Not exactly a very serious note

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

They say that Russian language is the only language where a meaningful sentence that consists of five verbs, four of them in infinitive form, is possible: "Решили послать сходить купить выпить"...

Comments

[vovse-ne.livejournal.com]

And what do you think about this?

- Хочешь пить?
- Да нет, наверно...

[guzel-23.livejournal.com]

=)))))))))))))))))))) велик и могуч=)))))

[khathi.livejournal.com]

Actually, all-infinitive version is also completely valid. As a description of an act of terminal stupidity. ^_^

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

Exactly, but this way it's just plain stupid, while 4-infinitive version is just very colloquial, but reflects a very lively situation :)

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

Well, it is proven that Russian language can express a negation by using three expressions of affirmation in a row:
- Ну да, конечно!

:)

[dasbot.livejournal.com]

Decided to order to go to buy to drink :)

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

Well, not exactly - it's rather "[we] decided to send [somebody] to go [out] to buy [something] to drink" :)

[shlema.livejournal.com]

I heard version "Пойти найти купить выпить".

[dasbot.livejournal.com]

Мы решили послать Серегу сходить в магазин купить пивка выпить.

где разница?

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

I have a terrible feeling that you did not understand what I wrote in English.
By the way, English is the working language in this community.

[asklepij.livejournal.com]

There was a discussion (http://forum.exler.ru/arc/index.php?s=0&showtopic=98125&view=findpost&p=7221808) about the sentence. They managed to continue it until it became about 20 words long :)

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

In their version, there is a logical gap between "встать" and "собраться" :)

[ashalynd.livejournal.com]

In Dutch, there could be a meaningful sentence with 16 verbs in a row (not that funny, of course):

Ik zou liever in plaats van ik zou jou wel eens willen hebben zien blijven staan kijken hebben willen zien durven blijven staan kijken hebben willen zeggen.

Translation (clumsy as it goes with my English):
I would rather prefer to have said "(I'd) have wanted to see you dare to stay further and watch" instead of "I would want to have seen you once to stay further and watch"

[lovimoment.livejournal.com]

That means "no"?!!!? [bangs head against keyboard]

[malim-praedari.livejournal.com]

Only if said very sarcastically (like "Yeah, right!").

[crashonthelevee.livejournal.com]

it's like,

yeah, right! (might mean 'no', too, right?)

[apollotiger.livejournal.com]

I believe that it’s to be read with a very sarcastic tone of voice, like “Yeah, right.”

[malim-praedari.livejournal.com]

Первый нах!

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

When said with a certain expression, definitely :)

[igornavitja.livejournal.com]

But what does it mean (the sentence in the original message?) if you translate every word directly?

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

Something along the lines of "[we] decided to send [somebody] to go to buy [something] to drink" - "we decided to send somebody to buy some booze," in another words :)

[lovimoment.livejournal.com]

Okay, I can imagine the tone of voice needed. [greatly relieved]

[lovimoment.livejournal.com]

Good point!

[vovse-ne.livejournal.com]

Yes, I know this joke (in Russian of course).

Учитель:
- Во многих языках отрицание можно выразить двумя отрицаниями: "Нет, никогда". Или отрицанием и утверждением: "Да нет". Но ни в одном языке мира отрицание нельзя выразить тремя утверждениями.
Голос с задней парты:
- Ну да, конечно!..

[vovse-ne.livejournal.com]

Maybe I need do say that "ну" can also mean "да".

- Сегодня жарко!
- Ну!