{"id":8197,"date":"2015-07-29T06:11:42","date_gmt":"2015-07-29T06:11:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=8197"},"modified":"2018-08-15T15:31:38","modified_gmt":"2018-08-15T15:31:38","slug":"what-is-better-beating-around-the-bush-or-pulling-a-cat-by-its-tail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/what-is-better-beating-around-the-bush-or-pulling-a-cat-by-its-tail\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Better: Beating Around the Bush or Pulling a Cat by Its Tail?"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

The short answer is neither because the expressions are synonymous. If you are pulling a cat by its tail in Russia you are, in many cases, simply beating around the bush. Set expressions in any foreign language can frequently leave you baffled and confused. I remember my first encounter with the saying \u201cthinking outside the box.\u201d It was shortly after I moved to America. My date was desperately trying to explain to me what it meant but for some reason it was not registering. I am sure you have or will have similar instances and I encourage you to share them <\/span>in the comment section. In the meantime, I will shed some light on some of my favorite<\/span> Russian set expressions.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \u0422\u044f\u043d<\/span>\u0443<\/u><\/span>\u0442\u044c \u043a\u043e\u0442<\/span>\u0430<\/u><\/span> \u0437\u0430 \u0445\u0432<\/span>\u043e<\/u><\/span>\u0441\u0442 <\/span><\/b><\/span><\/span>Translated literally:<\/i><\/span> t<\/span>o pull a cat by its tail\n

    Origin:<\/i> unknown<\/p>\n

    Meaning:<\/i> to linger, to avoid doing\/telling something, to wait unnecessarily long, to beat around the bush<\/p>\n

    \u041b<\/b><\/span>\u0430<\/b><\/u><\/span>\u0434\u043d\u043e, \u0445\u0432<\/b><\/span>\u0430<\/b><\/u><\/span>\u0442\u0438\u0442 \u0442\u044f\u043d<\/b><\/span>\u0443<\/b><\/u><\/span>\u0442\u044c \u043a\u043e\u0442<\/b><\/span>\u0430<\/b><\/u><\/span> \u0437\u0430 \u0445\u0432\u043e\u0441\u0442. \u0413\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440<\/b><\/span>\u0438<\/b><\/u><\/span>, \u0437\u0430\u0447<\/b><\/span>\u0435<\/b><\/u><\/span>\u043c \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0448<\/b><\/span>\u0451<\/b><\/u><\/span>\u043b.<\/b><\/span> – OK, enough beating around the bush. Tell me why you are here. <\/span><\/p>\n

    \u0411\u043e\u0441\u0441, \u044f \u0438\u043c \u0442\u0440<\/b><\/span>\u0438<\/b><\/u><\/span>\u0441\u0442\u0430 \u0440\u0430\u0437 \u0441\u043a\u0430\u0437<\/b><\/span>\u0430<\/b><\/u><\/span>\u043b \u0437\u0430\u043a<\/b><\/span>\u043e<\/b><\/u><\/span>\u043d\u0447\u0438\u0442\u044c \u0440\u0430\u0431<\/b><\/span>\u043e<\/b><\/u><\/span>\u0442\u0443, \u0430 \u043e\u043d<\/b><\/span>\u0438<\/b><\/u><\/span> \u043f\u043e-\u043f\u0440<\/b><\/span>\u0435<\/b><\/u><\/span>\u0436\u043d\u0435\u043c\u0443 \u0442<\/b><\/span>\u044f<\/b><\/u><\/span>\u043d\u0443\u0442 \u043a\u043e\u0442<\/b><\/span>\u0430<\/b><\/u><\/span> \u0437\u0430 \u0445\u0432\u043e\u0441\u0442.<\/b><\/span> – Boss, I told them to finish the job a hundred times but they are dragging it out for all it’s worth. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  2. \n

    \u0418\u0433\u0440\u0430<\/u> \u043d\u0435 \u0441\u0442\u043e<\/u>\u0438\u0442 \u0441\u0432\u0435\u0447<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    Translated literally:<\/i> the game is not worth the candles<\/p>\n

    Origin: <\/i>apparently, this expression has something to do with playing cards. If the bets are too low to justify the candles used to lit the table, one would say the game is not worth the candles.<\/p>\n

    Meaning:<\/i> the saying means that the payoff is not worth the effort that went into a particular undertaking. This saying is synonymous with the English \u201cthe juice is worth\/not worth the squeeze.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \u042f \u0440\u0435\u0448<\/b><\/span>\u0438<\/b><\/u><\/span>\u043b \u043e\u0441\u0442<\/b><\/span>\u0430<\/b><\/u><\/span>\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f \u0432 \u0421\u0430\u043c<\/b><\/span>\u0430<\/b><\/u><\/span>\u0440\u0435. \u0412 \u043c\u043e<\/b><\/span>\u0451<\/b><\/u><\/span>\u043c \u0432<\/b><\/span>\u043e<\/b><\/u><\/span>\u0437\u0440\u0430\u0441\u0442\u0435 \u044d\u0442\u0430 \u0438\u0433\u0440<\/b><\/span>\u0430<\/b><\/u><\/span> \u043d\u0435 \u0441\u0442<\/b><\/span>\u043e<\/b><\/u><\/span>\u0438\u0442 \u0441\u0432\u0435\u0447.<\/b><\/span> – I decided to stay in Samara. At my age this juice is not worth the squeeze. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  3. \n

    \u0412\u043e\u0434\u0438<\/u>\u0442\u044c \u0437\u0430<\/u> \u043d\u043e\u0441 <\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    Translated literally: <\/i><\/span>to walk someone by their nose<\/span><\/p>\n

    Origin: <\/i><\/span>the saying has something to do with what used to be a common street fair attraction. In the old days gypsies in Russia used to walk bears by a ring threaded through their nose; they used to entice bears into doing certain things by showing them the treat but not giving it. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Meaning: <\/i><\/span>to promise and not deliver, to pull one’s leg, to pull a wool over one’s eyes, to deceive<\/span><\/p>\n

    \u041e\u043d<\/b><\/span>\u0430<\/b><\/u><\/span> \u0435\u0433<\/b><\/span>\u043e<\/b><\/u><\/span> \u0443\u0436<\/b><\/span>\u0435<\/b><\/u><\/span> \u043f\u044f\u0442\u044c \u043b\u0435\u0442 \u0437<\/b><\/span>\u0430<\/b><\/u><\/span> \u043d\u043e\u0441 \u0432<\/b><\/span>\u043e<\/b><\/u><\/span>\u0434\u0438\u0442.<\/b><\/span> – She’s had a wool over his eyes for five years now. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  4. \n

    (<\/span>\u041f\u0440\u0438\u0439\u0442\u0438<\/u>) \u043a \u0448\u0430<\/u>\u043f\u043e\u0447\u043d\u043e\u043c\u0443 \u0440\u0430\u0437\u0431\u043e<\/u>\u0440\u0443<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

    Translated literally:<\/i> to come when they are collecting their hats<\/p>\n

    Origin:<\/i> this saying came into existence when Russian men used to put their hats in a pile before entering church since wearing a hat was not allowed. After the service was over, everyone took their hat from the pile on the way out. If someone showed up when everyone else was picking up their hat, they obviously missed missed the service.<\/p>\n

    Meaning:<\/i> to be really late, to miss something, to come after the event is over<\/p>\n

    \u0412\u044b, \u0434<\/b><\/span>\u0435<\/b><\/u><\/span>\u0432\u0443\u0448\u043a\u0430, \u043f\u0440\u0438\u0448\u043b<\/b><\/span>\u0438<\/b><\/u><\/span> \u043a \u0441<\/b><\/span>\u0430<\/b><\/u><\/span>\u043c\u043e\u043c\u0443 \u0448<\/b><\/span>\u0430<\/b><\/u><\/span>\u043f\u043e\u0447\u043d\u043e\u043c\u0443 \u0440\u0430\u0437\u0431<\/b><\/span>\u043e<\/b><\/u><\/span>\u0440\u0443. \u042f \u0432\u0441\u0435 \u0445\u043e\u0440<\/b><\/span>\u043e<\/b><\/u><\/span>\u0448\u0435\u0435 \u0443\u0436\u0435 \u043f\u0440<\/b><\/span>\u043e<\/b><\/u><\/span>\u0434\u0430\u043b.<\/b><\/span> – You, young lady, came way too late. I already sold all the good stuff. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    If you have a favorite Russian set expression or a story associated with one, I invite you to share them in the comment section! <\/span><\/p>\n

    \u041f\u043e\u043a\u0430-\u043f\u043e\u043a\u0430! <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    The short answer is neither because the expressions are synonymous. If you are pulling a cat by its tail in Russia you are, in many cases, simply beating around the bush. Set expressions in any foreign language can frequently leave you baffled and confused. I remember my first encounter with the saying \u201cthinking outside…<\/p>\n

    Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":114,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[178,8],"tags":[10782,27191,385623],"class_list":["post-8197","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-history","category-language","tag-confusing-russian-language","tag-fun-russian-phrases","tag-russian-set-expressions"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8197","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\/114"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8197"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8197\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11014,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8197\/revisions\/11014"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8197"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8197"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8197"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}