learning experience

[red-kitti.livejournal.com]

Do Russians have an equivalent to the American-English phrase: learning experience ?

("Learning experience" is a very good way to put a positive spin on something that was really dreadful...)

Could one say, for example:

Getting thrown off the train in the middle of the night with no money in a country where I didn't speak the language was a great learning experience.

Comments

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if there is a direct equivalent (as usual ;))), but in a situation like that I normally say "хороший опыт" or, taking into account the usual Russians' tendence to demonstrate less positiveness than Americans normally do, "это тоже опыт" (this is also an experience) :)

[campocebe.livejournal.com]

можно еще жизненный (опыт) добавить

[red-kitti.livejournal.com]

Thanks...:)

May be

[natha1ie.livejournal.com]

все то, что нас не убивает, делает нас сильнее (anything that doesn't kill us makes us stronger)?

[svyatogor.livejournal.com]

we are just not THAT optimistic to call THIS 'a great learning experience' :)

seriously though, we don't have (AFAIK) expression for 'learning experience', but rather 'life experience' - жизненный опыт.

[red-kitti.livejournal.com]

Yes, I'm thinking that maybe Russians do not have the same need as many Americans to look at everything from a positive side.


Note: I said "many" Americans... So, if you are an American who disagrees, good for you.

[ex-eugzol340.livejournal.com]

For example I have no need to look at everything at positive side, I just do look at everything at positive side =)))

[aka-lacerda.livejournal.com]

I think that «жизненный опыт» is good in general translation, but in some cases one can use «школа» or «школа жизни» ("university of life"). For example the sentence: "Getting thrown off the train in the middle of the night with no money in a country where I didn't speak the language was a great learning experience." can be translated as: «Быть выброшенным среди ночи с поезда, в стране с незнакомым мне языком, это была хорошая школа жизни».

[red-kitti.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[oryx_and_crake]

there is an expression "учиться на своих ошибках"

[red-kitti.livejournal.com]

thank you - I like that one:)

[oryx_and_crake]

There are also two proverbs

не ошибается только тот, кто ничего не делает
(only those do not err who does not do anything)
and
Умный учится на чужих ошибках, а дурак на своих
(the wise learns upon other people's mistakes, the fool learns on his own mistakes)

I dislike the second one, particularly because from the two of them you can logically inference that only those who do not do anything are wise, to which I cannot agree.

[red-kitti.livejournal.com]

I should really try to learn more Russian proverbs!

But honestly - how common are they in Russian speech? Will anyone laugh at me if I try to use them? Or is it just good to know these for the sake of knowing them?

[oryx_and_crake]

The first one you can definitely use (it is similar to English "to err is human", so use it in appropriate situations). The second one, to my mind, is quite unpleasant, as everyone can make a mistake (see above), and anyone who uses this proverb essentially calls all other people fools...