Russian words of the week.
Oct. 4th, 2003 12:29 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
kutsuwamushi.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
learn_russianStarting today, I'll be posting a group of Russian words (or short phrases) every weekend.
Learners of the language are encouraged to reply with practice sentences using some of them -- after all, the best way to learn is to do.
циник
cynic
эволюция
evolution
потому что
because
безработный
unemployed
Stressed vowels are italicized.
Learners of the language are encouraged to reply with practice sentences using some of them -- after all, the best way to learn is to do.
циник
cynic
эволюция
evolution
потому что
because
безработный
unemployed
Stressed vowels are italicized.
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no subject
Date: 2003-10-04 10:42 am (UTC)Ok, quite nonsense, but grammatically correct? :)
no subject
Date: 2003-10-04 11:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-10-05 03:34 am (UTC)The accusative is used with a direct object (эволюция -> эволюцию), and the genitive is used for possession -- things like "OF this" or "OF that" (политическая система -> политической системы).
no subject
Date: 2003-10-07 10:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-10-04 11:01 am (UTC)Интеллектульная эволюция некоторых людей делает их циниками, потому что они разочаровываются в популярных ценностях.
Безработный не значит бездельник.
no subject
Date: 2003-10-04 11:06 am (UTC)Потому, что "потому" кончается на "у". (bold=stressed) ("Because the the word 'potomu' ends with 'u'".)
It is used to avoid an explanation when you don't want to give one (= Just because.) Generally speaking, it's not very polite - but quite acceptable when talking to friends (in jest) or to small children.
E.g.:
- Не хочу с ней видеться.
- Почему?
- Потому, что "потому" кончается на "у".
- I don't want to see her.
- Why?
- Just because.
no subject
Date: 2003-10-04 11:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-10-04 11:32 am (UTC)It also used to avoid an answer when there is no. And usually it has a second meaning - "you ask to many dummy questions."
E.g:
-Мама, а почему солнце называется солнцем а не луной?
-Потому что потому кончается на "у"
-Mommy, why the sun is called "the sun", but not the "the moon"?
-Just because.
no subject
Date: 2003-10-04 12:07 pm (UTC)Потому что потому — кончается на «у».
I.e. there is a slight pause between "потому" and "кончается" when you say that.
no subject
Date: 2003-10-04 02:30 pm (UTC)Три грузина думают, кто поедет в Москву продавать мандарины.
Один говорит:
- Я поеду. Я знаю, как по-русски сказать: ПОЖАЛУЙСТА, ДОРОГОЙ!
Второй отвечает:
- Нет, ты не умеешь говорить по-русски. Поеду я! Я знаю, как по-русски сказать: ТРИ РУБЛЯ СТОИТ, ДОРОГОЙ!
Третий:
- Вы оба не умеете говорить по-русски. По-русски надо говорить так: ПОТОМУ ЧТО!
Of course you should pronounce it with a strong Georgian accent (I mean Georgia in the Eastern hemisphere): ПАТАМУ ШТА!
The meaning is that потому что answers any possible question (in case that you don't get it right away; I'm very aware that Russian humour isn't that easy to get.)
no subject
Date: 2003-10-05 03:30 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-10-05 12:38 pm (UTC)Well, if I'll see a "word of the week" that will inspire me to add an анекдот usage example, I'll do it. Deal?
no subject
Date: 2003-10-05 08:35 pm (UTC)By the way, this particular one isn't genuine hard-to-get Russian humour, it's just silly. Sorry. No offence meant.
no subject
Date: 2003-10-06 02:12 am (UTC)Now we have one aye from the moderator and one nope from a member. Should we vote? I don't mind not posting the анекдот usage examples, as well as don't mind posting it. Again, this is an usage example and thus not mandatorily a piece of High Art or Great Taste. "Из одних перлов состоит только перловая каша" - could you please give us a good translation of this proverb, Mr. tough guy? :-))) No offence meant, of course - we speak language here, do we?
no subject
Date: 2003-10-06 02:59 am (UTC)I – er – founded this community. I'm only mentioning this because it accounts, in psychological terms, for my, yeah, slightly overprotective attitude to it. I'm not really trying to be a plug for every barrel.
Let's vote.
Again, this is an usage example and thus not mandatorily a piece of High Art or Great Taste.
I personally feel rather embarrassed when people post stuff that requires extra explanation rather than answers questions or provides an elucidating example, and that extra explanation is a little lame. People might and will be puzzled by the joke you posted but that, in my opinion, is not because of its over-the-top culture specificity but rather because it's not that funny.
Из одних перлов состоит только перловая каша"
A quickie: "Only CGI code is all pe(a)rl." Will try to come up with a better one.
no subject
Date: 2003-10-06 03:11 am (UTC)Good, but not that good - there are too many people in this world who you have to explain what a CGI script is to.
Can't wait for a better one. I personally tried to translate it but failed miserably
no subject
Date: 2003-10-05 08:39 pm (UTC)Maybe you'd like to use <u>underline</u> for stress syllables, it's more visible over bold.
Не будьте циниками, пожалейте [pity the] безработного динозавра, жертву [a victim of] эволюции! :)
Punctuation and "потому что"
Date: 2003-10-08 12:55 pm (UTC)PS: And don't forget that "что" is really pronounced [shto].