Russian words of the week.

[kutsuwamushi.livejournal.com]

Starting 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.

Comments

[jaesurf.livejournal.com]

Я циник, потому что я безработный, и я не понимаю эволюция политическая система.

Ok, quite nonsense, but grammatically correct? :)

[ex-bulatych796.livejournal.com]

Поправка: "я не понимаю эволюцию политической системы".

[kutsuwamushi.livejournal.com]

Don't forget your cases!

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).

bulatych already corrected you, but I thought I'd point out why just in case. :)

[jaesurf.livejournal.com]

Yes, my mistake was that I thought I already had it in genetive case ;) ... I have to revise what the cases look like, clearly ...

[ex-bulatych796.livejournal.com]

Great! Here is my contribution:

Интеллектульная эволюция некоторых людей делает их циниками, потому что они разочаровываются в популярных ценностях.

Безработный не значит бездельник.

[nale.livejournal.com]

Not a learner, rather a native-speaker, but I'd like to add my five cents - a saying with "потому что". :)

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.

[kutsuwamushi.livejournal.com]

This is great. Additions and corrections will always be welcome.

[tsostik.livejournal.com]

A small addition.
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.

[mivlad.livejournal.com]

A bit more correct spelling would be:

Потому что потому — кончается на «у».

I.e. there is a slight pause between "потому" and "кончается" when you say that.

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

A word of the week shoud come with the anekdot of the week (анекдот in Russian isn't the same as the anecdote in English).

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.)

[kutsuwamushi.livejournal.com]

If you want to provide the анекдот of the week, then go ahead. I don't have the knowledge to. :)

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

Oh, I have some. I'm not an expert, though. An анекдотчик in Russia is a person that can produce анекдот by анекдот for hours. I normally expire after 45 minuites :-)
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?

[yers.livejournal.com]

No анекдотs, please. And if you ask why, you know what my answer is going to be.
By the way, this particular one isn't genuine hard-to-get Russian humour, it's just silly. Sorry. No offence meant.

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

Here comes a tough one, I see :-))

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?

[yers.livejournal.com]

Now we have one aye from the moderator and one nope from a member. Should we vote?
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.

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

Only CGI code is all pe(a)rl
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

[yers.livejournal.com]

С почином! Good idea the sentences.
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"

[welgar.livejournal.com]

A little addition regarding punctuation to be used with "потому что". Normally you should put a comma before the word "потому", not before "что" as many people (including native speakers) do. However, if you need to emphasize the second part (the reason), you may put a comma before "что". When you pronounce this, you'll have to make s slight pause between "потому" and "что".

PS: And don't forget that "что" is really pronounced [shto].