the "L" word...

[rjd400]

From your experience, do FSUW tend to use the "L" word more casually than AW as a matter of course, or might that be a red flag?

Thanks,
-Bob

[Shadow]

If spoken in Russian, they would use it much less casually.
Translated in to American many forms of affection might be translated in to the 'L' word.

[rjd400]

So it may not mean as much to them since it's in English?

That's funny, reminds me of something with the Ukrainian girl I dated.  She had no issue with swearing in English, or me doing the same (please note, we weren't trash mouths, but when the occasional vulgarity was uttered, it was no big deal).  However, when I started to learn Russian, and naturally, picked up a few off color words, it used to upset her a lot.  She said in English, it really didn't mean anything to her, but in Russian, she thought it was just horrible....kinda confused me. 

But it's this a similar idea?

[groovlstk]

So it may not mean as much to them since it's in English?

Not true. If a woman is telling you she loves you after a few weeks of correspondence, you can pretty much conclude that the word doesn't mean much to her in this context - but it has nothing to do with language.

[Shadow]

If the woman speaks English, I agree with groovlstick.

If there is an (automated) translator in between, I would be careful of accusing the woman using the word too casually.

The Russians have a saying 'answer for your words'. This goes not just for swearing language, but it shows that not any word is to be taken casually. In English this is perceived as being much less the case, especially among non-native speakers.
We have all seen the American movies and video clips where the F- word, L-word and many other words are used too casual, and this makes the words look like having no real meaning in English.

For English native speakers this may be much less true, and they might be bothered by the usage of these words by foreigners.

[KenC]

So it may not mean as much to them since it's in English?

That's funny, reminds me of something with the Ukrainian girl I dated.  She had no issue with swearing in English, or me doing the same (please note, we weren't trash mouths, but when the occasional vulgarity was uttered, it was no big deal).  However, when I started to learn Russian, and naturally, picked up a few off color words, it used to upset her a lot.  She said in English, it really didn't mean anything to her, but in Russian, she thought it was just horrible....kinda confused me. 

But it's this a similar idea?

rjd,
I would have to agree with Groov on using "love" too quickly in communications.  But I agree with you, that fsuw tend to use English vulgarity a little more freely than Russian curse words.  The English versions just don't seem as offensive as the Russian ones to them.
KenC

[Mars]

rjd,
I would have to agree with Groov on using "love" too quickly in communications.  But I agree with you, that fsuw tend to use English vulgarity a little more freely than Russian curse words.  The English versions just don't seem as offensive as the Russian ones to them.
KenC

I agree with the vulgarity part.  Some FSU women I met wouldn't even tell me some of the Russian/Ukrainian bad words.  Yet a few of them had picked up on fock and sheeeet and used those words a few times, but really very few times.  I think its because they heard the Russian words as a child and learned they are bad.  But the English words they pick up as adults when they are a little more brazen in their outlook and so the words don't seem so bad.

[Mars]

If a woman is telling you she loves you after a few weeks of correspondence, you can pretty much conclude that the word doesn't mean much to her in this context

I agree in general.  And I have found FSU women are very slow in getting around to saying the L word.  However, there always are exceptions.  Aside from those who sent me scam letters (that I immediately discarded), only one FSU women proclaimed her love for me in a letter before we met.  And, as it turned out when we met, she really did love me . . . a lot!!  She was almost the perfect woman for me.  The killer was her volatility and jealousness.  We still correspond, but I cannot live with a volatile woman.

[Vaughn]

I'm not sure I can agree with any generalization here; I tend to use vulgarity in
a trying traffic siuation - my utterance of Sonuvabitch (or worse) is greeted with
soft admonishment by my wife. She tends NOT to utter such in either language,
and uses the catch phrase Блин instead.

She is far more appreciative of a well-deserved insult that oozes truth.

[rjd400]

Thanks guys.

It's only been a couple of seeks, so she hasn't said it yet, but she's dancing all around saying it.  Everything but.  I'm actually over here thinking "please don't say it, please don't say it".  

[UTRO]

Svetlana uses the Fock and Sheet word more than I do The other day she was amazed and intrigued when I used it repeatedly. Not a bad thing she said, just different hearing it from me.
As far as the word Love goes, her parents were very Soviet and she never heard the word from their mouths She said that in her 'circle' the word was rarely used in Soviet times, except in private. It was/is(?) believed that us Westerners throw the word around too easily, making it meaningless.
I always say, "I Love You", to Sveta whenever we get off the phone, leave for work, go to sleep, etc.... At first it was hard for her to reciprocate, now she is used to saying it as well and feels something is missing if we don't say it to one another. I guess this valueless imperialist Westerner has corrupted his Russian

[ScottinCrimea]

The Russian word любить is translated as either "love" or "like", so if you or she is using a translator, when she says she likes you it may be misinterpreted as her saying she loves you.

[Gator]

If spoken in Russian, they would use it much less casually.

Agree.  It is something special, and they do not say, "I'd love more fries, dude."

[Misha]

The Russian word любить is translated as either "love" or "like", so if you or she is using a translator, when she says she likes you it may be misinterpreted as her saying she loves you.

The Russian language does have a verb for "like" and that is "нравиться/понравиться" as in "Он мне нра́вится" or "I like him."

[JR]

I love beer. No wait, actually I hate it but you get the drift. The English language allows you to love all kinds of stuff. It's the context that matters.

[Doll]

From your experience, do FSUW tend to use the "L" word more casually than AW as a matter of course, or might that be a red flag?

Thanks,
-Bob

Russians use LOVE times less.

[RussianWind]

As well as "friends". A friend is someone who you know half of your life and can relay on in everything.

[JR]

His wife of 45 years is on her death-bed and she complains "You never tell me you love me."
He replies, "I told you I love you on the day we got married, when that changes I'll let you know."

[OlgaH]

I love beer. No wait, actually I hate it but you get the drift. The English language allows you to love all kinds of stuff. It's the context that matters.

the same about Russian language, we also say I love dogs, I love ice cream...