{"id":893,"date":"2010-05-25T10:00:15","date_gmt":"2010-05-25T10:00:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=893"},"modified":"2014-07-16T20:09:34","modified_gmt":"2014-07-16T20:09:34","slug":"russian-onomatopoeia-is-fun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/russian-onomatopoeia-is-fun\/","title":{"rendered":"Russian Onomatopoeia is Fun"},"content":{"rendered":"

 <\/p>\n

Indeed, \u00ab\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u044f\u0437\u044b<\/span>\u043a – \u0432\u0435\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u043a \u0438 \u043c\u043e\u0433\u0443<\/span>\u0447!\u00bb<\/strong> [Russian language is great and powerful.] It has such wonderfully lengthy and unpronounceable words as<\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u0418\u043d\u0442\u0435\u0440\u043d\u0430\u0446\u0438\u043e\u043d\u0430\u043b\u0438\u0437\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> – to undergo a process of internationalization<\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u041e\u0434\u0438\u043d\u043d\u0430\u0434\u0446\u0430\u0442\u0438\u043a\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0441\u043d\u0438\u0446\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> – female 11th grader<\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u0412\u043e\u0441\u044c\u043c\u0438\u0434\u0435\u0441\u044f\u0442\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0442\u044b\u0440\u0451\u0445\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u0438\u0439\u00bb-<\/strong> someone or something who\u2019s 84 years old, presumably the grandfather of the said 11th grader<\/p>\n

And \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432\u043e\u0434\u043e\u0433\u0440\u044f\u0437\u0435\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0444\u043e\u043f\u0430\u0440\u0430\u0444\u0438\u043d\u043e\u043b\u0435\u0447\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> – water-mud-peat-paraffin therapy to which this said grandfather credits his longevity.<\/p>\n

Ever since I found these words in a Wikipedia article<\/a> about \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u043e\u0435 <\/strong>\u0434\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0435 <\/strong>\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0435 <\/strong>\u0441\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u043e<\/strong>\u00bb [the longest Russian word], I dreamt of an opportunity to use them.<\/p>\n

But not in this post, not just yet. Instead, I\u2019m going to talk about something near and dear to all of us, whether we suffer from \u00ab\u0433\u0438\u043f\u043f\u043e\u043f\u043e\u0442\u043e\u043c\u043e\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0438\u043f\u043f\u0435\u0434\u0430\u043b\u043e\u0444\u043e<\/span>\u0431\u0438\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> [this doesn\u2019t even sound like a real word, but the same Wiki article says it means fear of very long words] or not. I\u2019m going to talk about \u00ab\u0437\u0432\u0443\u043a\u043e\u043f\u043e\u0434\u0440\u0430\u0436\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u0441\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [onomatopoeia] and these are mostly very short.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with the basics.<\/p>\n

Onomatopoeia<\/span><\/strong> is a word that imitates the source of the sound it describes. This can be a sound made by a person, an animal or a natural object.<\/p>\n

Every Russian source I consulted made sure to explain that onomatopoeia is not the same as \u00ab<\/strong>\u043c\u0435\u0436\u0434\u043e\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [interjection] because it does not express either \u00ab<\/strong>\u0447\u0443<\/span>\u0432\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [feelings] nor \u00ab<\/strong>\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044e\u00bb<\/strong> [will].<\/p>\n

If this sounds complicated, here\u2019s an example from a children\u2019s ditty:<\/p>\n

\u00ab…\u0412\u0434\u0440\u0443\u0433 \u043e\u0445\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u043d\u0438\u043a \u0432\u044b\u0431\u0435\u0433\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u0442
\n\u041f\u0440\u044f<\/span>\u043c\u043e \u0432 \u0437\u0430<\/span>\u0439\u0447\u0438\u043a\u0430 \u0441\u0442\u0440\u0435\u043b\u044f<\/span>\u0435\u0442.
\n\u041f\u0438\u0444! \u041f\u0430\u0444! \u041e\u0439-\u043e\u0439-\u043e\u0439!
\n\u0423\u0431\u0435\u0433\u0430<\/span>\u0435\u0442 \u0437\u0430<\/span>\u0439\u0447\u0438\u043a \u043c\u043e\u0439.\u00bb<\/strong><\/p>\n

Suddenly a hunter runs out<\/p>\n

And shoots at a\u00a0bunny.<\/p>\n

Bang! Bang! Ouch-ouch-ouch!<\/p>\n

My\u00a0bunny\u00a0runs away.<\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u041f\u0438\u0444! <\/strong>\u041f\u0430\u0444!\u00bb<\/strong> [Bang! Bang!] is an example of onomatopoeia while \u00ab<\/strong>\u043e\u0439-<\/strong>\u043e\u0439-<\/strong>\u043e\u0439!\u00bb<\/strong> [ouch-ouch-ouch] is an interjection.<\/p>\n

Easy so far, isn\u2019t it? But how does it help you speak more better Russian, preferably at above the preschool level? That\u2019s where things get really interesting. In Russian, you can form a bunch of awesome and super-useful verbs based on \u00ab<\/strong>\u0438\u0434\u0435\u043e\u0444\u043e<\/span>\u043d\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [yes, there is a shorter way to say onomatopoeia in Russian].<\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u0411\u0430\u0431\u0430<\/span>\u0445, <\/strong>\u0442\u0440\u0430\u0445-<\/strong>\u0431\u0430\u0431\u0430<\/span>\u0445\u00bb<\/strong> – this is a loud noise made by a big gun or by something large falling down and, usually, breaking. The verb \u00ab<\/strong>\u0431\u0430\u0431\u0430<\/span>\u0445\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> means to make a loud noise, as in \u00ab<\/strong>\u0413\u0440\u043e\u043c <\/strong>\u0442\u0430\u043a <\/strong>\u0431\u0430\u0431\u0430<\/span>\u0445\u043d\u0443\u043b, <\/strong>\u0443 <\/strong>\u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f<\/span> <\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u043a\u0432\u0430\u0440\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u0435 <\/strong>\u0447\u0443\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u0441\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u043b\u0430 <\/strong>\u043d\u0435 <\/strong>\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u043b\u0435\u0442\u0435\u043b\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [Thunder was so loud that it almost shattered glass in the windows of my apartment].<\/p>\n

\u0411\u0443\u0445<\/strong> – a sound of something or someone dropping to the ground. The verb is \u00ab\u0431\u0443<\/span>\u0445\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> or \u00ab\u0431\u0443<\/span>\u0445\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> as in \u00ab\u0412\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u044f \u0431\u0443<\/span>\u0445\u043d\u0443\u043b\u0441\u044f \u043d\u0430 \u043a\u043e\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438…\u00bb<\/strong> [Vanya dropped down to his knees…]<\/p>\n

The correct stress, on the first vowel, is particularly important in this word. When the second vowel is stressed – \u00ab<\/strong>\u0431\u0443\u0445\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> – the meaning becomes to (heavily) drink alcohol or go on a drinking binge. For example, \u00ab<\/strong>\u0412\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u044f <\/strong>\u0431\u0443<\/span>\u0445\u043d\u0443\u043b\u0441\u044f <\/strong>\u043d\u0430 <\/strong>\u043a\u043e\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438 <\/strong>\u043f\u0435\u0440\u0435\u0434 <\/strong>\u0436\u0435\u043d\u043e\u0439 <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u043f\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0438<\/span>\u043b <\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u043e\u0449\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f <\/strong>\u0437\u0430 <\/strong>\u0442\u043e, <\/strong>\u0447\u0442\u043e <\/strong>\u0432\u0447\u0435\u0440\u0430<\/span> <\/strong>\u0442\u0430\u043a <\/strong>\u043d\u0430\u0431\u0443\u0445\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0441\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> [Vanya dropped down to his knees in front of his wife and asked to be forgiven for getting drunk the day before].<\/p>\n

\u0427\u043f\u043e\u043a<\/strong> – a sound you hear when uncorking a bottle of bubbly, opening a cold one of vodka or, worse comes to worse, pulling a tab on a can of \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u043e\u00bb<\/strong> [beer]. Apparently, it is also a slang term for a mix of beer and vodka. \u00ab<\/strong>\u0427\u043f\u043e<\/span>\u043a\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00bb,<\/strong> however, can mean a variety of things, from drinking to schtooping.<\/p>\n

Understandably, a large number of onomato\u2026 whatevers comes from animal sounds:<\/p>\n

Russian cats say \u00ab<\/strong>\u043c\u044f\u0443-<\/strong>\u043c\u044f\u0443\u00bb<\/strong> [meow] or \u00ab<\/strong>\u043c\u0443\u0440-<\/strong>\u043c\u0443\u0440\u00bb<\/strong> [purr]. The corresponding verbs are \u00ab<\/strong>\u043c\u044f\u0443<\/span>\u043a\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> and \u00ab<\/strong>\u043c\u0443\u0440\u043b\u044b<\/span>\u043a\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00bb,<\/strong> respectively. As with English purring, the verb can be applied to humans as in \u00ab<\/strong>\u0421\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u0430 <\/strong>\u0447\u0442\u043e-<\/strong>\u0442\u043e <\/strong>\u043f\u0440\u043e\u043c\u0443\u0440\u043b\u044b<\/span>\u043a\u0430\u043b\u0430 <\/strong>\u0412\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u0435 <\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u0443<\/span><\/strong>\u0445\u043e <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u043e\u043d <\/strong>\u0440\u0430\u0441\u043f\u043b\u044b<\/span>\u043b\u0441\u044f <\/strong>\u0432 <\/strong>\u0443\u043b\u044b<\/span>\u0431\u043a\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [Sveta purred something into Vova\u2019s ear and his face melted into a smile].<\/p>\n

The dogs say \u00ab<\/strong>\u0433\u0430\u0432-<\/strong>\u0433\u0430\u0432\u00bb.<\/strong> The verbs \u00ab<\/strong>\u0433\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u043a\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> or, better yet, \u00ab<\/strong>\u0433\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u043a\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> are also used to describe arguments or conversations in which one side gets verbally \u201cchewed up\u201d. \u00ab<\/strong>\u041c\u044b <\/strong>\u0441 <\/strong>\u043c\u0443<\/span>\u0436\u0435\u043c <\/strong>\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u043e <\/strong>\u0433\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u043a\u0430\u0435\u043c\u0441\u044f <\/strong>\u043f\u043e <\/strong>\u043f\u0443\u0441\u0442\u044f\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u043c.\u00bb<\/strong> [My husband and I often have arguments over petty things].<\/p>\n

Small dogs and puppies say \u00ab<\/strong>\u0442\u044f\u0432-<\/strong>\u0442\u044f\u0432\u00bb <\/strong>[yap].<\/strong> While not nearly as scary as \u00ab<\/strong>\u0433\u0430\u0432-<\/strong>\u0433\u0430\u0432\u00bb,<\/strong> \u00ab<\/strong>\u0442\u044f\u0432-<\/strong>\u0442\u044f\u0432\u00bb<\/strong> is exponentially more annoying. The verb \u00ab<\/strong>\u0442\u044f<\/span>\u0432\u043a\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> is used to describe someone who is annoying. \u00ab\u0425\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0448 <\/strong>\u0442\u044f<\/span>\u0432\u043a\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f, <\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u043c\u0438\u0440\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u0441\u044c <\/strong>\u0443\u0436\u0435<\/span>!\u00bb<\/strong> [Enough of the yapping; time to make up!]<\/p>\n

Russian geese say \u00ab<\/strong>\u0433\u0430-<\/strong>\u0433\u0430\u00bb.<\/strong> The verb \u00ab<\/strong>\u0433\u043e\u0433\u043e\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> \u00a0also means loud and oftentimes rude or inappropriate laughter.<\/p>\n

Pigs say \u00abx<\/strong>\u0440\u044e-<\/strong>\u0445\u0440\u044e\u00bb <\/strong>[oink].<\/strong> The verb \u00ab<\/strong>\u0445\u0440\u044e<\/span>\u043a\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> is not very remarkable. However, one of the cutest (in my opinion) Russian words is \u00ab<\/strong>\u0445\u0440\u044e<\/span>\u0448\u043a\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [pig, piglet]. It\u2019s much cuter than \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u0432\u0438\u043d\u044c\u044f<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [pig] or \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0441\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u043e\u043a\u00bb<\/strong> [piglet], especially when used to describe a messy child.<\/p>\n

Crows in Russia say \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u0430\u0440-<\/strong>\u043a\u0430\u0440\u00bb.<\/strong> \u00ab<\/strong>\u0412\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u043d\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [crows] are the dark, evil birds of many Russian stories, from folk tales to major works of literature. It\u2019s no wonder that the verb \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u043a\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [to croak] has an added meaning of to predict misfortune, to profess ill.<\/p>\n

\u00ab<\/strong>\u041a\u0430\u043f-<\/strong>\u043a\u0430\u043f\u00bb<\/strong> is the sound of slowly dripping water. Keep the image of a leaking faucet in mind and you\u2019ll easily guess the meanings of words \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u043f\u043b\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> [a drop], \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u0430\u043f\u0435<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [a thaw], \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u043f\u0435\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0438\u0446\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [IV].<\/p>\n

I\u2019ll continue with more onomatopoeia in the next post. In the mean time, do you know any cool Russian \u00ab<\/strong>\u0438\u0434\u0435\u043e\u0444\u043e<\/span>\u043d\u044b\u00bb?<\/strong> Or maybe you want to know how other animate and inanimate objects sound in Russian. Let me know!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"\"

Indeed, \u00ab\u0440\u0443\u0441\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u044f\u0437\u044b\u043a – \u0432\u0435\u043b\u0438\u043a \u0438 \u043c\u043e\u0433\u0443\u0447!\u00bb [Russian language is great and powerful.] It has such wonderfully lengthy and unpronounceable words as \u00ab\u0418\u043d\u0442\u0435\u0440\u043d\u0430\u0446\u0438\u043e\u043d\u0430\u043b\u0438\u0437\u0438\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f\u00bb – to undergo a process of internationalization \u00ab\u041e\u0434\u0438\u043d\u043d\u0430\u0434\u0446\u0430\u0442\u0438\u043a\u043b\u0430\u0441\u0441\u043d\u0438\u0446\u0430\u00bb – female 11th grader \u00ab\u0412\u043e\u0441\u044c\u043c\u0438\u0434\u0435\u0441\u044f\u0442\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0442\u044b\u0440\u0451\u0445\u043b\u0435\u0442\u043d\u0438\u0439\u00bb- someone or something who\u2019s 84 years old, presumably the grandfather of the said 11th grader And \u00ab\u0432\u043e\u0434\u043e\u0433\u0440\u044f\u0437\u0435\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0444\u043e\u043f\u0430\u0440\u0430\u0444\u0438\u043d\u043e\u043b\u0435\u0447\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0435\u00bb –…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":894,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[8996,1237,1248,8995],"class_list":["post-893","post","type-post","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-language","tag-russian-games","tag-russian-grammar","tag-russian-language","tag-russian-onomatopoeia"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/893","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=893"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/893\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6164,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/893\/revisions\/6164"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/894"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=893"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=893"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=893"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}