вчера/сегодня/завтра - as nouns?

[david-us.livejournal.com]

In English, yesterday/today/tomorrow can be used as both adverbs and nouns. Although, the adverbial use is much more common.

I'm wondering if it is possible to use these as nouns in Russian.

For instance, there is a book (in English) entitled "How Many Yesterdays Are In a Million Years?"

There is an organization with the name "Peaceful Tomorrows."

What if I wanted to get all poetic and say something like: "There will never be a yesterday that brings more hope than a tomorrow"?

How would a Russian say these things?

David Emerling
Memphis, TN

 

Comments

[giantantattack.livejournal.com]

вчерашний/сегодняшний/завтрашний день

[miram.livejournal.com]

It seems that you can use it as a noun in Sg only: "светлое завтра", "Россия – это наше сегодня" &c. When in Pl, a parahprase or Sg can be used: e.g. your examples might be translated as "Сколько вчерашних дней..." (in Pl) and "Мирное завтра" (in Sg).

[uncle-gora.livejournal.com]

In general, you may use words as nouns, but in some cases it will not sound good. For example, "Peaceful Tomorrows" could easily be translated as "Спокойное завтра", however the name of the book in your post will better be translated as "Сколько вчерашних дней в миллионе лет"
Personally. if I wanted to get all poetic I would have said:
"Никогда день вчерашний не принесёт больше надежд, чем день грядущий"

[archaicos.livejournal.com]

вчера/сегодня/завтра alone are typically used as adverbs. The use of them as nouns is rather limited.

[v-drug.livejournal.com]

In fact sometimes we do use these words as nouns, in sentences such as "Ему казалось, что завтра уже не наступит никогда".