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Stravinsky

02-02-13, 20:04

Can someone give me suggestions on how Russians might use the following terms in Russian for a business:What's the context?

Are you writing business correspondence to someone?

Did someone write to you?

Or are you just trying to impress some dyevchyonka on mamba about what a большой начальник (big boss) you are.

It makes a difference.

Uke Boy

02-02-13, 20:12

What's the context? It makes a difference.I concur with Strav. Also, if you are trying to impress a lady, then all the titles in the world mean zero. They really don't give a damn about titles, they care about what you do for them and them alone and what you can deliver to them and them alone. Titles are BS to them, completely irrelevant. Therefore we come around to the original question as to what you actual intent is. Explain, please.

YummyPL

02-02-13, 22:27

What's the context?I am having business cards printed in Russian but this is for Kiev. Maybe it doesn't matter if I do it in Russian. This is for legitimate business but I will likely give them out to some girls if I talk to them on the street (is this a bad idea?).

In Germany my colleagues refer to me as "Director, European Division." In USA, I am "President, European Division." We only have 16 people in my company.

I want to present a good impression but have no desire to seem like a pompous ass.

Stravinsky

02-03-13, 01:40

In Germany my colleagues refer to me as "Director, European Division." In USA, I am "President, European Division."I think your German colleagues have already answered your question.

President is more of an American convention. In Europe, the owner / manager of a company is more likely to be a Director. This is something Europeans are used to and understand.

Of course, Vladimir Vladimirovich is the President of the Russkaya Federatsia, but that is a political title.

This is for legitimate business but I will likely give them out to some girls if I talk to them on the street (is this a bad idea?).I don't know. . . A few years back I remember a (somewhat) funny story related by one of the regular guys who used to monger in Argentina and Brazil. He had just returned to his office in the USA from an extended trip to SA, when he received a video call. He was very surprised to see that it was one of the chicas he had met on his recent trip. He couldn't figure out how she knew to call him at his office, until she held up his business card for him to see, the one she had snitched out of his coat while he wasn't looking.

So, you tell me, is there anyone in your life who might wonder how your business card ended up in the hands of a Ukrainian prostitutka?

Knowwhatimean, knowwhatimean, saynomore, saynomore, knowwhatimean?

Uke Boy

02-03-13, 10:18

I am having business cards printed in Russian but this is for Kiev. Maybe it doesn't matter if I do it in Russian. This is for legitimate business but I will likely give them out to some girls if I talk to them on the street (is this a bad idea?).

In Germany my colleagues refer to me as "Director, European Division." In USA, I am "President, European Division." We only have 16 people in my company.

I want to present a good impression but have no desire to seem like a pompous ass.A good impression, if you sole intention is to use the cards in Kiev, is to translate them into Ukrainian and not use Russian. It may well matter and in a negative way if you do it just in Russian. While almost everyone here speaks Russian, the use of Ukrainian in official as well as business contexts is a very sensitive issue.

One option for you is to print the card with both Russian and Ukrainian, one language on each side. If not, then just use Ukrainian.

I also suggest you using just "Director" and leave out "European Division." Let the local party guess or assume you have a greater role than just a regional one.

BTW,"Director" is spelled the same way in both languages. However, if you do use European Division" or if you choose to translate your name or company name, then that will definitely be written differently in Ukrainian than in Russian.

Final option, for the sake of simplicity and the ability to use the card in the entire FSU as well as in some other parts of EE, everything but the business title is in English and you use only the word "Director" which is then written in Cyrillic letters.

Prosal

02-03-13, 11:18

I also suggest you using just "Director" and leave out "European Division." Let the local party guess or assume you have a greater role than just a regional one.As a side note (that doesn't concern Yummy as he actually goes to Ukraine for business) , the (fake) business card with "Director","President" or whatever is an old and well-known trick used by sex-weaned tourists in FSU, who think that girls will be impressed and that they will have a quicker access to their panties with this stratagem. But IMO most girls are not dupe. I remember the first time I went to Chisinau, one GF told me that the streets were swarming with foreigners pretending to be "Directors" of real estate or trading companies and with accordingly (fake) business cards. It was a running joke among girls. It's a pathetic trick IMO, I would feel more fool than cool by using it.

Uke Boy

02-03-13, 19:44

As a side note (that doesn't concern Yummy as he actually goes to Ukraine for business) , the (fake) business card with "Director","President" or whatever is an old and well-known trick used by sex-weaned tourists in FSU, who think that girls will be impressed and that they will have a quicker access to their panties with this stratagem. But IMO most girls are not dupe. I remember the first time I went to Chisinau, one GF told me that the streets were swarming with foreigners pretending to be "Directors" of real estate or trading companies and with accordingly (fake) business cards. It was a running joke among girls. It's a pathetic trick IMO, I would feel more fool than cool by using it.Prosal, correct. If you are here on business, the one thing you should never do is hand your business card to any female, unless she is actually with you in an actual business meeting. Girls here are real smart and handing them your "visitka" is nonsense and bullshit to them. It will scream "stupid sex tourist."

As Stravinsky has so well described, if they want to know more about you, let them quietly "discover" your card, if you leave it about when you are showering and getting ready to enjoy the pleasure of their company.

YummyPL

06-08-13, 06:15

Hello. I need more help.)) I am giving full context here. Could someone help me with figuring out what exactly she is saying?

Me: I am in Moscow for a while and will return often. I am looking for a relationship that benefits both of us.

Her: With sponsorship?

Me: Yes. I will consider that. What are you looking for?

Her: как насчет встречи втроем. ты я и мой друг он посмотрит как ты будешь во мне двигаться.

Stravinsky

06-08-13, 18:09

She's asking for a three-way meeting: between you, herself and her boyfriend. The boyfriend will watch while you fuck her.

And then the boyfriend will cut your throat and the 2 of them will rob you blind, assuming you are still alive. That's not what she said, that's my own interpretation.

You might want to move on to someone else...

Yummy, you are in a strange city for the first time, in a strange country where you don't speak the lingo. Probably best to stick to the beaten path until you get your bearings.

YummyPL

06-08-13, 20:21

And then the boyfriend will cut your throat and the 2 of them will rob you blind.Yummy, you are in a strange city for the first time, in a strange country where you don't speak the lingo. Probably best to stick to the beaten path until you get your bearings.OK, that is what I thought she was was suggesting.

Thanks for the advice Strav. However I have never been one to stay on the beaten path. I will skip this one for sure (the slitting throat part will probably not go over too well with the other girls) , but I am sure there is plenty of mischief for me to get into.

It is my goal to breath new life into this thread with reports of distinction.

YummyPL

07-20-13, 02:06

Can someone translate this for me?

ты ему не конкурент.
потому что , я не знаю какой ты в сексе.

Google says this:
you're not his competitor.
because I do not know what you are in sex.

Obviously the second line is what I am interested in.

Start123

07-20-13, 07:17

Can someone translate this for me?

&1090; &1099; &1077; &1084; &1091; &1085; &1077; &1082; &1086; &1085; &1082; &1091; &1088; &1077; &1085; &1090; .

&1087; &1086; &1090; &1086; &1084; &1091; &1095; &1090; &1086; , &1103; &1085; &1077; &1079; &1085; &1072; &1102; &1082; &1072; &1082; &1086; &1081; &1090; &1099; &1074; &1089; &1077; &1082; &1089; &1077; .

Google says this:

You're not his competitor.

Because I do not know what you are in sex.

Obviously the second line is what I am interested in.Second line: because I don't know how good you are in sex.

Stravinsky

07-20-13, 07:20

Context, Yummy, context...

The Google translation is a little awkward, but it's basically correct.

She can't compare you with another man, sexually, because she doesn't know what you're like in bed (yet).

YummyPL

07-20-13, 07:47

Context, Yummy, context.

The Google translation is a little awkward, but it's basically correct.

She can't compare you with another man, sexually, because she doesn't know what you're like in bed (yet).Thanks Strav. I guess that is more my question. Is there an implied "yet" in her phrasing? I know it seems odd, but it is important o our conversation.

Kaboca

07-20-13, 17:43

Hey Folks,

What is the meaning: "I don't like spaghetti"? A girl told me and I think she wanted to be ironic but I'm not sure what she really wanted to express.

Thanks,

Kaboca

Stravinsky

07-20-13, 18:27

Thanks Strav. I guess that is more my question. Is there an implied "yet" in her phrasing? I know it seems odd, but it is important o our conversation.No, there is no implied "yet" in her statement. I'm just filling in the blanks.

FreakWincy

07-22-13, 03:41

The google translation is dead on.

Can someone translate this for me?

&1090; &1099; &1077; &1084; &1091; &1085; &1077; &1082; &1086; &1085; &1082; &1091; &1088; &1077; &1085; &1090; .

&1087; &1086; &1090; &1086; &1084; &1091; &1095; &1090; &1086; , &1103; &1085; &1077; &1079; &1085; &1072; &1102; &1082; &1072; &1082; &1086; &1081; &1090; &1099; &1074; &1089; &1077; &1082; &1089; &1077; .

Google says this:

You're not his competitor.

Because I do not know what you are in sex.

Obviously the second line is what I am interested in.

Questner

07-22-13, 04:52

Hey Folks,

What is the meaning: "I don't like spaghetti"? A girl told me and I think she wanted to be ironic but I'm not sure what she really wanted to express.

Thanks,

Kaboca"spaghetti"."easily spotted petty lies" (forget your automatic translator, this thread is hilarious enough)

Stravinsky

07-22-13, 07:10

What is the meaning: "I don't like spaghetti"?What exactly did she say to you, in Russian?

Kaboca

07-28-13, 08:03

"spaghetti"."easily spotted petty lies" (forget your automatic translator, this thread is hilarious enough)Questner,

Thanks! Now it makes sense even if I can't really remember what I was saying when she replied it.

Kaboca

Kaboca

07-28-13, 08:05

What exactly did she say to you, in Russian?She said it in English, I think she tried a mirror translation or something.

But it is not that important as I'm not sure if I will see her again. Just personal interest.

Thanks anyway!

YummyPL

03-06-14, 22:57

Hey Guys, Can anyone look at the following translation and tell me if it is understandable?

Hello. I want to send flowers to your daughter Anna. I am a friend of hers. I want this to be a surprise. I need an address to send them to. Can you help me? Please do not tell her I asked.))

Здравствуйте. Я хочу отправить цветы своей дочери Анны. Я ее друг. Я хочу, чтобы это было сюрпризом. Мне нужен адрес, чтобы отправить их. Можете ли вы мне помочь? Пожалуйста, не говорите ей, что я спросил.))

Thanks!

Stravinsky

03-07-14, 08:42

Context, Yummy, context!

It sounds like you are writing to a girl's parents to introduce yourself and ask them to give you their daughter's address. You might want to try something a little more formal and respectful.

Здравствуйте. Меня зовут (insert name here). *Я друг твоей дочери Анна. *Желаю ей посылать подарок, цветы. Но ето очень важно что этот подарок будеть сюрприз. У меня большая просьба к вам. Можете ли вы передавать мне ее адрес? Спасибо заранее за ваше помощь и запомни, пожалуйста, никакой слов*Анну.

Stravinsky

04-17-14, 18:33

As for my passport, I'm not sure drunken gopniks always check before they pound the crap out of you.

This article by Michele Berdy was just published in The Moscow Times. It's an interesting examination of the meaning of a Russian word that gets thrown around a lot here in the Russia forum and may be particularly relevant to what's happening in the Ukraine right now.

Insulting slang words seem to go in and out of fashion — or maybe I go in and out of periods of noticing them. Lately it seems that the word гопник and its various derivatives are the new popular pejorative. I thought I knew what гопник meant but did some research to clarify, just in case. It turns out that the word is more interesting than I imagined, and I understood it less than I thought.

The first interesting bit is the word itself and its evocative variations. The singular form is гопник, гопа or гопарь. You can use the plural forms — гопники, гопы, гопари — or one of the collective nouns, which describe гопники as a kind of undifferentiated mass of redneck humanity: гопота, гопотень, гопьё, all of which have the stress on the last syllable.

The second interesting bit is the hypothesized origin of the word. One possible source is the onomatopoetic гоп (a jump, blow or leap). This led to the notion of гоп-стоп (a mugging, i.e., jumping someone), гопстопник (mugger) and even гопство (street crime or violent persecution of someone). In this origin story, гопник and his linguistic friends are thugs, petty criminals or crooks.

Another theory is that гопник came from the abbreviation ГОП, which before the 1917 Revolution stood for городское общество призора (municipal welfare society), a state organization that provided care and shelter to the homeless and poor. Later гоп was urban slang for a flophouse. This led to the notion of гопник as a bum, a homeless person or someone from the dregs of society.

And the third interesting bit is how these two streams of meaning came together and then poured into mainstream Russian in the late 1980s. Гопники became identified with badly educated, lower-class, bigoted thug-like guys who are at the edges of the criminal world. Think poor "Duck*Dynasty" without the beards and religion.

And the last interesting bit is how гопники have become a thing. There are sites dedicated to гопота lore. Гопники hang out in courtyards. They like to squat (стоять на корточках), which they call на кортах or на карташах. They eat sunflower seeds. They smoke and practice the martial arts. They are nationalistic. They call progressives педики, пидоры and петухи (all highly insulting terms for homosexuals), not necessarily because they think they are gay, but because gay is bad. Critical thinking and impulse control are not their forte. In short — your basic nightmare.

Гопники tend to be found in urban settings: Прохожу вдоль вокзала, и тут же ко мне подкатывает какой-то поддатый гопник с недружелюбными намерениями (Here I am walking by the station, when a drunken bum with malicious intentions lurches toward me).

In the 21st century, гопота became ликующая (jubilant). First this meant the cheering pro-Kremlin Наши (Us) crowds. Then it began to be used to describe any mass of Western-hating, uneducated thugs. Зал — полон "ликующей гопотой," которая после каждого проклятия в адрес Украины и Грузии радостно свистит, хлопает, машет флагами РФ (The hall was filled with cheering cretins who greeted every curse of Ukraine and Georgia with exultant whistles, clapping, and waving of Russian flags). In Ukraine, гопота often refers to the pro-Russian crowd: Кто же развешивал в Луганске российские флаги? Русская гопота (Who put up the Russian flags in Lugansk? A Russian mob).

Гопота — a mob to be avoided.

Gentleman Travel

04-26-14, 17:07

Professor Stravinsky, what are the preferred endearments to be used when talking dirty to a Russian girl?

I have a prospect who wants to be treated rough, and called dirty names.

She is most aroused when being called a "dirty little wh*re", but I have explained to her that she is actually a "sl*t", as no money changes hands.

So I have these two words to whisper into her ear at tender moments, but wonder what the Russian equivalents are?

Her English is not good, and while I think she has mastered these basics of vocabulary, at the height of passion I would like to speak directly to her deep Russian soul, in her native tongue.

And what is the precise meaning of "dyeffki"? I have always understood it to mean "women of loose moral character", but does it actually refer to prostitutes? Would my Russian inamorata find being called "dyeffka" exciting? Or is it always an insult?

A brief vocabulary of the relevant body parts would be welcomed also.

Your attentive student,

GT

Stravinsky

04-30-14, 19:24

You want to empirically test this? In any social situation with Russians, introduce the Ukrainians speaking Russian or Belorussians speaking Russian topic. Watch the evening take a hilarious, if arrogant, turn. Russians LOVE making fun of the way Ukrainians and Belorussians speak Russian: their accents, all. And it ain't just fun. It's Russian superiority vis a vis "others" inferiority. Now, given that Ukrainians and Belorussians speak Russian fluently, and Russians can certainly understand them, just imagine what Russians think of Europeans and Americans who butcher Russian?

Interesting, sometimes I wonder if you and I talking about the same country? Maybe this is a tale of two cities: Moscow vs. Piter. Piter is, after all, a Russian city. Or perhaps this is a class difference; sounds like you hang with the intelligentsia, while I have always felt more comfortable among the vodka and kolbasa crowd. In any event, my empirical evidence is exactly the opposite of yours.

I think Jake is right, within any language that spans the globe there are bound to be regional differences, be it English, Spanish, Russian or French. There really isn't anything specific to take away about the Russian character from the simple fact that different dialects are a source of amusement to one another, and the mother tongue will always feel superior.

Or, if you want the conversation to take a serious and racist turn, introduce the topic of Caucuses peoples and the way they "barely" speak Russian at all. How do Russians know the inferiority of them? Look at how poorly they speak Russian.

Yes, Russians like to make fun of the "chorni" types. But I think every nationality has its chorni types. Again, this is nothing specific to the Russian character. After all, Stalin was Georgian and he became the absolute ruler of the Soviet Union. I doubt if anyone made fun of him, at least no who lived to tell about it.

Russians are Ethnocentric in an extreme way. More so than the French, though about the same as Parisians, in my opinion (don't get me started on the way the French make fun of Canadian and Louisiana French speakers). And if we generally agree on this, that Russians are ethnocentric, then we must also understand that Ethnocentrism begins and ends with language and the superiority and PURITY of one's own language over others. To put it another way, the mispronunciation of Russian words by Belorussians and Ukrainians and foreigners OFFENDS Russians. It angers them.

Russian for them is SACRED. It is the language of great art and literature, and, similar to the French, if you can't speak it well, don't speak it at all. They have many different words and expressions, every educated Russian knows and can quote from Pushkin, they have and use about a million profane words, and their conversations are rich and complex and full of linguistic subtleties. They can tell your class and educational level in a nanosecond based on the way you speak. And yeah, learn to say "hi" and "goodbye" in Russian and they will smile and be amused, and inwardly snicker at the fact that you can't even pronounce "privet" correctly.

Moreover, any Russian who speaks any English at all would rather butcher English and try and communicate and learn English from you, than have you butcher Russian.

I'm sorry, but these statements are so patently ludicrous that it's difficult to form an intelligent response to them. These kinds of broad generalizations reveal more about you and your acquaintances than they do about Russia and Russians.

Every culture must be ethnocentric, to a certain extent. If it were not, then it wouldn't exist. Russia has one of the most diverse ethnic populations in the world, aside from the U.S., and they have lived together for hundreds of years. You need to get out of Piter and see the real Russia. Travel to Odessa, sit down at a table with a Tatar, a Jew, a Christian and a bottle of vodka (the Tatar will probably be drinking tea, of course) and enjoy the show while they make fun of each other. The fact that they can laugh at each other, and themselves, is their salvation.

I can probably count on one hand the number of times I have heard a Russian quote Pushkin, in normal conversation. Of course they know Pushkin and Turgenev and Dostoevsky, they suffered through all of them in school, just as I suffered through Fitzgerald, Hawthorne and Faulkner. But, if you are hanging out with people who spout Pushkin off the top of their head in everyday conversation, then you are operating in a whole 'nother di-mension.

The next time your friends pontificate on the purity of the Russian language, you might want to remind them that if they had been alive 200 years ago, when Pushkin was devoting his life to creating modern Russian literature, they would not have spoken Russian. They would have spoken French, or maybe German and would have at least understood English. They would have been quoting Goethe or Byron and considered the Russian language to be beneath them--a language to be spoken only by bureaucrats, shop clerks and the poor--people who did not have the money, or the social status, to be as wonderful as they imagined themselves to be.

We can be thankful that there is no one to police the Russian language. There is no institution in Russia that corresponds to the Academie Francaise. Russian is like English, it's a mongrel language, it takes from everywhere and that's the wonderful thing about it--it's a living language. It grows and changes and evolves with the times and the people. It is not the domain of a small coterie of closet intellectuals.

This is precisely why Russians have so many different words and expressions in their language and use about a million profane words, and have conversations that are rich and complex and full of linguistic subtleties.

BTW--If you are having trouble with привет, wait 'til you get to мягкий :)

Now, of course, I mean really, if your alone and visiting Russia and working / living in Russia you do what you do. And if trying to find someplace means speaking bad Russian then by all means do so. And if the girl you are with is complementing you on your Russian and your Russian friends and colleagues are complementing you, then that's the game yes? We play them and they play us and as long as we all end the day satisfied what's the harm?

What comes through in your posts is that you seem to have fallen in with a crowd of intellectual types who enjoy belittling people for their attempts to communicate in Russian and you resent this, which is only natural. This is always the way with ineffectual people, they raise themselves up by putting others down. The answer to your problem is not to stop learning and speaking Russian, or to advise others to do the same. If you are tired of being berated by your effete, intellectual, jingoistic friends in Piter, then the answer is simple--you need to find some new friends.

Here, sit down, relax, take off your tight shoes, have a shot of vodichki and a whiff of this chorni khleb. You'll feel right as rain again in no time. :)

The 'bad boy' works in Russia.

BTW--You gave us a fair amount of detail about the tactics of the elitni who tried to seduce the krasavitsa, but you didn't say anything about what the bad boy said. Assuming he was a bad boy. Could be he was just the sensitive, artistic type--it's easy to mistake the two. Think Vysotsky--the bad boy with a soul. Russian women can't resist that stuff.

What do you think he was saying to her, to win the heart of the krasavitsa? I'm betting he was quoting Pushkin. :)

Skwiskwis

05-08-14, 09:31

Anytime anyone on this list posts a long, thoughtful post the gods of the internet must be duly thanked.

In any case, Stravinsky posts with rose colored glasses, and his and my posts on this topic reflect two extremes of reactions to Russia: the romanticized gone-native Lawrence of Arabia reaction and the harshly and too overly pessimistic / realistic reaction.

Besides, as we all know, vodka and kolbasa makes EVERYONE good friends, at least for the evening, though I would have included salo in the menu. Can't imagine the particular crowd referred to here drinking vodka without salo. The test for any readers here is to simply visit and experience Russia and form their own conclusions about its people, though for most I think it's the girls and getting laid that's of primary interest. As in the how to get laid in the most expedient way possible during my 3 day stay in Moscow variety, not in the I'm living and / or working in Russia as an expat variety.

Which is why I recommend that you are much better off, in short visits, letting a Russian girl practice her English on you than trying to win her over with the Russian phrasebook you were skimming on the plane. English fluency is a handy card to play in Russia, because Russians understand it is a very useful language to know. Most Russian girls are studying Russian in school and having an opportunity to practice with a Native Speaker can be a welcome opportunity for them. Instead of a guy on the make you can be transformed into English practicum. It's an opening.

And regarding humor, which we both agree is easy to find in Russia, our disagreement is on what humor and laughter means. I opt for the definition it can mean many things, often many at the same time, and not just one thing, all the time.

Regarding Stalin. Well, actually Stravinsky, many Russians did (and still do) make fun of Stalin for being Georgian and for the way he spoke Russian. Much of this was even published as satire during his lifetime, though without naming Stalin of course. He was also quite content to share vodka and kolbasa with you in the evening and have you or your wife shot or sent off to a gulag the next day. Vodka and kolbasa are what they are, but one thing they definitely ain't is a measure of friendship. I'm sure you know the story of Molotov and his great "friendship" with Stalin and what Stalin did to Polina Zhemchuzhina. In fact what Stalin did to all of his great friends wives after his own wife committed "suicide."

In Kin-dza-dza you can experience a light-hearted and comedic treatment of the Georgian stereotype. It's the film example of what you are arguing. That Russia is just one giant happy ethnic and linguistic melting pot where they celebrate their diversity and all gather together at night to drink and eat and hold hands and sing. And if they are critical of the way some of them act and speak Russian. Well, it's just criticism amongst one big giant happy family.

[QUOTE=Stravinsky; 1561580]Interesting, sometimes I wonder if you and I talking about the same country? Maybe this is a tale of two cities: Moscow vs. Piter. Piter is, after all, a Russian city. Or perhaps this is a class difference; sounds like you hang with the intelligentsia, while I have always felt more comfortable among the vodka and kolbasa crowd. In any event, my empirical evidence is exactly the opposite of yours.

Skwiskwis

05-09-14, 09:05

ah, and one, possibly two, possibly even three embellishments to s's post, including a tableau at the end. russia does have a governmental language regulator. in fact, it was modeled on the acadmie franaise by catherine ii. the name has changed once or twice since then and became, and remains, the russian language institute in the russian academy of sciences, in moscow.

as with almost all such governmental language "academies," it is primarily concerned with the purity of the russian language.

secondly, russian is not a "mongrel" language. important foreign influences upon the russian language fall into a few historical periods, including viking / scandinavian (seen in proper names like oleg, olga, igor) , tartar (from the tartar period) , greek (after christianity was introduced) and french (especially during peter the great's reign, when french was seen as superior to russian and many continental ideas / words were simply introduced into the russian language).

however, the backlash to this also occurred during peter's reign when he put his foot down and actually ordered one of his european ambassadors to stop using so many foreign words in his speech. since the time of peter, moscow has pursued a policy against the excessive use of foreign words and phrases in russian.

the term "mongrel language" is in any case not a particularly useful term, although its marvelously colorful and appropriate to this forum. it was famously used by mark twain to celebrate english. english has "borrowed" latin words and old norse words, french, spanish, arabic, dutch, bantu, greek, italian, wolof, yiddish, german, japanese, farsi, irish gaelic, and, well, words and phrases from over 300 different languages and dialects all appear in english. the russian lexicon doesn't even remotely meet this standard.

finally, the discussion of language as living and breathing and growing is irrelevant to this the getting laid discussion. what's at issue is language as a social tool.

hot russian chick: "please, stop speaking russian. i can't understand your pronunciation and your giving me a headache and i'm tired of smiling every time you say something i don't understand. can't we just simply go to your room and fuck?"

foreign guy looking, at one time at least, to get laid: "russian is a living, breathing, growing language. you should celebrate the fact that i am contributing to its growth with my new pronunciations! before we can go and fuck i want you to understand that all languages, except dead ones of course, are like living organisms. have you ever heard the term "mongrel language?" no, well, let me explain. wait. where are you going? toilet? why are you taking your coat? ok. i'll just wait for you here."

Jake993

05-09-14, 11:31

Hot Russian chick: "Please, stop speaking Russian. I can't understand your pronunciation and your giving me a headache and I'm tired of smiling every time you say something I don't understand. Can't we just simply go to your room and fuck?"

Foreign guy looking, at one time at least, to get laid: "Russian is a living, breathing, growing language. You should celebrate the fact that I am contributing to its growth with my new pronunciations! Before we can go and fuck I want you to understand that all languages, except dead ones of course, are like living organisms. Have you ever heard the term "mongrel language?" No, well, let me explain. Wait. Where are you going? Toilet? Why are you taking your coat? Ok. I'll just wait for you here."I wish I had 100 rubles for every time that happened to me!

Stravinsky

05-09-14, 18:52

And regarding humor, which we both agree is easy to find in Russia, our disagreement is on what humor and laughter means. I opt for the definition it can mean many things, often many at the same time, and not just one thing, all the time.
If I seem overly optimistic, it's only because I am trying to counter your extreme pessimism.

You worry too much. If you have reached the point where you feel the need to analyze the quality and intent of people's laughter, then you need to seek professional help.

I know you, I've met your kind before. You could have some krasavitsa bent over the desk in your office at the Institute, balls-deep into her ass, she could be gurgling endearing terms of encouragement, "Davai, da-vai-moy-kho-ro-shi", and all the while you are pounding away at her, somewhere in the back of your mind you are thinking, "This is all very well and good, but does she really love me?" ;)

Was Stalin a bad guy? Yes, of course, I didn't mean to hold him up as a paradigm for humanity, only to point out an example of someone who was not ethnically Russian and yet managed to attain great social status and political power, despite his background.

But again, I don't think there is anything specific to take away about Russia or the Russian character simply from the actions of a single paranoid psychotic.

And yes, I stand corrected, you are absolutely right, in the Ukraine, we would be eating salo, except for the Tatar of course. But as we all know, the fact that Odessa happens to be located in the Ukraine is nothing more than, "an accident of history". :)

Russia is a melting pot, and many different ethnic types have lived together for hundreds of years. I didn't say they were happy together, but they have managed to coexist. As with any family, there are times of happiness and harmony. One of my favorite films is Заяц над бездной, much like your example, except the story is taken from the Gypsies in Moldova.

But there are also times of bickering and fighting and sometimes it can be very ugly. As Tolstoy said, "Each unhappy family is unhappy in it's own way", and Russians have their own unique way of doing everything.

Skwiskwis

05-09-14, 21:33

"somewhere in the back of your mind you are thinking": will i be able to get my favorite pair of handcuffs out of russia!

and as long as we are discussing handcuffs, let me inform everyone that taking handcuffs into and out of russia is, while not precisely a problem, interesting. as i'm sure everyone knows, handcuffs are approved on flights from the us if you put them in checked-in luggage.

however, when i arrived in russia my last visit in march i was aware that often in pulkovo they run the bags thru an x-ray machine and so while in the bathroom, after immigration, i very slyly slipped the handcuffs out of my luggage and into my pocket, not wanting to get into a q&a with the security personnel if they x-rayed my bag. i've never seen them frisk anyone and you don't have to walk thru a scanner yourself when your entering the country. besides, if they confirep001ed them i'd be without them and who in their right mind would stay in russia without a good pair of handcuffs?

so i was able to arrive in stpb with handcuffs no problemo.

the experiences of the handcuffs between arrival and departure i will edit out because i'm sure everyone just wants to know if i got them safely out of the country.

packing my bags i didn't give the handcuffs a second thought. i packed them in checked-in luggage after all. in fact i even forgot about them. arrived at pulkovo and when my bags went thru the x-ray machine at the entrance to pulkovo a noticeably amused security person (woman) gathered her comrades around her and proceeded to discuss the image (handcuffs) in the x-ray machine. she then called me over and asked me to take out the handcuffs and informed me, again with a smirk, they would have to consult with the police regarding my handcuffs. quite amusingly she was holding the handcuffs in her hand for all to see and gesticulating with them as she talked with me. a couple of cops eventually arrived and another discussion ensued, with all present at various times looking over at me and smiling, until finally i was called over and asked if the bag the handcuffs were in would be checked. after i responded in the affirmative they gave me back the handcuffs and wished me a good flight.

so, fellow travelers, you can indeed transport your favorite handcuffs into and out of russia.

Stravinsky

05-13-14, 19:03

however, the backlash to this also occurred during peter's reign when he put his foot down and actually ordered one of his european ambassadors to stop using so many foreign words in his speech. since the time of peter, moscow has pursued a policy against the excessive use of foreign words and phrases in russian.

interesting... seems like the russian nobility didn't pay too much nevermind to the tsar, since peter's admonishment, as well as the policies of moscow, apparently fell on deaf ears. one hundred years after peter, when tatiana wrote her letter to onegin, she wrote in french. not because she chose to, but because she could not communicate in russian. of course, onegin is a work of fiction but i think it's clear that pushkin wanted to make a statement about the state of russian literature, and language, in his time; as in this comment he made in 1824 on the reasons for the slow development of russian literature:

reasons for the slow progress of our literature, commonly recognized: 1) general use of the french language and disregard of russian. all our writers have complained about the fact--but who is to blame, if not themselves? excluding those involved in poetry, the russian language cannot be reasonably attractive to anyone.

we still have no literature, no books, all our knowledge, all our concepts learned since infancy are from foreign books, we are accustomed to thinking in a foreign language; the education of the age requires important subjects for reflection, as food for the minds that can no longer settle for bright games, imagination and harmony, but scholarship, politics and philosophy still have not expressed themselves in russian--a metaphysical language for us is completely nonexistent; our prose is still so little developed, that even in a simple correspondence we are forced to create turns of phrase to explain even the most ordinary concepts; and it is our laziness to more willingly express ourselves in a foreign language, whose mechanical forms have already long been established and are known to all.

this hardly sounds like the perfectly formed, complete and pure language that was handed down from prince vladimir to all the russias and has remained unchanged to the present day. it seems to be more of a language in transition; from centuries of ecclesiastical and oral tradition, into a modern age of literature, scholarship and enlightenment. fortunately, russia had a native son like pushkin, who was capable of guiding the language through that process. but i imagine more than a few bitches made their way over the wall before that work was done.

i have no doubt there are probably many academic institutions in russia that are working to protect the purity of the russian language, but as is typical with academic institutions, they are ineffectual--the russian people will continue to speak their language as they please. whenever i have the chance to talk to my friend in moscow, he is always quick to update me with the latest americanism that has crept into the vernacular and bemoans the fact that russians cannot find an equivalent russian word somewhere in their Академический Словарь. no dictionary of russian will ever circumscribe all of the russian language, anymore than webster can circumscribe all of american english.

so, continue to believe that russian is a pure language, if it comforts you. i will comfort myself in the стриптис клуб, as an american i feel right at home there. i like to hang in the чил-аут lounge. they have вай-фай there so i can access the интернет with the веб браузер on my телефон. it's also fun to разговаривать with the деффки, you know how russian women love to разговаривать. maybe i can even interest one or more of them in a discussion of the origins, causes and sociolinguistic implications of mongrel languages. that can be one of the advantages of russian women: beauty and brains.

if only i could manage to master that pesky pronunciation of привет! :)

Skwiskwis

05-13-14, 22:02

Now I know what your thinking, 'we have reached the denouement. ' Unfortunately, it's a 9 week online course which explores the complexities of this thread's most recent topics,

https://accounts.coursera.org/signin

I strongly recommend Week 2: "Generalized knowledge vs. Stereotypes of 'enigmatic Russian soul. '

Now I know what your thinking, so here are the most important points I'd make, and in 21 minutes!

http://www.southparkstudios.com/full-episodes/s16e11-going-native

Maholo!

Jake993

05-15-14, 06:03

Stravinsky

05-28-14, 18:38

I have a prospect who wants to be treated rough, and called dirty names. She is most aroused when being called a "dirty little wh*re", but I have explained to her that she is actually a "sl*t", as no money changes hands. So I have these two words to whisper into her ear at tender moments, but wonder what the Russian equivalents are?

GT,

I am sure I do not know what you mean. Where do you find these women, anyway?

So, you want to know the etymological derivation of "dyeffki"? Haven't got a clue, but let me get out my большой толковый словарь (big fat dictionary) and see what we can find. Let me see... А, Б, В, Г, Д... Д, Д, Д...

Here we are,

Дева - a virgin, hmmm... no, don't think that's it

Девочка - child, girl, nope that's not it either

Девушка - a young woman, not ready for marriage, hmmm... closer

Девчонка - OK, now this is interesting, "a woman without the experience of a woman"

And then, of course, there is:

Женщина - a mature/grown девушка

Nope, no dyeffki

There is also another word, Девка, and the plural of Девка would be Девки. If you pronouce the word, the "V" sound sounds almost like an "F" and that could be how they came up with деффки.

But the definition of девка is unclear. In serious matters such as this, I always defer to the guys on sextalk.ru Based upon their contextual usage, I would say that dyeffki are any group of women of easy virtue. Possible meaning could be prostitute, but not necessarily, could just be assumed. Not sure you want to use the word dyeffka with your lady friend. I tried that once, in (semi)polite company, and got some strange stares.

As far as the word wh*re, the Russian word for prostitute is, well... prostitutka. Not sure that's what she wants to hear. Again, the guys on sextalk use another word: шлюха, which is slang, but seems to have that "special" meaning.

What's also interesting, is that the word they use for "to fuck" is трахнуть, lit. "to bang", as in, "When the lamp fell off the table it hit the floor with a bang." So, a Russian guy might say, "Я ей трахнул" (I banged her), which is also common usage here in the U.S. Ya gotta love those mongrel languages. :)

The "dirty" part is a little more difficult. The word for dirty is грязный, but this is typically used to mean something that is covered in dirt, not sure that's what you want. There are also other words for filthy and nasty: гадкий, мерзкий, скверный, but again, deferring to the guys on sextalk, it seems the most common usage would be гадкий.

So, you might try something like, "ты такая гадкая шлюха, хочу вам трахнуть" (you filthy/nasty wh*re, I want to fuck you)

Has kind of a nice ring to it, doesn't it? ты такая гадкая шлюха...

I hope this helps you in your research. As for the nomenclature of the female body, I imagine your girlfriend can help you with this much better than I.

Nota Bene: I have included some visual aids to supplement the text of the lesson. Please study all of this material carefully as it will be included in the semester final and will account for 15% of your final grade.

As you know, if you fail my class, your life will be ruined forever. :D

Gentleman Travel

08-14-14, 17:02

Dear Professor Stravinsky, thank you for the language lesson.

Regretfully, the lady in question found solace in the arms of a more conveniently located paramour before I could speak these words of love into her ear.

But I appreciate your research and will surely be able to use it in the future.

But I have concluded that it is safer and probably best to stick with English dirty talk, most girls understand some of it and probably learned them from porn movies, which is the atmosphere that one wants to create, rather than strict dictionary usage.

Cheers,

GT.

GT,

I am sure I do not know what you mean. Where do you find these women, anyway?

So, you want to know the etymological derivation of "dyeffki"?

SanGaetano

07-13-16, 10:52

In my opinion: neudovletvoryonniy.

It means unsatisfied.

Any other suggestions?

Lets post only words which are really used in the modern world, not things from the past (remember that some letters have been removed from the Russian alphabet).

Putologist

07-17-16, 19:47

Any other suggestions?

З1076;1088;1072;1074;1089;1090;1074;1091;1081;1090;1077;. Or just Zdravstvuyte.

By far one of the first words any foreigner learns while in Russia. It took me long time to pronounce it correctly.

Russel4339

08-16-16, 10:43

In my opinion: neudovletvoryonniy.
Two that I can think of immediately:

в1079;1075;1083;1103;1076;1099;1074;1072;1090;1100; (vzglyaduevat) - to glance at. Simply seeing the vpgl sounds together makes any English speaker cringe.

Л1077;1076; (lyod) - the word for ice. It is just not normal for English speakers to put the "L" sound together with the "yo" sound. It always sounds like "load" and the waiter will stare at you blankly. Better to ask with ice. Simply say "sel-dom".

SanGaetano

08-17-16, 09:50

Yeah. Vzglyaduevat is really a tough one.

It took me long time and the help of my GF to understand how the pronounce the different variations of the Russian L.

Two that I can think of immediately:

в1079;1075;1083;1103;1076;1099;1074;1072;1090;1100; (vzglyaduevat) - to glance at. Simply seeing the vpgl sounds together makes any English speaker cringe.

Л1077;1076; (lyod) - the word for ice. It is just not normal for English speakers to put the "L" sound together with the "yo" sound. It always sounds like "load" and the waiter will stare at you blankly. Better to ask with ice. Simply say "sel-dom".

CenTexCrash

11-16-17, 12:37

Columbiana

05-24-20, 00:35

I read and smile. With such a Russian language, you will be lost in Russia. I live in Moscow. Native speaker. If you need help. Contact. I will help. Hi! I have a sex! - Privet! The minimum price of a girl per hour is from $ 50 in Moscow.

Dan7373

12-22-20, 13:27

Maybe someone on this forum can help me with expanding my Russian in-the-sack vocabulary (Got a Eurotrip with 10 days of actual sightseeing then ending with a 3-4 day bender in Athens, not sure who here's familiar with Filis Street.

Long story short, in last years series of Athens quickies on par with Tijuana, on one hot Russian after another deed was done as she was leaving the room, I didn't know the word (s) to give her an appropriate send off or goodbye, so I said one of 3 russian words I knew at the time.

"Spassebah".

Kinda corny in the context but she still naked froze, turned around and screamed "dflcf f;lkfdsj gfds; lkg; fdsg nlkfjglkfg Russisski? I confessed the above, she would've left regardless but be curious to expand on that.

....

Lastly, if I slip up and use Russian words to a Ukrainian girl, can anything bad come out of that?When the lady is working with you, then what you pay is more important than what you say. So, if you want to thank the lady, then you need give her an extra tip together with your word 'spasibo'. And this is just common sense. Because people can say anything they want without really meaning it. But when you put your money where your mouth is, then this says it all to the girl.

I think nowadays you can easily find out various phrases and words in almost any language, with correct pronunciation, by using the Google Translate app on your phone. Which you can get for free at the Google's Play Store for your android phone. I've tried it out, and it works pretty good for the languages I know. And if you are dealing with a language you don't know, then you can check your translation by translating it back into your language to see if you still get the same meaning or not. If you still get the same meaning, then you have a good translation.

Here are the links where you can get Google Translate either for Android phone or an Apple phone:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.translate

https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/google-translate/id414706506

You can even use this Google Translate app to talk with the lady about anything you want. It's a bit awkward, because it takes time to type and translate. But when the lady is working with you, then she probably won't mind. You are paying her for her time, and she is there for you.

In Ukraine, a substantial percentage of people are either ethnic Russians or they have mixed heritage, with some Russian relatives. So, Russian is either the first or the second language for many people in Ukraine. I don't think Ukrainian ladies would mind hearing some Russian words from a foreigner.

There is some ethnic animosity. Which is mostly some Ukrainian nationalists against ethnic Russians. But you are unlikely to get into trouble even with such people for using Russian words. Because it's not the language they are enemies with. It's the people based on their ethnicity. So as a foreigner, you are unlikely to trigger their animosity, even if you use some Russian words.

SanGaetano

12-25-20, 08:06

It's a girl or woman who in principle is not a shliushka (at least not in her own opinion). But she has no problem in accepting the money of generous "friends", lovers, or even like they wrote it in the other thread "poklonnik". An Oli can keep one or more soderzhankas, but he rarely visits her in her apartment at Krasnaya Poliana or in Moscow City. She of course has some side pieces (be it for money or not), which is understandable. Why should stay without sex for 2 or 3 months for example. I know a guy who works as director in his company and he has an attractive soderzhanka. Once I asked him what does she does, when he is at home with his wife and kids, let's say in a Saturday evening for example. He said that he sends her to a night club or similar to have some fun. But he chooses where she goes. And if she finds a guy, he has to approve the guy. So basically she has to make a photo and send him on telegram. But according to his version of the story it's not a kind of cuckoldism. Before she became his soderzhanka she was working as a kind of lounge girl at a 5 star hotels in Moscow, she told him that not any girl from the street can just go to that hotel and stay at the lounge or bar waiting for a client. The oxranas know all of them. The hotel has an image to protect, so they need to know their "girls" (if they have any diseases etc.), it's also a matter to keep the good name of the hotel. If they have reputation of being scandalous or trying to trick the guest, they will not be allowed to appear there again, but this is another topic.