category-traditions"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/611","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\/28"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=611"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/611\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":614,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/611\/revisions\/614"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/612"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=611"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=611"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=611"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}