Russian kids don't know how to say 'pazhaluysta'

[faustin.livejournal.com]

Sorry that you have to follow the link, but a hundred people clicking around is evidently preferred.



...in Novosibirsk.

Comments

[defying-elphaba.livejournal.com]

lj-cut please...

[eavanmoore.livejournal.com]

Oh dear.

[paintmylover.livejournal.com]

translation..... ?

[rwarner.livejournal.com]

The printed text says "Papa, don't drink!"
Written in below it says "without me"

[listva.livejournal.com]

??????????????????????????about what are you tacking?
what a fucking 'pazhaluysta' is it
in this situation

fucking alcohol-addicted parents.shit.daumn.aaaa
evil.

[faustin.livejournal.com]

When I saw this I immediately remembered a country-western song from my childhood... the refrain goes:

"Please, daddy, don't get drunk this Christmas,
I don't want to see my momma cry."

I think it was a country-western song, but I may just be projecting that because of the lyrics! Because it was Christmas-related it probably played on all the American holiday-theme programs, so wasn't niched by being country-western.

[superslayer18.livejournal.com]

hahaha! Very sad... but still hilarious.

[oryx_and_crake]

Nice try. However I don't think this is directly related to language learning...

[eavanmoore.livejournal.com]

Not directly related, but I, being a beginner, actually found it good practice.

[zombie-laika.livejournal.com]

A nice demonstration of the imperative, indeed.

[level42.livejournal.com]

You wouldn't be using "пожалуйста" here. It's too complicated and takes too much time and effort to write it on the poster :-)

[kart.livejournal.com]

Exactly right.

Besides, if they wanted to be polite, they'd just write "пажалста" :))

[ekeme-ndiba.livejournal.com]

Keep in mind that Russian "pozhalujsta" isn't used as frequently as English "please", and it's not an issue of politeness, it's rather a slight semantic difference.

[wire-shock.livejournal.com]

I don't really think so. The fact that rude people abound doesn't change the rules of politeness, I guess...

[ulvesang.livejournal.com]

Do you really think forcing kids to say "please" for everything makes it a polite word? I think it teaches them that it means absolutely nothing... or they're even thinking "fuck off" when they say it.

Same goes for thank you. And sorry... "Say you're sorry". Yeah, I'm sure that the kid really learns the virtues of generosity and humility...

[spazzling21.livejournal.com]

I think it's better for a person to be saying "please" and thinking "fuck off" than just saying "fuck off". I'd take feigned politeness over outright rudeness any day.

I also think that making kids say "I'm sorry" is important. If you punish the child for doing something bad, they might not do that specific thing again. However, if you make the child go up to the person they've wronged and admit they did something bad to them (by saying "I'm sorry"), that is teaching humility and helps them in the future to consider other people's feelings, wants, etc. when they make a decision. If you steal a candy bar from a store, your parents could just punish you for it and then pay the store themselves; but if you make the kid go to the store, admit that they stole something, and apologize, it can be much more effective. At least in my opinion, if my parents hadn't instilled the "please, thank you, and I'm sorry" responses in me, I think I would not be as kind, polite, or considerate as I am today.

And to relate this topic to Russian language/culture........ I don't think that if Russians don't use lots of 'please's, 'thank you's, and 'I'm sorry's, I don't necessarily think they're being rude--it's just their culture. Just like if you go to a store you call the woman at the counter "devushka". It can be take as impolite (if the woman is more of a babushka than a devushka ;-) ), but most of the time it's just expected. Another example: smiling. In America smiling is polite, but in Russia it seems more socially acceptable to walk around with a neutral, or even off-putting face. And I think if the average American were to spend a significant amount of time in Russia, they would realize that they miss these things, too--even if they think the same as you before they go.

[ulvesang.livejournal.com]

Shouldn't people just learn to actually be thankful for things?... :/ Many adults can't even seem to grasp the idea, thinking everything is just about them...

Just like the linguistic politeness, I believe that people should learn to mean things by their smile. When a Russian smiles at you, you know that it's something special...

[wire-shock.livejournal.com]

Don't you think that words may be the best way of teaching ideas? :-)

[spazzling21.livejournal.com]

I do think people should be actually thankful for things, and saying thanks every time someone does something for you (like you're taught when you're little) reminds you that you should be thankful even for the little things.

I think that there is a difference between the pleasant smile you put on to be polite and a smile of sheer joy. The point is that walking around with a pleasant smile on your face makes your existence just a little more pleasant for people walking by. People walking around with frowns on their faces can put you in a bad mood even if you were happy before you starting walking down the street.

I think I will always err on the "too polite" or "too smiley" side because it never upset or offends anyone. And I realize there's also an argument as to why I'm worried about what other people think, but I know it makes my life better when people are polite and smiling, so I would always do for others what I would prefer them to do, too.

[wire-shock.livejournal.com]

I agree with you.
But I'm Russian, and not saying 'please' or 'sorry' strikes me as rude. Again, the fact that rude people abound doesn't prove them right.

[oryx_and_crake]

Making kids say "I'm sorry" is pure and simple emotional and psychological abuse. First the parents did not teach a child properly and then they punish and humiliate him by saying "we don't give a damn why you did it; we don't give a damn how wronged you may feel; just say sorry because your feelings do not matter in the slightest, and you are completely unimportant." If it does teach the child anything at all, it is NOT to consider other people's feelings exactly because the child's feelings are disregarded.

[spazzling21.livejournal.com]

If the parent truly doesn't give a damn what the child did, or why the child did it, yes it is just confusing. But I don't think (or at least I hope) parents don't use it like that. Like in my example of stealing something from a store, the reason the child is being made to say I'm sorry is because the parent is teaching the child to consider others (how does the store owner feel when you steal something?). There's no reason why a child would feel "completely unimportant" unless the way the parent does it makes them feel that way. When used appropriately, saying I'm sorry is an important part of learning. I'm not saying that it can't be misused (any good tool can be misused and cause more harm than good), but I think that when used correctly it does work.

[yms.livejournal.com]

I think, it's not about rudeness, it's about grammar. Russian "pozhalusta" is much longer, Russian verbs are longer too and imperatives are distinct from other verb forms so they need no additional marker. As a result, Russians learning English are specially taught that they should use "please" more frequently, with almost any imperative.

[mekkababble.livejournal.com]

... I think I might just have a new desktop.