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(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/alphabet.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/alphabet.jpg)
33 letters in the Cyrillic alphabet.
10 vowels
21 consonants
2 letters which make no sound but influence how adjacent letters are spoken
It is easy to learn the block print form of the letters first, but within 5 minutes after arriving almost anywhere in the FSU you'll be confronted with the stylistic habit of Russian sign makers to mix between printed and cursive letters, forcing you to learn both. Besides, Russians/Ukrainians believe that use of only print letters is a sign of low intelligence. Just about every form of handwritten communication will be in cursive.
So, with that being said let us see the cursive version of the alphabet as well:
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/alphabet-script.png) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/alphabet-script.png)
(Cursive chart source: http://www.omniglot.com/writing/russian.htm (http://www.omniglot.com/writing/russian.htm))
Nice to know:
The Ukrainian and Belorussian also use the Cyrillic alphabet but have a few letters not found in Russian. There are 36 letters in Belorussian Cyrillic and while Ukrainian uses 33 letters, there are some differences from Russian Cyrillic.
Bulgarian uses Cyrillic, but only 30 of the letters are in use.
Macedonian uses 31 of the Cyrillic letters.
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There are many useful aids in learning Russian Cyrillic at this page of the Mendeleyev Journal: http://russianreport.wordpress.com/russian-language/learn-the-cyrillic-alphabet/ (http://russianreport.wordpress.com/russian-language/learn-the-cyrillic-alphabet/)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2X5ydw92Ds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_tVOKPoK9s
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Of course our first sign would be humorous.
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/toilet-comfortable.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/toilet-comfortable.jpg)
There are two words you'll wish to learn right away on this sign:
туалет is an important word, especially when you need one: toilet.
kафе is important if you're hungry: cafe
This sign points to a cafe with a comfortable toilet inside where you can dive into a world of beauty. Frankly, I'd be afraid to ask for a full explanation.
Egads, there is an epidemic!
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/toilet-comfortable-b.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/toilet-comfortable-b.jpg)
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/toilet-comfortable-c.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/toilet-comfortable-c.jpg)
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The Ukrainian and Belorussian also use the Cyrillic alphabet ...Bulgarian uses Cyrillic...
Serbo-Croatian, the only European language with active digraphia, uses both Cyrillic and Latin alphabets.
Russians/Ukrainians believe that use of only print letters is a sign of low intelligence.
Or low literacy, as was my initial impression when I first opened a Russian book a long time ago: if you look at the print alphabet, many lower-case letters are just a smaller version of the upper-case ones, unlike in Latin print ::).
туалет is an important word, especially when you need one: toilet.
kафе is important if you're hungry: cafe
Another two words straight from French ;).
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Good subject Mendy for anyone venturing to the FSU. Learn the alphabet and then read the signs. One will quickly pick up real Russian words such as "Stop" and "Patio Pizza". :D
Seriously if a man is traveling alone in the FSU and not always with a RW, he needs to know the alphabet so that he can read a map and not become lost. The trouble is finding the placard with the name of the road.
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(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/alphabet.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/alphabet.jpg)
Typical that new learners should be given the same type of aid used in kindergarten :D. Attached is what I received when I started studying Arabic.
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This sign points to a cafe with a comfortable toilet inside ...
That being the uncomfortable would be the bushes out back?
The international symbols would be helpful.
(http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTx_kRh9y65gdVBfqqw0Ef0I_vRnByBEKQLGTWjq2CKSPjWdVLNTBL8dA)
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Typical that new learners should be given the same type of aid used in kindergarten :D . Attached is what I received when I started studying Arabic.
Looks quite similar to mine. ;D
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(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/2e6-0yu0ofa.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/2e6-0yu0ofa.jpg)
It is helpful when you have English printed on signs for tourists and more and more that is becoming common in places like Peter and Moscow. But many locales won't have translations on signs.
At the top is the word центр meaning "the centre" or as Americans might say "downtown." In Russia it can mean downtown or Moscow is often called the центр of Russia, not because of where it is on the map, but as the capital. This sign in Vladivostok refers to the "downtown" area.
Transliteration of центр: ts-e-n-t-r
The bottom listing can help us learn by deciphering the name of the highway: Военное шоссе or V-o-ye-n-n-o-ye sh-o-s-s-ye.
That name means "military highway" and in Vladivostok it is primarily a rail terminal. The Vladivostok military road is primarily an electric (urban) train network that carries heavy military as needed along Russia's Far East Railway, thus the rail line is considered to be part of the military highway. Passengers can board and ride the train.
The more common word you'll run into while traveling is шоссе, sh-o-s-s-ye, which means "highway."
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The international symbols would be helpful.
(http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTx_kRh9y65gdVBfqqw0Ef0I_vRnByBEKQLGTWjq2CKSPjWdVLNTBL8dA)
:ROFL:
That's exactly how I mime it when locals don't understand my attempts in saying "toilet". :D
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(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/milk-c.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/milk-c.jpg)
молоко is the word for "milk" and is spelled as m-o-l-o-k-o. It sounds as "ma-la-KO" when spoken, easy to master!
In speaking the first two "O" sounds are converted to "ah" in this case and only the third and last is spoken as an "O sound.
сахар also shown on this sign (с сахаром = with sugar) is the term for "sugar" and spelled s-a-kh-a-r. This is a hard word for most beginners to say, "SA-khar."
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/milk-2.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/milk-2.jpg)
If you're struggling with saying "sugar" correctly, check out this video. The announcer says "SH-khar" (сахар) 8 times in the first 26 seconds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Aumf8OaIdk
There is a link to hear it spoken here (http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%D1%81%D0%B0%D1%85%D0%B0%D1%80).
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WOW, that is a lot of сгущёнка!!! :o
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Indeed, we don't have room in the pantry for cans that big!
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This sign points to a cafe with a
comfortable toilet inside ...
That being the uncomfortable would be the bushes out back?
The international symbols would be helpful.
(http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTx_kRh9y65gdVBfqqw0Ef0I_vRnByBEKQLGTWjq2CKSPjWdVLNTBL8dA)
Strangely enough, there have been a few times where the toilets can only be found by those who understand British English... ;D
On a short ferry trip in the Black Sea, my American friends (all perfectly fluent in Russian) couldn't find the toilet - marked only as "WC" :o
Anyways, back on topic...
Almost as important as finding the туалет , is knowing which one to go into. :o
In many cases, the doors will only be marked Ж and Ч which are the cyrillic abreviations for "Women" and "Men"
(Женщины and Человека)
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Anyways, back on topic...
Almost as important as finding the туалет , is knowing which one to go into. :o
In many cases, the doors will only be marked Ж and Ч which are the cyrillic abreviations for "Women" and "Men"
(Женщины and Человека)
Where did you see this marking? In Ukraine? That will explain it because "man" is "Чоловік" in Ukranian, but in Russian it will be Ж (женский)and М (мужской).
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Where did you see this marking? In Ukraine? That will explain it because "man" is "Чоловік" in Ukranian, but in Russian it will be Ж (женский)and М (мужской).
Yes indeed! I forgot about that. :cluebat:
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Voyager, just a slight correction as I think you'll more often see this:
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/toilet-men-women.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/toilet-men-women.jpg)
человек (Chelovek) while a correct term for man is often used more as "man, person, human being" while public toilet signs are usually labeled женский и мужской with the ж for ladies and м for men.
Below: Men's salon and Women's Salon at GYM department store.
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/toilet-men-women-gum.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/toilet-men-women-gum.jpg)
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Next up, keeping some similar words straight:
There was a time when coffee wasn't so common in the FSU, usually reserved for a strong Turkish coffee served to guests after dinner with dessert. While tea is still by far the beverage of choice, outpacing even vodka and beer, coffee has caught on in a big way especially among the younger demographics. Among those younger demos, the more exotic the coffee, the better.
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/coffee-chai.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/coffee-chai.jpg)
But how do you keep some very similar words apart? Like Cafe and Coffee? They're distinguishable from each other in English, but a bit closer when reading Russian.
Write the English name beside each term:
a- kафе _________________
b- kофе _________________
c- чай __________________
Which one is "ka-FyE" meaning cafe?
Which one is "KO-fe" meaning coffee?
Which one is "chai" meaning tea?
No one is going to confuse chai, that is recognizable as "tea" in several languages but when it comes to coffee and cafe, if you don't put the stress on the correct vowel (Russian stresses vowels) then you might not be clearly understood. In coffee, the O receives the stress. In cafe, the ye (e) receives the stress.
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/coffee-house-c.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/coffee-house-c.jpg)
There are several really good coffee cafes in the FSU, one of them being КофеХауз (KO-fye khaus), CoffeeHouse: Good coffee, tasty desserts, nice locations that are convenient and great for first dates, and free WiFi.
Visual Quiz
Can you find the word for desserts in photo a or b, and if so, where?
Did you find the word for menu in photo a or b, and if so, where?
Photo a:
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/coffee-house-dessert.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/coffee-house-dessert.jpg)
Photo b:
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/coffee-house-menu.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/coffee-house-menu.jpg)
Click on the photos if you need to have a better view of the Cyrillic letters.
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While tea is still by far the beverage of choice, outpacing even vodka and beer...
:ROFL:
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To keep this topic about sign reading, a new topic of who drinks what and when and how much is here: http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/index.php?topic=16072.new#new
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One of the conveniences travelers to the FSU are looking for is Internet access. In most cities of any size the more Westernized cafes and coffee/tea shops have free WiFi. We mentioned the very comfortable КофеХауз (Coffee House) chain earlier and another great place to eat dessert, enjoy coffee or tea, and meet for first dates or first business meetings is the popular cafe Шоколадница which specializes in desserts and chocolates. They are somewhat similar to КофеХауз but the specialty at Шоколадница is more about the chocolate, juices and teas.
This of course brings us to the term for chocolate, Шоколад, sh-o-k-o-l-a-d. Speak it as "shah-ka-lat."
You remember than an "O" is spoken as an "ah" unless it is stressed, but by now you're probably wondering why the "d" at the end is spoken like a "t" instead. There is a grammatical rule that certain consonants must be voiced or in some cases de-voiced at the end of a word or a cluster of consonants. This "d" is one of those cases so it is written correctly as a "d" but spoken as a "t" here: "shah-ka-lat" is chocolate.
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/427787_372353929466720_2122188329_n.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/427787_372353929466720_2122188329_n.jpg)
The banner proclaims мы открылись! (we are open!) at this new Шоколадница cafe. From desserts to sandwiches, the food is very good in both of these chain cafe's we've mentioned so far.
Remember, free WiFi inside.
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/250642_390626204306159_1688525265_n.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/250642_390626204306159_1688525265_n.jpg)
Inside these modern chain cafes you are very likely to be served by young waiters who speak English, to varying degrees of course, but these are great places not just for WiFi but also for asking directions, etc. With their language skills and your hunger pangs, ordering from the menu with their help should be easy.
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/418254_327975953904518_1188157581_n.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/418254_327975953904518_1188157581_n.jpg)
When renting an apartment, asking about Internet access may be just as important as a washing machine. But there could be times in your travels when Internet access is harder to find. That is when you need an Интернет кафе, I-n-t-e-r-n-e-t C-a-f-e. Sometimes they're called Интернет клуб (I-n-t-e-r-n-e-t C-l-u-b) as this sign says.
This sign is on the side door of a food market in Moscow. The market primarily serves clientele from the Caucasus regions and the Internet Club is on the 2nd floor above the market. The market sells good quality melons from places like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan so in the melon season especially it is well worth visiting that location about twice a week.
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/internet-club-moscow-001.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/internet-club-moscow-001.jpg)
The top of the sign reads Интернет клуб (Internet Club) while the bottom reads Все виды Интернет услуг (all types of Internet services).
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(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/418254_327975953904518_1188157581_n.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/418254_327975953904518_1188157581_n.jpg)
(http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQFlsINuZ28kVSRbnJgfo-2eGm74tRvfmGzm1p2E3PeeFYwWOyN3g)
In my family, mascarpone was usually eaten as a bread spread after being mixed with some sugar and a dash of French cognac :).
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Pirog with mascarpone, a Russian-Italian marriage (http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/Smileys/default2/cheesy.gif). Is it similar to our tiramisù?
I'm going to say yes because mascarpone is the same Italian cheese used in both. It appears that the main difference is that tiramisu uses ladyfinger style breading while pirog (pie) is uses thin blini (crepe-like pancakes) instead.
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Tourist season is opening up with signs appearing at major attractions.This sign at the Hermitage (эрмитаж - ehr-me-tazh) in St P uses both Russian and English but you may not always have that convenience everywhere so we'll look at several important tourism related terms:
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/hermitage-karina-peters-j.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/hermitage-karina-peters-j.jpg)
At first you see the term сеансы (seance) and perhaps are thrown off. Why are they hosting a summoning of the dead at the Hermitage? Fortunately they're not. This is one of those times when a familiar word means one thing in your language and something different in another language.
сеансы (seance) or сеансы (plural) is a session as in a tour in this case. Spoken as "ce-ahns"
адрес is the a-d-r-e-s or address. "ah-dres"
дворец is "palace" and to aid in learning the alphabet we'll spell it out: d-v-o-r-ye-ts, "dvar-yets"
музей and музея is the term for "museum" and the only difference you see in the last letter is the grammar related case in which the word is used. Spoken like "mu-zey" and "mu-zeya"
Finally, since you are a tourist (турист = t-u-r-i-s-t) or "tur-EEst" don't forget to take a photo (фото) "FO-ta) and purchase some souvenirs (сувениры), "su-ve-neri" along the way.
сувенир (souvenir singular) and сувениры (plural) are cognates, borrowed words and so will sound almost like you speak it already. Listen to it spoken in this song. The first reference comes at :12 seconds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8Mwkhu3iq4
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I wasn't going to use this word for awhile but having found myself in a linguistic debate over its use with Lyuba Ambrose from Kyiv National Linguistics University, here goes.
A couple days ago the Moscow Times newspaper reported on a story about ремонт (re-MOnt) activities in an apartment building. You know that peculiar kind of noise: hammering at all hours, walls being smashed, appliances removed from kitchens and baths and those sounds are by nature noisy affairs.
Perhaps you've done a ремонт yourself or lived next door to a neighbor performing a ремонт.
So along comes Lyuba to protest the Moscow Times' use of the term since it is a borrowed word and not originally Russian. Tell me, dear reader, do you care? I didn't think so.
Frankly, it isn't that ремонт arrived to Russia the day before yesterday. Folk have renovated and remodeled (ремонт) for a long time using that word.
Lyuba believes such usage to be a blight on the Russian language and fears that someday the language will take on so many borrowed words that it just won't be "Russian" anymore. My attempts to convince her that the Moscow Times simply mirrored the culture and times of their readers have so far fallen on unremitting ears.
I sometimes share those same fears myself, but am not about to admit it to her as I'd never hear the end of it. Besides I have faith in this beautiful and resilient language and its ability to adapt yet survive. I respect her however as we share the love of language and for FSU culture and history.
Lyuba says that she is whining for clarity of thought.
As for me, I'm just whining.
Now, go make some noise. ремонт something.
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I sometimes share those same fears myself, but am not about to admit it to her, having faith in this beautiful and resilient language and its ability to adapt yet survive.
Russian (and most of others) language has tons of foreign words - some we are used to by now and some that sound totally ridiculous to me (like менагер >:D ). It is normal in a country that has not been in total isolation from the outside world.
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With this being the end of May and the exciting end of school for kids, our next words will be from this important event:
The first time I heard the then-future Mrs Mendeleyeva ask me to wear a costume to an event, I was confused. It wasn't halloween so what did she mean? She meant a suit.
Костюм = suit, "kas-TOOM"
лента = sash or ribbon, "lyenta"
Платье = dress, "plah-tye"
Here the boys are wearing suits, the girls are wearing dresses and the graduating seniors (11th graders) are wearing sashes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5Br_vRdoWc
Ah, there is one more. Some of the girls are wearing a pretty white apron.
Фартук = apron, "far=tuk" (remember to thrill the R!)
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хамбургер (hamburger), хоть дог (hot dog), пицца (pizza) are some of the items enjoying success in the former Soviet Union.
For our readers we'll explain that these are borrowed words from other languages and brought into use in Russian, then assigned Cyrillic lettering to complete the transliteration.
That being said, lets work on spelling which will aid our Cyrillic alphabet comprehension:
- хамбургер is kh-a-m-b-u-r-g-e-r, or "khamburger" but Russians usually assign the letter g (г) to the first letter of this word so don't be surprised if someone offers you a "gahm-burger." Just say yes.
- хоть дог is kh-o-t D-o-g or "khot dog" and that is the way it will be spoken.
- пицца is p-i-z-z-a. Fairly simple.
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/stardogs-moscow.jpg?w=610) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/stardogs-moscow.jpg)
This Anastasia Kolesnikova photo is of a new fish & chips kiosk in Moscow called Mama's, near the Kurskaya Metro station.
Russians love ice cream at any meal and Mama's, yes that is the name in both Russian and English, serves pastries and fried ice cream for breakfast. What a country!
Next door to Mama's is a стардогs (StarDogs), a хоть дог (hot dog) chain in major Russian cities. They do serve great hotdogs by the way!
If Stardogs looks, feels and tastes a lot like Nathan's hot dogs, an American chain from New York, you're on to something. When Stardogs began they modeled themselves after Nathans, going so far as to spend time in New York with Nathans management to learn how to do things right.
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/stardogs-kiev-anna.jpg?w=650) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/stardogs-kiev-anna.jpg)
Above: a Stardogs kiosk in Yalta, Ukraine along the Crimean Black Sea.
In Ukraine there is a growing knock-off chain called "McFoxy" which carries the McDonalds menu and anything else they can do to siphon off some of McDonalds business.
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/mcdonalds-mcfoxy.jpg?w=560) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/mcdonalds-mcfoxy.jpg)
...more to come.
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Sticking with a food theme for awhile, here is a sign you may recognize from home:
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/burger-king-b.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/burger-king-b.jpg)
Using the Cyrillic alphabet from page one we can spell this as: b-u-r-g-e-r k-i-n-g. Ah, Burger King!
Of course if you are good enough to spell it backwards just look at the window sign:
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/burger-king-edit.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/burger-king-edit.jpg)
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Promotion news!
My friend Viktoria May of www.funrussian.com (http://www.funrussian.com) has been promoted, and in a very cool way. Vika is now the regular Russian language contributor to the very successful Russia Beyond the Headlines (http://rbth.ru/blogs/2013/05/30/how_to_talk_about_food_in_russian_26531.html) organization.
Her website is packed with free lessons and now she will be sharing her gift of teaching with a much wider audience as RBTH is read by thousands around the world.
Since we've been on the subject of food, her new contribution to is how to talk about food in Russian (http://rbth.ru/blogs/2013/05/30/how_to_talk_about_food_in_russian_26531.html) and is well worth reading and learning the phrases.
Here are a couple of examples of her latest article:
Я хочу пить [ya ha-CHOO PEET’] I’m thirsty
Есть [YEST’] eat
Кушать [KOO-shat’] eat
Пить [PEET’] drink
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Continuing in Vika's food theme:
Завтрак [ZAF-trak] breakfast (learn more breakfast words in Russian in the article – Breakfast in Russian) (http://www.funrussian.com/2012/05/11/breakfast-russian/)
Завтракать [ZAF-tra-kat’] have breakfast
Обед [a-BYED] lunch
Обедать [a-BYED-at’] have lunch
Ужин [OO-zheen] dinner
Ужинать [OO-zhee-nat’] have dinner
Еда [ye-DA] food
Unlike the West where we categorize foods by meal time, most homes in the FSU don't eat by those rules to the same extent. The next meal, no matter which one it is, will consist of what is on hand whether that be pizza, chicken, eggs, potatoes, pasta, etc. I've had roast beef and salad for breakfast and although I wouldn't say it to be the norm--it is certainly acceptable.
Chicken is a frequent breakfast protein on our home menu as are any of the many varieties of sausage. колбаса [kuhl-ba-SA] = sausage.
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/kolbasa-d.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/kolbasa-d.jpg)
Most restaurants feature things like porridge (rice or wheat/grain), fruit and bread for breakfast. Bread is a constant item at every meal so we should know the most common names for bread.
хлеб {khlep] = bread
белый хлеб [bel-iy khlep]= white bread
черный хлеб [chor-nee khlep]= black bread (dark rye)
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/bread-a.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/bread-a.jpg)
Americans love toasted bread for breakfast but finding a toaster in the typical Russian home while not impossible, certainly won't be a given. Most bread is eaten sliced and with some butter. On the rare occasions I want toast, a small saute pan can quickly get the job done.
One of the most common foods you'll see at kiosks and in restaurants is Russian "blini" (блины) or pancakes. Thin, basically like crepes, these aren't the thick and heavy pancakes from back home but they are delicious and can be enjoyed at any meal.
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/blini-menu.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/blini-menu.jpg)
с куриной грудкой = with chicken breast meat
с грибами и сыром = with mushrooms and cheese
с красной икрой = with red caviar
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While sticking with the food theme, there are some phrases to make your requests more polite. We're going to give you three phrases for the price of only two!
пожалуйста [pa-ZHA-luysta] = please (and also "you're welcome")
спасибо [spa-SI-ba] = thank you
There you have it, two for the price of one. Follow this conversation:
person 1: пожалуйста (please)
person 2: спасибо (thank you)
person 1: пожалуйста (you're welcome)
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(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/burger-king-b.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/burger-king-b.jpg)
Using the Cyrillic alphabet from page one we can spell this as: b-u-r-g-e-r k-i-n-g. Ah, Burger King!
No wonder the percent of overweight people in Russia is increasing.
More than 25% of Russians are obese and 55% percent of Russians are overweight
http://ria.ru/society/20121211/914282515.html
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Mmmmm.... kalbasaaaa.... mmmmm.....
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Mmmmm.... kalbasaaaa.... mmmmm.....
think what it's made of :D (though I like salami...)
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think what is made of :D (though I like salami...)
The less you know the better your sleep, remember? ;) Although couple times that I bought my favorite Doktorskaya kolbasa in local Russian grocery store it was really bad... :'( SO I gave up on it and moved to red caviar which is excellent. 8)
(http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/forsterforest/forsterforest1111/forsterforest111100081/11307923-red-and-black-caviar-burger-against-white.jpg)
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The less you know the better your sleep, remember? ;) Although couple times that I bought my favorite Doktorskaya kolbasa in local Russian grocery store it was really bad... :'( SO I gave up on it and moved to red caviar which is excellent. 8)
yeah... Red caviar is a good choice. I like it without bread :D (good thing my husband doesn't like it, he prefers black caviar)
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yeah... Red caviar is a good choice. I like it without bread :D
Me too! Me too! :D Oh, I was in heaven when we RVed around Alaska during the salmon run - I had my own "malosol" caviar in the fridge for couple months straight, courtesy of local fishermen who just through away "fish eggs" (saving a bit for bait). 8)
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хлеб {khleb] = bread
Isn't that supposed to be pronounced hlyep?
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think what it's made of :D (though I like salami...)
Salame, to use the correct Italian spelling (salami is a plural), is larger than a sausage ;):
(http://www.socialsud.it/socialsud/wp-content/uploads/salame.jpg)
Etymology: from sale (salt), which is one of its various ingredients and also the etymology of salarium (salary), the salt ration allotted to Roman legionaries - we have hundreds of local varieties here, including salame Milano:
(http://www.justsoitalian.co.uk/italian_food_online_deli/Milano-300.jpg?dur=103)
As you may notice, it's a leaner, more seasoned variant, not really produced in Milan - too few pigs remaining around - but in Brianza, the hilly region north of Milan where the wealthy Milanese used to have their summer retreat villas.
(http://www.blogdem.it/como/files/2013/04/Brianza.jpg)
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Me too! Me too! :D Oh, I was in heaven when we RVed around Alaska during the salmon run - I had my own "malosol" caviar in the fridge for couple months straight, courtesy of local fishermen who just through away "fish eggs" (saving a bit for bait). 8)
nice... with a big spoon... fresh ... bursting in your mouth :P I remember how my mom and I were eating from the 3-liter jar. Our train got some problem and a man had 2 jars of caviar "не проподать же добру" :D
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Sandro, stop with the pictures!!! I'm gonna drown in my own saliva!!!
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Sandro, I suppose you are talking about normal salami not salami that is full of soy and starch :D
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Sandro, I suppose you are talking about normal salami not salami that is full of soy and starch :D
I'm talking about real salame, not some fraudulent Chinese imitation :(. Fortunately, we have been making some progress in having many international legislations recognise that our food/wine names should not be used by non-Italian producers, normally employing quite different ingredients and totally 'different' methods of production.
Interestingly, this seems to have had a beneficial effect on our related exports, IINM up 12% last year, one of the few exceptions in our currently depressed situation :D.
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Sandro, stop with the pictures!!! I'm gonna drown in my own saliva!!!
Then I'll deliver my merciless coup de grâce ;D:
(http://www.winenews.it/img/foto/big/salumi4.jpg?dur=760)
(http://www.gazzettacommerciale.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/salumi.jpg?dur=86)
(Just a few random examples of Italian salumeria :D)
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Oooooooooooohhhhhhhh.... :'( :'( :'(
BYW, Mortadella is very close to Doktorskaya kolbasa in my opinion. That's what I was buying for my sandwiches when we lived in more westernized countries than China.
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Russian (and most of others) language has tons of foreign words - some we are used to by now and some that sound totally ridiculous to me (like менагер >:D ). It is normal in a country that has not been in total isolation from the outside world.
True and the Russian language has many foreign loan-words that many Russians do not even know where they come from, including quite a few words from the French language: этаж, плаж, тротуар, кошмар, макияж,...
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BYW, Mortadella is very close to Doktorskaya kolbasa in my opinion.
I never tasted the latter, so I cannot say. In the 1950-60s, it used to be the cheapest sort of salumeria available, I still remember entering a salumiere shop at around noon and seeing several muratori (masons) wearing their stained singlets, shorts, scruffy footwear and newspaper hats - no safety helmets then - buying half a pound of mortadella for a sandwich at their lunch break.
(http://xoomer.virgilio.it/feninnovito/napolitano%20con%20cappello%20da%20muratore.jpg)
(Our President wearing a mason's newspaper hat in a nostalgic moment)
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True and the Russian language has many foreign loan-words that many Russians do not even know where they come from, including quite a few words from the French language: этаж, плаж, тротуар, кошмар, макияж,...
As long as we are on the "kalbasa" subject - БУТЕРБРОД - it's German, not French, but it's tastier than кошмар ;)
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(Our President wearing a mason's newspaper hat in a nostalgic moment)
This head-ware is just as Russian as Mortadella. ;)
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This head-ware is just as Russian as Mortadella. ;)
He used to be an Italian Communist Party leader ;D.
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He used to be an Italian Communist Party leader ;D .
That's what happens when one wears propaganda printed materials too close to the brain...
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As long as we are on the "kalbasa" subject - БУТЕРБРОД - it's German, not French, but it's tastier than кошмар ;)
I did not say it was German, but I would still prefer a котлета (French côtelette) to a БУТЕРБРОД ;D
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That's what happens when one wears propaganda printed materials too close to the brain...
Well, he also happens to be currently our MOST respected political figure - not too difficult considering Berlusconi, one might add ;) - as were many of our old Communist Party leaders, the first in disengaging themselves from Moscow in the 1970s.
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I did not say it was German, but I would still prefer a котлета (French côtelette) to a БУТЕРБРОД ;D
Yes, cold котлета on rye also makes great бутерброд! 8) I'm hungry, gotta go rummage some food...
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As long as we are on the "kalbasa" subject - БУТЕРБРОД - it's German, not French, but it's tastier than кошмар ;)
Are you sure? Not Polish maybe? :D
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Definitely German, also used in Ukrainian.
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Are you sure? Not Polish maybe? :D
Which one - Butterbrot or Kielbasa? :)
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I did not say it was German, but I would still prefer a котлета (French côtelette)
Here we have a typically Milanese dish, our cotoletta derives from costoletta (small rib) adapted in French as côtelette, in English as cutlet: a slice of veal with rib bone, covered with egg-mixed grated bread and fried in butter:
(http://www.turismo-lombardia.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/cotoletta-milanese.jpg)
Cotoletta alla milanese
Austrians claim their Wiener Schnitzel was a forerunner, but a reliable source (Marshal Johann Josef Wenzel Anton Franz Karl Graf Radetzky von Radetz, Viceroy of Lombardy-Venetia from 1848 to 1857) reported to Vienna that here we did NOT fry it covered with flour as they did :D.
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Which one - Butterbrot or Kielbasa? :)
Kielbasa
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Kielbasa
Ковбаса відома з давніх часів. Назва ковбаси можливо походить від тюрк. (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A2%D1%8E%D1%80%D0%BA%D1%81%D1%8C%D0%BA%D1%96_%D0%BC%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8) kul basti — «смажене м'ясо». Згадки про неї зустрічаються в джерелах Давньої Греції (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D1%82%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%BD%D1%8F_%D0%93%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%86%D1%96%D1%8F) (свинячі шлунки начиняли вареними шматочками м'яса), Риму (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%94%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%BD%D1%96%D0%B9_%D0%A0%D0%B8%D0%BC) (копчені кілечка кров'янки), Вавилону (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%92%D0%B0%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%BD) і Давнього Китаю (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%B0%D0%B9_(%D1%86%D0%B8%D0%B2%D1%96%D0%BB%D1%96%D0%B7%D0%B0%D1%86%D1%96%D1%8F)). Кочові народи виготовляли «суджук» (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D1%83%D0%B4%D0%B6%D1%83%D0%BA) — в'ялене на сонці м'ясо, що доводили до кондиції (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B4%D0%B8%D1%86%D1%96%D1%8F) солоним потом коней під сідлами (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D1%96%D0%B4%D0%BB%D0%BE). В Україні ковбасне виробництво відоме з давніх часів. Татищев (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A2%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B8%D1%89%D0%B5%D0%B2_%D0%92%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%BB%D1%8C_%D0%9C%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B8%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%87) вказує, що русини (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A0%D1%83%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B8) вміли солити (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D0%BE%D0%BB%D1%96%D0%BD%D0%BD%D1%8F) м'ясо вже при Святославі (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A1%D0%B2%D1%8F%D1%82%D0%BE%D1%81%D0%BB%D0%B0%D0%B2_%D0%A5%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B1%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B9), а, заКарамзіним (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%B7%D1%96%D0%BD), шинка (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A8%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%BA%D0%B0) з'явилася на Русі (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A0%D1%83%D1%81%D1%8C) в епоху Володимира (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%92%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%B8%D0%BC%D0%B8%D1%80_%D0%92%D0%B5%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9), окости (http://uk.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%D0%9E%D0%BA%D1%96%D1%81%D1%82&action=edit&redlink=1) подавали на бенкетах (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%91%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BA%D0%B5%D1%82) князя в Києві. У новгородських (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9D%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B3%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B4%D1%81%D1%8C%D0%BA%D0%B0_%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%81%D0%BF%D1%83%D0%B1%D0%BB%D1%96%D0%BA%D0%B0) берестяних грамотах (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%91%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B5%D1%81%D1%82%D1%8F%D0%BD%D1%96_%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%BC%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%B8) XII століття (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/XII_%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%BB%D1%96%D1%82%D1%82%D1%8F) згадуються ковбаси начинені свининою, гречкою, салом, кров'ю та яйцями.ІсторіяУ Московії (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9C%D0%BE%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B2%D1%96%D1%8F) виникнення ковбасної справи відноситься до часу царювання Петра I (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9F%D0%B5%D1%82%D1%80%D0%BE_I). Саме в ці роки в Росії з'явилися німецькі (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9D%D1%96%D0%BC%D0%B5%D1%87%D1%87%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B0) ковбасники, які відкривали свої виробництва спочатку в Петербурзі (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9F%D0%B5%D1%82%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B1%D1%83%D1%80%D0%B3), а потім і в Москві (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9C%D0%BE%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B2%D0%B0). На початку XIX століття (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/XIX_%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%BB%D1%96%D1%82%D1%82%D1%8F) завдяки все більшому розвитку російського способу виробництва, в продажу з'явилася знаменита згодом углицька ковбаса, винайдена Русиновим, російським учнем німецького ковбасника, у місті Угличі (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%A3%D0%B3%D0%BB%D0%B8%D1%87). Після 1910 (http://uk.wikipedia.org/wiki/1910) року в ковбасному виробництві почалося повальне технічне переозброєння за допомогою німецьких фірм, які пропонували сучасне обладнання.
;D
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The less you know the better your sleep, remember? ;) Although couple times that I bought my favorite Doktorskaya kolbasa in local Russian grocery store it was really bad...
Ooooops, just for you :D
(-Why this kolbasa is called "Doctorskaya"? - Because you eat it and after you go to a clinic for stomach cleansing.)
(http://citramonchik.narod.ru/dieta/img/Konstantin_Malcev_-_Doktorsaya_kolbasa.jpg)
(http://www.anekdot.ru/i/caricatures/normal/7/6/29/5.jpg)
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Ooooops, just for you :D
Mmmm... rat.... mmmm.... :D
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Sandro, thanks for catching that and I've edited it.
хлеб {khlep] = bread
This word can be a hard one for beginners and what Sandro is referring to is that the last letter is spoken like a p instead of a b in this instance. Russian has a rule about certain voiced consonants at the end of a word. б ("beh") is one of those letters at the end of a word which is changed from voiced to voiceless and "beh" becomes "peh" although the spelling remains the same.
This happens to other popular words as well. For instance:
Vodka is spelled водка or v-o-d-k-a. However the D is written as a D (д) but the word is spoken as "voT-ka" because T ("teh") is the "voiceless counterpart" to the Russian letter д ("deh").
Fortunately there are only six letters covered by this rule and it only happens at the end of a word or at the end of a consonant cluster within a word.
For those actively studying, the six letters are:
b (voiced like p)
v (voiced like f)
g (voiced like k)
d (voiced like t)
zh (voiced like sh)
z (voiced like s)
One more example: We'll look at a very common word you might use in the FSU, the term for bus. It is written in Russian as автобус and spelled as a-V-t-o-b-u-s but V is spoken like an F (see the chart above) and so it sounds like "afTO-boos."
Also remember that the u sound represented by the letter у is more like "OO" in Russian so 'bus' in your ears will sound like BOOS. There are two "u" letters in Russian and the other one sounds closer to an English "u" but not this one.
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Olga and Ooooops brought in the word sandwich to our word topics on food: бутерброд
Here again that pesky voiced to voiceless consonant rule applies to the д at the end of the word. That is a "d" but we'll speak it as a "t" at the end: "boo-tyer-brot"
For readers who are studying Russian the following may help you consolidate some of your learning steps. As you know the ending of nouns change according to the "case" in which they are used. We're nowhere close to talking about cases in such a thread but this is a practical example of how Russian grammar rules are more consistent that we might at first think when approaching the language.
Some of you have studied how to tell time and telling the number of sandwiches follows the same pattern as the number of hours. Watch the last letter in each word:
один бутерброд (one sandwich)
два бутерброда (two sandwiches)
три бутерброда (three sandwiches)
четыре бутерброда (four sandwiches)
пять бутербродов (five sandwiches)
and so forth...
It is the same pattern of noun endings as when telling time:
час (hour, literally one hour or one o'clock)
два часа (two hours/two o'clock)
три часа (three hours/three o'clock)
четыре часа (four hours/four o'clock)
пять часов (five hours/five o'clock)
and so forth...
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Olga and Ooooops brought in the word sandwich to our word topics on food: бутерброд
Actually, it is not entirely correct... Sandwich in US is usually a closed one vs. an open as in some European countries and which is translated as бутерброд. So there is a straight anglicism in Russian language for that - сэндвич. ;)
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Thanks Oooops, you are my hero. On another Internet place I was once slammed for suggesting a difference between open faced and closed as compared to Europe vs the USA.
So since both terms are used, we'll teach both. As Oooops says, there is an Anglicized version for sandwiches, сэндвичи or "send-vichi." On the Subway sign below you see сэндвичи and next to it the term for salads, салаты "sah-la-ti."
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/subway.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/subway.jpg)
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Thanks Oooops, you are my hero.
(http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-happy091.gif)
On another Internet place I was once slammed for suggesting a difference between open faced and closed as compared to the USA vs Europe.
Really? By whom - Europeans or Americans? :)
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Both unfortunately. That was in a past life however. :D
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Some food words are very easy, such as the word for "juice" which is сок. Spelled s-o-k, it is spoken just like it sounds: "SOK."
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/juice-apple.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/juice-apple.jpg)
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Some food words are very easy, such as the word for "juice" which is сок. Spelled s-o-k, it is spoken just like it sounds: "SOK."
Mendy, did you read the label on this bottle??? :ROFL:
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Russian has a rule about certain voiced consonants at the end of a word. б ("beh") is one of those letters at the end of a word which is changed from voiced to voiceless
Just a phonetical nitpick about those 2 terms: they indicate whether our vocal cords in the larynx are made to vibrate or not while emitting a sound.
(http://www.caricole.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/vocal_cords.jpeg)
For example, in English:
- This (voiced)/Thin (voiceless)
- Base (voiced)/Bus (voiceless)
Place a finger on your Adam's apple, try those word couples and you'll notice the difference. In your list:
Fortunately there are only six letters covered by this rule and it only happens at the end of a word or at the end of a consonant cluster within a word. For those actively studying, the six letters are:
b (voiced like p)
v (voiced like f)
g (voiced like k)
d (voiced like t)
zh (voiced like sh)
z (voiced like s)
this would apply only to the 3 highlighted cases. In the other 3 cases it's the place of articulation that moves forward in the mouth (palatal to alveolar/guttural to palatal).
A similar sound change (B/D/G -> P/T/K) occurred in the First Germanic Sound Shift (also known as Grimm's law). It's a not infrequent development in language phonetics: a move towards easier pronunciations ;).
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Some food words are very easy, such as the word for "juice" which is сок. Spelled s-o-k, it is spoken just like it sounds: "SOK."
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/juice-apple.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/juice-apple.jpg)
You forgot to mention that it is alcohol-free orange "juice" with that has a taste of beer >:D Methinks it would not quite be your standard orange juice ;)
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Mendy, did you read the label on this bottle???
You forgot to mention that it is alcohol-free orange "juice" with that has a taste of beer (http://www.russianwomendiscussion.com/Smileys/default2/evil.gif) :D " title="Evil" class="smiley"> Methinks it would not quite be your standard orange juice
Yes. :D
Me thinks the same. However there was no wish at the introduction of the word "juice" to develop the types of juice products or an explanation of why апельсиновый сок sounds to the English ear very much like apple ("apel") at the beginning of the word when it is orange juice. :D
The word for juice however is a basic food term and that was the focus of the post.
сок [sok] = juice
As Misha noted, obviously there are various types of fruit juices and here are some of the most popular at шоколадница (Chocolate Coffee) a popular coffee, tea and juice chain:
Can you identify the juices pictured here?
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/juice-prices.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/juice-prices.jpg)
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As Misha noted, obviously there are various types of fruit juices and here are some of the most popular at шоколадница (Chocolate Coffee) a popular coffee, tea and juice chain:
Can you identify the juices pictured here?
More importantly can you identify the prices :o $9 for a large glass of juice in what is in my experience a mediocre cafe. The last time I was there I gave the manager an earful for bringing us cold soup (and, yes, it was supposed to be hot) and cold lasagna...
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Excellent point, Misha.
Today's exchange rate is 32.25 py. to the US dollar so essentially in your head assign a dollar to every 3 rubles to get an idea of what an item or service costs.
If online, and cafes like these have free wifi, check your menu prices by using a converter like www.xe.com
I've had good service experiences and their desserts are excellent however concur that they are overpriced. Chains like this one are in good locations and therefore easy to meet for business purposes, etc.
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The deserts are good, but based on my experience, you do not want to go there for lunch and expect a warm meal if they have a lot of clients as the manager explained that they did not have enough people to serve everybody. Everybody next to us was grumbling, but I was the only one who actually complained... And, yes, I voiced my displeasure in Russian >:D
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The deserts are good,
Only if you like sand ;D.
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Only if you like sand ;D.
Touché!
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The deserts are good, but based on my experience, you do not want to go there for lunch and expect a warm meal if they have a lot of clients as the manager explained that they did not have enough people to serve everybody. Everybody next to us was grumbling, but I was the only one who actually complained... And, yes, I voiced my displeasure in Russian >:D
I looked through the reviews about the cafe chain, the reviews are pretty much mixed, some people are happy and some people complain that the cafes sometimes reminds a "public thoroughfare" with high prices, cases of food poisoning. Also reviews depend on a cafe's location.
100 gram muffin (3.5 oz) and 100 milliliters (3.38 oz) espresso with no cream will cost you $6.23 ($1=32.12 rub)
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Excellent point, Misha.
Today's exchange rate is 32.25 py. to the US dollar so essentially in your head assign a dollar to every 3rubles to get an idea of what an item or service costs.
If online, and cafes like these have free wifi, check your menu prices by using a converter like www.xe.com
I've had good service experiences and their desserts are excellent however concur that they are overpriced. Chains like this one are in good locations and therefore easy to meet for business purposes, etc.
Mendy, wouldn't that be assign a dollar to every 32 rubles?
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FP, thanks for catching that. I was thinking of 100 rubles in thirds but writing something else and of course you are correct. :)
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FP, thanks for catching that. I was thinking of 100 rubles in thirds but writing something else and of course you are correct. :)
Now you see why some 'foreigners' are hoping for a 10 to 1 FX for Ukraine/USA currency. Move that decimal point!!
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Can you identify the juices pictured here?
Mendy, those are not juices, they are "фреши"! Now tell me how poor foreigner like me suppose to know what the hell is it??? (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-angry049.gif)
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FP, thanks for catching that. I was thinking of 100 rubles in thirds but writing something else and of course you are correct. :)
You must be from the old school. I recall during my first trip that the official currency exchange rate was:
1.5 dollars = 1 ruble.
The ruble was more valuable than pound sterling. On the street, the exchange rate was 10 rubles = 1 dollar. However, one could get into trouble.
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Mendy, those are not juices, they are "фреши"! Now tell me how poor foreigner like me suppose to know what the hell is it??? (http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/smiley-angry049.gif)
Oooooops, exactly the way a poor local is supposed to understand that.
"Die hard" marking :D
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The ruble was more valuable than pound sterling.
Yeah, good luck trying to exchange it anywhere outside of Russia. ;)
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"Die hard" marking :D
What is it? A parking garage?
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You must be from the old school. I recall during my first trip that the official currency exchange rate was:
1.5 dollars = 1 ruble.
The ruble was more valuable than pound sterling. On the street, the exchange rate was 10 rubles = 1 dollar. However, one could get into trouble.
Here is the history of the currency exchange rate
Dollar: http://opoccuu.com/kurs.htm (http://opoccuu.com/kurs.htm)
Pound Sterling: http://www.opoccuu.com/kurspound.htm (http://www.opoccuu.com/kurspound.htm)
1791–1896 - 6.25 rub = 1 pound sterling
1929–1934 - 9.46 rub = 1 pound sterling
1985 - 0.914 rub = 1 pound sterling
1991 May - 0.996 rub = 1 pound sterling
July 1, 1992 - 220.73 rub = 1 pound sterling
1997 - 9991.34 rub = 1 pound sterling
August 16, 1998 - 10.22 rub = 1 pound sterling
September 9, 1998 48.6984 rub = 1 pound sterling
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What is it? A parking garage?
Yes, and even some native speakers like me have problems reading and understanding signs in Cyrillic.
(Russian signs from Americans movies about Russia) :D
For example I had no idea that "Хуетйд" means "user ID" in Russian and that Gulina Gulnara is a male's name translated as Viktor Navorski or that "Головка пальца ноги" is a trailer or something...
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Yes, and even some native speakers like me have problems reading and understanding signs in Cyrillic.
(Russian signs from Americans movies about Russia) :D
I think those are lame attempts at humorous Photoshop ;) This is how Bourne's passport looks like in the movie
(http://www.botinok.co.il/spaw/images/foma-kinyaev.jpg)
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I think those are lame attempts at humorous Photoshop ;) This is how Bourne's passport looks like in the movie
(http://www.botinok.co.il/spaw/images/foma-kinyaev.jpg)
Not sure which picture is Photoshop, because I remember watching this movie in the US with Americans long time ago and they were showing that movie to me and I remember that I noticed the same thing that it was just a combination of letters and was surprised, too and it was looong time before I saw that picture:)
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Yeah, good luck trying to exchange it anywhere outside of Russia. ;)
You mean I could have problems exchanging these, after hoarding them for so long :o :D?
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Not sure which picture is Photoshop...
Turns out that neither one is! :D Grabbled name is from "Bourne Identity" and the correct one is from "Bourne Supremacy". I guess they got better in translating later in the sequels. :D
But it is not the same as the case with "Любимые Фреши". There is no such food item as "fresh". "Freshly squeezed juice" - yes. I'm siding with Zhirinovski on that! :D
Депутаты от ЛДПР внесли в Госдуму законопроект, запрещающий использовать иностранные слова, если в русском языке есть их аналоги.
http://lenta.ru/news/2013/02/21/fine1/
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You mean I could have problems exchanging these, after hoarding them for so long :o :D ?
Where did you get them??? Cool! No, these you will have no problem exchanging. ;)
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Where did you get them???
They were brought over by my granny in 1916, almost 100 years ago ;).
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They were brought over by my granny in 1916, almost 100 years ago ;) .
She couldn't exchange them back then either? ;) Where was your Granny from?
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Where was your Granny from?
St. Petersburg: http://www.floriani.it/nonnaeugenia-eng.htm.
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Very interesting! Thank you for sharing, Sandro. :)
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They were brought over by my granny in 1916, almost 100 years ago ;) .
She couldn't exchange them back then either? ;) Where was your Granny from?
St. Petersburg: http://www.floriani.it/nonnaeugenia-eng.htm (http://www.floriani.it/nonnaeugenia-eng.htm).
Wow! What a romantic story :couple: , leading to our first known Russian MOB!!! :applaud:
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leading to our first known Russian MOB!!!
You're quite right, and it also explains why MANY years later I thought I'd give the weird idea a try myself ;D.
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Wow! What a romantic story :couple: , leading to our first known Russian MOB!!! :applaud:
How does it qualify for MOB?
...she meets 26-year old Mario Floriani (http://www.floriani.it/nonnomario-eng.htm) in 1914 near Lausanne, where she had been residing for some time studying for her Baccalauréat which would have enabled her to teach French in Russia.
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How does it qualify for MOB?
Don't be so literal! :wallbash: You should know by now that most of the western world regards any bride from the FSU, no matter what the circumstances are, as being a "Mail Order Bride!"
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You should know by now that most of the western world regards any bride from the FSU, no matter what the circumstances are, as being a "Mail Order Bride!"
Well, as we all know Western world has never been wrong before, so I admit my ignorance and accept the consequences... :-[
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Don't be so literal! :wallbash: You should know by now that most of the western world regards any bride from the FSU, no matter what the circumstances are, as being a "Mail Order Bride!"
The real bummer is when some of them arrive with 'Postage Due.'
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The real bummer is when some of them arrive with 'Postage Due.'
Simple answer -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU5xxh5UX4U (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU5xxh5UX4U)
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Well, as we all know Western world has never been wrong before, so I admit my ignorance and accept the consequences... :-[
You're not ignorant, Ooooops, just not a Western Woman (whose opinions about FSUW are like this - :deadhorse: ).
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True and the Russian language has many foreign loan-words that many Russians do not even know where they come from, including quite a few words from the French language: этаж, плаж, тротуар, кошмар, макияж,...
пляж
And yes, a lot of "French" words 8) Historically, there's been quite an influence of French on Russian language. At some point it's been considered a more refined language by Russian aristocracy. A large portion of dialogue in War and Peace, for example, was written in French.
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Here we have a typically Milanese dish, our cotoletta derives from costoletta (small rib) adapted in French as côtelette, in English as cutlet: a slice of veal with rib bone, covered with egg-mixed grated bread and fried in butter:
(http://www.turismo-lombardia.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/cotoletta-milanese.jpg)
Cotoletta alla milanese
If you ask for a котлета in Russia, you are more likely to get something like this (made of ground meat)
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d0/Kotleta.JPG/250px-Kotleta.JPG)
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If you ask for a котлета in Russia, you are more likely to get something like this (made of ground meat)
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d0/Kotleta.JPG/250px-Kotleta.JPG)
Those look like 3 polpette (meat balls), once the traditional way of 'recycling' meat leftovers ;).
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пляж
And yes, a lot of "French" words 8) Historically, there's been quite an influence of French on Russian language. At some point it's been considered a more refined language by Russian aristocracy. A large portion of dialogue in War and Peace, for example, was written in French.
Pushkin's nickname in college was "Frenchman" and the first poem he ever wrote was in French. As he helped to shape modern Russian, I would say that all of modem Russian literature owes much to the French language.
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Those look like 3 polpette (meat balls), once the traditional way of 'recycling' meat leftovers ;) .
There are other dishes in Russia that perhaps can be called meat balls, фрикадельки (фрикаделька sing) and тефтели (тефтеля sing). They are usually smaller, size of a walnut, with added spices or rice. Another variation is биточки, smaller than котлеты but larger than тефтели.
I can talk about cooking all day day long 8)
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Pushkin's nickname in college was "Frenchman" and the first poem he ever wrote was in French. As he helped to shape modern Russian, I would say that all of modem Russian literature owes much to the French language.
Misha, you mentioned a few times that you are fluent in Russian, obviously spent quite a bit of time learning it. Is it something you do for a hobby, or it's somehow related to your profession?
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True and the Russian language has many foreign loan-words that many Russians do not even know where they come from, including quite a few words from the French language: этаж, плаж, тротуар, кошмар, макияж,...
Another one invaded Russian is комильфо. Of course, today Russian would have a gap if this "imported" word was removed :D
Comme il faut Japanese and European cuisine
(http://www.kalugaresort.ru/files/items/resort_1stwide_554_23456.jpg)
Comme il faut ассорти/assorti/assorted chocolates boxes
(http://files.adme.ru/files/news/part_1/17382/komilfo.jpg)
Apropos, did you ever try Comme il faut chocolate chefs-d’oeuvre/шедевры ? ;D
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Pushkin's nickname in college was "Frenchman" and the first poem he ever wrote was in French. As he helped to shape modern Russian, I would say that all of modem Russian literature owes much to the French language.
Fortunately, lexical borrowing is not subject to import (and export) duty ;D
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There are other dishes in Russia that perhaps can be called meat balls, фрикадельки (фрикаделька sing) and тефтели (тефтеля sing). They are usually smaller, size of a walnut, with added spices or rice. Another variation is биточки, smaller than котлеты but larger than тефтели.
I can talk about cooking all day day long 8)
Ochka made up 16 of these and put in freezer for me before she left.
Ground beef, rice and some other items. Somewhere in size between golf ball and tennis ball. 2 are enough for a dinner along with a couple of side dishes.
Also a couple of other meat items and several blini. The blini have my favorite cream cheese rolled inside that she also makes from scratch with milk. I eat these blini along with honey and walnuts. Very tasty.
All of her stuff will be gone in a couple of days; then she will be back on Thursday to make some fresh items . . . I hope!! 8)
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Another one invaded Russian is комильфо. Of course, today Russian would have a gap if this "imported" word was removed :D
Comme il faut
Fascinating! As it must ;) Three words became one :) Just looking at the Russian word, I did not recognize it immediately as French.
Apropos, did you ever try Comme il faut chocolate chefs-d’oeuvre/шедевры ? ;D
No, but you would would have to wish me приятного апетита then 8) And, I would have to buy it as the магазин.
If Russian politicians want to rid Russian of all its loan words, they will have to get to it 8)
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Is it something you do for a hobby, or it's somehow related to your profession?
A bit of both :)
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You're not ignorant, Ooooops, just not a Western Woman (whose opinions about FSUW are like this - :deadhorse: ).
There are two WW who post here, neither of whom has negative opinions about FSUW. Some of the WM, who seek FSUW for the most superficial of reasons, is another story.
Bottom line, you owe WW an apology. ;)
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We'll continue the food words shortly but as Moscow rolls out English signs in the Metro this summer I wanted to send "kudos" to the nice folks at Moscow Municipal Programs and Moscow Online for their updates, news and helpful photos.
Until recently, the only English inside most Metro stations were the tall information towers at the centre of platforms and of course the Russian-English maps posted inside each wagon near the doors.
Well that is changing.
Before:
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/metro-sign-exit.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/metro-sign-exit.jpg)
New:
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/metro-floor-stickers-c.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/metro-floor-stickers-c.jpg)
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/metro-sign-exit-b.png) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/metro-sign-exit-b.png)
With 188 stations the transition will take time and so floor signs are being added first as they're the easiest to install.
Trivia: For years the Moscow Metro has been the second busiest in the world behind only Japan's Tokyo Metro. While the number of riders continue to grow, the Seoul South Korea Metro has inched into the number two slot so Moscow ranks at #3 for the time being with an average of 9.28 million riders daily.
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Another one invaded Russian is комильфо. Of course, today Russian would have a gap if this "imported" word was removed :D
Comme il faut Japanese and European cuisine
;D ;D ;D
"Не комильфо" is more suitable for this pictures. :-\
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Back to food....
From the Wendy's on Arbat Street we read our next sign. By the way, what is the word for street? It is улица, "oo litz ah."
How to say Вендис, Wendy's? Since there is no 'w' in Russian we pronounce it as "Vendy's" with a V sound much like we'd say Washington as "Vash ing tone."
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/wendys-8-24-11-moscow-1568-edit.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/wendys-8-24-11-moscow-1568-edit.jpg)
(Click on the photo to make it larger.)
The first term listed at the top of the sign is classic: классик and then we see transliterations of Single, Double, Triple.
Single - сингл (s-i-n-g-l) can refer to a single song from an album, or someone from Singapore.
Double - дабл (d-a-b-l)
Triple - трипл (t-r-i-p-l)
(Russians would recognize the transliterations but those aren't the normal adjectives Russians might use for single, double and triple.)
You see the noun беконатор (b-e-k-o-n-a-t-o-r). Bacon is бекон and they've added 'ator' to form "baconator." Most of the young adults working here speaking English at a basic level so if you simply say "be-kOn" they'll get the idea fast, or try your hand at "be-kon-ah-tor." They're giggle, but you'll get your bacon burger.
Next is the chicken spicy sandwich, чикен спайси, ch-i-k-e-n s-p-a-i-s-y. Russians use another word for the noun chicken but this transliteration has become more commonly used and is recognizable. There is a popular chicken restaurant, Чикен Хауз (Chicken House) that is a favourite for kids birthday parties, etc, with a clown and a person in a chicken suit hosting parties for children.
Humour in transliteration: дели ростбиф, deli roast beef. The word for the Indian city of Delhi is дели. The Russian words for delicatessen/deli are деликатесы/гастроном. I enjoy roast beef personally and admit that it brings a smile each time I see a roast beef sandwich on the Wendy's menu supposedly from a part of the world where cows are sacred. At least ростбиф, r-o-s-t-b-i-f is correct.
Next is the potato twist: картофель твист. Since there is no 'w' it is fun to say "tvist" instead of twist. Twist is another word that came to Russia via music, just as did "single" by the way. Say твист and your listener might immediately think of a style of dancing. Say картофель твист and you have a potato tvist as shown in the photo.
суп чили is chili soup. чили is the word for a country, Chile. Oh well, maybe the country of Chile had something to do with the soup known as chili, but somehow I doubt it which makes me think that Russia should pass a law that only Canadians can bring Western fast food to the FSU because the American attempts to Anglicize the Russian language is at times embarrassing. At least they got суп (s-u-p, soup) right.
шеф салат is chef's salad. шеф (sh-e-f) denotes the chief cook and normally you'll see it as шеф-повар. повар is cook and салат is salad, s-a-l-a-t.
печеный картофель is baked potato, related to the word печь which means oven.
чикен страйпсы is chicken stripes and that isn't a typo. They mean chicken strips that look more like nuggets and I'm wondering why not use the term for nuggets since McDonald's has popularized that in Russian, наггетс as in "Мак наггетс."
фрости твист is easy to figure out especially if you are learning the Russian Cyrillic alphabet: f-r-o-s-t-i t-v-i-s-t, frosty twist.
After your meal it is time to enjoy some cocktails, коктейли: "k-o-k t-e-i-l-i" the non-alcoholic kind. On the printed take-out menu you'll find this description: Классический молочный коктейль добавлением ванильного, клубничного или шоколадного сиропа, which explains that they're milkshakes made of vanilla, strawberry or chocolate. Darn, I wanted a cocktail after my burger!
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These "беконатор" and "твист" are too funny... :D Reminded me of that:
Vincent: And you know what they call a... a... a Quarter Pounder with Cheese in Paris?
Jules: They don't call it a Quarter Pounder with cheese?
Vincent: No man, they got the metric system. They wouldn't know what the f**k a Quarter Pounder is.
Jules: Then what do they call it?
Vincent: They call it a Royale with cheese.
Jules: A Royale with cheese. What do they call a Big Mac?
Vincent: Well, a Big Mac's a Big Mac, but they call it le Big-Mac.
Jules: Le Big-Mac. Ha ha ha ha. What do they call a Whopper?
Vincent: I dunno, I didn't go into Burger King.[/size][/font]
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Bottom line, you owe WW an apology. ;)
Sorry, Boethius, but I don't. Maybe if I moved in different circles I might get different responses, but I get tired of women who say, when they find out I've been to Russia, "Oh, hunting for a wife?" with an expression suggestive of finding something rather nasty on the sole of their shoe. At least I don't get that response from female friends.
Of course it's not a generic response, but it has happened too often to be easily laughed off. Men's responses are quite similar in words, but the inflection and expression are more akin to "I wouldn't mind trying that!"
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Of course it's not a generic response, but it has happened too often to be easily laughed off.
I thought you were joking... I'm really surprised that so many people actually would connect the two - Russia and wife - after innocent remark about traveling to FSU...
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Sorry, Boethius, but I don't. Maybe if I moved in different circles I might get different responses, but I get tired of women who say, when they find out I've been to Russia, "Oh, hunting for a wife?" with an expression suggestive of finding something rather nasty on the sole of their shoe. At least I don't get that response from female friends.
Of course it's not a generic response, but it has happened too often to be easily laughed off. Men's responses are quite similar in words, but the inflection and expression are more akin to "I wouldn't mind trying that!"
I suspect it is a judgment of you, not FSUW.
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I hope this thread on reading Cyrillic doesn't get derailed on a topic that could easily sustain it's own place somewhere on the forum so if this is a topic of interest hopefully it can be moved to a place in the general forum.
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I suspect it is a judgment of you, not FSUW.
I sincerely hope not - I'm not THAT socially inept!
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I hope this thread on reading Cyrillic doesn't get derailed on a topic that could easily sustain it's own place somewhere on the forum so if this is a topic of interest hopefully it can be moved to a place in the general forum.
Don't worry mendy - that's definitely enough for a side-bar. :)
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Travel in the former Soviet Union can be a challenge but it is getting easier due to increased tourism and the use of English as an International language on street signs and in transportation services such as trains, buses, etc.
So, can a little Russian help you along the way? Absolutely and to do that you'll need to know something about the Cyrillic alphabet, found here (http://russianreport.wordpress.com/russian-language/learn-the-cyrillic-alphabet/). Using that knowledge can help you with the basic stuff like street directions, and finding things like a restaurant, hotel, bar and other services.
Speaking of bars, we're going to visit the "Banka fan bar" in the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv (Kiev). (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/tourist-directions.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/tourist-directions.jpg)
So if we wanted to inquire about the Banka fan bar in Kyiv where they serve drinks in uniquely styled jars, here is how we'd ask:
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/bar-banka-in-kyiv.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/06/bar-banka-in-kyiv.jpg)
For directions we'd ask "gdye" ( Где) which means "where is" something. A local would tell us that the Fan Bar is at ул. Елены Телиги 13 and our new skills at deciphering Cyrillic would tell us that we're looking for #13 Ye-l-e-n-a T-e-l-i-g-i street. In Eastern Europe you pinpoint locations by the nearest subway station which in this case is м.Дорогожичи, or "Metro D-o-r-o-g-o-zh-i-ch-i."
Helpful?
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For directions we'd ask "gdye" ( Где) which means "where is" something. A local would tell us that the Fan Bar is at ул. Елены Телиги 13 ...
or rather вул. Олени Теліги 13 (Oleny Telihy street) :) As a rule, names are not spelled the same way in Russian and Ukrainian.
(http://photos.wikimapia.org/p/00/02/90/24/55_full.jpg)
BTW, in March 2013 the Banka Fan [dot]basement[/dot] bar was stealthily ;) opened in Kyiv, it is located in the city center at вул. Льва Толстого /L'va Tolstoho street (near Ploshcha L'va Tolstoho metro station)
(http://cf.ua/resemple?a=1&h=320&w=481&img=firms/albums/1117/823/%D1%84%D0%B0%D0%BD-%D0%B1%D0%B0%D1%80-%D0%B1%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%BA%D0%B0-%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D0%BB%D1%8C%D0%B2%D0%B0-%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%BB%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE-%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B3%D0%BE%D1%82%D0%B8%D0%BF-6272.JPG)
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Thanks for the Ukrainian spelling, Ghost. I was looking at a Russian language directory and should have translated it. Your participation and correction is of course very appreciated!
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Retro Airplanes Festival at the Aviation Museum address: 1, Medova str., Kyiv
(http://relax.com.ua/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/retro.jpg)
The Fest is open from Tuesday 2nd July to Thursday 4th July 2013
3 great days for those who want to witness 27 vintage, rare and legendary airplanes (such as Yak-3, Yak-11, P-51D Mustang, DH-82 Tiger Moth) and also to experience the thrill of an air battle reenactment promised at the Fest.
Top guest of the Fest is His Royal Highness, Prince Michael of Kent. A vintage airplane enthusiast, the Prince is part of the pilot team of the British Air Squadron taking part in the Fest flying display.
I hope calmissile is reading this. LOL
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This is a good sign to recognize some of the differences between Russian and Ukrainian.
Some words are the same, such as the word for museum: музей
What kind of museum (aviation) is a little more challenging because they are spelled differently: авіації (Ukr) vs авиации (Rus)
The major headline demonstrates that when knowing the Cyrillic alphabet along with some words you don't have to be fluent to decipher a sign even with limited knowledge:
фестиваль ретро (f-e-s-t-i-v-a-l r-e-t-r-o). By seeing the picture of an old airplane and reading "festival retro" you've understood that this a a festival about old airplanes.
The date is a little tricky because the word for July in Russian is июль ("e-yul") but in Ukrainian it is Липня.
Cool sign, Ghost!
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The date is a little tricky because the word for July in Russian is июль ("e-yul") but in Ukrainian it is Липня.
Actually, July is Липень ;) 2-4 Липня is one of the tenses - 2- 4 Июля.
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Correct, but to keep it simple for beginners we use only the term as used in the sign. :)
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How could I have missed that yesterday was день шоколада, the Day of Chocolate?!
:cluebat:
I'll have to celebrate triple this weekend to make up for the oversight.
Talkin' bout chocolate:
шоколад = chocolate [sha-ka-laht]
сладкий = sweet [slad-key]
горький = bitter [gor-key]
горячий шоколад = hot chocolate [gar-yach-key sha-ka-laht]
молочный шоколад = milk chocolate [ma-lowch-kne sha-ka-laht]
плитка шоколада = chocolate bar [pleat-ka sha-ka-lada]
шоколадный торт = chocolate cake [sha-ka-laud-ni tort]
Given that it was the French who gave us this "holiday" perhaps it would be good to learn how to say chocolate in French, too.
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/338956_299795706722543_306525009_o.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/338956_299795706722543_306525009_o.jpg)
PS...for those suffering emotional trauma and gastronomic distress over missing this day, there are two observances of the "Day of Chocolate" annually. So if you missed 11 July your opportunity comes around again on 4 September. :D Hang in there!
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Cars is our theme today. Hopefully you won't drive in the FSU as we'd like to see you around for awhile but here are some helpful signs for cars.
Garage is гараж and sounds almost like you'd normally say it in English. The Cyrillic spelling: g-a-r-a-zh (гараж).
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/cars-nikita-miroshnichenko-garage-sm.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/cars-nikita-miroshnichenko-garage-sm.jpg)
For alert readers this sign even tells us the region where the гараж (garage) is located. Can you figure out the region?
гараж (garage) is where to store the car and not the American English double meaning which can include repair services as well as storage. As most Russians/Ukrainians live in apartments a garage is typically a row of garages or a long building with individual slots for storing a car. Sometimes these are close to the apartment but it isn't that unusual for a car owner to walk several blocks to a garage storage area.
For repair the term used is "avto centre" (автосервис - see brown car below) and that also sounds almost like you'd say it in English. Just remember to say "avto" instead of "auto" and you'll be fine. You'll want a "repair master" to work on the car in the avto service centre.
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/cars-nikita-miroshnichenko-autoservice.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/cars-nikita-miroshnichenko-autoservice.jpg)
Oh cool, looks like someone is proud to own a бентли (Bentley)!
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/cars-bentley.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/cars-bentley.jpg)
Looks like the "Bentley" could use a repair master.
Finally, we'll leave you with a 1970s movie about the adventures of a Soviet museum workers "garage cooperative" where, as you might guess, the number of slots has to be reduced because of construction and so not everyone will get a spot in the garage as planned:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xqsa4u00GXM
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Number of Russian Speakers in U.S. Quadruples in 30 Years, Census Report Says
08 August 2013 | Issue 5186 RIA Novosti
WASHINGTON — The number of Russian speakers in the United States has quadrupled over the last 30 years, according to a U.S. Census Bureau report.
The report — titled Language Use in the United States: 2011 — indicates that the number of people speaking Russian in their homes surged from 173, 226 to 854,955 over the three decades between 1980 and 2010, an increase of 393.5 percent.
By 2011 the number of Russian speakers in the United States was even higher at 905,843, the report said.
The percentage change is outmatched only by Vietnamese, which rose by 599.2 percent during the 1980-2010 period, according to the report which was published Tuesday.
Although Russian is booming, Spanish is by far the most common language other than English spoken at home.
According to the census report, 37.5 million people in the United States spoke Spanish or Spanish Creole at home in 2011, up from approximately 11 million in 1980, the U.S. Census Bureau found.
Chinese was the next most widely spoken non-English language, with almost 2.9 million speakers in 2011, it said.
Read more: http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/number-of-russian-speakers-in-us-quadruples-in-30-years-census-report-says/484261.html#ixzz2bMZOR9dt (http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/number-of-russian-speakers-in-us-quadruples-in-30-years-census-report-says/484261.html#ixzz2bMZOR9dt)
The Moscow Times
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I've learned that Russians like natural products and whenever Mrs. Mendeleyeva is in the USA she constantly reads labels, tossing aside just about any product with ingredients she can't read or pronounce. So to keep my face clear for those times I'm facing a camera (usually the camera breaks so it doesn't matter), I've discovered this product:
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/facial-cream-st-johns-wort.jpg?w=497&h=559)
чистая линия = pure line (organic)
фитотерапия здоровая кожа = herbal for healthy skin
крем для лица = cream for the face (facial cream)
зверобой дикорастущий = Saint John's wort grown in the wild/forest
Cost: 50 рублей (50 rubles, under $2)
Never test what happens by telling your wife that you really don't care whether or not it works, but you sure do like the pretty packaging and nice aroma.
(No commercial or financial connection to this product.)
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It is that time of the year again, бабье лето (Indian summer), and that means we're frequently reaching for a зонт (umbrella), spoken as "zont" in Russian. Autumn is осень, pronounced "O-sin" in Russian and with it comes the need for protection from rain and light snows on latter autumn days.
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/umbrellas-sp1.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/umbrellas-sp1.jpg)
(Umbrella vending. Photo: Anna Shikunova)
It isn't too often in the West that one finds a vending machine for umbrellas (зонты) but we do have them in Eastern Europe. This one can be found in Saint Petersburg and offers three varying styles. The term for such a vending machine is Зонтомат ("ZON-ta-maht") and from this machine we are offered:
лёгкий ("lyo-kee") is a lightweight umbrella for just 100 rubles ($3).
антиветер ("ahn-ti ve-ter") is a more sturdy windbreaker umbrella for 200 rubles ($6).
сувенирный ("su-ve-nyer-nee") is an umbrella with a city logo and thus sold as a souvenir. Priced at 300 rubles ($9).
So, you're almost ready for autumn weather in Russia. Oh, what is the term for weather, you ask? Weather is погода, spoken as "pa-GO-da."
Now you are ready for autumn.
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Russian language lesson: the KGB.
It seems that readers appreciate Russian language tips and here is one for today. The photo you see is the logo and initials of the feared "KGB" in the Cyrillic alphabet. While Russian can be a complicated language with changing grammar cases, a longer alphabet, formal and informal levels, etc, at least in one area it is simpler than some other languages: phonetics.
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/kgb.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/kgb.jpg)
When most English speakers attend school they study English phonics, the practice of putting the name of letters together with their sounds. Fortunately, in most instances when speaking Russian the sound is the name of a letter, thus generally eliminating the need to spend a lot of time on phonics. So, in the photo you see the letters K-G-B, sounded by using the names of the Cyrillic letters which are КГБ, "Kak-Geh-Beh." Easy!
Now you know how to say KGB like a good Russian: "Kak-Geh-Beh" however as the KGB is now the "FSB" in Russia, we'll have to detail that one for you in the next installment.
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"Kak-Geh-Beh"
That's how it would have been pronounced once in English (in 'French' style) before the language underwent its Great Vowel Shift ;):
The Great Vowel Shift was a major change in the pronunciation of the English language that took place in England between 1350 and 1700. The Great Vowel Shift was first studied by Otto Jespersen (1860–1943), a Danish linguist and Anglicist, who coined the term.
Because English spelling was becoming standardized in the 15th and 16th centuries, the Great Vowel Shift is responsible for many of the peculiarities of English spelling
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Vowel_Shift
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пятница is Friday and you can add the number 13 to indicate Friday the 13th, although that really isn't "thirteenth" but this form is acceptable.
пятница is spoken as [PYAT-neets-a}
(http://scontent-b-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/1234631_10201544252760813_1672505794_n.jpg)
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Here is a basic Russian lesson on the days of the week.
The Eastern calendar runs Monday thru Sunday so the next time you're in the FSU, take a closer look at a calendar to see what I mean.
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/calendar-2013-b.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/calendar-2013-b.jpg)
As you can see on this calendar the day beginning each week is Monday and Saturday and Sunday are the last days of the week.
The first day of the week is Monday: понедельник, "pani-DYEL-nik."
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/monday.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/monday.jpg)
Next comes Tuesday: вторник, "FTOR-nik."
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/tuesday-a.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/tuesday-a.jpg)
Wednesday is среда, spoken "sri-DA."
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/wednesday-a.png) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/wednesday-a.png)
The next day is Thursday: четверг, "chit-VYERK."
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/thursday-a.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/thursday-a.jpg)
Just in case you've forgotten, the verbiage at the bottom of this Thursday sign reminds us that tomorrow is Friday.
Do you remember Friday? It is пятница, "PYAT-neets-a."
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/friday-b.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/friday-b.jpg)
After Friday comes Saturday: суббота, "su-BO-tah."
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/saturday-b.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/saturday-b.jpg)
So now we come to the last day of the week, Sunday: воскресенье, "vas-kri-SYEN-ye."
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/sunday-a.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/09/sunday-a.jpg)
The sign reads "And today is Sunday." So there you have the days of the week.
Review:
понедельник
вторник
среда
четверг
пятница
суббота
воскресенье
And those are the День недели (days of the week).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcBp_LE-2xQ
Are you ready to test your knowledge of the days of the week? Try a fun quiz at this link (http://www.russianforfree.com/quiz-days-of-the-week-in-russian.php).
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One local Moscow publication, The Village, decided to drive the same route Mr. Putin takes to and from work. To be sure it is a nice photo of the car much like the presidential limo but most days Mr. Putin walks across the hallway of the presidential residence in Novo-Ogaryovo, just outside the Western area of Moscow. On days when the Russian President does travel to the Kremlin he usually takes a helicopter in so as not to disrupt traffic.
The publication touts that they drove the same route to show Moscow residents how Mr. Putin sees their city each day. Perhaps someday when they can film themselves walking down the hallways of Novo-Ogaryovo readers will find it a tad more interesting.
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/putin-limo-b.png) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/putin-limo-b.png)
That being said however their photo and the caption gives us a nice opportunity to learn a little Russian:
- Город or "gor-ahd" is the term for city. For those readers learning the Cyrillic alphabet, the spelling is G-o-r-o-d. Admittedly this is a hard word to learn and it helps if you trill the letter r (p).
- Дом "dOme" is home and работа "ra-bOt-ah: is work. The phrase дом - работа is "home to work."
- москва глазами путина means "Moscow as seen by Putin."
- Москва is "Mas-vah" the word we speak as Moscow, spelled M-o-s-k-v-a. This letter o isn't stressed so it is spoken as an "ah"c sound.
Just two more words in this short lesson so here we go.
- президент is our word for "president" and p-r-e-z-i-d-e-n-t is spoken with more of the Z sound.
- России is a grammatical case for the word россия, or Russia. They way to pronounce Russia is "Ra-see-ya."
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We made some of these yesterday at the office: дайкири (d-a-i-k-i-r-i), daiquiri. Say it like "die-keree" making sure to trill/roll the r.
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/strawberry-d0b4d0b0d0b9d0bad0b8d180d0b8.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/strawberry-d0b4d0b0d0b9d0bad0b8d180d0b8.jpg)
клубника is a great flavour, strawberry. клубника sounds like "klueb-neka" and make sure it has the "clue" sound at the beginning, not 'club.'
We'll end this lesson with the girl duo known as "Daiquiri" singing Papa (Dad).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CK1UnZyTxc
Today's edition of the Mendeleyev Journal was sponsored by Moscow Pass, the cool way up to 50% to save on transportation, museums, tours and more! For readers interested in saving money while in Moscow, navigate to www.MendeleyevJournal.com and click on the one-pass banner for more information.
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Царь is the word for Caesar, or King in Russian.
You may know it as Tsar, which few Westerners speak correctly until a Russian corrects and teaches the proper sound.
(http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/romanov-billboard-c.jpg) (http://russianreport.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/romanov-billboard-c.jpg)
Tsar is the right spelling transliteration, by the way, but if you say Tsar or Czar or any sound that voices the "r" then it is wrong and I'll understand you, your friends will understand you and folk on your street will understand it, but Russians will have to struggle mightily to understand.
Here is a guide to help you:
Think of the English word sigh, s-i-g-h. We really don't speak the g and instead we say the letters s-i-h.
Well Russian does the same sort of thing with Царь in that they don't speak the last letter, the R (p).
In addition on this word Russian abruptly cuts off the end of the word because of that letter known as the "soft sign" the letter that looks like: ь
Now, back to sigh, s-i-g-h. If you can say "sigh" then you are darn close to correctly saying Tsar.
Close we admit, but we need to refine it a bit.
Let's take it letter by letter: Царь. Ts is the first letter. But don't say "ts" as that is too long. Start with the T and let your mouth begin to add the "s" but stop! Quickly stop but then immediately add an "i" but don't finish that either (remember that the soft sign negates sound).
Царь = Tsi with only part of the s and part of the i. Ignore the letter R (p), remember that the ь is always unspoken and serves to shorten letters before it, and the a in this configuration is sounded as an i.
Hear it yourself by plugging the word into a tool such as this one: http://www.oddcast.com/home/demos/tts/tts_example.php (http://www.oddcast.com/home/demos/tts/tts_example.php)
Never in your learning has a short four letter word been so difficult. :D
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Wait, Mendy, in the word Tsar the sound 'R' at the end is well pronounced and clearly audible! It sounds soft, however, as the soft sign indicates. Just like in the word 'река'.
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Царь = Tsi with only part of the s and part of the i. Ignore the letter R (p), remember that the ь is always unspoken and serves to shorten letters before it, and the a in this configuration is sounded as an i.
Tsi? Respectfully, I have to say that is the first I hear of that and is certainly not what I hear in the film of the same name: [size=78%]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOGBHtms2X8 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOGBHtms2X8)[/size]
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Here is a great Pushkin's tale of Tsar Saltan with a very good English subtitles
http://youtu.be/yB0hC1hFJrU (http://youtu.be/yB0hC1hFJrU)
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Misha, also respectfully, I seem to hear it clearly at 1:19 and 1:47 for example. But I do trust your expertise in the language.
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Lily, I hear what you're hearing at :02, very soft. Just a hint of the r.
This palace in the cartoon, was it modeled after the Terem Palace?
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Misha, this movie is excellent and I hope that you don't mind that I've linked a version that has English subtitles. Sometimes the subtitles are a little lacking but viewers will be rewarded with a better knowledge of the time of Ivan the Terrible if you watch the movie.
You will also learn of another important Russian figure of that time, Orthodox Metropolitan Philip who opposed Ivan's violence.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXxFy-SkTmo
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:-\
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Misha, this movie is excellent and I hope that you don't mind that I've linked a version that has English subtitles.
Watched the whole movie in about 10 sittings. Boring, even if they tried to gash as much blood and twisted ligaments as possible. And Yankovksi… OMG, I remember him being so handsome and young… Time flies…
I like this one better
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a50qT9bW2Qo
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Топ полезных фраз в разговорном английском:
By the way - Между прочим
A drop in the bucket - Капля в море
And so on and so forth - И т.д. и т.п.
As drunk as a lord - Пьян в стельку
As I said before. - Как я говорил..
As innocent as a babe unborn - Совсем как ребенок
As sure as eggs is eggs - Как дважды два
As to... (As for.) - Что касается.
Believe it or not, but - верите или нет, но
Did I get you right? - Я правильно понял?
Don't mention it - Не благодарите
Don't take it to heart - Не принимай близко к сердцу
Forgive me, please, I meant well. - Извините, я хотел как лучше
He is not a man to be trifled with - С ним лучше не шутить
I am afraid you are wrong - Боюсь, что Вы не правы
I didn't catch the last word - Я не понял последнее слово
I mean it - Именно это я имею в виду
I was not attending - Я прослушал
If I am not mistaken - Если я не ошибаюсь
If I remember rightly - Если я правильно помню
In other words. - Другими словами
In short. - Вкратце
It does you credit - Это делает вам честь
It doesn't matter - Это не важно
It is a good idea - Это хорошая мысль
It is new to me - Это новость для меня
Let us hope for the best - Давайте надеяться на лучшее
May I ask you a question? - Могу я спросить?
Mind your own business - Занимайся своим делом
Most likely - Наиболее вероятно
Neither here nor there - Ни то, ни се
Next time lucky - Повезет в следующий раз
Nothing much - Ничего особенного
Oh, that. That explains it - Это все объясняет
On the one hand . - С одной стороны
On the other hand . - С другой стороны
Say it again, please - Повторите еще раз, пожалуйста
That's where the trouble lies - Вот в чем дело!
Things happen - Всякое бывает
What do you mean by saying it? - Что Вы имеете ввиду?
What is the matter? - В чем дело?
Where were we? - На чем мы остановились?
You were saying? - Вы что-то сказали?
(From "Just English")
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6ekn8h6jzE