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Using Russian - A Guide To Contemporary Usage, 2nd Ed PDF
Using Russian - A Guide To Contemporary Usage, 2nd Ed PDF
Using Russian
Using Russian is a guide to Russian usage for those who have already
acquired the basics of the language and wish to extend their
knowledge. Unlike conventional grammars, it gives special attention to
those areas of vocabulary and grammar which cause most difficulty to
English speakers, and focuses on questions of style and register which
are all too often ignored. Clear, readable and easy to consult, it will
prove invaluable to students seeking to improve their fluency and
confidence in Russian.
This second edition has been substantially revised and expanded to
incorporate fresh material and up-to-date information. Many of the
original sections have been rewritten, the passages illustrating register
are all fresh and one brand new chapter has been added, providing a
clear picture of Russian usage in the twenty-first century.
DEREK OFFORD
University of Bristol
NATALIA GOGOLITSYNA
University of Bristol
Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, So Paulo
- ---- paperback
- --- paperback
v
Contents
vi
Contents
8 Word-formation 252
8.1 Principles of word-formation 252
vii
Contents
9 Inflection 288
9.1 Declension of the noun 288
9.1.1 Gender 288
9.1.2 Basic declensional patterns of the noun 289
9.1.3 Mobile vowels 291
9.1.4 Genitive singular forms in -/- 291
9.1.5 Locative singular forms in -y/- 292
9.1.6 Masculine nouns with nominative plural in -a/- 294
9.1.7 Irregularities in the genitive plural of nouns 296
9.1.8 Irregularities in dative/instrumental/prepositional
plural forms 299
9.1.9 Nouns which are irregular throughout the plural 299
9.1.10 Nouns with irregular declension throughout 301
9.1.11 Declension of surnames 303
9.1.12 Indeclinable nouns 304
9.2 Declension of pronouns 305
9.3 Adjectival forms 307
9.3.1 Declension of adjectives 307
9.3.2 Formation of short adjectives 309
9.3.3 Formation of short comparatives 310
viii
Contents
10 Prepositions 333
10.1 Valency of prepositions 333
10.1.1 Prepositions followed by apparent nominative forms 333
10.1.2 Prepositions governing the accusative 334
10.1.3 Prepositions governing the genitive 337
10.1.4 Prepositions governing the dative 343
10.1.5 Prepositions governing the instrumental 345
10.1.6 Prepositions governing the prepositional or locative 346
10.2 Prepositional phrases based on nouns 350
10.3 Verbs followed by prepositions 350
10.3.1 Verbs followed by prepositions governing
the accusative 350
10.3.2 Verbs followed by prepositions governing the genitive 351
10.3.3 Verbs followed by prepositions governing the dative 352
10.3.4 Verbs followed by prepositions governing
the instrumental 352
10.3.5 Verbs followed by prepositions governing
the prepositional 353
10.4 Rendering of English prepositions in Russian 354
11 Syntax 377
11.1 Use of the cases 377
11.1.1 Use of the nominative 377
11.1.2 Use of the accusative 377
11.1.3 Use of case to denote animate direct object 378
ix
Contents
x
Contents
12 Stress 433
12.1 Introductory remarks 433
12.2 Stress in nouns 433
12.2.1 Masculine nouns 434
12.2.2 Feminine nouns 438
12.2.3 Neuter nouns 440
12.2.4 Irregular stress in certain prepositional singular forms 442
12.2.5 Prepositions that attract stress in certain phrases 443
12.3 Stress in adjectives 443
12.4 Stress in verbs 444
12.4.1 Stress in first-conjugation verbs 444
12.4.2 Stress in second-conjugation verbs 445
12.4.3 Stress in past-tense forms 447
12.4.4 Stress in gerunds and participles 449
12.4.5 Miscellaneous points 452
12.5 Variation in stress 452
xi
Preface to the first edition
xiii
Preface to the first edition
xiv
Preface to the second edition
xv
Preface to the second edition
xvi
Preface to the second edition
minor alterations have been made with respect to both content and
presentation.
Our revision of the first edition has been informed by recent
literature on debate about the standard in English and on the impact of
the internet on the English language as well as by new work on the
Russian language. We have also been able to make use of online
resources on the Russian language that were not available when the
first edition was being prepared. The new sources that we have
consulted are included in the revised list of sources that appears on
pp. xixxxi.
Cross-referencing and the two indexes (a list of the Russian words
and affixes to which the book refers and an index of topics covered)
have of course been revised to take account of all the changes made.
DO, NG
Bristol, July 2004
xvii
Acknowledgements
DO, NG,
Bristol, August 2004
xviii
Sources
Reference works
Avanesov, R. I., ed., Oueu a a, P
, Moscow, 1985
Borras, F. M., and R. F. Christian, Russian Syntax, 2nd edn, Clarendon Press,
Oxford, 1979
Chernyshev, V. I., et al., eds., Ca ee
uea a, Aae a CCCP, 17 vols., Moscow,
195065
Comrie, Bernard, Gerald Stone and Maria Polinsky, The Russian Language in
the Twentieth Century, 2nd edn, revised and expanded, of The Russian
Language since the Revolution, by Bernard Comrie and Gerald Stone,
Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1996
Evgeneva, A. P., Ca uu a, Haa, 2 vols.,
Leningrad, 19701
Forbes Russian Grammar, 3rd edn, revised and enlarged by J. C. Dumbreck,
Oxford University Press, 1964
Galperin, I. R., ed., New EnglishRussian Dictionary, 2 vols., Soviet
Encyclopaedia Publishing House, Moscow, 1972
The Oxford Russian Dictionary (RussianEnglish, EnglishRussian), revised and
updated by Colin Howlett, Oxford University Press, Oxford and New
York, 1993
Ozhegov, S. I., Ca a, 20th edn, P ,
Moscow, 1988
Pulkina, I. M., A Short Russian Reference Grammar, translated from the Russian
by V. Korotky, 7th edn, P , Moscow, 1984
Ryazanova-Clarke, Larissa, and Terence Wade, The Russian Language Today,
Routledge, London and New York, 1999
Unbegaun, B. O., Russian Grammar, Oxford University Press, 1957
Vinogradov, V. V., et al., aaua a, Aae a
CCCP, 2 vols. in 3 books, Moscow, 1960
Vlasto, A. P., A Linguistic History of Russia to the End of the Eighteenth Century,
Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1988
Wade, Terence, A Comprehensive Russian Grammar, 2nd edn, revised and
expanded, ed. Michael J. de Holman, Blackwell, Oxford, and Malden,
Mass., 2000
Wade, Terence, and Nijole White, Using Russian Synonyms, Cambridge
University Press, 2003
Ward, Dennis, The Russian Language Today: System and Anomaly, Hutchinson
University Library, London, 1965
Wheeler, Marcus, The Oxford RussianEnglish Dictionary, 2nd edn, Clarendon
Press, Oxford, 1990
We have also made use, especially in Chapters 911, of material from Derek
Offord, Modern Russian: an Advanced Grammar Course, Bristol Classical Press
and Duckworth, London, 1993.
xix
Sources
Specific references
Many sections in this book (indicated by the references in brackets after the
titles below) draw on the works on particular areas of vocabulary or grammar
in the following list or relate to areas more fully dealt with in those works.
xx
Sources
In addition we have made use of some of the many online resources to which
students of the Russian language may now turn, e.g. <www.gazeta.ru>,
<www.smi.ru>, <www.nns.ru>, <www.gramma.ru> and various sites that
have been set up under the auspices of the Government of the Russian
Federations Council for the Russian Language (Ce
aee P eea), e.g.
<www.slovari.gramota.ru>, <www.spravka.gramota.ru>,
<www.learning-russian.gramota.ru>, <www.navigator.gramota.ru>.
xxi
Note on transcription, stress marks
and transliteration
b v g d z z j k l m n p r s t f x c c s ss
xxii
Glossary of linguistic terms
xxiii
Glossary of linguistic terms
xxiv
Glossary of linguistic terms
that both are independent and have the same function and
importance, e.g. and (11.12.1).
dative case (ae ae): the case used to denote the indirect
object of a verb, e.g. I gave it to my father; Oa aa e
, She sent the letter to me (see 9.1.2, 9.1.8, 10.1.4, 10.3.3,
11.1.711.1.8).
declension (ee): system of inflections of noun, pronoun,
adjective, numeral or participle expressing gender, case and number.
defective verb (ea a): verb which for some reason
lacks some personal form or forms, e.g. e which has no
first-person-singular form.
denominal preposition ( e): preposition derived
from a noun, e.g. e , with regard to (10.2).
devoicing (eaa, ee): transformation of a voiced
consonant into a voiceless consonant (q.v.), e.g. pronunciation
of final b of a as p.
dialect (ae): a variety of language distinguished from others by
features of its sound system, vocabulary, morphology and syntax.
Dialects may be geographic (i.e. spoken by people of the same
territory) or social (i.e. spoken by people of the same class, social or
occupational group). In Russian the term aee designates a
regional dialect spoken over a very wide area, whilst the term
designates a local dialect confined to a much smaller area (1.5).
direct object (e ee): the thing on which the action
denoted by a transitive verb is directed, e.g. I broke a window; She
bought a newspaper (11.1.211.1.3, 11.1.6).
disjunctive conjunction (aee ): conjunction
which unites clauses or sentences but separates meanings, e.g. or.
dual number (ee ): a grammatical form indicating
duality; the form is obsolete in Russian but remnants of it survive,
e.g. in plurals such as aa and and in the use of genitive
singular forms of nouns after the numerals 2, 3 and 4.
ellipsis (): omission of a word or words whose meaning will
be understood by the listener or reader, e.g. after all [that has been
said]; B e [aaee]? [Are] you [asking] me? (11.13).
ending (ae): in Russian, inflectional suffix added to a word
to indicate its case, number, tense, mood, etc. in a particular
context.
faux ami ( ): a word in a foreign language that does not
mean what a foreigner, on the basis of her or his own language,
might expect it to mean, e.g. Russian a does not mean
translation (3.5).
fricative (a): consonant sound produced by the breath
being forced through a narrow opening, e.g. Eng f, v, s, z and th in
both that and think.
genitive case (e ae): the case expressing possession,
e.g. a aa, (my) brothers book (9.1.2, 9.1.4, 9.1.7, 10.1.3,
10.3.2, 11.1.411.1.6).
xxv
Glossary of linguistic terms
xxvi
Glossary of linguistic terms
xxvii
Glossary of linguistic terms
xxviii
Glossary of linguistic terms
xxix
Glossary of linguistic terms
xxx
Glossary of linguistic terms
xxxi
Glossary of linguistic terms
xxxii
List of abbreviations
xxxiii
1 Varieties of language and register
1
1
Varieties of language and register
3
1
Varieties of language and register
Fig. 2. Population of the Russian Federation by ethnic group, according to the 2002 census
1.1 The Russian language and its distribution
population in 1989 was 287 million, one may assume that the language
was used as a first or second language by at least a further 50 million
Soviet citizens. However, the status of the Russian language is now
diminishing in the former Soviet republics in proportion as the
languages of the ethnic groups that are dominant in the new states (e.g.
Kazakhs in Kazakhstan) are promoted, particularly within the
educational system. Admittedly Russian remains a lingua franca for
commercial and diplomatic transactions in the former Soviet republics,
especially among the older generation of speakers who were educated
in Soviet times, when Russian was the dominant language throughout
the Union. On the other hand, the rise of English as the language of
global communication, and therefore the first foreign language to be
taught in schools, may further weaken the status of Russian outside the
Russian Federation. One may predict that in twenty or thirty years
Russian will be less widely spoken in the former Soviet republics than
it is today, especially in those countries with a relatively small residual
ethnic Russian population (e.g. Lithuania). It is also possible that many
people who do speak Russian in those countries will use it less than
they do today and that they will have a poorer command of it than
non-Russians who speak Russian there now.
Russian is of course also spoken, with varying degrees of fluency,
accuracy and proximity to the Russian now spoken in Russia itself, by
many e migres or their descendants in countries outside the former
Soviet Union. Russians, or members of other ethnic groups who were
formerly Soviet citizens, have left the Soviet Union or not returned
to it at four main periods in the last ninety years or so: in the years
immediately or soon after the Bolshevik revolution of 1917; after the
Second World War (193945), following their displacement; in the
Brezhnev period (especially in the 1970s, after the granting of
permission to Jews to leave the country); and from the mid-1980s,
following the further relaxation of emigration controls. The principal
destinations of these emigrants, at one time or another, have been
France, Germany, Britain, the US and Israel. Many members of the
Russian diaspora are permanently settled abroad but some mainly
more recent e migres are only temporarily resident outside Russia,
perhaps because they are working or studying abroad.
Russian is also spoken by millions of people as a foreign language,
especially people from Africa, Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe
who received all or most of their higher education in the Soviet
Union. Moreover, Russian has been widely taught outside Russia
since the Second World War, particularly when the Soviet Union was
at its most powerful from the 1960s to the1980s. Organisations such as
the International Association of Teachers of the Russian Language and
Literature (Mea a aa eaa ee
a or MAP ) were set up in the Soviet period to support such
activity. However, the number of foreigners learning Russian
(estimated at some 20 million in 1979) has diminished in the
5
1 Varieties of language and register
6
1.2 Varieties of language
7
1 Varieties of language and register
sex, place of origin (see 1.5), level of education and social position or
status. These factors may impinge on language directly, by affecting a
persons accent, way of addressing others, range of vocabulary and
command of grammar, and indirectly, by shaping and delimiting a
persons knowledge and experience.
The purpose of communication in a given instance also has a bearing
on the form of language used. One may be using language merely to
impart information, as is the case for example in a scholarly article or
lecture, a textbook or a weather forecast; or to persuade, as is the case
in an editorial article, a lawyers speech in court or a political broadcast;
or merely for social intercourse, as is the case in a conversation with
friends. Language used for the first purpose is likely to be logical,
coherent, matter-of-fact, relatively sophisticated syntactically and shorn
of emotional expressiveness. Language used for the last purpose, on the
other hand, is likely to be less rational and less complex syntactically,
and may deploy a range of emotional and expressive resources.
The medium used for communication also significantly affects the
language used. Perhaps the most important distinction to be made
under this heading is the distinction between spoken and written
forms of language. The distinction has been defined by David Crystal
in the following way. Speech is time-bound and transient. The speaker
has particular addressees in mind. Because of the probable lack of
forethought and the speed of delivery the constructions used are
relatively simple and loose. There is a higher incidence of coordinating
conjunctions than subordinating conjunctions. Spoken language may
incorporate slang, nonsense words and obscenity. Utterances may be
repeated or rephrased and comments interpolated. It is prone to error,
but there is an opportunity for the speaker to reformulate what has
been said. Such factors as loudness, intonation, tempo, rhythm and
pause play an important role. In the event of face-to-face
communication extra-linguistic aids to communication might be used,
such as expression, gesture and posture. Speech is suited to social
intercourse, the expression of personal feelings, opinions and attitudes.
Writing, on the other hand, is space-bound and permanent. The
writer is separated from the person addressed, that is to say the reader.
The written language tends to be carefully organised and its syntax
relatively intricate. There is a higher incidence of subordination in it
than there is in speech. Documents may be edited and corrected
before they are disseminated and format and graphic conventions may
strengthen their impact. Writing is suited to the recording of facts and
the exposition of ideas. It should be noted, though, that there is no
simple correlation between speech and informality, on the one hand,
and writing and formality on the other. While the written language
tends to be more formal than the spoken language it is not necessarily
so. For example, the written language in the form of a letter to a
partner, friend or relation is likely to be less formal than such examples
of the spoken language as an academic lecture, a radio or television
interview, or a political speech.
8
1.3 Registers
1.3 Registers
The varieties of language that result from the interaction of the factors
described in 1.2 represent stylistic levels which, in common with
authors of other books in this series, we shall term registers.3 Although
the number of registers that may be identified is quite large, for the
purposes of this book a scale will be used on which three main
registers are marked (low, neutral and high). These registers will be
referred to throughout the book as R1, R2 and R3, respectively.
Beyond the first of these registers lie demotic speech (1.3.2) and vulgar
language (5.6) and within R3 lie various functional styles
(a e ) which will be classified here as scientific or
academic style, official, legal or business style, and the styles of
journalism and political debate (1.3.4).
These registers, which are examined in more detail below, broadly
speaking reflect a spectrum ranging from informality, in the case of
R1, to formality, in the case of R3. Insofar as this spectrum reveals a
view of language as low ( e), neutral (ea ) or high
( ), it may be traced back in Russia to the work of the poet,
scientist and student of language Lomonosov, who in his eu ue
n e u e e (Preface on the Use of
Church Books in the Russian Language, 1758) famously defined three
linguistic styles ( , e e, ) and laid down
the genres in which it seemed appropriate to use each of them. To a
considerable extent this spectrum of register runs parallel to that which
ranges from the colloquial form of spoken Russian at one end to a
bookish form of the written language at the other (although, as has
already been noted in the previous section, certain spoken media may
be more formal than certain written media).
It is important to appreciate that the boundaries between linguistic
registers are constantly shifting. In particular it should be noted with
9
1 Varieties of language and register
10
1.3 Registers
11
1 Varieties of language and register
It is worth adding, finally, that the low style is notable for what it lacks
as well as for what it contains. It eschews the complex subordinate
clauses, gerunds, active participles and passive constructions involving
reflexive verbs that are characteristic of the high style as well as much
sophisticated or specialised vocabulary and many set phrases and
formulae.
12
1.3 Registers
13
1 Varieties of language and register
14
1.3 Registers
15
1 Varieties of language and register
16
1.3 Registers
17
1 Varieties of language and register
18
1.5 Regional variation in Russian
R1 R2 R3
e (pl) aa eyes (sg ; poet)
aa a head aa
e a e a girl e a
a (pl), a a e (pl) money e a (pl)
e a (impf ) a (impf ) to think (impf )
a (pl) ea food a
a (impf ), e (impf ) to eat a (impf )
a (impf; D)
a a ea wife a
a a e a woman a a
a, a (D) face
a a, aa a (D) a (f ) mother ea
a (pl; sg e), a a car a (m)
a a (slang)
a much/a lot e
a e (m) young man a
ee
husband
a aaa e punishment a a
aa (f ) ea e misfortune e e
a e a clothes a e
a a, aa a, e father e (m;
a (D) parent in R2)
a (f ) help e e
a a (paw in R2) a hand a (f )
a e (f ) death a
(impf ) a to sleep a (impf )
aa a old man a e
a a / to die a (pf)
ee
The verbs ea /e and a / , which also mean
to die and in R2 are used only of animals, may in R1 be used of humans, in which
case they have a pejorative tone.
19
1 Varieties of language and register
regional variation, but the colloquial form (R1) does vary from one
region to another, both when used by relatively uneducated speakers
and even when used by educated speakers in informal situations.
Regional features often reflect archaic usage that has died out in the
standard language and infringe that languages grammatical norms,
which the foreign learner is expected to observe.
Considering the enormous size of the territory of the Russian
Federation (which stretches over 8,000 kilometres from the border
with Belarus in the west to the Bering Strait in the east and some
3,000 kilometres from the Kola Peninsula in the north to the Caucasus
in the south and covers in all an area of some 10.5 million square
kilometres) the Russian language is surprisingly uniform. The Russian
spoken on the Pacific coast in Vladivostok, for example, is easily
comprehensible to the Muscovite. This relative uniformity (compared
to the greater phonological differences in a much smaller country such
as Switzerland) results from the frequent migrations of populations and
the lack of major geographical barriers within the country. It has been
reinforced in post-revolutionary Russia by such processes as
urbanisation and the spread of literacy. Nevertheless, there is regional
variation in Russian, in pronunciation, vocabulary, morphology and
syntax.
The foreign student is not advised to use regional linguistic features,
which do not belong in the standard language or higher registers and
which may in any case seem out-of-place unless all the distinctive
features of a particular dialect are deployed consistently and
comprehensively. The following sections are therefore intended only to
give a superficial impression of the extent of regional variation in
Russian and to draw attention to a few of the salient regional features.
A number of the linguistic terms used in this section are explained in
the Glossary.
20
1.5 Regional variation in Russian
r ae: after soft consonants e and a are both pronounced asi when
they occur in the syllable before the stress, e.g. n isla (ea ), vz ila
(a ), cis (a). This phenomenon is characteristic of many C
dialects as well as the standard language.
r In the standard language, as in the N regional dialect and many
C dialects (see 1.5.2), the voiced velar g is an occlusive sound (like
Eng g). Voiceless g becomes k, e.g. nok (), snek (e).
r There are four labiodental fricatives, i.e. hard voiced v and soft voiced
v and hard unvoiced f and soft unvoiced f . At the end of a word or
before a voiceless consonant v and v are devoiced, e.g. drof (), lafka
(a a), gotof te ( e).
r There are two distinct affricates, the hard hissing affricate c, as in cygan
(a ), and the soft hushing affricate c as in c aj (a). (This
distinction is also observed in most S and C dialects.)
21
1 Varieties of language and register
pronunciation r ae, e.g. tape r (ee ), nasi (e), sal (e), nasu (e ) (i.e.
(cf. 1.5.1) strong ae; SE); or before hard consonants only, e.g. salo (e),
nasu (e ) (i.e. moderate ae; SW).
r ae, e.g. sova (a ) (N regional and some C dialects).
r Fricative , e.g. na a (a ). Correspondingly, devoiced becomes x,
e.g. nox (), snex (e) (S regional dialect). In some SW regions
bordering on Belarus and Ukraine g becomes h.
r Labiodental v and v , when they occur at the end of a word or syllable,
are pronounced as bilabial w, e.g. drow (), lawka (a a) (most S
and many W and NE dialects).
r Initial v may become u, e.g. ume ste (e e), u gorod ( ), and
some homophones may result, e.g. , (both pronounced unos)
(some S dialects).
r ae, e.g. caj (a), c sto ( ), cudo ( ), i.e. hard ae
(NW and also many C and SE dialects); or caj, cisto, cudo, i.e. soft
ae (NE dialects).
r Assimilation producing the long consonant m from the combination
bm, e.g. omman (a ) (some N dialects).
22
1.5 Regional variation in Russian
23
1 Varieties of language and register
24
1.6 Current debate about standard Russian
25
1 Varieties of language and register
26
1.6 Current debate about standard Russian
27
1 Varieties of language and register
28
1.6 Current debate about standard Russian
29
1 Varieties of language and register
30
1.6 Current debate about standard Russian
of language are used that those concerned with the ecology of the
language seem to be objecting, although of course they also fear that
unless the norms they advocate are disseminated they will in time be
altogether forgotten.
Notes
1. The population has decreased slightly, by almost two million, since 1989,
when the last Soviet census was carried out. Nevertheless the Russian
Federation is the seventh most populous country in the world, after China,
India, the US, Indonesia, Brazil and Pakistan. The census also reveals that:
almost three-quarters of the population live in towns (although the process
of urbanisation has ceased); women are in the majority; the average age of
the population is increasing; the literacy rate (which in any case was very
high in Soviet times) has increased; and the birth rate is declining.
2. Many other languages besides Russian and the minority languages already
mentioned above are spoken by the numerous ethnic minorities in Russia
itself, especially various Finno-Ugric languages (e.g. Karelian, Komi, Mari,
Mordvin, Udmurt), Caucasian languages (Abkhaz, Georgian, Ingush,
Lezgi), Turkic languages (Iakut, Kirgiz, Turkmen), languages of the
Mongolian group (Buriat, Kalmyk), and Tadzhik (a language of the Iranian
branch of the Indo-European family).
3. It should be noted that some linguists use the term style to designate a
variety of language viewed from the point of view of formality and the
term register to designate a variety of language determined by topic,
subject matter or activity, such as the register of mathematics, the register of
medicine, or the register of pigeon fancying (Trudgill in Bex and Watts).
31
2 Passages illustrating register
All the passages presented below have been edited. Three dots
(e; see 11.15 below) may indicate either a pause in the
original text or our own omission of a passage from it.
A: aa a. Maa e- ee e
eae, a e e aa.
Be: A aae ee a. Baa aa
a eea. (B a eea) ae,
5 aae, aa. (A) C a.
A: Maa, e ae, .
a eea: a, aa . . . . ae , ,
a eaa. X, a eaa. e ee
ea . Tee aa ea e a ee.
10 Be A (ee): e?
a eea: e, aae e? a ,
a ee e e ee ea. aa- aa.
Oa a a e e, e e e e
e a e, e.
15 A: Tee e e, ee a e a.
a eea: B a e a, a e a,
a , a . . .
Be: A - ? T, a e e ee ea,
e . . .
20 a eea: a a e aa- . . . (a aae
: aaa?). A e a .
Be: a . . . ? B e a?
a eea: a, e.
Be: Ta a e.
32
2.1 R1: from a TV show
25 a eea: H, ee e. B . . . ee e.
A: Oa e a, e. Me a,
.
a eea: a a? Me ea ee, a e
ae, ee ee, e ee
30 a. a e.
A: Oa e ee a, a a - a?
a eea: Oa e ee a, e a
a (eae e a ). E e aa, ee
aa.
35 Be: ea . . . ee a. (B Maa)
ae, Maa. B ae e
e a, B . . .
Maa: Ca.
Be: A e a aa ? e a .
40 H, ae-?
Maa: e ea a . Me a a.
(A) Ta ea ee aa, e aa
eaa ea. B, a- e
a aa ea e e a ee. T
45 e ea e a a e . . .
Be: e . . .
Maa: a, , ae, a e e ae . . .
ae, ea eea e e, , a
. . .
50 A: e a.
a eea: A, eee, a: Maa,
e e e a a, aa
e, a , a e, e ea,
ea, e, a,
55 ee . . .
Maa: H, e , e? Be a e
ee.
a eea: H , a e e , e
a e . . . a, a.
60 A: ae . . .
Maa: a, a, a e a
ae.
A (ae): ae eae? ae
eae?
65 a eea: e e- ea . . . (Mae) ae,
ee aa . . . E aa ea, e
a, e? e ?
Maa: e , a aa, e
e.
70 a eea: ee ee e e.
Anton: I ask mum. Mum gives me some answer I dont understand, she just
wont give me a straight answer.
33
2 Passages illustrating register
Presenter: Well lets ask mum herself. Your mum Ella Georgievna. [Ella
Georgievna appears.] Hello, take a seat please. [To Anton] Ask your
mum.
Anton: Mum, will you explain to me now what happened.
Ella Georgievna: Yes, Ive heard . . . everything. You know what, its a good
thing that shes gone. Its a good thing that shes gone. Ive hardly been
able to bear all this. You really dont need a woman like that.
Presenter and Anton [together]: Whys that?
Ella Georgievna: Why, he asks why. Well because she cant do a thing. Shes a
cow. She was with us for several days and I just dont want anything else
to do with her, I dont want her.
Anton: Any girl I brought home you wouldnt like.
Ella Georgievna: When theres another one, when theres another well talk
about it, but as for this one . . .
Presenter: Well what about this one? The fact that she cant do a thing, it might
change . . .
Ella Georgievna: Well shes just a . . . [a bleep muffles the word: possibly shit].
And she was just totally rude to me.
Presenter: What do you mean, a . . . ? In the literal sense of the word?
Ella Georgievna: Yes, in the literal sense of the word.
Presenter: Then she needs to be treated for it.
Ella Georgievna: Well, treat her for it then. Let her . . . get treated for it.
Anton: I like her, I love her. I dont care what you say.
Ella Georgievna: What do you mean you dont care? I know better than you,
you dont understand that Im the only person who wishes you well. For
the time being.
Anton: She was with you for just a week, how could you find anything out?
Ella Georgievna: She was with us for just a week, and that was enough for me
[makes a gesture over her head]. I could hardly wait, I could hardly wait.
Presenter: Amazing . . . And we can hardly wait either. [Marina appears.] Hello
Marina. Youve obviously lived all these years without knowing you were
a...
Marina: Thank you.
Presenter: And whys mum saying that? Try and explain it to us. So whats it
all about then?
Marina: I didnt want to come here. Ive just been dragged here. [To Anton]
Anyway, I wanted to tell you that your mums just not a normal woman.
Obviously your mum decided to go along with some ancient tradition
and check up on my virginity. Thats to say her sons wife had to be an
innocent . . .
Presenter: Little girl . . .
Marina: Yes, so you see, like, how much that degrades me . . . Do you under-
stand, I was saving myself all the time for you, thats what, and then all
of a sudden I get this . . .
Anton: I dont understand.
Ella Georgievna: Anton, the only thing I asked of her was: Marina, Ive got
a very good friend here whos a doctor, lets pop round there on the quiet,
well, lets go and see the doctor, itll be all right, its a woman and shell
have a look at you and Ill know that you really are . . .
Marina: Whats that necessary for, what for? After all, your son trusts me.
Ella Georgievna: Well, when you have a son of your own youll completely
trust . . . just words.
34
2.1 R1: from a TV show
Anton: Why . . .
Marina: Yes, I think that well, like, sort out our own lives for ourselves.
Anton [to his mother]: Why are you doing this? Why are you interfering in my
life?
Ella Georgievna: Ive seen a thing or two myself . . . [To Marina] And you
know what I want to say to you . . . If youre such a good girl, then what
have you got to be afraid of, why dont you just go and get checked? What
are you afraid of ?
Marina: Im not afraid of anything, I just want to tell you that youve got to
trust people a bit.
Ella Georgievna: I dont trust you at all.
The television programme from which the excerpt is taken follows the
format of Western talk shows such as ITVs Trisha and is therefore
symptomatic of the influx of Western popular culture into Russia.
Linguistically the excerpt illustrates the colloquial register that
people use for discussion, or argument, about highly personal matters.
Utterances are frequently incomplete or incoherent and people may
repeat themselves, e.g. o , a eaa (8), e,
aae e (11). The colloquial features of the passage
include the following.
35
2 Passages illustrating register
36
2.2 R1: internet chatroom conversation
37
2 Passages illustrating register
C to E: im going to burst into tears, such a sweet delicate little thing and all on her
own!! im the one who can relieve your loneliness!
[B now replies to As enquiry about her screen name.]
D to C: its a great shame you havent . . . weve got the reputation of a town full of
girls who want to get married . . . theyve run out of them in I. [D names a
neighbouring Russian town], but its quite the opposite here:))
I to H: nothing special, its just that wen i was standing freezing at the bus stop this
morning all over again, and no minibuses were running, this guy drives up again
H to I: And thats all there is to it?!?!
E to C: im not alone ive got a minder
G to B: ive got a dud zip file, i wanted to call a taxi, they sent a girl
B to A: Theres another scenario that people ask about: conquest))))
C to D: wow, wow!! how modest of you! and the big question! are you married!?
A to B: not yet, it would be better for you to get to know me
C to E: oh, so thats how it is!!! well we could sort of come to an agreement with the
minder, and then get to be on our own!!!!
I to H: hm . . . i didnt put it too well
D to C: If not, will you propose?:)
E to C: youll find im more difficult to come to an agreement with [i.e. more difficult
than the minder]
C to D: well todays a holiday, so why not, but i think it would be worth our while to
get to know each other a bit better!!
H to I: OK! Lets drink to mutual understanding!
38
2.2 R1: internet chatroom conversation
(4, 14). Participants frequently insert emoticons into the text (6, 16,
33, 37, 44), that is to say they use a new form of punctuation that has
developed in the language of the internet. Rules relating to the use of
capitals are also broken. Thus a lower-case form is generally used for
the first letter of the first word of a sentence.
We try in our translation to preserve the flavour of the original
cybertext by imitating the typing errors and lax usage of the
participants in the chatroom, omitting or misusing certain marks of
punctuation, and using lower-case letters instead of capitals where the
participants themselves have done so.
Participants spelling of words in this text, besides containing
mistakes, sometimes also reflects pronunciation in rapid speech, e.g.
ae for e (11), for (12), a for (12),
a for ae (15), for (27). Participant Ds
spelling of the word a as aa (17) reflects the
phenomenon of akane (see 1.5 above) in the second syllable.
Participant I spells some words in the affected, drawn-out way in
which she claims to have pronounced them in the conversation that
she reports, e.g. e (11; i.e. e), eee (11; i.e. ee).
Besides intermittently reflecting colloquial pronunciation, the
passage also illustrates many other colloquial speech habits, e.g.
use of:
r the informal pronoun (5, 16, 21, etc.), the related possessive forms
(6) and (35), and second-person-singular verb forms,
especially imperatives, e.g. Ceae (50); He (25); Paaa
(25); a (46); aa (54). Three of the participants actually
discuss or allude to such informal usage (16, 24, 31);
r the very familiar form of address a (18);
r simple syntax. Many sentences are constructed around an understood
verb to be, e.g. e e ee (3); e aa eea a
(3-4); a e aa? (19); Haaa (21); e a
(42); a (42); ae!? (45); e a (52).
Subordination, where it occurs, is of a simple kind: see e.g. the clauses
introduced by e (3, 50), (13), (3, 7), a (16), a (38)
and (44). In sentences that contain more than a single clause,
the clauses are most frequently linked by the coordinating conjunctions
(12, 27, 28, 39, 48), (52), or a, which is very loosely used (10, 11,
31, 37, 39). Often ideas are linked by no conjunction at all, so that
sentences may take on a rambling quality;
r verbs in the present tense, in order to give a sense of immediacy to
reported events, e.g. a eae (10); ae
aae (3940);
r ellipsis (see 11.13 below), e.g. e (10, i.e. he [says] to me);
(1112, i.e. he [says/asks for] a hundred-rouble note); ?
(20, i.e. you [are talking] about what?);
39
2 Passages illustrating register
40
2.3 R2: magazine interview with a popular actor
, ae e ae ee
e, e e.
10 ae, e -a e, e . a e e
ae, e a a e a
e. Hee ae e e, e
. Me a , e a, e
e. A e e. ,
15 . Me ea a . Oe e e
a, ae, ae ee aae
e, a. X a e e e e.
O e a, ee
e.
20 A a a a a aa?
a, e a e. A
a. e e a eae . . . B e, a,
aa e. E e ae a, e
e . . .
25 a eae eea ae a.
e a e a. e ea
ee eea , a eee. Oa
: H, a a , ae? ea a
eeaa . . . H ea. C , e
30 e a ! Mea e a- e e ea
a e e .
a a e a e ea. He
aa a , a- e a.
B ae a .
35 H aae-, aee, aa, a
ae . . .
B aae a e ae.
1994 . , e e e. H a PTP,
e a aa, aa e .
40 M ea a a. ee a a e
e aa, e a THT. O e e ea. a
e e ae.
Q: In one interview you said that youre able to be contented with very little. Is
that a formula for the right attitude to life?
A: Its my defence reflex. The less you have the less you lose.
Q: So youre afraid of losing things?
A: Well its not so much that Im afraid as that I dont like being disillusioned. I
dont like making problems for myself.
Q: People say that fame has brought you more embarrassment than pleasure.
A: You know, actually Ive found it easier than others do. I never strove for fame and
so I dont feel at all uplifted or dizzy as a result of it. Some people just dont
believe that popularity can be a burden. People say to me What do you mean,
youre an actor, arent you, you must have wanted this. And I feel uncomfortable.
So now I go round staring at the ground. I find it hard to be on show all the time.
Especially in the image of the guy I play, whos always drinking and swearing
41
2 Passages illustrating register
and at the same time defending people and the law. Although my Larins far
from a positive hero. Hes your normal Petersburg layabout, but hes got things
he believes in and views of his own.
Q: And how close are you to this character, and how far away from him?
A: A long way away in that Ive got a different job. But close in all other respects.
Im not acting in the series . . . Travelling, relaxing, swimming, thats what I like
doing. In fact there are walks of life where all one has to do is travel round the
world . . .
Q: Thats how Dmitrii Krylov makes programmes about various countries.
A: Im green with envy. Id happily make a family film about us travelling. Id mix
with people and ask them how theyre doing and how much cigarettes cost. Itd be
a down-to-earth film . . . But its just a dream. On the other hand it could come
true. After all, there was a time when I dreamt of doing nothing and making
money and I ended up managing that. God heard my prayers and sent me our
police series. I dont make any effort to put myself forward. Things just happen.
Q: But I expect you had to try hard to start with, to gain authority . . .
A: To start with we approached it as hack-work. It was 1994. They shot the first
eight episodes, I recall. But at RTR, where things were only just beginning,
nobody wanted it as it turned out. We happily forgot about the series. A year
and a half later they suddenly decided to show it, on TNT by this time. It was
broadcast without being advertised beforehand. And the next day we woke up
famous.
42
2.4 Question-and-answer session with President Putin
43
2 Passages illustrating register
that leader stays in power. Of course, maybe five years would be all right,
a more rounded figure as it were. I think seven is rather a lot.
If today one is to carry out the duties which the head of the Russian
state must carry out then bearing in mind the huge number of problems that
have accumulated one has to work at full steam. If one was to work like
that at full steam for seven years one could go mad, do you understand?
Theres another component to the problem as well. You know I thought
about this myself too and its that we want to achieve stability by under-
mining the Fundamental Law of State, the Constitution. The moment
we start to amend the Constitution, thats already the road to an unstable
situation. You only have to start and you wont be able to stop. Therefore
its better not to touch the Fundamental Law of State and to work within
the framework that the people who worked on that law have laid down.
Four years is not a big term but its not a small one either. Twice four
years if a person has worked all right, people will be able to understand
and value that. Thatll be eight years. And then the task of any leader,
especially of that rank, is to offer society a person whom he considers worthy
of carrying on work in that position. If people agree then theyll support
[him]. And thatll be a continuation of what is happening now. But in
that event, even if this is a worthy, experienced person nevertheless its a
different person and with him come fresh people, fresh ideas, [and] fresh
approaches to solving the problems facing the country. Thats always a plus.
44
2.5 R3a: academic style (historiography)
45
2 Passages illustrating register
a . ee e aa
ea e a eae,
ee .
46
2.6 R3a: scientific style
47
2 Passages illustrating register
ea a a e
ea. e ee C , a,
25 ee` ea ` e,
ee , eee
ee ee aeee.
Ha e ee C a
ea, e a, e ae ae
30 aee, a, ee a.
C ae e ea aa
e a aea aa, `
e a e aeaee. Peee
aae C ee eeae,
35 ` e ee aa a a
eea ee ea. B eee
C aa e aa-e
ea. B eee e aae e ae a
ee C ae, ee, a e
40 C ee e e.
48
2.6 R3a: scientific style
49
2 Passages illustrating register
E ee eaae e ea,
35 eae aa e e, a ae
aeae aa, ae e.
4. Peaa a, ea ae ea,
a a e e ae
ea.
40 5. ae eae e e a
(eea e) ae e,
ee aae P eea.
6. Peaa e a a aa a, ae,
a a, a ae a a e,
50
2.7 R3b: official/business style (legal)
45 ae e e a
ea.
This text is drawn from a recent law passed by the Russian parliament
on advertising. It is the first of two texts presented here to illustrate the
formal, written register that is used in official, legal and business
documents. It exemplifies language used in a dry, unemotional way for
the purpose of setting out laws, regulations, codes of practice, duties,
51
2 Passages illustrating register
word-formation r Predilection for verbal nouns, especially with the suffix -e:
eee (2), eaee (3), aaee (4),
ae (5), aee (6), ae (9), eae
(9), ee (10), aeee (17), eaa (31),
eae (34).
52
2.8 R3b: official/business style (commercial)
OOBO P -1290
-a eee
Ca-ee 5 2004 .
T
1. PE ME OOBO PA
5 1.1. PO ABE a ee, aae . 1.2. ae
a, e e e, e ae ae
e e ae, a AH eae e
e a .
1.2. Oe -a e ee . . .
10 2. EHA OOBO PA
2.1. AH eae ee, aae . 1.2. ee
25 007 000,00 ( aa e e).
2.2. Ca eee a a PO ABA
25 007 000,00 ( aa e e).
15
3. O AHHOCT CTOPO H
3.1. PO ABE a eea ee, aae . 1.2.,
A H eee a ea a
ae a a ae.
3.2. AH a eee a a
20 ae ae a ee PO AB ,
53
2 Passages illustrating register
aa . 2.2. ae a, e aee e
PO ABO M ae, ee . 3.1.
3.3. PO ABE aae, ee e ,
ee eea A H aa e a ee,
25 e eee a a aa e
, ee eea PO ABO M A H ee
e aa, aee.
3.4. B ae ee A HOM a eee
ee e, ee . 3.2. ae a,
30 PO ABE aae A H e aee 0,3 (T e)
ea e aea eee a a e .
5. OPC-MA O P
5.1. H a e e ee ae
40 ee, eeee eaeae e
e a- aea ae , e
aae eee, eeeee eaeaee
ee e e aee /
ee e ee (-a
45 e).
5.2. aa -a ea a e
ee, e ee e ee 3 () a
e ae -a e e
e e ea
50 e ae e e e e
aa a aee e, ae
aa -a ea.
6. OCO E CO B
6.1. Be ee e ae
55 a a C
e ae .
6.2. ae ea, e a
e .
6.3. Be , eae ee a
60 ae a, ea ae Aa e
Ca-eea ea a.
54
2.8 R3b: official/business style (commercial)
5. Force majeure
5.1 Neither Party is responsible in the event that it fails to fulfil any obligation
imposed [upon it] by this Agreement, or fails to fulfil any obligation on time or
in the proper way, if the failure to fulfil the obligation or the failure to fulfil it
on time or in the proper way is due exclusively to the onset and/or operation of
circumstances outside its control (force majeure).
5.2 The Party affected by force majeure shall inform the other Party of these
circumstances and their consequences in writing without delay and no later than
3 (three) banking days after the onset of the circumstances [in question] and shall
take all possible steps to limit as far as possible the adverse consequences of the
specified circumstances outside its control.
55
2 Passages illustrating register
6. Special conditions
6.1 Changes and additions may be made to this Agreement on condition that
both Parties consent to them and they must be formally recorded in Addenda to
this Agreement.
6.2 The Agreement is made in two copies, which have equal legal force.
6.3 All disputes arising out of the application and interpretation of this Agree-
ment shall be dealt with by the Court of Arbitration of St Petersburg and
Leningrad Province.
This text, being drawn from a contractual document about sale and
purchase, exemplifies language used for the sole purpose of providing
an unambiguous record of a binding agreement between two parties.
Like the legislative text presented in 2.7 above, it is therefore devoid of
linguistic features that convey emotional nuance. It also resembles the
legislative text, and the academic and scientific texts at 2.5 and 2.6
respectively, by virtue of its grammatical accuracy, syntactic complexity
and great precision. At the same time it has certain distinctive features
that are characteristic of legal usage, besides specialised terminology,
e.g.:
r numbered clauses;
r repeated cross-referencing;
r use of capital letters and bold type to highlight headings and key terms;
r use (albeit sparing) of initial capital letters (as in English legalese) in
nouns denoting certain documents or persons, e.g. , Ca;
r the use of conventional abbreviations, e.g. . for , point
(translated in this context as clause);
r rendering of monetary sums both with numerals and in full written
form in brackets. (Note the absence of commas where
English-speakers would expect them, to indicate units of thousands or
millions, and the use of the comma instead of the full stop to indicate a
decimal point (12, 14). See 6.3 for further examples.)
56
2.9 R3c: political journalism (reporting)
57
2 Passages illustrating register
15 a Ma, aee ae
e eee aaa ee P Ea
ee e ea aa.
Haae aa Ma (MPT) ea e
aa, , ae a,
20 e aa.
B e ee aa ee ae
a e eee e a Ea e
, a eaa, ee ea
a a ea, a ee a a
25 a P, a ae e ea
a e. B ee, e e, E
ae a a . e e
ee e e a e aa a
ee ee e a. E
30 ea P ee e, ae
e, ea e, a e,
a ee a a ee
e.
Bee P BTO e a ea a
35 e a. Oae, E e
e e. Ha e e ea e
aa 147 a, eea TAP-TACC.
58
2.9 R3c: political journalism (reporting)
This is the first of two passages that illustrate the register of political
journalism. Unlike the following text (2.10), this report of a political
summit is intended to inform rather than to persuade. It is therefore
written in a dry, impersonal register very close to that of R3a and R3b,
but with an admixture of distinctive political terminology and idiom.
Features of R3 in general, or the political variety of it in particular,
include the following.
59
2 Passages illustrating register
CA TPE MHA CA A
APA A
, e, aeae e a a
aae e e e. Aea a e
ae a aae a , ee
5 a a a. Ca a
a e, a, a , a
a e e aee e a
e a aa a a a
e. , e, e aea ea e
10 CM. e ee a e ae
a aa a a ae.
, e a e e
, a e e. H ae e a aa
a , a ae,
15 , ea, e aa ,
aea. He, aa a e a
eaa eaea. , e, ee ae
a , , aeae a ae aee
aaa-aa, a a eee e
20 aa ea ea. Oa
e- e . Be aa aaa a
ae e a e.
B ee e e
ee e ea, aee
25 e e e , e a
a` a aae. B ee
a aeae, , e
aee a a aa, ea
e a aa ea e e, a
30 ae, a eaa ee
a a aa . B Bae, e, a, a
a ea a Caaa Xea a , a
a a , a a aa a
e eaa e ee ea e. Beee,
35 Bae a , aea a,
a eae ee aa aa,
aa a, a ea,
a e a e e ae. Tee e eaae
e e ee ae a. He e! C
40 e e ee ee e, e, e
aa ee a. , e, ae a
aea e, eae a
ee aee ae e
a, , e ae ae
45 e . Oa Aee a e, e
a e a: , aa C ae a Paea
60
2.10 R3c: political journalism (comment)
ee ae aa. He e , a
e a e a aea a, a
ae e a ea a e ee a e
50 a.
Izvestiia, Friday 21 May 2004
61
2 Passages illustrating register
Like the previous passage, this text contains various features of high
register, including the use of active participles and in particular the
prolific use of gerunds. However, its purpose is not merely to inform
but also to put a point of view and to this end the author deploys a
sprinkling of colloquial expressions, often with a hint of irony. The
passage is also notable for the care that the author takes to sustain his
argument, especially by means of frequent use of transitional words
(see 5.2), and for his maintenance of a sense of contact with the reader
by means of various conversational devices. Features of R3 in general
and of the political variety of it in particular include the following.
grammatical r Present active participles: ee (4), a (28), e
forms (44).
r Past active participles: e (12), a (33),
ee (43).
r Imperfective gerunds: (9; in a set expression), aa (15),
ea (28).
r Perfective gerunds: ea (15), (18), a (48).
syntax r Use of a as copula: Ca a a . . . a
, (56).
r Occasional complex sentence structure, especially involving use of
some variant of the phrase , , viz. a , (18), a ,
(32), , (35, 47), , (27).
phraseology r Modish expressions: e (2), aae e e
e (3), e in the sense of among other things (389).
r Colloquial expressions, used with a hint of incredulity or mockery: a
(14), ae a (46).
r Phrases that appear to be quotations, or that are placed in quotation
marks to highlight them, perhaps with ironic intent: a
, (4), a a (5), e
(1213), ae a (39), ee
ee (40), aea a (48), a e
(49).
r Transitional words and phrases which maintain the flow of an
argument: (10), Oa (20, 45), B ee (23), B
(26), Beee (34), C e e (3940), He e (47).
r Devices suggestive of engagement with the reader: (2), He
(16), e (17, 31), the exclamation He e! (39), e (40),
e (41) and the particle indicating reported speech (46).
62
2.11 Classical poetry
two hundred and fifty years and that this literature has greatly enriched
the Russian language and continues to inform the consciousness of
educated Russians. It is generally agreed among Russians that the
outstanding representative of their literature is the poet Alexander
Pushkin (17991837), who helped to fashion the modern literary
language and exercised a seminal influence on many of the great
classical and twentieth-century writers. Pushkins poetry is not
well-known to western readers, partly because of the near impossibility
of translating it successfully. However, it continues to have a vitality
and resonance for educated Russians that it is hard to understand in
societies where poetry is generally of narrower appeal. It is therefore by
no means a purely academic exercise for the contemporary foreign
student of the modern language to emulate educated Russians by
learning passages of Pushkin by heart.
We therefore offer here the opening lines of Pushkins narrative
poem Me a (The Bronze Horseman), written in 1833.
(The reference is to the statue of Peter the Great (ruled 16961725)
erected on the bank of the River Neva in St Petersburg by the
eighteenth-century French sculptor Falconet at the behest of
Catherine the Great (ruled 176296).) Pushkin begins his poem by
imagining Peter contemplating the foundation of his northern capital
in the marshy wasteland near the mouth of the Neva. He then paints a
sparkling picture of St Petersburg, the city that by Pushkins lifetime
had sprung up there. The extract ends with Pushkin comparing
St Petersburg, the window that Peter had cut into Europe, to the
older, more conservative and inward-looking capital Moscow, which
was associated with traditional Russian institutions such as autocracy
and the Orthodox Church.
Ha ee
C O, e ,
a e. e
Pea ea; e
5 e e .
, eea
ee e a,
a;
e, ee a
10 B ae a a
e.
a O:
Oe e e.
e e a
15 Ha ae e.
e a e
B E ,
H a e.
Ca a
20 Be a a
ae a e.
63
2 Passages illustrating register
e, a ,
a aa ,
e, a
25 B , e;
e ee ,
ea a ,
O ee
a eee
30 C e e , e a
eea
a e e
ae; a
T e e
35 a a e;
B a ea Hea;
M a a;
Tee aa
E a,
40 ee ae e
ea aa Ma,
a ee ae
a a.
On a deserted wave-swept shore, He stood, filled with lofty thoughts, and gazed
into the distance. Before him the river sped on its wide course; a humble, lonely
skiff moved fast on its surface. On the mossy and swampy banks black huts were
dotted here and there the homes of miserable Finns; and the forest, impenetrable
to the rays of the sun shrouded in mist, murmured all around.
And thus He thought: From here we shall threaten the Swede; here a city
shall be founded, to spite our arrogant neighbour. Here we are destined by Nature
to cut a window into Europe; and to gain a firm foothold by the sea. Here, over
waters new to them, ships of every flag will come to visit us, and, unconstrained,
we shall make merry.
A hundred years passed, and the young city, the ornament and marvel of
the northern climes, rose, resplendent and stately, from the dark forests and the
swamps.Where once the Finnish fisherman, Natures wretched stepson, alone
on the low-lying banks, cast his ancient net into unknown waters, now along the
banks astir with life tall and graceful palaces and towers cluster; ships from all
the ends of the earth hasten in throngs to the rich quays; the Neva has clothed
herself in granite; bridges hang above the waters; her islands have become covered
with dark-green gardens; and old Moscow has paled before the younger capital,
like a dowager clad in purple before a new empress.
Prose translation from The Penguin Book of Russian Verse, introduced and
edited by Dimitri Obolensky
64
2.12 Literary prose
65
2 Passages illustrating register
Its not that Nika was indifferent to comfort with pathological permanency
she turned up in the very chair I wanted to sit in but things existed for her
only while she was using them, and then disappeared. Thats probably why she
had practically nothing of her own; I sometimes thought that this was exactly
66
2.12 Literary prose
the type that the communists of old had tried to breed, having no idea what the
outcome of their efforts would look like. She did not take account of the feelings
of others, and not because her character was bad but because she often did not
suspect that they existed. When she accidentally broke an antique sugar-bowl
made of Kuznetsov china which used to stand on the dresser, and an hour later
I slapped her face without knowing I was going to do it, Nika simply did not
understand what she was being hit for she just rushed out and when I came to
say I was sorry, she silently turned her face to the wall. To Nika the sugar-bowl
was just a truncated cone made of shiny material and filled with pieces of paper;
to me it was a sort of money-box, where the proofs of the reality of being that
I had gathered throughout my life were stored: a little page from a note-book
that had long ago ceased to exist with a telephone number that I did not ring;
a cinema ticket with a stub that had not been torn off; a little photograph and
several blank prescriptions. I was ashamed of myself but felt it was stupid to
apologise; I did not know what to do and so I spoke in a rhetorical and muddled
way:
Dont be angry, Nika. Old things have strange power over you. To throw
away a pair of cracked spectacles is to admit that the whole world that you have
viewed through them is left in the past forever, or vice versa, its ahead of you, in
the realm of impending non-being, which is the same thing . . . Nika, if only you
could understand me . . . Fragments of the past take on the likeness of moorings
that tie us to things that no longer exist, from which you can see that what people
usually understand as the soul doesnt exist either, because . . .
I looked at her from under the palm of my hand and saw her yawn. God
knows what she was thinking about, but my words did not penetrate her beautiful
little head I might have had the same effect if I had been speaking to the sofa
on which she was sitting.
67
2 Passages illustrating register
68
2.13 Language of the internet
Ha , a ee aaa
ae e eee
a ee.
10 e e e a a a,
, aee ee aa
a a . . . e aa
aae, e e eaa . . .
-e e ae aeae ae e ,
15 a . . . ae a-aa, a-aa
T e ee a ae e,
aa aa eee, e
a, a a:) a ea-a e
e:)
20 H a e e, e a ae www . . . e ,
a a B a e aea:)) A ee
e a:)
H e a ee e , a a
aa a eee, a
25 e a :) eee P
e a e ee:)
P.S. a ee e e e, e
eee, ee , a:)
e e e , . a a e e
30 ee e e ae a ae.
From: . . .
Date: . . .
What a load of crap youre talking.
Peoples language naturally changes a great deal on the internet, and your
unhealthy ideas about linguistic purity cant stop it changing:)
I think it would be much more instructive to analyse the changes that have
taken place under the influence of the internet and to bring out the reasons
for them. I dont mean words like online or virtual, what Im saying is
that the vast majority of people change their spelling and write it like they
hear it . . . thats what people do in chatrooms in particular, where they have
to type a lot . . . For instance I think its really cool to replace , with
. . . for example a -aa [to socialise with], a -
aa [to meet] Full stops are very rarely put at the end of sentences,
people usually try to say their whole thought in a single sentence, and bung in a
smiley at the end, just like me now [a]:) Incidentally ea-a [i.e. how
the word for now is spelt], thats another thing:)
And as for the whole culture centred on site www . . . com [a pornographic web-
site], Im not going to say anything about it because Im sure youre just not
ready for it:)) But thats where the futures at:)
Well there are lots of things like that and one really shouldnt dismiss that sort
of approach to language on the internet out of hand, when it would be really
69
2 Passages illustrating register
worthwhile to bring them out into the open:) And this hasnt got anything to
do with being like a yokel out of the depths of Russia either:)
P.S. there are of course also kids on the net for whom a complex sentence is three
simple ones without a single comma:) Thats not what Ive been talking about
of course. What Ive got in mind is changes in language without distorting the
sense and comprehensibility [of it].
70
2.13 Language of the internet
71
2 Passages illustrating register
absence of r Features of the higher formal registers are not altogether absent. There
formal features is, for instance, a present active participle, ee (28), and a
reflexive verb used in passive sense, a (16). However, there is a
notable dearth of such features, there being no examples of gerunds,
present passive participles, threading of cases, subordinating
conjunctions or complex prepositional phrases.
72
3 Problems of meaning: Russian words
This chapter lists some of the Russian words that give difficulty to the
English-speaking student. The difficulty may arise for any one of
several reasons. For example, the Russian word may have a wide range
of meaning. It may be easily confused with some other Russian word
or words. It may be deceptively similar to some English word. It may
occur in a plural form whereas its English equivalent occurs in a
singular form or vice versa. Or it may denote some phenomenon or
concept that is unfamiliar to an English-speaker.
3.1 Homonyms
Homonyms arise in several ways. Firstly, as a result of phonological
change a word may come to coincide in sound and form with another
word of different origin (as is the case with the pair ). Secondly,
identical forms may develop as a result of the processes of
word-formation, by the addition of distinct suffixes to a root
(e.g. a). Thirdly, it very often happens that an existing word
takes on quite a new meaning (e.g. e).
We also include here a few words (e.g. a) which strictly speaking
are not homonyms but which have a range of meaning that is
unexpected to English-speakers.
Many of the examples given here are full homonyms (i.e. they have
identical pronunciation and paradigms, e.g. in its different
meanings), while others are partial homonyms (i.e. they do not share
all the forms which each word possesses, e.g. , which does not
have plural forms in its sense of peace).
73
3 Problems of meaning: Russian words
e time
tense (gram term)
a to tie
to knit
a/a to stroke (e.g. animal)
to iron (clothes; pf also a)
a to chase, drive, pursue
to distil
voice
vote
(m) pigeon
dove
throat
neck of bottle (though as a rule the dimin form is used in
this sense, except in the phrase a (D), to drink straight
from the bottle)
furnace, forge
bugle
a lip
bay, inlet (in northern Russia)
tree fungus
ee country (i.e. not town)
village
duty
debt
a (, ) to press, squeeze
(, ) to reap
ea victim
sacrifice
e Earth
e land, soil
a caviar
calf (part of leg)
history
story
affair
aa map
playing card
74
3.1 Homonyms
club (society)
puff, cloud (e.g. of dust)
key (to door); also fig, clue
spring, source (of water)
a skin
leather
a block (of wood)
pack of cards
a plait
scythe
spit (of land)
door-post
shoal (of fish)
herd (of mares with one stallion)
a fist
strike force (mil)
wealthy peasant
course (programme of study; path along which sth moves)
year (of course in educational institution)
rate of exchange (fin)
aa caress, kindness
weasel (gen pl a)
light
easy
ea (pl; gen e) forests
scaffolding
ea staircase
ladder
aa shovel
shoulder-blade
onion
bow (for shooting arrows)
aa to mass (mil)
to massage
ae matter (as opposed to spirit; phil)
cloth
aa machine
car
75
3 Problems of meaning: Russian words
peace
world
peasant commune (in pre-revolutionary Russia)
e moment
factor
aa science
learning
a scientific
academic
aa beginning
premiss (i.e. postulate)
e sky
heaven
a leg
foot
to carry
to wear (clothes)
experience
experiment
a steam
fallow
e loop
stitch
buttonhole
noose
a slab (e.g. paving-stone)
stove (for cooking)
floor
sex
e field
(pl) margin (of page)
brim (of hat)
a policy
politics
a shelf
weeding
a Polish woman
polka (dance)
76
3.1 Homonyms
to thrash (pf )
to unstitch (pf a)
ee subject (e.g. of study)
object (thing, topic)
aa programme
channel (on TV)
schedule; ea aa, curriculum
a novel
rmane
a arm
hand
(f ) trot
lynx
e light
world
society (i.e. the fashionable world)
e bright, radiant
light (of colours)
(f ) speed
gear (of engine)
word
speech, e.g. a a, freedom of speech; ea -
, to call on sb to speak
e advice
soviet (i.e. council)
ea Wednesday (acc sg e)
milieu, environment (acc sg e)
table
bureau, office (e.g. a , passport bureau)
board, cuisine (e.g. e , Smorgasbord, lit Swedish table)
e (f ) shadow
shade
a titanium (chemical element)
Titan (in Greek mythology)
boiler (old-fashioned bathroom water heater)
aa grass
herb
to extinguish, put out (pf )
to braise, stew
77
3 Problems of meaning: Russian words
heavy
difficult
a member of strike force (mil); shock-worker
firing-pin (of gun)
drummer (in pop group; R1)
scientist
scholar, learned person
aa draught (in boardgame); a a, to play draughts
sabre
tongue
language
78
3.2 Homophones and homoforms
nom/acc pl gen pl
e knee e ee
joint (in pipe) e ee
bend (in river) ea e
generation (obs) ea e
e (m) root e
roots (used for e ee
culinary or
medicinal purposes)
leaf e
sheet of paper
ground, cause (for) ()
rein e
vessel, craft a
chamberpot a e
mushroom
influenza
79
3 Problems of meaning: Russian words
Great Dane
dock
e (infin) to eat
(3rd pers sg and pl) there is/are
(3rd pers sg) is (see 4.2)
aa campaign
a company (in various senses)
e f noun, stove
infin, to bake
a saw (tool)
f past tense of , to drink
fruit
raft
threshold
vice (fault, sin)
(impf ) to resemble
(pf ) to walk around for a bit
pond
twig
a gen/dat/prep sg of a (f ), steel
pl past-tense form of a, to become
line of verse
m past-tense form of , to abate, die down, subside
post, pole, column, pillar
pillar (fig, e.g. ea, a pillar of society)
80
3.3 Homographs
three
2nd pers imp of ee, to rub
labour
tinder
flourish (mus)
(f ) Indian ink
3.3 Homographs
Russian has many pairs of homographs, a large number of which
result from morphological coincidence (see e.g. aea, , below).
Only a very small sample is given here to illustrate the phenomenon.
aa atlas
aa satin
gen sg of a, water
nom/acc pl of a
a castle
a lock
iris (flower)
toffee
gen sg of e, sea
nom/acc pl of e
a torment
a flour
acc sg of a, burden
1st pers sg of , to carry
81
3 Problems of meaning: Russian words
a pore
a it is time (to)
instr sg of , sweat
adv, then
a gen sg of , word
a nom pl of
forty
gen pl of a, magpie
3.4 Paronyms
There are in Russian, as in English, many words which may easily be
confused with other words that are similar in sound and written form.
The problem is compounded when, as is often the case, the two words
have related or similar meaning.
This section provides a small sample of such words, including a few
whose difference is mainly one of register rather than meaning. In
many cases the difference between two forms consists in the fact that
one is a Slavonicism and the other a Russian form (e.g. aa,
a; see Glossary). In others the difference is merely one of
gender (e.g. a, aa). Some of the less common meanings a
Russian word may have are omitted. Not included are verbal clusters
derived from the same root by the addition of various prefixes (on
which see 8.3).
82
3.4 Paronyms
a town-dweller aa citizen
hot burning
a far-sighted (prescient) a long-sighted
ae relating to diplomacy a tactful, shrewd
aae relating to drama aa dramatic, sensational
spirit (pl; gen scent, perfume
)
shower a soul
aa complaint aae salary
a heat (heat of day, aa hot weather
fervour, ardour)
e cruel hard, tough
aeae remarkable, splendid ae significant, considerable
aae curtain (large, e.g. in aaea curtain (e.g. in house)
theatre)
83
3 Problems of meaning: Russian words
healthy a sensible; a
, common sense
84
3.4 Paronyms
a fly
a dimin of a; also beauty-spot; also foresight (on gun), as in a
, to take aim
a midge
ee fatherland e patronymic
ae case (gram) a cattle plague
a steam, fallow aa pair, couple
eeaa/eea to pass, transfer eaa/ea to betray
85
3 Problems of meaning: Russian words
86
3.5 Faux amis
87
3 Problems of meaning: Russian words
88
3.5 Faux amis
eaea (R1;
muddle)
(R1; pushing)
e polite, proper correct a
cross-country race cross e
a sleep-walker lunatic ae
a
aa shop magazine a
a major mayor
aea demonstration manifestation ee
ea instantaneous momentous aeae
mechanic motorist a
exercise (physical) motion ee
e lens (of camera) objective e (f )
aee having passion, pathos pathetic ae (touching)
ea (sad)
a (pitiable)
eea perspective (in art), perspective eea (in art only)
(see also e) also outlook, prospect a e (point of
view)
a narrative poem poem (short) ee
ee claim, complaint, pretension ee (claim)
charge, as well as ae (claim)
pretension ee
(f; pretentiousness)
a of principle, principled, principal a (main)
e.g. a e (leading)
ee, person of
integrity
a test, model (i.e. probe (med, geol)
prototype), sample eae
(exploration)
e avenue; also prospectus, prospect eea
summary
ee rehearsal repetition ee
ea rejoinder, cue (theat) replica a
ee prescription (med), receipt ee (receiving)
recipe aa, a
(written
acknowledgement)
a nice (of person) sympathetic
(compassionate)
(responsive)
(approving)
89
3 Problems of meaning: Russian words
90
3.6 Problems of number
a (p) gate
() election
a (ae) rake
e (ee) money
(e) jungle
a () firewood
() scent, perfume
() stretcher
(e) wallpaper
ea (e) handrail
() funeral
() send-off, i.e. farewell gathering
a (ae) sledge
() cream
e (ee) twilight
() day (24-hour period)
(e) gangway, gangplank
() abacus
ea (e) ink
aa (aa) chess
(e) cabbage soup
(e; in R1 also e) cr`eche
Many Russian nouns which are generally used only in a plural form do
correspond to English nouns which also have a plural form, e.g.
() trousers
e (e) scales
a (a) light frosts
a (ae) quotation marks
a (a) holidays
() skates
91
3 Problems of meaning: Russian words
(e) curls
(e) rags
(e) people
() scissors
() spectacles
ee (ee) talks, negotiations
() verses
() efforts, trouble
(e) snowflakes, cornflakes
92
3.7 Russian words difficult to render in English
93
3 Problems of meaning: Russian words
94
3.7 Russian words difficult to render in English
95
3 Problems of meaning: Russian words
96
3.7 Russian words difficult to render in English
97
4 Problems of translation from English
into Russian
98
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
99
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
a discord, dissension
o evidence
e thesis (see also 3.5)
aea argumentation
100
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
BIG large
major, large-scale (see 3.7)
e/a// too big (see 11.3)
101
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
trunk
a booth, kiosk
a at theatre
Note: A a a, The box just opened, meaning The
explanation was quite simple (a quotation from a fable by Krylov).
BRANCH e (f ) bough
a (f ) section, subdivision, e.g. a
e, branch of industry
a subsidiary section of organisation,
e.g. a aa, the
London branch of a bank
BRIGHT vivid
e light-coloured, radiant
clever
BROWN e cinnamon-coloured
a of eyes
reddish brown, e.g. ee,
brown bear
ae/aea (nouns) brown-haired man/woman
ae sunburned
of complexion, swarthy
a ea chocolate-coloured
ee beige
102
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
CASE a instance
e legal case
(pl; gen ) set of arguments
ae basis, grounds, e.g. ae
a, the case for sanctions
aa e a a case study
(medical) patient
103
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
ae gram term
=container ea suitcase
(see also box) for spectacles, musical instrument
a glass case
104
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
105
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
CLEVER intelligent
aa talented
capable, able
a gifted
a =a
adroit, dexterous
skilful
e able, astute
COACH a bus
a part of train
aea horse-drawn carriage
COAT
a (indecl) overcoat
a fur coat
a (R1) sheepskin coat
a short outdoor jacket
ea (R1) anorak
aa (R1) winter coat with fur lining
a raincoat, waterproof cape
106
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
COPY reproduction
e specimen, example, e.g. e a
ea , I have two
copies of this book
e (photo)copy
COUNTRY aa state
a native land
ee fatherland
e (f ) terrain
a (motion), a outside the city or town
(location)
107
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
108
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
=
-a in different ways
109
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
e (f ) aim, goal
110
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
111
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
corpulent, obese
112
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
bonfire
a open fire, fireplace
ardour
113
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
e external; e a,
, foreign policy, trade
alien
FRUSTRATION ae despair
e feeling that there is no way out
e sense of impotence
aa annoyance
114
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
aaee irritation
a esp psychological
a (f ) state of being frustrated
FUNNY e laughable
aa amusing
a strange
e incomprehensible
e suspicious
115
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
ee interesting
e cheerful, e.g. ee aee,
good mood
pleasant, agreeable
able, capable
obedient
a (short forms only) skilful, clever, e.g. O a a ,
Hes good at everything.
GUN rifle
e sawn-off shot-gun
e pistol
ee revolver
e machine-gun
a cannon
116
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
117
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
118
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
INFORM a/ to notify
a + acc
a/ + dat to report to
ea/e + acc to notify
(R3b)
e/e to notify
+ acc (R3b, negative
overtone)
a/a - to notify
e (R3b)
/e a + acc to denounce, inform against
119
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
/e to incorporate, e.g. e a
e, to introduce a correction
in a document
120
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
LEAVE / to go out
ea/ea to go out (by transport)
/ to go away
ea/ea to go away (by transport)
ea/ee to go away by plane, fly off
a/a to set off
/ to depart (of transport), e.g. e
e, The train leaves
at midday.
ea/ee to depart (of plane)
a/a to withdraw
a/a to leave behind; also to bequeath
a/ to abandon, forsake
a/ to abandon, forsake, e.g.
e, to leave ones wife
aa/a to forget to take, e.g. a
ae, I left my umbrella
on the bus.
121
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
122
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
MARRIAGE aa wedding
ea process of getting married (from
point of view of man)
ae married state (for woman)
a matrimony
e (R3) wedlock
123
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
MEETING ea encounter
ae appointment, rendezvous
ae gathering (formal, e.g. party
meeting)
aeae formal session (people sitting and
discussing)
eae (high-level) conference (people
consulted, decisions made)
political rally
124
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
125
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
MUCH a lot
a by a large margin
a with short comp adj, e.g. a
e, much better
() too much
e with verbs, very much, e.g. a
ea e e a, I
like this play very much.
126
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
127
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
ae obsolete, out-of-date
128
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
POWER a (f ) authority
a strength, force; aa a,
horse power
e energy, e.g. ea e,
nuclear power
(f ) might
129
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
130
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
QUEEN ea monarch
aa playing card
e (m) chess piece
aa of insect, e.g. bee, ant
ea homosexual
(subst adj; R1) gay
REALISE a/ to understand
aa/a to acknowledge, e.g. a
, to realise ones mistake
131
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
Note also the phrase eea(e) e + dat, remember (me) to, i.e. give my
regards to.
132
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
a/ to tower over
a + instr
a/ to be promoted, gain advancement
aa/a a + to rebel against
a
ea/e to be resurrected, e.g. X
e , Christ rose
from the dead.
RUBBISH refuse
litter, dust
(f ) trash
(f ) junk (old and broken things)
a junk (things no longer needed)
ea nonsense
ea =ea
(more bookish) nonsense
e ae (R1) to talk rubbish
133
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
134
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
a/ to shake off
a (impf; intrans) to tremble, shiver, e.g. Oa
a, She is shaking with cold.
a/a to undermine, e.g. a -
e, to shake sbs faith
/ + instr to make a threatening gesture with, e.g.
- a, ae,
to shake ones fist, finger at sb
aa/aa to shake ones head
a/a - to shake hands with sb
135
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
SIGHT ee vision
aspect, view
glance, opinion, e.g. a e
, at first sight
ee spectacle
136
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
SIT e to be seated
a/e to sit down
aa/e to take a seat
a/e to sit (for a defined time)
aea (intrans) to be in session, e.g. aae
aeae, Parliament is sitting.
e to be a member of, i.e. to sit on
(a committee)
ea ae to sit an exam
aa ae =ea ae
137
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
ee second-rate
bad, poor, e.g. ae,
a, a small appetite, harvest
modest, e.g. , a
small income
138
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
STAND to be standing
aa/ to stand (for a specified time); to
stand idle, e.g. Ca
aa, The machines stand
idle.
a/a to put into standing position
a/a to move into certain positions, e.g.
a a , to stand on tiptoe
aa/a to get up
/e to endure
ee/ee to endure
ea/ea to withstand, stand up to, e.g. E
a e e , Her
book will not stand up to criticism.
aa/a e to remain in force, e.g. Peee
a e, The decision stands.
139
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
(impf ) in expression a e,
How do things stand?
STATE e condition
ee position, state of affairs
aee mood, state of mind
a body politic
STEP a ae
e (f ) on flight of stairs
ea =e; also step on ladder
ea ladder, staircase
ea step-ladder
a footboard (of vehicle)
steps into building, porch
(f ) tread, e.g. a , heavy
step
a gait, way of walking
ea measure, e.g. a/
e, to take steps
a (n, indecl) dance step
a in phrase - a,
to follow in sbs footsteps
140
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
STORY aa tale
e (f ) novella
aa fairy tale
series of events
141
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
ae anecdote, joke
aa plot (literary term)
a fabrication, invention
ea cock-and-bull story
a in newspaper
142
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
143
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
a occasion
a epoch
e period
e age, century
fixed period, term
e moment, e.g.
e, at the right time
e season
a instance, e.g. e a
e, nine times out of ten
a hour, time of day, e.g. a?
What time is it? B a? At
what time?
a mus term, e.g. a/
a, to keep time
a + infin it is time (to do sth)
spare time, leisure, e.g. a e, in
ones spare time
a a (R1) in no time, in a jiffy
Note also -e, on time; ee, for the first time; aaee
(R3), in good time.
144
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
145
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
146
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
147
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
148
4.1 English words difficult to render in Russian
149
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
e society
(pl; gen ) circles
(f ) life
150
4.2 Translation of the verb to be
E aae Me, ae a a e a.
Her husband works in Moscow but is home for all holidays.
E ae a e a.
His foreign friends often came to see him.
r / may be used when the complement defines the
subject, e.g.
O a e eaa a e
eaa eae
ee .
The products of corrosion of the metallic surfaces of the pipes are the
fundamental sources of the irradiation of personnel at nuclear reactors.
Ce aae ee ee
a aae eee a ae.
The talks which took place in Damascus were the latest attempt to find an
Arab solution to the Gulf conflict.
151
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
ae a a a ae a
ae aa a .
The closure of the base was one of the components of a programme of defence
cuts.
Note: all the points made in notes 14 on / will apply also to a
when it has this function.
r aa + prep is frequently used in R2/R3 in the sense to
consist in, e.g.
Oa a ea e aae
, ee .
One of the main causes of the lycee pupils discontent is that they are worried
about their future.
r + prep=aa in this sense, e.g.
ee e ee eea
, e.
The advantage of CFCs over other substances is that they are not toxic.
r a/a=to constitute, to amount to; this verb is followed
by the accusative case and is particularly common in statistical contexts,
e.g.
B ae ae a e.
Armenians are a minority in this region.
Teeaa eaa e e aa
ee a.
The temperature of the reactor at the moment the submarine was destroyed was
70 degrees.
Note: this verb is particularly common in the phrases a/a a, to
be a part (of ) and a/a ee, to be an exception.
r a (impf ) may be used when to be defines the position or
location of people, places or things, and also when state or condition is
being described, e.g.
ee a a e.
The President was on holiday in the Crimea.
e a a ea.
Chernobyl is close to the border with Belarus.
A a e ae.
The airport is under the control of the rebels.
Oae a .
The equipment is in excellent condition.
r ae (f aea, n ae, pl ae) may
also be used when location is being described, e.g.
ae ea ee T.
Cyprus is about 60 kilometres south of Turkey.
152
4.2 Translation of the verb to be
C e ee?
How much is a colour television set?
r a=to be present, e.g.
Oa aa a aea.
She was at the meeting.
r aa=to work (as), e.g.
O aae a.
Hes a cook.
r , to serve, is more or less synonymous with aa but
slightly more formal, e.g.
O a.
Hes in the army.
r =to fall (of dates), to stand in a certain relationship to, e.g.
aae Pe a ee a.
The Orthodox Christmas is on 7 January.
O e ae.
He is my great-grandfather.
r e is the copula when the subject and complement are the same, e.g.
aa aa, e .
I am beginning to find out who is who.
Oa e a.
A mistake is a mistake.
e, ee .
I believe there is a God.
B a a ee e .
There is a risk of war breaking out in such situations.
153
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
154
4.3 Translation of English modal auxiliary verbs
COULD (a) past tense of can, i.e.=was/were able to: use past-tense forms of the
translations given under can above;
(b) polite request: e ee ; e ; aa, e.g.
Could u help me? He ee e?
He e?
Could you pass the salt? eeae, aa, .
(c) could have (also might have), expressing unfulfilled possibility in past:
/a// , e.g.
She could/might have done it Oa a ea.
[but did not].
(d) could have (also may have, might have), expressing uncertainty as to
whether action took place: e , e.g.
She could/might have done it Me a eaa .
[and may have done].
(e) expressing emotion, wish: various translations, e.g.
She could have wept for joy. Oa a a aaa
a.
I could have killed him. Me e e.
155
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
MIGHT (a) expressing possibility: synonymous with may (b) (though might is
perhaps more colloquial);
(b) might have in the sense could have, may have: see could (c) and (d);
(c) after verbs of hoping and fearing and in concessive clauses:
synonymous with may (c);
(d) expressing formal polite request in interrogative sentences: various
formulae, e.g.
Might I suggest that . . . e e e,
. . .
Might I discuss this matter with Me , aa aee
you tomorrow? e e a?
(e) might have, expressing reproach: /a// , e.g.
You might have told me that. B e aa .
156
4.3 Translation of English modal auxiliary verbs
SHALL (a) expressing first person singular and first person plural of future tense:
future tense, e.g.
I shall write to him. a e.
(b) expressing promise or threat (synonymous with will): perfective future,
e.g.
You shall receive the money e aa.
tomorrow.
You shall pay for this. T a aa.
(c) in questions asking whether sth is desirable or obligatory: impersonal
construction with dative subject (or with no subject stated) and
infinitive, e.g.
Shall I call in tomorrow? Me a aa?
Shall I bring you some more e a e ?
vodka?
157
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
SHOULD (a) synonymous in ordinary English speech with would (a), (b) and (c);
(b) expressing advisability, recommendation, obligation: more or less
synonymous with ought (a);
(c) should have, expressing reproach or regret at omission: more or less
synonymous with ought (c);
(d) expressing probability: more or less synonymous with ought (d);
(e) expressing modest assertion: various formulae, e.g.
I should think that . . . Me ae, . . .
I should say that . . . aa(a), . . .
(f ) expressing surprise, indignation: various formulae, e.g.
Why should you suspect me? C a a e
eaee?
How should I know? Oa e a?
You should see him! e a e!
(g) as a subjunctive form in certain subordinate clauses: + past
tense, e.g.
Everybody demanded that he Bce ea,
should be punished. aaa.
I proposed that they should return e(a),
the money. a e.
WILL (a) as auxiliary forming second and third person singular and plural of
future tense (and in ordinary English speech also first person singular
and plural forms): future tense, e.g.
She will arrive tomorrow. Oa ee aa.
(b) expressing probability, e.g. Shell be home by now: more or less
synonymous with ought (d).
(c) expressing habitual action: imperfective verb, e.g.
Hell sit for hours in front of the O e aa ee
television. ee.
158
4.4 Transitive and intransitive verbs
WOULD (a) as second and third person singular and plural auxiliary (and in
ordinary speech also first person singular and plural), expressing
conditional mood: past-tense form + , e.g.
They would go out if it stopped O , e
raining. ea .
(b) as second and third person singular and plural auxiliary (and in
ordinary speech also first person singular and plural) indicating future
in indirect speech (see 11.6(a)): perfective future, e.g.
I told you I would come. ee aa, .
He said he would ring me. O aa, e.
(c) with like, expressing wish: e/ea/e , e ,
e.g.
They would like to leave. O e .
I would like to thank you Me e e
warmly. aa a.
(d) expressing polite invitation, exhortation or proposal in the form of a
question (more or less synonymous with will): various formulae or a
modified imperative, e.g.
Would you close the window, Ba e a ? or
please? Bac e a a ?
Would you wait a moment? e ,
aa.
(e) expressing frequent action in the past: imperfective past, possibly with
a suitable adverb or adverbial phrase, e.g.
They would often pick mushrooms O, a, a
in the wood. e.
As a rule she would read in the Oa, a a, aa
evenings. eea.
159
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
trans intrans
to boil / e/e
to burn e/e e/e
to drown / /
to grow aa/a a/a
to hang ea/e e
to hurt / e
to rot / /
to sink / or / (R1)
a/a /a
to sit (down) aa/a a/e
to smell a aa or a
a/a
to stand a/a
Note: in some cases the Russian transitive and intransitive verbs contain the same root,
but in others they are derived from quite distinct roots (e.g. e/e
and e/e).
160
4.5 Translation of English forms ending in -ing
161
4 Problems of translation from English into Russian
(i) after from used with verbs such as prevent, stop: Russian infinitive, e.g.
You are preventing/stopping me from working.
T eae e aa.
(j) often a construction containing in the case appropriate in the
context followed by + infinitive may be used, e.g.
We all have an interest in taking the best decisions.
Bce aeea , ae ee.
e e eae. B
ae e.
The economic crisis will lead to unemployment. Social problems will also arise.
Ha Aa aea a a. Haae
eee a ae
aa ae.
A huge hole has been discovered over Antarctica. A reduction in the ozone layer
is being observed over many densely populated regions of the planet as well.
Note: in clauses with a negative verb may have the meaning either, e.g.
ee- e , e a a
. B e e e a ea e e e, The prime
minister did not explain why inflation had risen to such a [high] level. Other serious
problems found no place either in his speech.
162
5 Vocabulary and idiom
5.1 Neologisms
The radical changes in Russian life since the mid-1980s, the sudden
greatly increased exposure to Western influence, and the introduction
of large numbers of new institutions, habits and concepts have led to
the flooding of the Russian language with neologisms. These
neologisms relate to almost every area of life, but are especially
numerous in such fields as politics, economics, social problems, law and
order, science and technology, education, culture, sport and fashion.
Many of the neologisms are loanwords from other languages,
nowadays mainly from English. Neologisms of this type may require
slight phonetic adaptation, especially when the English word contains
the letter c followed by e or i, e.g. e , genocide. The majority of
them are absorbed into Russian without morphological adaptation, if
they are nouns (e.g. , briefing), although some (especially those
ending in -) will be indeclinable (e.g. a (n) publicity).
However, the adjectives and verbs among loanwords, and also many
borrowed nouns, require the addition of Russian affixes to the foreign
root (e.g. ea, top-down (of management); a, to
take part in meetings (R1, pej); a` aae, self-financing).
Many other neologisms are derived from existing Russian resources
by various means, including composition of acronyms (e.g. ,
vagrant), affixation (e.g. ee, person who operates in the shadow
economy) and polysemanticisation (e.g. a/, to launder
(money)), perhaps on the basis of some foreign model (e.g. e,
hawk, used in a figurative sense).
The following section very briefly indicates the main waves of
Russian lexical borrowing. In 5.1.2 and 5.1.3 we provide a small
number of examples of very recent loanwords from English and of
neologisms derived wholly or partly from existing Russian words or
roots. These words belong in R2, and may therefore be used in most
contexts, unless otherwise indicated. In 5.1.4 we deal with slang of
various sorts. Section 5.1.5 looks at the large body of new terminology
that relates to computing.
163
5 Vocabulary and idiom
164
5.1 Neologisms
165
5 Vocabulary and idiom
166
5.1 Neologisms
167
5 Vocabulary and idiom
168
5.1 Neologisms
5.1.4 Slang
Slang is a stratum of lexis that defies the standard and is unorthodox
and more or less subversive. It is associated particularly with youth and
marginal groups. The words which abound in youth slang
( e) relate especially to parents, sex, drink, drugs,
fighting and the police, for instance: (to denote parents) (lit
relatives in R1), (lit shoe-laces); and (in the meaning to have sex)
a, , ee, a (all pf ). Further
varieties of slang are associated with business (e e,
a), the criminal underworld (e a (indecl), a
, or e) and the world of computer-users (see 5.1.5 below).
Some slang is derived from foreign words, e.g. , greens (i.e.
dollars; gen ); a, to drink; e, to get a loan;
, oldies (i.e. parents).
There follows a short list of examples of slang of one sort or another
that have been in vogue at some time over the past ten years or so.
However, foreign learners should use such words with caution, both
because slang is by definition non-standard and because it tends to
become dated more quickly than other areas of lexis (indeed some of
the expressions listed here that are now modish may well seem stale by
the time this book is published).
169
5 Vocabulary and idiom
170
5.1 Neologisms
171
5 Vocabulary and idiom
172
5.1 Neologisms
eeeae renaming
eae cutting
eae pasting
eee highlighting
aa insertion, pasting
aee deletion
aea replacing
a/a to save
e document
a file
aa folder
aa table
e column
ea cell
ea subject
window
a icon
font
bold
italics
symbol
aae spelling
a default
a recycle bin (normally waste bin)
virus
aa virus protection
aa aa antivirus program
commands and Start
control buttons O Open
(a
ae) aa Edit
B View
Ha Find
Haa Back
Be Forward
Ca Create
Bea Cut
Ba Insert
. a
Delete
173
5 Vocabulary and idiom
a Copy
Ca (a) Save (as)
Oea Cancel
Ba Restore
Ce Minimise (lit Roll up)
Pae Maximise (lit Unroll )
ea (f ) Print
a Pause
B Exit
a Close
ae Favourites (lit Selected)
O Browse (lit Survey)
aae (pl; sg aae) Options
Caa Help
Shortcut (lit Label )
Haa Settings
Ce Tools
O Empty recycle bin
B e Shut down computer
eea Restart
the internet Ma aa World Wide Web
(ee, e) a eea internet service provider
ee e connecting to the net
a (adj a) online
aa navigating, surfing
ae browser
a a information gateway
a site
aaa bookmark
a aa home page
screen name
Search
ee Go
aee Next
Home
aa Download
aa/a to download
e-ee video-conference
174
5.1 Neologisms
175
5 Vocabulary and idiom
click (= e)
e/a mouse left/right click
, aa computer
a mouse (lit rat)
eaa message
/a to send by email
a program
aa download
a trouble, problem
ae hacker
a to use
e user
176
5.3 Fillers
a on the contrary
ae for example
ee undoubtedly
a however
in a word, in short
consequently
ee e first of all, above all
. . . on the one hand . . . on the other hand
a aee it goes without saying
e moreover
eae consequently
ee e (R3) it must be noted
a a in this way
e e eee nevertheless
e that is (to say)
5.3 Fillers
Alongside transitional expressions of the sort exemplified in 5.2, which
give coherence to a line of thought, languages have a stock of words or
phrases that may be inserted in an utterance for various other purposes.
Such interpolations might represent a speakers comment on the
reliability of information (e.g. ae), indicate the source or status of
the information (e.g. -e), describe the way an idea is expressed
( a), make some sort of appeal by a speaker to his or her
interlocutor (ae), or express a speakers attitude to what is said
(a e). Often interpolations mean very little, serving mainly to fill
out an utterance, perhaps in order to give the speaker time to marshal
further thoughts. (Interpolations of this latter sort are known in
Russian as a-aa.) Unlike the transition words given in 5.2
most of the fillers given in this section belong primarily to the more
informal spoken register (R1).
In the expressions in the following list which address an interlocutor
(e.g. a(e) (ee)) both the second-person-singular and the
second-person-plural forms are given.
/e do you see
evidently, obviously
a(e) (ee) fancy, just imagine
so there we are
er . . .
they say
177
5 Vocabulary and idiom
aa roughly speaking
ee really
lets suppose, say
a in other words
ae/aee you know
a evidently, it seems
a so, then
(e) excuse (me for saying so)
a = a
ae unfortunately
a fortunately
a sort of, like
e of course
a (aa) by the way
e a between ourselves
e incidentally
a e unfortunately
e e/ee you wont believe it
well
e e in all probability
ae ee at least
ae aa to tell the truth
(e) allow (me to say it)
(e) pardon (me) (as expression of objection)
ae/aee (do) you understand
to put it simply
ea(e) ee imagine
(e) forgive (me for saying it)
ae lets be frank
ae ae the main thing
a(e) a you dont say (iron)
a(e) listen
a/ae youll agree
a so
a aa so to speak
a sort of, like
e who knows (anticipating sth unpleasant)
aae as they say
178
5.4 Modal particles
a (a) placed at the end of an utterance, exhorts the hearer to give an answer
or agree to sth, e.g.
Mee a, a? Want an ice-cream?
B e, a? Is everything all right then?
T (a)? ee, a? Are you ready? Shall we go then?
(b) occurs in vocative expressions (see 7.3.1) when a diminutive name is
repeated, in which case the particle is placed between the two words in
the vocative, e.g.
Ta, a Ta! a ae, Tania, what do u think, should
e a ee ? I go to the party?
Ma, a a! T e e? Mum! Will you help me?
(c) placed at the beginning of an utterance, gives a spontaneous link with
what has been said or assumed, e.g.
Oa e a Where did you get such a lovely
a a? scarf?
A a. My husband gave it to me as a
present.
M ? Can I speak to Mitia?
A a ae. Hes at work.
A a e? When will he get home?
B e. A e aae? At six. Whos that asking for
him?
e (a) expresses mild assertion of sth which the speaker considers obvious;
sometimes this assertion constitutes an objection to another point of
view, e.g.
Be ae e e. For it just couldnt be otherwise.
179
5 Vocabulary and idiom
180
5.4 Modal particles
181
5 Vocabulary and idiom
e (a) expresses a feeling on the speakers part that sth is unreasonable or does
not correspond to reality, e.g.
A e ea! And you call yourself a mechanic!
A e , And you still say youve no aptitude
ee/ea for music!
e.
(b) expresses emphatic affirmation or denial, e.g.
E ! Ill say!
Hy, ae? Have you had enough to eat?
E a ae! Ill say.
182
5.4 Modal particles
183
5 Vocabulary and idiom
184
5.4 Modal particles
185
5 Vocabulary and idiom
186
5.4 Modal particles
() (a) may mean if only or at least, or may have the same meaning as ae,
() even, r ae e, even if, especially in set phrases, e.g.
ea a e. Do come, if only just for a day.
A, Oh, if only there were just one
e! letter from her!
X e, e a. I couldnt tell you to save my life.
(lit Even if you kill me I wont tell
you)
(b) introduces an example which readily springs to the speakers mind; in
this use it may be translated by for example, to take only, e.g.
e. B e. People are lazy. Take you for
example.
(a) may introduce a question, perhaps with a tone of surprise, disapproval
or indignation, e.g.
, e? So youve got stomach-ache, have
you?
, , e ae What! He says he doesnt know me?
e?
(b) combines with a personal pronoun in the nominative to form elliptical
exclamations in which some verb such as is understood,
e.g.
Me , ae e Would you like to have something
-? else to eat?
! (a). What are you saying? Im full.
ee aa a . Ill pay you for the beer.
! He a! For goodness sake! Its not necessary.
187
5 Vocabulary and idiom
-
Miscellaneous
particles - form indefinite pronouns (see 11.2.5)
-
ea indicates reported speech, e.g. O, ea, e
a, He said he hadnt heard.
contraction of ; = ea
- (obs) (= a r a) form of address to a
social superior, e.g. serf to lord; also used
ironically; widely encountered in classical
literature
- (-) forms reflexive verbs (11.8)
allegedly, ostensibly, supposedly, e.g.
ea aaa, a supposedly impossible task
(but the speaker does not believe it to be so)
5.5 Interjections
Interjections by their nature belong to the colloquial speech of R1.
The following list gives some common interjections with translations
that attempt to capture their flavour rather than the literal meaning of
the words.
188
5.5 Interjections
!/ a go to hell!
!
a e! (vulg) go to hell!
! (D) bother/damn/sod it!
H, , a! What the hell are you doing?
(slightly vulg)
, ae/a// oh damn, Im fed up with it/you
aea a + acc to hell with, damn
aa! clear off, get lost!
a! clear off, get lost!
a a! like hell!
!/ e! to hell with it!
e + instr (vulg) to hell with
Note: see also 5.6 on vulgar language.
189
5 Vocabulary and idiom
190
5.6 Vulgar language
the same anatomical features and sentiments are involved), since the
English word occurs in a society that uses such vocabulary, for better or
for worse, with relative freedom. Thirdly, it should be understood that
whereas in Britain vulgar language may nowadays be used as freely by
women as by men, in Russia the use of such language by a woman is
likely to shock both men and women more than the use of that
language by a man. The foreign student of Russian should therefore
avoid using vulgar language if he, or especially she, wishes to win
acceptance in any sort of polite Russian society.
On the other hand, with the sudden influx into Russia of things
Western, including pornography, vulgar language is a reality of Russian
life that foreign students are much more likely to encounter now than
they would have been in Soviet times. It has also found its way on a
large scale into serious literature, including works published in Russia
as well as those published abroad by emigres. The introduction of
vulgar language into works of art may be traced to the brief thaw under
Khrushchov. Vulgar words occur, for example, in Solzhentsyns Ou
e aa eua (A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich). In the age
of glasnost and the post-Soviet era such language has come to be widely
used with great freedom in the works of writers such as Aleshkovskii,
Venedkt Erofeev, Limonov, Narbikova, Petrushevskaia, Evgenii Popov
and Znik, some of whom, it should be noted, are women, and many
of whom are writers of literary note. The foreign student may
therefore usefully acquire a passive knowledge of this area of language.
The word meaning foul language, a, is derived from a, mother,
expressions of abuse towards ones mother being the most offensive sort
of obscenity. Further expressions of the same origin include ae
and aea (which also mean foul language) and the verbs
ae, to use foul language, and aa, to eff and blind.
A small selection of the very numerous obscenities available to the
Russian-speaker is given below.
ea (, ) to puke
ea (e, e; past tense to fuck; also to curse, discipline
, e) severely
e e fuck off
e fucking (noun)
a a bollocking
a fucking (adj)
ea e- to fuck about with sth
aa (m and f) pain-in-the-arse
a fucking (as epithet; lit fuck your
mother)
aa/a (less vulg to screw, bonk
than ea)
191
5 Vocabulary and idiom
a (a, to piss
ae)/a
a (, )/a to piss
a/ to have a piss, take a leak
a (dimin a) arse
arse-licker
e (, ) to fart (silently), foul the air,
bullshit; to shit oneself, i.e. to be
afraid
fart (weak person), coward
ee (e)/ to fart
e farting
e farter, old fart
a (, )/aa to shit
e aa he doesnt give a shit
aae arse-hole, shit (i.e. person)
a/a - to shit all over sb (fig)
e crap, dung (also person)
shit
shit (bag) (i.e. person)
a cunt
/ to swipe, nick, steal
(dimin ) prick (also person)
fuck all
a fuck off
e =
ea =
shit (nonsense, rubbish)
e =
lousy, fucking awful
e =
a arsehole (person)
bollocks (nonsense)
a (m and f ) wanker
to masturbate
(f ) swine, bastard
(f ) whore; also used as exclamation:
sod it!
a tart
192
5.7 Idioms
5.7 Idioms
An idiom is an expression peculiar to a particular language. It may have
a rough equivalent in another language, but its meaning may not be
readily apparent to a foreigner or even logically explicable.
Russian is particularly rich in its stock of idiomatic expressions,
which are a source of pride to native speakers. These expressions lend
colour and vitality to a speakers language and appropriate use of them
enhances the speakers authority.
The idioms given in this section are widely used in modern
Russian. While many of them are colloquial, they may well be
deployed in the literary language and in R3c as well as in everyday
speech in order to impart vitality, vividness and even an air of authentic
national distinctiveness. On the other hand they are unlikely to be
encountered in the formal objective registers of R3a and R3b.
The idioms are arranged in alphabetical order according to the letter
with which the key word, usually a noun, begins. Where only one
member of an aspectual pair of verbs appears either that member
predominates or only that member may be used in the idiom in
question. Wherever possible an idiomatic English equivalent of the
Russian idiom is given. In many cases a literal translation of the
Russian idiom is provided as well. Often this literal translation helps to
elucidate the meaning of the Russian idiom but in some instances it
serves merely to draw attention to the colourful nature of the idiom. In
yet other cases, where there is no English equivalent of the Russian
idiom, we provide a literal translation and if necessary an explanation
of the context in which the idiom may be used.
Note that a few of the words that appear in these idioms (e.g.
aa, a, , e, ) have no other use in
the modern language or occur only in a small number of such set
expressions.
A
Haa a to begin at the beginning (a is the Slavonic name
of the first letter of the Cyrillic alphabet)
a/ Ae lit to discover America, i.e. to say sth well-known
B
( e) a . lit Everything comes tumbling out of (his) hands, i.e.
(He) is all fingers and thumbs.
193
5 Vocabulary and idiom
a a a to talk tete-`a-tete
a e lit without blinking, i.e. without batting an eyelid
aa/a aa a - to turn a blind eye to sth
a a e- lit to break ones head over sth, i.e. to rack ones
brains
/ to go up in the world
aa/a a a lit to step on a rake (so that the handle comes up
and hits you), i.e. to make a mistake which has
painful consequences; a a e e a,
to make the same mistake again
e a only just, with difficulty
E
ea e aa to rule with a rod of iron
e to talk nonsense
194
5.7 Idioms
K
aa old stager, person who has been around
ea ae a a a - lit to keep a stone in ones bosom, i.e. to bear a
grudge against sb
ae ee a stumbling block
(O) a aa e ee. (Hes) not at a loss for a word.
aa a to stir up trouble
aea a to put things right
/ e lit to go into (its) rut, i.e. to settle down again
(of life, situation; not a negative expression,
unlike Eng to get into a rut)
a/ e lit to knock out of (its) rut, i.e. to unsettle
a a e . Not a thing can be said against it.
/e a to make ends meet
a a a lit to be left at a broken trough, i.e. to be back where
one started
M
a a to go swimmingly
ee a lit a bears service, said of action that is
intended to be helpful but in fact has the
opposite effect
e aae lit between the hammer and the anvil, i.e. between
the devil and the deep blue sea/between a rock and a
hard place
e e, ee eea a land of milk and honey
195
5 Vocabulary and idiom
H
e ea to go away empty-handed
a ee - lit to run like a red thread through sth, i.e. to stand
(R3, bookish) out (of theme, motif )
a a to live like a lord
a to live in grand style
a e lit to get up on the left foot, i.e. to get out of bed on
the wrong side
a e e- to be on close terms with sb
e a lit not to feel ones legs under oneself, i.e. to be
dropping (from tiredness)
ea/e to be crestfallen
aa/aa to put on airs
- a to lead sb a dance
ea to nod off
a - to dupe sb
a to be duped
O
e to speak plainly/without beating about the bush
, ee to go through fire and water (and in the Russian
copper tubes as well!)
a lit from the fire into the flames, i.e. out of the
frying-pan and into the fire
e() e lit between two fires, i.e. between the devil and the
deep blue sea
196
5.7 Idioms
P
aa - e a lit to show sb where the crayfish spend the winter = to
give sb a dressing-down
y - lit sb has a mouth full of troubles, i.e. sb has his/her
hands full
a a - to give up sth as lost
e a lit to sit with arms folded, i.e. to twiddle ones
thumbs
dreadfully, wretchedly
aa a aa lit to work having rolled up ones sleeves, i.e. to work
with zeal
aa aa lit to work having put ones sleeves down, i.e. to work
in a slipshod manner
a neither fish nor flesh, neither one thing nor the other
C
a aa aa. (pej) They make a pair.
- to play a dirty trick on sb
( -) not a word has been heard (of sb)
B e aa aa. lit Thats where the dog is buried = Thats the crux
of the matter.
a e a - to know sth inside out
/e lit to take ones litter out of the peasant hut, i.e. to
wash ones dirty linen in public
e lit to be born in a shirt/blouse, i.e. with a silver
spoon in ones mouth
ea - to hide sth under a bushel
197
5 Vocabulary and idiom
T
e e aee to be not quite oneself
B ee, a e e. The more the merrier.
a/ - to confuse sb
a e ee lit beyond thrice nine lands, i.e. far, far away
(a formula from fairy tales)
T aa lit to Tula with ones samovar, i.e. coals to Newcastle
(in tsarist times Tula was where samovars were
made)
a/a to go up a blind alley, to come to a dead end, reach
deadlock
198
5.8 Proverbs and sayings
B
Be e Live and learn!
C a - . lit If one is to live with wolves one has to howl like a
wolf, i.e. When in Rome do as the Romans do.
Ca a e e An old bird [sparrow in Russian] is not caught with
e. chaff.
aa a a . lit A frightened crow is afraid of a bush, i.e. Once bitten
twice shy.
199
5 Vocabulary and idiom
a aa , lit If you run after two hares you will catch neither.
e ae.
K
He e; lit Dont spit in the well, you may need to drink
a. out of it, i.e. Do not antagonise people whose help
you may need later.
a a a. Make hay while the sun shines.
He aea, lit Its not all Shrove-tide for the cat, Lent will come
e . too, i.e. After the dinner comes the reckoning.
B a. lit Every sandpiper praises its own bog,
i.e. people praise what is dear to them.
M
M ee. Its a small world.
B a a e lit You dont go into sb elses monastery with your
. own set of rules, i.e. When in Rome do as the
Romans do.
Ma e a a lit Moscow wasnt built all at once, i.e. Rome was
not built in a day.
H
e e e a. lit Where there are seven nannies the child is not
watched, i.e. Too many cooks spoil the broth.
200
5.8 Proverbs and sayings
aa aa e. lit Truth pricks the eyes, i.e. Home truths are hard to
swallow.
P
C aa e e. lit Ones own shirt is nearer to the body,
i.e. Charity begins at home.
P ee a e. The Russian is wise after the event.
Pa aa aea. lit The fisherman spots a fisherman from afar,
i.e. Birds of a feather flock together.
C
Cea e . Whats done cant be undone.
Ce a e. lit Boldness takes cities, i.e. Nothing ventured nothing
gained.
C a e . lit You cant feed a nightingale with fables,
i.e. Fine words butter no parsnips.
C e aee. lit The well-fed cannot understand the hungry.
T
Ta , e a e. lit Its good where we are not, i.e. The grass is always
greener on the other side of the fence.
Te ee, ae e. lit [If] you go more calmly youll get further,
i.e. More haste less speed.
X
Xe e e ae. lit Horseradish is no sweeter than ordinary radish,
i.e. There is little to choose between two unpleasant
things.
He a e a lit Theres no evil without good, i.e. Every cloud has a
silver lining.
ea e. lit Your tongue will get you to Kiev, i.e. Dont hesitate
to ask people.
201
5 Vocabulary and idiom
5.9 Similes
A simile is an explicit likening of one thing to another. Languages have
a stock of such comparisons, some of which are distinctive to that
language. While the foreign student should take care not to use similes
excessively or ostentatiously, their occasional use in the right context
adds colour and authenticity to ones language, both spoken and
written. The following list gives some of the commonest Russian
similes. It is arranged in alphabetical order of the key word in the
comparison.
Note
1. The word a (f ) is itself an example of the much smaller number
of Russian words that have been borrowed by English and other Western
European languages; a, ee, eea, ,
aa, are others.
202
6 Language and everyday life
6.1 Measurement
The metric system has been used in Russia since it was introduced on
an obligatory basis by the Bolshevik government in 1918. The British
imperial system will not be understood by Russians, although some of
the words denoting units of measure in that system may be familiar to
them. Comparisons of units of different systems in the following
sections are approximate.
1 inch = 25 millimetres
1 foot = 0.3 metres
1 yard = 0.9 metres
1 mile = 1.6 kilometres
e millimetre
ae centimetre
e metre
e kilometre
10 ae 4 inches
1 e just over a yard
100 e 110 yards
1 e five-eighths of a mile
100 e 62 miles
a () e a man 6 tall
ee (1,83)
a () e a man 5 9 tall
ee (1,75)
a () e a man 5 6 tall
ee e (1,68)
ea () e a girl nearly 3 tall
ae (0,90)
203
6 Language and everyday life
Note: the versions of the above phrases without the preposition are more
colloquial.
6.1.2 Area
Approximate metric equivalents of imperial units of measure of area:
1 square inch = 6.45 square centimetres
1 square foot = 0.09 square metres
1 square yard = 0.84 square metres
1 acre = 0.4 hectares
1 square mile = 259 hectares
The Russian adjective for square is aa. The metric unit of
measure for large areas is the hectare, ea (= 10,000 square metres).
Some rough equivalents with imperial measurements:
aa e just over 1 square yard
10 aa e just under 12 square yards
a eaa nearly 5 acres (about the size
of 3 football pitches)
250 ea about 615 acres (roughly the
area of Hyde Park)
20,000 aa e nearly 8,000 square miles
(roughly the area of Wales)
6.1.3 Weight
Approximate metric equivalents of avoirdupois units of measure of
weight:
1 ounce = 28.35 grams
1 pound = 0.45 kilograms
1 stone = 6.36 kilograms
1 hundredweight = 50.8 kilograms
1 ton = 1,016 kilograms
The Russian words for these avoirdupois units are , , ,
aee, a, respectively.
The Russian words for the basic metric units of weight are:
a milligram
a gram
a kilogram
204
6.1 Measurement
ee 100 kilograms
a (metric) tonne (1,000 kg)
Some rough equivalents with avoirdupois weights:
200 a aa about 7 oz of butter
a just over 1 lb of meat
a e () 65 a man of just over 10 stone
a e () 100 / a man of about 151/2 stone
ee
aa e () 1000 / a car weighing just under a ton
Note: the versions of the above phrases without the preposition are more
colloquial.
6.1.4 Volume
Approximate metric equivalents of imperial units of measure of
volume:
1 cubic inch = 16 cubic centimetres
1 cubic foot = 0.03 cubic metres
1 cubic yard = 0.8 cubic metres
1 pint = 0.57 litres
1 gallon = 4.55 litres
The Russian words for the last two imperial units are a and
a, respectively. The Russian adjective for cubic is e; litre
is . Some rough equivalents:
a a about a pint of beer
a about 13/4 pints of milk
ea 50 a petrol tank which holds about
11 gallons
Note: small quantities of drinks may be ordered by weight, e.g. a ,
100 grams of vodka; e a a, 200 grams of brandy.
205
6 Language and everyday life
6.1.6 Speed
Some rough equivalents:
60 e a 37 miles an hour
100 e a 62 miles an hour
160 e a 100 miles an hour
300 e 186,000 feet per second (the speed
e of light)
6.1.7 Temperature
The centigrade scale constructed by Celsius is used, and the Fahrenheit
scale will not be generally understood. The formulae for conversion
are:
C = (F 32) 59 , e.g. 77 F = 25 C
F = C 95 + 32, e.g. 15 C = 59 F
Some equivalents:
e aee
a (100 , a e , i.e. 212
boiling point of water)
a a (ea) (30 above zero) 86
aa a (ea) (20 above zero) 68
e a (ea) (10 above zero) 50
ee paa (ea) (4 above zero) 39
(m; 0 , a aea , 32
i.e. freezing point of water)
a e / a 23
a (5 )
aa a e /aa 4
a a (20 )
a e / a 40
a (40 )
206
6.4 Time
6.2 Currency
The basic unit of currency is the rouble (; m). The smaller unit,
the kopeck (ea), of which there are a hundred to the rouble, has
with post-Soviet hyperinflation become valueless. The official rate of
exchange () was approximately 1 = 50 roubles in mid-2004.
Salaries are described in monthly terms (e.g. e e
e, 8,000 roubles a month).
Russian pre-revolutionary coins, the names of which may be
encountered in classical literature and pre-revolutionary documents,
included the a (3 kopecks), a (10 kopecks) and
(50 kopecks).
The names of the main foreign currencies that are used or are familiar
in Russia are: a, dollar; , pound; a, Swiss franc; and
latterly e, euro.
6.4 Time
The 24-hour clock is widely used for all official purposes, e.g.
ee aae The conference begins at 3.00 pm.
15.00 a.
e ae 21.00 a. The train leaves at 9.00 pm.
207
6 Language and everyday life
If the 24-hour clock is not used, and one needs to specify which part
of the day one is talking about, then one of the following forms (in the
genitive case) should follow the stated time:
ya in the morning
in the afternoon
eea in the evening
in the night
208
6.8 Public notices
: e B.A.
a: . Ca Aa, . 3, . 5,
Ma,
P 119026.
209
6 Language and everyday life
210
6.9 Abbreviations
a e . (in zoo)
Please do not feed the animals.
a/ aa . (in self-service shop)
Please hand in your bags.
(e) Statements providing information, and also prohibitions, are often
rendered by a reflexive verb, e.g.
Bea e 8 a. (on letter box)
Collection of letters takes place at 8.00 (am).
C e ae. (in restaurant)
No service at this table.
B eae. (e.g. on building site)
Entry to people who have no business here strictly forbidden.
(f ) Some notices or instructions incorporate gerunds (see 9.7.19.7.2,
11.11.1), which are characteristic of R3, e.g.
, ae e.
Turn out the light when you leave.
Oa , ee ae ea.
Check that you have put the postcode on when you post your letter.
(g) Miscellaneous notices:
211
6 Language and everyday life
-a a Mrs
. a main
oc. ae state
. house
.. ae BC
. . eea a railway
. e inhabitants
. . a aee etc., and so on
.. e etc., and so on
- ae publishing house, press
. e named after
- institute
. aa flat, apartment
a kilogram
- e committee
/ e a kilometres per hour
e metre
. a minute
- e ministry
. naval, marine
a. ae e.g.
a. a peoples
a. aa national
.. New Style (post-revolutionary
calendar)
.. ae AD
. island
. a province
. e lake
. a square
. e avenue
. ea river
. rouble
- a region
.. e a of this year
. (e) see, vide
. a compare, cf.
.. a Old Style (pre-revolutionary
calendar)
212
6.10 Acronyms and alphabetisms
. aa page
.. ee agricultural
a tonne
. volume
.e. e that is to say, i.e.
.. a a since
. a street
- ee university
.. e pound sterling
. a hour, oclock
213
6 Language and everyday life
214
6.10 Acronyms and alphabetisms
215
6 Language and everyday life
6.11.1 Russia and the other states of the former Soviet Union
In this table the name of the former Soviet republic is given in brackets
where it differs from the name of the new state.
216
6.11 Names of countries and nationalities
Armenia Ae a a/aa
Azerbaijan Aeaa aeaa aeaae/
aeaaa
Belarus ea (f ) (e) e e/ea
Estonia e/a
Georgia /a
Kazakhstan aaa aa aa/aaa
Kyrgyzstan (Kirgizia) a () /a
Latvia a a or a/aa
a
Lithuania a e/a
Moldova Ma (Ma) a r aa/
aa aaa
Tadjikistan Taa a a/aa
Turkmenistan Tea (Te) e e/ea
Ukraine aa a ae/aa
Uzbekistan ea e e/ea
217
6 Language and everyday life
Crimea a/
aa
Note: in the Crimea, .
Dagestan aea aea aeae/aeaa
Ingushetia e /a
Kalmyk region a a a/aa
Karelia ae ae ae/aea
Kuban a (f ) a ae/aa
Note: in the Kuban, a a.
Mari Republic Maa a ae/aa r
Pea a (m and f, indecl)
Mordvin region M /a;
also a (collect)
Moscow region e
mountain region (i.e. or (pl; sg e)
Caucasus)
Ossetia Oe e e/ea
Siberia C (f ) /a
steppe e (f ) e
taiga aa a a
Tatarstan Taaa aa aa/aaa
Transcaucasia aaae aaa
tundra a
Udmurt region /a
White Sea coast Ceee e /a
Yakutia /Caa /a
218
6.11 Names of countries and nationalities
Denmark a a aa/aaa
England
A a aa/
aaa
Finland /a
France a a a/aea
Germany ea ee ee/ea
Great Britain Bea a/ ae/aa
a aa/
aaa
219
6 Language and everyday life
6.11.4 Africa (A a)
220
6.11 Names of countries and nationalities
6.11.6 Asia (A )
221
6 Language and everyday life
India e/aa
Note 1 The forms /a, originally Hindu, are often used instead of
e/aa.
2 The adjective e and the noun ee refer to American Indians.
The feminine form aa may refer to an Indian woman of either
race. The noun ea means turkey.
Indonesia e e ee/ea
Iran a a ae/aa
Japan e/a
Korea e e ee/ea
Laos a a a/aa
Malaya Maa aa aae/aaa
Malaysia Maa aa aae/aaa
Mongolia M /a
Nepal Hea ea eae/eaa
Pakistan aa aa aae/aaa
Singapore Ca a ae/aa
Sri Lanka -aa a e -a or
()a
Thailand Taa aa/ aae/aaa r (in pl)
a a
Tibet Te e ee/ea
Vietnam Bea ea eae/eaa
222
6.12 Inhabitants of Russian cities
Yemen ee () ee eee/eea
223
6 Language and everyday life
Ba a e(a) Baa r
ae/aa
Ba a/aa r
e/a
Be e ee/ea
Ba () /a
Eae eae eaee/eaeea
(Ce)
Eaea eaea eaeae/eaeaa
( e` e)
/a
aa (f ) aa aae/aaa
e e e/ea
a /a
aa aa aae/aaa
a a ae/aa
a/aa
/a
M a/aa
Ma /a (also /
a; obs)
H H e ee/ea
()
H e/a
H e/a
H e Ha (also )
Oea e e/ea (pronunciation also
possible)
O /aa
/ /a
a/aa
Pa a/aa
P a/aa
Pa (f ) a ae/aa
Caaa aa aaa/aaaa
(e)
Ca-ee ee eee/eea
(ea ) (ea) (eae/eaa)
Caa aa aaa/aaaa
(also aae)
Cea (m) ea eae
224
6.13 Jokes and puns
Ce e /a
C e/a
Ta a ae
Ta a ae/aa
Ta a e Ta
Te (f ) (a) e e/ea
T /aa
Ta /a
Xaa aa aaa/aaaa
Xa a aa/aaa
a e/a
a (m) a ae
225
6 Language and everyday life
The similarity of the words for bank (a) and jar (aa), and the
coincidence of their prepositional singular forms ( ae), provide an
opportunity for punning which has given rise to a further,
untranslatable joke on the same theme:
226
6.13 Jokes and puns
227
7 Verbal etiquette
228
7.2 Use of and
229
7 Verbal etiquette
The point here is that subversion of the normal rules indicates that the
relationship is not as it should be, given the degree of intimacy, relative
status and formality or informality of the situation. The speaker
therefore chooses the pronoun which in normal circumstances would
seem inappropriate.
230
7.3 Personal names
231
7 Verbal etiquette
Ha ea a
Oe Oee, Oea
Oeea
ae aa a aea aa
e e eea ea
Pa P
Cee Cea Ce Ceea Cea
Caa Caa, Ca Ca, Ca Caea, Caa
Caea
Cea Ca C Ca Ca
a a a
a ea a
232
7.3 Personal names
a a a
ea, ea a
colloquial pronunciation
first name patronymic of patronymic
Aea Aea Aea
Aee Aeee Aee
Aa Aae Aa
Ae Aee Ae
Aa Aae Aa
Ba Ba Ba
233
7 Verbal etiquette
Note: the forms in the right-hand column above are not necessarily the only possible
truncated forms, nor are all patronymics truncated in pronunciation.
Note: the patronymic on its own may be encountered as a form of address among
older people in the countryside, e.g. e! aa!
234
7.4 Attracting attention
Note: because the above formulae are all polite and suitable for use to strangers it
would not be appropriate to couch any of them in the form.
235
7 Verbal etiquette
B e? Are you talking to me ?
B e?
If the addressee has not heard or understood the request, the response
may be:
-? (R1) What was that ?
e, aa. Could you say that again ?
e, e aa(a). Im sorry, I didnt catch what you said.
aa? What did you say ?
If the addressee cannot answer the question, the response may be:
He a. I dont know.
He aa. I cant say.
He a. (R1) I cant say.
calling for The widespread forms of address for calling people unknown to the
attention speaker, both of them stylistically neutral, are:
M ee ! (to males) Young man !
ea ! (to females) Young lady !
Note: these forms of address are used, despite the literal meanings of the terms
(young man and girl respectively), to call not just young people but also
people up to middle age.
At a higher stylistic level an educated person might use:
a ! Youth !
At a lower stylistic level, one might use one of the following familiar
forms of address, perhaps preceded by the coarse particle !
ae ! (R1) Lad !
! (R1) Friend !
e ! (R1) Friend !
The pronoun would be appropriate, indeed expected, with
these forms of address (which should, however, be avoided by the
foreign student), e.g.
, ae, e e He mate, have you got a light ?
a? (R1)
At this level, one might provocatively use some attribute of the
addressee as the form of address, e.g.
, a! (D) Hey, you with the beard !
, a ! (D) Hey, you with the specs !
In familiar speech, older people, especially in the country, may be
addressed as:
ea ! Grandfather !
aa ! Grandmother !
236
7.5 Introductions
All the above formulae precede naming of oneself. The form of ones
name that one gives depends on the degree of formality of the
237
7 Verbal etiquette
Having named oneself one may proceed in the following way to ask
for the same information from the other person:
A a a ? And what is your name ?
A a ae ? And what is your first name ?
A a ae e ? And what is your first name and
patronymic ?
A a aa a ? And what is your surname ?
responses to O e ! Very pleased to meet you.
introductions Me e a I am very pleased to meet you.
a.
O e a (a) ! Very glad (to meet you).
a a(a). Ive heard about you.
Me a . Ive been told about you.
If the people have already met, one of the following formulae might be
appropriate:
238
7.6 Greetings
introducing other
a a
people + instr
e(a) a a I want to introduce you to
+ instr
ea a + a
239
7 Verbal etiquette
aeae. Marvellous.
Bee. Splendid.
Ha. All right. (This is the most
frequently used colloquial
response of to an enquiry
about how one is.)
X. Fine.
He. OK.
He a. I cant complain.
He. All right.
ae, e . Not bad.
H a, a. (R1) Middling.
Ta ee. (R1) So-so.
Hea. Not too good/well.
. Bad(ly).
e e aa(e) ! (R1) Better not to ask.
Xe ea ! (R1) Couldnt be worse.
! (R1) Dreadful(ly).
unexpected aa (a) ea ! lit What a (pleasant) meeting,
meetings i.e. How nice to see you.
aa (a) ea ! What a (pleasant) surprise.
He a(a) e/a e I didnt expect to meet you
(e). (here).
a a ! (R1) Fancy meeting you here !
a a a(a) ? How did you get here ?
meeting after long ? lit Whos this ? i.e. Its good to
separation see you again after so long.
? Is it you ?
T ? Is it you ?
a e e. We havent seen each other for a
long time.
C e e e. We havent seen each other
e e e e. for ages.
C e, !
240
7.7 Farewells
241
7 Verbal etiquette
242
7.9 Wishing
Note: the expression H a ea, Good luck, is said to a person about to take an
examination. (Originally the purpose of this expression, which literally means
Neither down nor feather, was to wish sb good luck as they set off to go
hunting.) The response is K ! To the devil.
toasts Speeches and toasts are a very much more widespread feature of
Russian life than of British life. Even at an informal gathering in
the home speeches may well be delivered and toasts proposed to
guests by the host and others, and the guests should themselves
respond with speeches and toasts of their own. A toast might be
proposed in one of the following ways:
(a) ae e! (To) your health.
a + acc I want to drink to
eaa a + acc I propose a toast to
a a a + acc I raise my glass (lit goblet; poet) to
e a a + Allow me to raise my glass to
a (R3)
Paee a a Allow me to propose a toast to
+ a (R3)
243
7 Verbal etiquette
Note: it is the preposition a that should be used in toasts to translate Eng to, not a
(which is commonly used in error by English-speakers in this context); see
also the note at the end of 7.10 below.
244
7.12 Request
e. Forgive me.
e/a I must apologise to you for the fact
ee a a , that
a(a) ee a. I we you an apology. (lit I am
guilty before you)
e (e) (Please) accept my (profound)
e. (R3) apologies.
e e (a ea). I shant do it again.
(said by child)
Note: for in apologies is rendered by a + acc.
responses to The recipient of an apology might respond in one of the following
apologies ways:
He! Its nothing.
He a (). Theres nothing to apologise for.
a /! (R1) What are you (apologising for)?
Hy, /Hy, a . (R1) Well OK.
Ta . (speaker not entirely All right/OK.
happy to forgive)
245
7 Verbal etiquette
246
7.14 Reassurance and condolence
247
7 Verbal etiquette
248
7.16 Telephone conversations
If the caller has dialled the wrong number, one of the following
responses might be used:
B (e).
B ea aa e. Youve got the wrong number.
B e a a.
e a e. Theres no one by that name
here.
If the caller wants to speak to someone other than the person who has
answered the phone, he or she may use one of the following formulae:
(e), aa, O Ma I speak to Olga Petrovna
e. please?
(e) ee May I speak to Vladimir
Baa Haea. Nikolaevich?
M a? (R1) Can I speak to Katia?
Me aa. (R1) I need Ivan.
Me Cee, aa. (R1) I want Sergei.
Ta a? (R1) Is Tania in?
The person who answers the telephone may call the person whom the
caller is asking for in one of the following ways:
a Aeeea, a Irina Alekseevna, youre wanted n
ee. the telephone.
a ee! Its for you, Lara.
Haa, e! (R1) Natasha, its for you.
In a place of work a person might be more formally called to the
telephone in one of the following ways:
B Ma, a Viktor Mikhailovich, theres a call
ea. for you from the ministry.
Ce Cea, a Semion Stepanovich, someone from
aa. the bank wants to talk to you.
Ha ea, a Nina Dmitrievna, someone from
aa eea. the university wants to talk to you.
The person who has answered the telephone and is summoning the
person whom the caller wants to speak to may say to the caller:
Cea . Ill get him/her.
Cea (a) . Hes/Shes coming.
(e) (). Just a moment.
O . Just a minute.
O e. Just a second.
e. Wait (please).
He a(e) . Dont put the receiver down.
If the person sought by the caller is not available, the person who
answers the telephone may say:
249
7 Verbal etiquette
250
7.17 Letter writing
C , With love,
C ee e, lit With heartfelt greetings,
C a ea, With best wishes,
C e aee, With sincere respect,
Note: Russians tend to express themselves more effusively and in more emotional
terms than the English, and such formulae reflect that fact.
In the formal official/business style of R3b formulae of the following
sort may be employed:
B e a Bae 1- aa . . .
In reply to your letter of 1 March . . .
eae ee Bae a 2- ae.
We confirm receipt of your letter of 2 April.
a eaee e Ba a.
A contract will be forwarded to you without delay.
M ee ae Bae ea.
We look forward to receiving your reply.
aae ee e:
We append the following documents:
Note: it is conventional in letters in this style to begin the second-person-plural
forms of address with a capital letter (B, Ba, etc.).
251
8 Word-formation
252
8.2 Types of consonant
The lists which follow are intended to illustrate the main principles
of Russian affixation and in particular to give the student some
knowledge of the main verbal prefixes and noun suffixes. However, the
lists of affixes are not exhaustive, nor does the chapter describe all the
functions that a given affix may have.
253
8 Word-formation
254
8.3 Verbal prefixes
8.2.6 Epenthetic
Before certain suffixes or flexions the consonant is added to a root
ending in , , , , , e.g.
///ee, deepening
///ee, surprise
///ee, astonishment
//, I shall buy
a/a//, I shall rule (lines on paper)
255
8 Word-formation
Most of the prefixes which verbs may bear are listed below. A
few of the less common meanings which may be borne by some
of the prefixes are omitted. The directional meaning of each prefix,
if the prefix has such a meaning, is dealt with first in each
instance.
256
8.3 Verbal prefixes
(b) action carried out to the fullest possible extent; the prefix does not
occur in many verbs with this meaning:
aa/a to boil thoroughly
(c) action carried out to an extent sufficient to obtain the desired
result; the prefix does not occur in many verbs with this meaning:
aa/ to obtain through asking
Note: the imperfective here will carry a sense of trying to obtain through
asking; see 11.5.3.
(d) + -: in a few perfective verbs indicating that an action has been
carried out to a sufficient degree:
aa to have a good cry
a to have a good sleep
257
8 Word-formation
- (- before (a) in many verbs has original directional meaning out of, though now
unvoiced this meaning may not be obvious; cf. Eng ex- (abridged form e-):
consonants)
a/a to elect
ea/e to extract, derive
a/ to exclude, rule out
(b) action affecting the entire surface of sth; occurs with this meaning
in only a few verbs:
a/ to gnaw to shreds
ea/ea to cut to pieces/cut in many places
(c) exhaustion of a supply of sth; occurs with this meaning in only a
few verbs:
a/a to use up all of (some writing
material, e.g. paper, ink)
(d) action carried out to the fullest possible extent:
a/ (intrans) to dry up altogether
(e) + -, and in perfective forms only: to do or suffer sth unpleasant
to the extent that it becomes habitual:
a to become an inveterate liar
258
8.3 Verbal prefixes
- (-) (a) movement away from, or off (cf. y- below); the prefix is very
common in this meaning:
ea/ee to fly away, fly off, rebound
/ to go away, go off, depart (of
transport), come away from
a/ to take away
(b) in verbs with figurative meaning, may carry the sense of back (cf.
Eng re-); the prefix is common in this meaning:
a/ to beat back, repel
aa/a to reflect
259
8 Word-formation
260
8.3 Verbal prefixes
261
8 Word-formation
262
8.4 Noun prefixes
263
8 Word-formation
(a) sunrise
ee ascent
entrance, entry
exit, departure
income
a (a) sunset
aa a find
round (of doctor), beat (of policeman);
bypass
waste-products
ee crossing, transition
approach
arrival
passage
a () expense, outgoings
aae expenditure
(pl; gen e) gangplank
similarity
departure, withdrawal
Adjectives may also be derived from some of these nouns, e.g.
(e) rest-day
profitable, lucrative
a resourceful
roundabout, circuitous
not harbouring resentment (see 3.7)
ee transitional
similar
a/a amoral
a/a anti-fascist
e/ all-powerful
a/ (bookish) best
e/ small
e/ not stupid
e/e/ae not without foundation
e/ (R1) really stupid
/aea pro-American
e/ (tech) extra-high-powered
a/e ultraviolet
Other prefixes, of Russian provenance, combine with the suffixes -
and - to form adjectives, e.g.
264
8.6 The verbal infixes -a-/-a-
e/e harmless
e/e infinite
e/a extramarital
/e intravenous
/e pre-war
a/e foreign (lit over the border)
e/ae interplanetary
e/a international
a/ table (e.g. a e, table
tennis)
a / superlinear
/ (according to) income (e.g.
a, income tax)
/e posthumous
/ underwater
/ near Moscow
e/e post-revolutionary
e / pre-election (i.e. just before)
/a relating to the Baltic region
e/eee supernatural
265
8 Word-formation
Note 1 Unstressed o in the root of the simple verb, and sometimes stressed , change
to a in secondary imperfective forms.
2 Secondary imperfectives belong to the conjugation 1A (see 9.6.2) and are
characterised by stress on the syllable immediately before the infix.
266
8.7 Noun suffixes
a thug
aaa boss
a fast liver, hard drinker
-a/ - used to form nouns that indicate a persons social status, religion,
ethnicity, or place of origin (see also 6.116.12), e.g.
nobleman
e peasant
aa Martian
a Moslem
a Slav
a southerner
Note: in some words the suffix used is -, e.g. a, Bulgarian;
, boyar ; , Georgian; aa, Tatar.
Note 1 In words with a stem ending in a soft consonant the suffix used is -,
e.g. , inf lation; e, correlation.
2 The suffixes - and - also occur, e.g. , instruction;
e, expedition.
- used to form nouns which denote the young of living creatures, e.g.
ee foal, colt
kitten
lion-cub
267
8 Word-formation
piglet
lamb
Note 1 After hushing consonants the suffix is -, e.g. , wolf-cub;
, baby mouse.
2 The plural forms of nouns with this suffix are not formed in the usual way
(see 9.1.9).
-e used in some words of international currency which define people
by reference to their field of activity (cf. Eng -er, -or), e.g.
boxer
conductor (of orchestra)
e producer (of play, film)
-e a very widespread suffix denoting a person by reference to (a) some
action or occupation; (b) a certain quality; or (c) place of origin or
residence (in which case the forms -ae/-e (see also 6.116.12)
are common), e.g.
(a) eee refugee
ee rower, oarsman
e merchant
ee singer
e trader
(b) aae handsome man
e miser, skinflint
(c) aae African
ae person from Baku
e Japanese
-e/-e with adjectival roots, in neuter abstract nouns which tend to be
bookish and are therefore prevalent in R3, and which denote a
quality, e.g.
ee greatness
ae indifference
ae sang-froid
e health
- of foreign origin, in nouns denoting a doctrine or system and also
activities or tendencies (cf. Eng -ism), e.g.
ae atheism
aa capitalism
optimism
a romanticism
a socialism
tourism
aa fanaticism
268
8.7 Noun suffixes
269
8 Word-formation
- the suffix used to form male patronymics; it may also indicate place
of origin (see also 6.12), e.g.
Cee son of Sergei
person from Omsk
-a (a) with verbal roots, in nouns denoting a process, an instrument, or
the result of an action, e.g.
aa note
aaa refuelling, seasoning
a grater
a cleaning, purge
(b) in R1 predominantly, with adjectival roots, to denote objects which
in R2 are described by the adjective in question + a noun, e.g.
ea = e a five-year plan
Tea = Tea Tretiakv Gallery
aee
270
8.7 Noun suffixes
ee singing
ee continuation
aee widening, expansion, extension
eee increase
ee improvement
ee worsening, deterioration
Note: consonant changes affecting the first person singular of second-
conjugation verbs (9.6.8) are also in evidence in nouns of this type, e.g.
aee.
helper
(b) with verbal roots, defining people by reference to their actions, e.g.
e traitor
e nomad
(c) denotation of objects which contain sth or accommodate some
creature, e.g.
cowshed
e coffee-pot
mine
- with verbal roots, to indicate:
(a) a person who performs an action, e.g.
e eater, mouth to feed
player, gambler
(b) the action itself or its result (perhaps what is left over after it), e.g.
a throw, also spurt
e a yawn
fragment
e (pl; gen e) leftovers (of food)
core (of fruit after eating)
cigarette-end
a a jump, leap
list
Note: the o in this suffix as used in (b) is a mobile vowel, hence gen sg
a, etc.
271
8 Word-formation
- a suffix of foreign origin denoting an agent (cf. Eng -or; see also
-), e.g.
e professor
a tractor
- this suffix, and related suffixes (e.g. -, -, -), are
the most widespread suffixes used in the formation of abstract
nouns. They are particularly prevalent in R3. With adjectival roots,
- is used to form feminine nouns denoting a quality (cf. Eng
-ness, -ery, -ity, etc.), e.g.
e gaiety
possibility
stupidity
youth
wisdom
a bravery, courage
e honesty
clarity
Note: after hushing consonants this unstressed suffix becomes -e, e.g.
ee, freshness (see 8.2.4(c)).
272
8.7 Noun suffixes
273
8 Word-formation
aaa drummer
a bomber, bomber pilot
ae stone-mason, bricklayer
counter (person, i.e. teller, or
instrument, i.e. meter)
-a a suffix added mainly, but not exclusively, to proper nouns, to
indicate a syndrome or set of circumstances associated with a
person or place, e.g.
ea political terror associated with
Ezhov (chief of Stalins secret
police 19368)
aa red tape
a behaviour associated with
Oblomov (eponymous hero of
Goncharovs novel)
-e with noun roots and a spatial prefix, to form nouns denoting
region, e.g.
ae polar region
eee coast, littoral
ee foothills
e seaside
Note: the suffix -e may also have this function, e.g. e, foot (e.g.
of mountain).
274
8.7 Noun suffixes
275
8 Word-formation
/a voltage
a/a sabotage
/aa (R1, pej) hack
/a tramp, vagrant
/a bedspread
/a (R1, pej) intriguer
/ (R1, pej) ruffian
e/a (m) librarian
/a (m) dictionary
a/aa (R1, pej) old man
/a struggle
/a friendship
a/a complaint
/a tuition
a /e cemetery
e/e refuge
/e college
e/ea heart(land)
/a travel permit, pass (to sanatorium)
a/ payment
a/a person with a sweet tooth
e/e first place, championship
e/ (f ) illness
/ (f ) fear
/ (f ) life
/ fuel
/a expensiveness
/a novelty
/ bronchitis
ea/a unemployment
/a hospital
ee/a ashtray
ae/e owner
/ alarm clock
/ refrigerator
e/ fan, supporter
/ belfry
a/ ploughed land
/ stamping
/ whisper
e/ scurrying
276
8.8 Diminutive, augmentative and expressive suffixes
a/e government
a/e closure
/ shaving
a/ shepherd
e/ (R1) idler
aa/a postgraduate study, postgraduate student body
ea/a literature
e /a grandad
ee/a (R1) cheerful person
a/ (R1) kid
/ (R1) ragamuffin
/ (R1) little nest
e/a veal
277
8 Word-formation
278
8.8 Diminutive, augmentative and expressive suffixes
little bell
a novel (pej)
279
8 Word-formation
-a/- variations on the same suffix, used in many adjectives indicating the
-a/-a material or thing from which sth is made, e.g.
-/ -
ee wooden
e glass
a leather
a rye
e woollen
Note: there are also many adjectives denoting material which do not have
one of these suffixes, e.g. ee, iron, , silk.
-a a suffix indicating that the thing denoted by the noun from which
the adjective is derived is characteristic of or conspicuous in the
subject, e.g.
a bearded
a winged
a striped
Note: ea, married (of man to woman, i.e. having a wife), belongs in
this category.
-e/- diminutive suffixes which carry a nuance of smallness, tenderness or
sometimes disparagement; - is used after the velars , , x:
ee little white
e dear, sweet
280
8.9 The principal adjectival suffixes
e pretty
quiet little
-, -, suffixes which may be applied to noun or verbal roots and which
- indicate that the subject is inclined or prone to some conduct, e.g.
ae eloquent
e lazy
a taciturn
ee patient, tolerant
e trustful, credulous
a pensive
- in R1, indicating possession; applied to roots of nouns in -a/-
denoting people, including diminutive forms of first names, e.g.
a mums
a dads
e Petes
Ta Tanias
Note: these adjectives are similar in meaning to adjectives from the same
roots in - and adjectives in -/-e, e.g. ae,
ae (see section (c) under the suffix - below). However,
whereas adjectives in - tend to indicate possession by a particular indi-
vidual, the forms in -, etc. denote general association with a person
or type of person.
281
8 Word-formation
e last
near, neighbouring
a far, distant
e upper
lower
ee front
a back
e outer, external
e inner, internal
e middle, medium, average
a extreme
extraneous
a domestic
superfluous
-/- the most common adjectival ending applied to inanimate nouns,
including nouns of foreign origin, with the meanings relating to or
consisting of, or denoting possession of the quality to which the
noun refers, e.g.
(relating to) water
e harmful
ee transitional
debatable
a transit
noisy
a eye
head
tooth, dental
e forest
There are many further suffixes that are developed on the basis of
this suffix, including suffixes of foreign origin which are applied to
foreign roots, e.g.
/e judicial
a/e state
e/e heavenly
/ secondary
a/ bathing
e/ supreme
/e heartfelt
ye/e convincing
ea/a theatrical
ee/a elementary
e/ progressive
-a/-ea used to indicate that a quality is possessed in some degree (cf. Eng
-ish); especially common with adjectives of colour, e.g.
ea whitish
282
8.9 The principal adjectival suffixes
a a bit sour
ea bluish
-/- used with inanimate nouns. (English may make no distinction
-e/-e between the equivalent adjective and the noun which possesses the
quality denoted by the adjective.) Examples:
a bamboo
e birch
side
e combat
-/- (a) An extremely widespread suffix that is applied to the roots of
nouns, mainly masculine, to form adjectives indicating relationship
to the thing denoted by the root. Many adjectives denoting
nationality or describing place of origin (see 6.116.12) or a
persons designation contain this suffix, e.g.
a authors, authorial
e childs, infantile
e wifes, female
a May
town, urban
(relating to the River) Don
(b) There is a very large number of adjectives, formed from roots of
international currency, which end in -e (cf. Eng -ic/-ical ),
e.g.
eae geographical
ae climatic
eae realistic
There are also many other adjectives in -e, formed from
nouns of international currency in -a (see 8.7.1). (Strictly
speaking the suffix in these adjectives is -e.) Examples:
aeae mathematical
e economic
(c) Numerous other adjectival suffixes are developed on the basis of
-, e.g.
a/a African
ee/a Venetian
a/ Italian
/ee Christmas
a/ Alpine
ae/ maternal
/ paternal
a/ March
a/e (relating to Tsar) Nicholas
283
8 Word-formation
-a/-e/ suffixes indicating that some process has been carried out. Many of
- the adjectives with this suffix are culinary terms. Examples:
a torn, lacerated
ae roast(ed)
ae wounded, injured
dried
-a/- adjectives derived from Old Russian participial forms which stand
-/- alongside active participles in - from the same verbal roots. (In
cases where the use of a form of this type is restricted the adjective
is given in a phrase in which it commonly occurs.) Examples:
ea lying, recumbent
hot (cf. , burning)
sedentary
a a stagnant (i.e. standing) water
ea bat (i.e. flying mouse)
prickly
- adjectives derived from the roots of some intransitive verbs and
describing a condition that is the result of some process, e.g.
a worldly-wise
limp
e mature
a backward
a tired
-/-e used in the formation of present passive participles (see 9.7.5; cf.
Eng -able, -ible), many of which have become established as
adjectives and which occur most commonly in R3. Participles of
this type have also given rise to many adjectives with the prefix e-
(cf. Eng -in/un-), e.g.
ae tangible
admissible
eae fireproof
e invulnerable
-/-e/ suffixes used to form the past passive participles of many verbs
- (see 9.7.6; cf. Eng -ed ), e.g.
a agitated
ee moderate
exhausted (i.e. used up)
284
8.11 The verbal suffixes -a and -a
285
8 Word-formation
8.12 Composition
8.12.1 Compound nouns
Russian has many nouns which have been formed by the various types
of composition or abbreviation illustrated below.
286
8.12 Composition
287
9 Inflection
9.1.1 Gender
The gender of most nouns is easily determined:
masculine (a) all nouns ending in a hard consonant, e.g. ;
(b) all nouns ending in -, e.g. e;
(c) a minority of nouns ending in -, especially:
i. all those denoting males, e.g. , son-in-law or brother-in-law;
ii. nouns ending in the suffix -e (see 8.7.1), e.g. ae, shopper;
(d) some nouns in -a and - which denote males or people who may be of
either sex, e.g. a, man; , uncle; a, servant.
neuter (a) most nouns in -o, e.g. , window;
(b) most nouns in -e, e.g. e, sea; aee, exercise; except
aee, apprentice (m);
(c) all nouns in -e, e.g. , gun.
Note: nouns derived from masculine nouns with the diminutive or pejorative suffix
- (8.8.4) are masculine.
288
9.1 Declension of the noun
feminine (a) most nouns ending in -a, e.g. ea, girl; a, book;
(b) most nouns ending in -, e.g. , aunt; a, tower;
(c) the majority of nouns ending in -, especially:
i. nouns denoting females, e.g. a, mother;
ii. nouns in which the soft sign is preceded by one of the hushing
consonants , , , or , e.g. , rye; , night; , mouse;
e, thing;
iii. abstract nouns ending in - r -e, e.g. , youth;
ee, freshness.
Note: nouns derived from animate masculine nouns with the pejorative suffix -a
(see 8.8.4) are masculine.
A few nouns, e.g. a, orphan, are of common gender, i.e. they may
be either masculine or feminine depending on whether they denote a
male or female.
On the gender of indeclinable nouns see 9.1.12.
289
9 Inflection
neuter nom ae ef g
acc a e
gen ae g e
dat a
instr a e
prep e a e
ae a
ae a
a a
a a
ae a
a a
feminine nom aea aei ee ee
a aeh aei ee ee
gen aei ae ee eel
dat aee aea eee ee
instr aej aea eeek ee
re aee aea eee ee
a a
a a
a a
a a
ae a
a a
e
m
a
All the examples of masculine nouns given here denote inanimate
objects. In nouns of the animate category the accusative form coincides
in both singular and plural with the genitive (see 11.1.3).
b
The instrumental singular form in unstressed endings after a hushing
consonant is -e, e.g. e, from , husband. However, the ending
- is retained after hushing consonants if stress is on the ending, e.g.
, from , knife.
c
Nouns with stems in , , , , , , have nominative/accusative
plural in -, e.g. a, enemies; , juices; , knives; aaa,
pencils.
d
Nouns in , , , have genitive plural in -e, e.g. e, aaae.
e
Many nouns in -o distinguish genitive singular from
nominative/accusative plural by means of stress, though the stress shift in
the plural forms may be forward (e.g. gen sg a but nom/acc pl a)
rather than back as is the case in . See also Chapter 12 on stress.
f
Nouns with stem in , , , , have endings with a for and y for
; thus ae, cemetery, has gen sg aa, dat sg a,
nom/acc pl aa, dat/instr/prep pl aa, aa,
aa, respectively.
290
9.1 Declension of the noun
g
The same considerations of stress apply here as to (see note e above).
h
Feminine nouns of the animate category have accusative forms that
coincide with the genitive in the plural only, e.g. acc pl e, but acc
sg e.
i
(a) Nouns with stems in , , , , , , have for , e.g. a, leg,
has gen sg , nom/acc pl . (b) Some nouns in -a distinguish
genitive singular from nominative/accusative plural by means of stress
shift, e.g. , (see notes e and g above).
j
(i) The instrumental singular form in unstressed endings after a hushing
consonant is -e, e.g. e, from a, hospital. However, the
ending - is retained after hushing consonants if stress is on the ending,
e.g. from a, soul. (ii) An instrumental singular form in - is
also found (e.g. ae), but in the modern language this form is used
mainly in literary contexts or in poetry where the metre requires an
additional syllable.
k
An instrumental singular ending in -e may also be found, in the same
circumstances as - (see note j (ii) above).
l
The zero ending which occurs in the genitive plural forms of nouns in
-a is in effect retained, the soft sign merely serving to indicate that the
consonant remains soft in this case just as it is when followed by any of
the vowels used in the other endings of this declension.
m
Nouns ending in -, -, -, - have a for , e.g. dat/instr/prep pl
forms a, a, a from , night; ea, ea, ea,
from e, thing.
291
9 Inflection
aa a jar of honey
a e, e, e, to get some paraffin, glue, chalk,
a, e, almonds, pepper,
a, turpentine, planks
a, a lot of people, noise
aa axapy a packet of sugar
p, e a kilo of cheese, garlic
aa a a glass of tea
Note 1 The normal genitive forms for such nouns must be used whenever a genitive
is used with any meaning other than partitive meaning (e.g. e a, the
colour of honey), or when the noun is qualified by an adjective, e.g. aa
e a, a glass of strong tea.
2 Even when the meaning is partitive the forms in -y and - are now
infrequently used in R2/R3, except in the established phrases a
and aa a. They are perhaps more widespread in R1 and among older
speakers.
r Genitive endings in -y or - also occur in some set phrases including a
preposition which governs the genitive case. In this use they persist in
all registers, though many of the phrases tend to be colloquial. The
examples below are arranged in order according to the preposition
which governs the noun in question.
Note: the stress tends to be capricious in such phrases.
e ee (R1) only a few days
e , e ee without kith or kin
e to talk incessantly
ae needed urgently
e e in no mood for laughter
- to overlook sth
E e . She is five years old.
c a a a eyeball-to-eyeball
ee to starve to death
to cry out from fright
to go to seed from drink
a/ - to confuse sb
292
9.1 Declension of the noun
a on (ones) side
a on board (ship, plane)
in battle
e in a fever/delirium
a in the eye
in a year
a on the (River) Don
a in the heat
a a on the edge
in a circle
in the Crimea
a on (ones) forehead
e in the forest
a in the meadow
a on ice
e in honey
in the brain
a on the bridge
a on (ones) nose
(R1; e in R2/3) on leave
in a regiment
a on the floor
in port
e/ bathed in sweat
in the pool
a in paradise
in (ones) mouth
in a row (tier)
a in a garden/orchard
e in the snow
in service
in the corner
e in bloom
a in an hour
a in the cupboard
Note 1 The locative ending in - is also embodied in various set expressions, e.g.
e , to have in mind; , last year; B a? At
what time?
2 Not all the nouns in the list above invariably have locative singular in -/-;
in certain meanings or phraseological combinations they may have the regular
ending in -e, e.g. aa ae, in the Krasnodar region; e a,
by the sweat of ones brow; e e ae, in a whole series of instances.
3 The endings -/- are used only after and a, not after the other
prepositions, o, and , which may govern the prepositional case (thus
e/a but o ee/ae).
4 Even after and a the special locative endings are only used when the
meaning is literally locative, and not in such phrases as a ee, to be
knowledgeable about timber; B ae, in The Cherry Orchard (i.e.
Chekhovs play); T e, in Quiet Flows the Don (i.e. Shlokhovs
novel).
293
9 Inflection
294
9.1 Declension of the noun
295
9 Inflection
(c) e also occurs in feminine and neuter nouns in which the first of two
consonants preceding the final a or o is soft, as indicated by a soft sign,
e.g.
, letter e
aa, wedding ae
a, prison e
Note: a, request, has .
296
9.1 Declension of the noun
aa, seagull ae
aa, gang ae
zero some masculine nouns ending in a hard consonant have a genitive
ending plural form that is the same as the nominative singular form, e.g.
a, time, occasion. Other nouns with this so-called zero ending
include:
(a) some nouns which, when used in the plural, refer to pairs of things,
e.g.
(ankle-high) boot
ae felt boot
a ee
(military) shoulder strap
ca boot
stocking
r But (from , sock).
(b) the names of certain nationalities, including those formed with the
suffix - (see 6.116.12), e.g.
aa ( aa ) Englishman
a ( a) Armenian
a Bashkir
a ( a ) Bulgarian
Buriat
Georgian
Romanian
(r in R1) Turk
r But:
e ( e) Bedouin
( ) Kirgiz
( ) Mongol
a ( a) Tadjik
e ( e) Uzbek
a ( a) Croat
() certain nouns denoting military personnel, e.g.
aa guerrilla
a soldier
(d) some units of measure, e.g.
ae ampere
a arshin (see 6.1.5)
a watt
volt
e hertz
ohm
297
9 Inflection
Several other nouns have a variant with a zero ending in R1, but the
full ending in - is considered the norm, e.g.
ae orange
aaa aubergine
ea hectare
a gram
aa carat
a kilogram
aa mandarin
tomato
Note 1 ee, person, also has gen pl ee, which is used after certain numerals
(see 11.4.8), though in most contexts the genitive plural of , e, is
used instead.
2 , hair, has gen pl . This noun is always used in the plural form
(nom/acc ) in the sense of hair on ones head.
nouns in -e, - most have genitive plural forms in -, e.g.
ae, out-of-the-way place a
eee, seaboard ee
ee, gorge e
, spear
r But:
ae, dress ae
aee (m), apprentice aee
e, mouth of river e
, gun e
nouns in -a, -a, some have genitive plural forms in -e, e.g.
-a, -a
aa, sanctimonious person ae
a, youth e
nouns in - although most nouns in - have genitive plural in a soft consonant
(see 9.1.2), some have genitive plural forms in -e, e.g.
, uncle e
, nostril e
, aunt e
Note: , shoe (see 4.1), has gen pl e in R2 but the form e may be
encountered in R1.
nouns in - many nouns in - preceded by another consonant have a zero ending
with a hard consonant rather than the soft ending that is normal for
nouns in -, e.g.
a, tower ae
, cherry-tree e
e, song ee
a, bedroom ae
a, customs (at frontier post) ae
298
9.1 Declension of the noun
r But:
ee, village eee
, kitchen
299
9 Inflection
, lump , e, etc.
, twig , e, etc.
e, link (in chain) e, ee, etc.
, wing , e, etc.
e, feather e, ee, etc.
e, log e, ee, etc.
Note 1 a, brother, declines in exactly the same way, except that, being animate, it
has acc pl ae.
2 declines like when it means leaf (i.e. foliage), but it declines like a
regular masculine noun of the same type as a when it means sheet of
paper (, etc.).
3 , branch, bough, declines like , but undergoes a consonant change in its
stem: thus , e, , etc.
( friend) These nouns are similar to and ee, but the stem for their
(son) plural forms is not the same as that for their singular forms, and they
have accusative/genitive plural in -e:
nom pl
acc/gen pl e e
dat pl
instr pl
prep pl
Note 1 also has regular plural forms (, , a, a,
a) when it has a figurative sense, as in eea, sons of the
fatherland.
2 , prince, and , husband, have similar plural endings but no consonant
change in the stem:
nom pl
acc/gen pl e e
dat pl
instr pl
prep pl
e (knee) nom/acc pl e
x (ear) gen pl ee e
dat pl e a
instr pl e a
prep pl e a
Note: e, shoulder, has nom/acc pl e, but regular forms in the oblique cases
(e, ea, ea, ea).
300
9.1 Declension of the noun
nouns in - Nouns of this type (see also 8.7.1) are regular in the singular (except
that they have a mobile o), but in the plural have the following pattern:
nom pl ea
acc/gen pl e
dat pl ea
instr pl ea
prep pl ea
Note 1 All these nouns are animate, hence the coincidence of accusative/
genitive forms.
2 e, child, does have a plural of this type (ea, etc.), but this is a
more colloquial word for children than e, and it is also used in the sense of
lads.
301
9 Inflection
gen e
dat e ea
instr ee ea
prep e ea
a (mother) These two nouns have a stem in in all oblique cases in the singular
(daughter) and throughout the plural:
sg pl sg pl
nom a ae e
acc a aee ee
gen ae aee e ee
dat ae ae e e
instr ae ae e e
prep ae ae e e
in R1, instr pl e.
ae (ant) sg pl
nom ae a
acc/gen a a
dat a a
instr a a
prep ae a
Like ae are e, sparrow; e, nightingale; e, stream
(but e, being inanimate, has acc sg e).
(way, path) This is a masculine noun, but its genitive/dative/prepositional singular
forms are those of a feminine noun:
sg pl
nom/acc
gen e
302
9.1 Declension of the noun
dat
instr
prep
303
9 Inflection
304
9.2 Declension of pronouns
(c) Nouns of foreign origin denoting animate beings other than people:
generally masculine, e.g.
e kangaroo
kiwi
humming-bird
pony
ae chimpanzee
Note: if the noun specifically denotes the female of the species then it may be treated
as feminine, e.g. e a ea, The kangaroo was feeding its cub.
r But:
a (f ) iwashi (small far-eastern fish; a, fish)
ee (f ) tsetse (a, fly)
(d) Indeclinable Russian words which are not nouns but are used as such:
neuter, e.g.
e a a big thank you
ee ae a polite hello
aee the royal we
ee aa a bright tomorrow
305
9 Inflection
a (oneself/ m n f pl
myself/ nom a a aa a
yourself/ acc a/a a a a/a
himself/ gen a a a
herself/ dat a a a
ourselves/ instr a a (a) a
themselves) prep a a a
all genders
e acc/gen e
(oneself/myself/ dat ee
yourself/himself/ instr ()
herself/ourselves/ prep ee
themselves)
all genders
a acc/gen a
(each other) dat
instr
prep () e
(, ) m n f pl
(my (your, nom
ones own)) acc /e /
gen e e
dat e e
instr e
prep e
a (a) m n f pl
(our (your)) nom a ae aa a
acc a/ae ae a a/a
gen ae ae a
dat ae ae a
instr a ae a
prep ae ae a
e, e, These forms are invariable when they are used as possessive pronouns.
(his, her, their) In D the adjectival form may be found instead of .
m n f pl
(this) nom a
acc / /
gen
dat
instr
prep
m n f pl
(that) nom a e
acc / a e/e
306
9.3 Adjectival forms
gen e
dat e
instr e e
prep e
e m n f pl
(all) nom e e
a e/e e/e
gen e e e
dat e e e
instr e e e
prep e e e
, , ee nom
(what, nothing, acc/gen e e ee
there is dat e e ee
nothing to) instr e e ee
prep () e () e
, , e nom
(who, no one, acc/gen e
there is no one to) dat e
instr e e ee
prep () e ()
Note: the elements of , ee, , e are usually split when
combined with a preposition, whatever the case governed by the preposition,
e.g. e, not with anybody.
e m n f pl
(whose) nom e
acc e
gen e e
dat e e
instr e (e)
prep e
307
9 Inflection
instr
prep
Note: adjectives with stressed endings have masculine nominative/accusative singular
forms in -, e.g. .
stem in , , m n f pl
nom e a e
acc / e e/
gen
dat
instr
re
Note: adjectives with stem in , , x and stressed endings have forms in - in
the masculine nominative/accusative singular, e.g. .
stem in m n f pl
, , , nom ee a e
a / ee e/
e
gen e e
dat e e
instr e
prep e e
Note: adjectives with stressed endings have masculine nominative/accusative singular
forms in -, and in all endings that in have e, e.g.
m n f pl
nom e a e
acc / e e/
gen
dat
instr
prep
adjectives in - m n f pl
nom ee e
acc /e ee e/
gen e e
dat e e
instr e
prep e e
For a list of adjectives like see 8.9.
adjectives m n f pl
like e nom e ee e e
acc e/ ee e e/e
ee
308
9.3 Adjectival forms
gen ee ee e
dat ee ee e
instr e ee e
prep ee ee e
Like e are a number of adjectives derived from the names
of living creatures, e.g. , wolfs; , cows, bovine; a,
cats, feline; , birds; a, dogs, canine.
309
9 Inflection
310
9.3 Adjectival forms
311
9 Inflection
312
9.5 Declension of numerals
(5) nom/acc
gen/dat/prep
instr
Like are all cardinal numerals up to aa and a.
Note: the normal instrumental singular form of e is ; the form
e is obsolescent.
(40), nom/acc e
e (90), gen/dat/instr/prep a ea a
(100)
e (50) nom/acc e
gen/dat/prep e
instr e
313
9 Inflection
acc/gen e
dat e
instr e
re e
acc/gen e
dat e
instr e
prep e c
314
9.6 Verb forms
Note: the vast majority of Russian verbs have two aspects, imperfective and
perfective. The use of these aspects is dealt with below (see 11.5).
In the following tabulations of conjugation patterns there are
many simple verbs from which a vast number of perfective forms
(e.g. aaa, , aea, a, a, e,
, ae, ae) are derived by the addition of
315
9 Inflection
prefixes (see 8.3). All such perfective derivatives conjugate in the same
way as the simple verb itself.
9.6.2 1A verbs
Stem of present/future tense formed by removing final - of
the infinitive; unstressed endings -, -e, -e, -e, -ee, -, e.g.
aa e ae
to work to lose to blush to blow
aa e ae
aae ee aee e
aae ee aee e
aae ee aee e
aaee eee aeee ee
aa e ae
In 1A are a very large number of verbs in -a r - and many in
-e (but not all such verbs); also , to provide with shoes.
316
9.6 Verb forms
e e ee e
ee ee eee ee
e
Like : , to weed; also , to grind, but with e in the
stem (e, ee, etc.).
Like : , to unstitch, thrash.
Like a: ea, to pull about, tousle; a, to pinch, pluck;
ea, to doze.
317
9 Inflection
e a
ee ae e e
ee ae e e
ee ae e e
eee aee ee ee
e a
Like ea: a, to tie, knit; aa, to seem; aa, to tell;
aa, to wipe, smear.
Like aa: aa, to gallop; also ea, to whisper (e,
ee, etc.); a, to grumble; a, to hide; a, to
stamp; a, to guffaw; ea, to tickle.
Like a: ea, to hew; ea, to scratch, comb; also aa , to
wave (a, ae, etc.); a , to sway, rock; aa, to
plough.
Like a: ea , to splash; a , to rinse; also eea,
to quiver, tremble (ee, eee, etc.), a, to murmur,
grumble; also a, to whistle (, e, etc.), ea, to
lash.
These verbs may also be 1A in R1/D, e.g. aa.
318
9.6 Verb forms
Like :
i. many other verbs which denote change of state, e.g. , to fade;
, to turn sour; , to freeze (intrans); , to get wet;
e, to go blind; , to get dry;
ii. many verbs derived from the following roots: -e-, -e-, --,
--, --, --, -e-, e.g. e, to resort (to);
e, to refute; e, to overthrow; , to get used
(to); , to arise; , to penetrate; , to
attain; a, to die down; e, to disappear;
iii. many semelfactive verbs, e.g. , to shout; , to jump;
iv. miscellaneous, e.g. , to flash, flare up; , to move;
, to sink, drown (intrans); , to touch; , to pull.
Note: there are also many verbs in - that have stressed endings (see 9.6.7(c)
below).
(d) Miscellaneous verbs:
ea e
to be to go to sit down
e
e ee e
e ee e
e ee e
ee eee ee
e
Note: , etc., is the future tense of , there being no present tense of this verb
in modern Russian (except the form e in certain circumstances; see 4.2).
e e
to climb to lie down to be able
e
ee e e
ee e e
ee e e
eee ee ee
e
319
9 Inflection
e e e e
Like : , to have a reputation for.
(b) Verbs with stem in r :
a
to understand to take to press
e e e
Like : a, to occupy, borrow; a, to rent, hire. (But see
9.6.6(b) above for verbs in - which have a stem in and
unstressed endings.)
aa a
to begin to crumple to reap to swear
a
a
a
a
ae e e e
a
(c) Verbs in -:
to bend
e
Like : , to concern; a, to wave; , to
smile.
(d) Various verbs with stem in :
a a ee
to take to lie to die
e
e
e
e
ee e e
e
320
9.6 Verb forms
321
9 Inflection
Like e: , to crawl.
(h) Verbs in - with stem in /:
ee e a
to guard to burn to cut to harness
ee a
ee a
ee a
ee a
eee e e ae
ee a
Note: e loses the e of the infinitive in its present-/future-tense stem,
whereas other verbs of this type preserve the vowel of the infinitive in
those tenses.
Like ee: eee, to neglect, scorn; ee, to guard, watch over.
(i) Verbs in - with stem in /:
e (R1)
to bake to drag
e
e
e
e
ee e
e
Like e: e, to drag, draw; e, to cut to pieces; e, to flow.
(j) Miscellaneous verbs:
a a a a a
to wait to lie to be mistaken to grow to suck to weave
a
a
a
a
e e e ae e e
a
Like : (), to knock/hurt/bruise oneself.
322
9.6 Verb forms
e e e e e
See (d) below for explanation of this form.
Like : the vast majority of verbs that have an infinitive ending
in -.
Like e: e, to hurt; ee, to turn, twirl (trans); e, to
see; e, to hang (intrans); e, to burn (intrans); ae, to
depend; ee, to fly; eae, to hate; e, to offend; ee,
to fart (vulg); e, to whistle; e, to sit; ee, to bear, endure;
also ee, to shine, though this verb may also be conjugated as a 1B
verb with a stem in (e, ee, etc.).
Note: most of these verbs undergo a consonant change in the first-person-singular
form (see (c) below).
Like : , to be afraid.
(b) Verbs with a stem in a hushing consonant:
ea a a
to lie to be silent to hear
e
e
e
e
ee e e
ea a a
Like ea: ea, to hold; a, to shake, tremble;
aea, to belong.
Like a: a, to be heard, resound; a, to shout; a,
to knock.
Like a: a, to breathe.
Note: not all verbs ending in -a, -a, r -a belong to the second
conjugation. For example, a, to rise in price; a, to get, receive;
a, to listen to, all belong to type 1A, while a, in both its meanings
(to press; to reap), belongs to type 1B (see 9.6.7(b) above).
(c) Verbs with one of the following consonant changes in the first person
singular:
323
9 Inflection
to go ,
to transport ,
to carry ,
ee to fly e, e
e to visit e, e
to clean ,
Like e: all verbs in - which have imperfectives in -a,
e.g. (impf a), to anger; ae, to forbid;
a, to defend; a, to enrich; a, to turn, convert;
e, to illuminate; , to feel, sense; , to tame.
Note 1 The following defective verbs have no first-person-singular form: e,
to defeat; e, to persuade, convince; , to find oneself; , to
behave oddly.
2 , to honour, is a second-conjugation verb but has 3rd pers pl as well
as .
3 (a + prep; R3), to be founded on, has 3rd pers sg e, and 3rd
pers pl .
(d) Verbs with epenthetic in the first person singular.
The consonant is inserted between the present/future tense stem and
the ending in verbs whose stem ends in one of the consonants , , ,
, .
to love ,
a to put a, a
to feed ,
to buy ,
a to rule (line) a, a
Like : many verbs, e.g. , to chisel, gouge; e, to
destroy; a, to weaken; , to chop, hack.
Like a: many verbs, e.g. , to announce, declare; a,
to correct, govern; ea, to present, represent; a, to compile,
constitute.
Like : many verbs, e.g. , to straighten; e,
to stun; e, to strive.
Like : many verbs, e.g. , to amass, store up; e, to
blind; , to step; , to sink, drown (trans), heat.
There are no common second-conjugation verbs in the modern
language with present-/future-tense stem in .
324
9.6 Verb forms
e a e e
e a e e
e a e
ee ae ee e
e a e
325
9 Inflection
(e) verbs in -: the final - of the infinitive is replaced with the velar
with which the stem of the first-person-singular form of the
present-/future-tense ends, e.g.
ee, to be careful (ee/) e, eea, ee, ee
e, to lie down (/) , ea, e, e
, to cut (hair; /) , a, ,
, to be able (/) , a, ,
e, to bake (e/) , ea, e, e
Note: e, to burn (/), has , a, , .
(f ) : , a, ,
Note: stress in e is on the prefix.
(g) verbs in -ee lose the final -e in their masculine form, e.g.
ee, to die e, ea, e, e
aee, to lock ae, aea, ae, ae
ee, to rub off , a, ,
(h) some verbs in - with stress on stem, including verbs denoting
change of state (see 9.6.6(c)), lose this suffix in the masculine form, e.g.
, to arise , a, ,
, to attain , a, ,
a, to freeze a, aa, a,
a
e, to disappear e, ea, e, e
, to perish , a, ,
Note: the tendency is for verbs of this type to lose their suffix in the past tense, and
forms which preserve it have an archaic flavour.
(i) , to be mistaken , a, ,
, to hurt oneself , a, ,
326
9.6 Verb forms
(c) , if the stem ends in a single consonant and the stress in the first
person singular is on the stem, e.g.
ea, to cut (e/, e) e(e)
e, to reply (e/, e) e(e)
Note: some imperative forms derived from simple verbs which have end stress but
which have the stressed prefix - retain the ending -, e.g. ea, to run
out (e/, e) e(e); , to go out ( /, )
(e).
r The following verbs or types of verb have imperatives that depart from
the above patterns:
(a) monosyllabic verbs in -: , to beat e(e);
(b) 1B verbs in -aa: aa, to give aa(e);
(c) ea and ea, to go, both have ea(e);
(d) a, to give a(e);
(e) e, to eat e(e);
(f ) e, to lie down (e).
r A few common verbs may have forms in R1/D which differ from the
standard forms of R2/3, e.g.
R2/3 R1/D
to glance ()
to go out
ea to go (by transport) ea ea
327
9 Inflection
a to steal a a
to embrace
to go
to put
As in the expression a , here and now, on the spot.
r The reflexive particle - is reduced to - after the vowel ending
and after the particle -e, e.g. ee, eee, be careful.
328
9.7 Formation of gerunds and participles
(b) most perfective verbs which do not form their past tense by adding -
to the final vowel of the infinitive are in theory capable of forming
gerunds by adding - to the masculine form of the past tense, e.g.
() , having attained.
Note: in practice such gerunds are nowadays rarely used, and may be replaced, in
some types of verb, by forms in -, e.g. () ,
having become accustomed; aee (ae) aee, having locked.
(c) in perfective verbs of motion of the determinate category which have
infinitive in - (see 11.7) the gerund is formed by attaching - to the
stem of the future tense, e.g.
( /) , having entered
e (e /) e, having brought
e (e/) e, having imported
e (e/) e, having carried away
Note: alternative gerunds in - for such verbs, e.g. e, are archaic.
(d) in reflexive verbs the perfective gerund is formed by replacing the final
- of the masculine form of the past tense by -, e.g. e
(e) e, having returned.
329
9 Inflection
330
9.7 Formation of gerunds and participles
Note: the final e of the infinitive form of derivatives of ee is lost, and the
remaining e changes to e .
(g) 1B in -a or - which have a stem in - r - (9.6.6(b) and
9.6.7(b)):
aa (a-) aa, begun; (-) , taken
off.
- In verbs with infinitive ending in -a or -, including 1B verbs
(except those in (g) above) and second-conjugation verbs, the final -
of the infinitive is replaced by - (note stress changes):
a a, read
a a, agitated
aa aa, written
e e, lost
-e/- The ending -e is used when stress is on the stem and - is
used when stress is on the ending. These endings are used in verbs of
the following types:
(a) 1B verbs with consonant stems which do not fall into any of the above
categories, e.g.
e e, introduced
e e, brought
e e, swept off
e e, imported
ae a, set light to
e e, baked
Note: of the two stems which verbs in - have in their present/future tense (/ or
/) it is the stem in a hushing consonant ( or ) that is used in this participle.
331
9 Inflection
(c) Some verbs which do not quite conform to the above rules:
a ae, stolen
derivatives of e: e ee, eaten up
a ae, fund
e e, seen
r The long forms of past passive participles of all types decline like
adjectives. Past passive participles also have short forms which, like the
short forms of adjectives, distinguish gender and number, e.g.
a
a a aa a a
e e ea e e
e e eea ee ee
ae ae aea ae ae
Note 1 In all past passive participles ending in - only one survives in the short
form.
2 The short forms of participles in - are always stressed on the last syllable,
with the result that changes to e in the feminine, neuter and plural forms.
332
10 Prepositions
333
10 Prepositions
334
10.1 Valency of prepositions
335
10 Prepositions
336
10.1 Valency of prepositions
E without:
(a) e ae without significance
e without mistakes
(b) in expressions of time, to indicate minutes before the hour, e.g.
e () e (at) five to ten
e ee a (aa) (at) a quarter to two
BB
in view of, rather formal:
B ee a In view of the internal crisis the president
ee e e ea decided not to go abroad.
a a.
337
10 Prepositions
TP
BH inside, to indicate the position in which sth is located ( is itself a
form in the prepositional case):
B a e c Inside the ship are torpedoes with nuclear
e ea. warheads.
TP
BH inside, to indicate movement inwards ( is itself a form in the
accusative case):
Ba The troops quickly moved inland.
a.
E
BO by, near:
B a They erected a monument near
e a. the cathedral.
BOP round:
eee ea a journey round the world
BEPE
in front of, ahead of:
Bee ea . In front of the train was a snowdrift.
BCE
CTBE because of, owing to:
Bee aa a e Owing to the fog the match did not take
. place.
for in the sense of for the benefit of or for the purpose of:
a a a present for (nes) friend
e a tool for
Note: is much narrower in meaning than English for, which may have to be
translated by other prepositions such as a + acc or a + acc (see 10.4), or
indeed by no preposition at all.
338
10.1 Valency of prepositions
e a five-course dinner
a a ne of the best books
(c) to indicate that some action results from a certain experience or
feeling:
a a, . . . From long experience I know that. . .
Oa eaa She did this out of love for the children.
e.
339
10 Prepositions
OTHOC
TEHO concerning; formal, used mainly in R3:
e questions concerning procedure
e
340
10.1 Valency of prepositions
OM
MO besides, apart from:
e e apart from everything else
CE
O after:
e a after supper
OCPE
in the middle of:
O e a. He was standing in the middle of the
square.
CTBOM
OCPE by means of, by dint of:
e e a by means of hard work
T B
PO against:
ee against the current
a to take on [lit come out against] a strong
ea opponent
TM
by means of, by dint of:
by means of cunning
PA for the sake of:
a e for the sake of the family
C (CO) (a) off the surface of sth, down from:
a/ a to take off the table
/ a to come home from work
Note: c translates away from or out of when the following noun is one of those nouns
that require a rather than to translate in(to) or at/on to (see 10.1.6, a (be)).
(b) since in a temporal sense:
c aaa a since the beginning of January
(c) from in the sense of as a result of:
a/ee a to die of hunger/starve to death
co a from shame
(d) with in the sense of on the basis of:
c ae aee with your permission
(e) from:
O a . He took to drink from grief.
Note: in this sense c is synonymous with (though a little more colloquial than) as
a preposition describing the emotional state that causes some action.
341
10 Prepositions
342
10.1 Valency of prepositions
AO AP
thanks to:
aa e a thanks to her presence
of mind
BOPE
despite, contrary to:
e ae contrary to my instructions
K (KO) (a) towards, up to in a spatial sense:
O . He is going towards the bridge.
Oa a e. She came up to me.
(b) by or towards in a temporal sense:
O ee. He will arrive by evening.
(c) in combination with many nouns to indicate attitude:
a pity for
ee interest in
love for
ea hatred of
ee attitude towards, relation to
eee contempt for
ae indifference towards
inclination towards, penchant for
a passion for
eee striving for
aee respect for
(d) in miscellaneous common phrases:
ae unfortunately
a fortunately
e moreover, besides
e e to my surprise
ae e to our astonishment
a a at your service
face to face
O (a) along, down:
Oa e. She is walking along the street.
O ae ee. He is coming down the stairs.
343
10 Prepositions
Note: as pointed out by Wade (see Sources), has also made some progress in
the language at the expense of more precise prepositions in phrases such as
aa eae (= aa ea), programme of literature;
ee (= a e), prize for shooting.
344
10.1 Valency of prepositions
O O
HO like, similar to:
a aee to shout like a madman
COA
CHO in accordance with; official in tone, characteristic of R3b:
a a ae in accordance with the main article of
a the treaty
A behind, beyond, on the far side of, and at or over in the sense of behind;
when location is being defined; cf. a + acc when movement into a
position is indicated:
a behind the house
a ae abroad (beyond the border)
a overboard
a at the table
a e at the piano
a over a beer
ME between; followed only by the instrumental case except in a few fixed
expressions in which it governs the genitive (see 10.1.3):
e aae between parallel lines
e a between ourselves
HA (HA
O) over, above, on top of, used only with the instrumental:
Ha a. A chandelier hangs over the table.
a over me
PE (E PE O)
E used only with the instrumental:
(a) in front of or before in a spatial sense:
e ee ee to sit in front of the television
ee in front of me
(b) before in a temporal sense, especially shortly before; cf. (see 10.1.3)
which may indicate any time before:
ee e before death
O (O
O) (a) under, below, beneath, when actual or figurative location is defined; cf.
+ acc when movement into a position is indicated:
under the bridge
ae under arrest
e under the influence
345
10 Prepositions
(b) with a certain dressing, in culinary expressions, in which the literal
meaning of under is retained:
a a fish in tomato sauce
ae egg mayonnaise
(c) in the region of:
M in the region of Moscow
(d) of in the names of battles:
a a the Battle of Poltava
C (CO) (a) with, when with means together with or in the company of, or when it
refers to some connection or attendant characteristic; cf. omission of
c when with denotes instrument (see 10.4):
O e. He went to the cinema with his sister.
in connection with this
ee aa a person with (light) blue eyes
c a gladly (with gladness)
(b) together with personal pronouns in an inclusive sense, e.g.:
c e he and his sister
a my brother and I
ae my mother and I
(c) in the expression c a/ ? Whats the matter with you?
(d) with the passage of time, e.g. c a , with each (passing) day
B (BO) (a) in or at to define location, the place where sth is situated or happening;
cf. use of accusative when movement is involved:
O Me. He lives in Moscow.
M e ae. We were sitting in the bedroom.
(b) to express the distance at which sth is located:
ee a kilometre from the centre of town
ea a
a three minutes walk from the school
aa e aa five hours journey/travel from Paris
346
10.1 Valency of prepositions
347
10 Prepositions
a, station a a
e , congress a ee
a, street a e
, lesson a e
aa, factory a ae
ae, faculty (of higher a aee
educational institution)
, front (mil) a e
aa, mine a ae
ae, examination a aee
348
10.1 Valency of prepositions
349
10 Prepositions
350
10.3 Verbs followed by prepositions
a/ to enter (institution)
eaa()/ea() to turn/be turned into
e to shoot at (fixed target)
A + acc (a) after verbs with the sense of taking hold of:
a/ - a to take sb by the hand
e - a to lead sb by the hand
ea - a to hold sb by the hand
ea a (e.g. ea) to hold on to (e.g. the handrail)
aa/a - to seize sb by the scruff of the neck
a
(b) for the sake of:
a - to fight/struggle for sth
aa/a a to stand up/plead/intercede for sb
-
/ a (e.g. - to drink to (e.g. sbs health)
e)
aa/a a to fight for (e.g. ones country)
(e.g. )
HA + acc e/e a to look at
e/ae a to divide into
aa/aa a to complain of
ae a to hope for, count on, rely on
aaa/aa a to attack, fall upon
ea/e a to reply to (letter, question)
aa/ a to count on, rely on
e/ae a to be angry at, cross with
e/e a to look at
aa/a a to agree to (but not to agree with)
+ gen to consist of
e to shoot, fire (a weapon)
OT + gen aa/aa to refuse, decline, turn down
a/ to differ from
aa to suffer from
Note: aa means to suffer from some temporary or slight problem as
opposed to a chronic problem (in the latter meaning aa is followed
by the instrumental).
351
10 Prepositions
352
10.3 Verbs followed by prepositions
PE + instr
E / ee to apologise to
e/e ee to admire, worship
C + instr ea/e to meet (by arrangement)
a/a to greet, say hello to
a/a to meet, get acquainted with
a/a to say goodbye to
aaa/aa to part with
ea/ea to consult
aa/a to agree with
/ c to quarrel with
aa/ to collide with, run into
353
10 Prepositions
Note: with transitive verbs bearing the prefix ee-, ee may be omitted, e.g.
ee , to cross the road.
354
10.4 Rendering of English prepositions in Russian
Note: with verbs indicating contest against may be translated by c + instr, e.g.
e-, to fight against sb.
355
10 Prepositions
356
10.4 Rendering of English prepositions in Russian
Note: in expressions indicating time before the hour at is not translated, e.g. at five to
ten, e e.
(f ) in yet other expressions defining point in time: a + prep:
at dawn a ae/a aee
at sunset a aae
(g) in the following expressions of time: a + acc:
at Christmas a Pe
at Easter a a
(h) indicating direction of an action: + acc; a + acc:
to shoot at sth e -
to throw sth at sb a/ - -
to look at sth e/e a -
to point at sth aa/aa a -
(i) in miscellaneous other expressions:
at 100 a aa
at 100 kilometres per hour e
a
at any price e
at ones own expense a
at first sight a e
at home a
at last ae
at least ae ee
at leisure a e
at night
at once a
at the request of e
357
10 Prepositions
BEFORE (a) in a temporal sense: + gen (= previous to, earlier than); ee + instr
(= [just] before):
before the revolution e
long before a
We changed before dinner. M eee ee e.
(b) when before is followed by an English gerund it may be translated by
ee + a verbal noun or by ee e + infin, e.g.
before leaving ee e
before replying ee e e
(c) indicating location: ee + instr:
You see before you a list. B e ee .
before the court ee
(d) in other expressions:
before long
before now ae
before witnesses ee
the day before yesterday aea
358
10.4 Rendering of English prepositions in Russian
BEYOND = behind in the senses described in (a) and (b) above; also in certain
expressions, e.g.
beyond belief ee
beyond ones means e ea
beyond reach e ae
beyond ones understanding e a
Note: in phrases of the following sort, which lack a verb, the genitive may be used:
a play by Chekhov ea ea
a speech by the president e eea
359
10 Prepositions
360
10.4 Rendering of English prepositions in Russian
Note: with verbs, or when a verb is understood, the person benefiting may be in
the dative, e.g.
She bought a tie for me. Oa a e a.
Theres a letter for you. Ba . (R1)
(b) expressing duration, time spent doing sth or distance covered:
accusative case with no preposition; eee + gen:
He lay for a week in hospital. O ea ee e.
I have been living here for a year. e .
I ran ( for) a mile. ea(a) .
for a month eee ea
(c) indicating the amount of time action is expected to last, or that sth is
arranged for a certain time or intended for a certain purpose: a +
acc:
He has gone to Moscow for a week. O ea M a ee.
closed for the winter a a
for a long time a
forever aea
a meeting arranged for two oclock ea, aaea a a aa
dinner for two e a
a house for sale a a
for example ae
361
10 Prepositions
(d) meaning in return for, and also indicating support for sb or sth: a +
a:
I paid the cashier for the book aa(a) ae a .
We thanked them for their M aa a
hospitality. e.
an eye for an eye a
He is voting for me. O e a e.
(e) meaning in search of: a + instr:
I sent for a doctor. a(a) a .
(f ) after many nouns indicating attitude: + dat:
love for ones country e
a passion for music a e
respect for foreigners aee aa
362
10.4 Rendering of English prepositions in Russian
363
10 Prepositions
364
10.4 Rendering of English prepositions in Russian
365
10 Prepositions
INSTEAD OF e + gen:
Have some juice instead of water. Bee a e .
366
10.4 Rendering of English prepositions in Russian
OFF (a) meaning off the surface of sth, down from: c + gen:
I took the saucepan off the stove. (a) a .
He fell off the ladder. O a e.
(b) meaning at a distance from: + gen:
two kilometres off the coast a a e
eea
not far off eae
ea
(c) indicating dispossession or removal: y + gen:
I borrowed a book off him. (a) e a.
(R1)
He broke the handle off the door. O e.
(d) in certain expressions:
off the beaten track e e
off colour (unwell) e/ea
(not in form) e e
off work e a ae
gds at ten per cent off a a e e e
e
Kee off the grass. He ae.
Shes off her food. e e aea.
Hes off his rocker. O a. (R1)
367
10 Prepositions
368
10.4 Rendering of English prepositions in Russian
369
10 Prepositions
Note: ee may be omitted when the verb bears the prefix epe-, which may carry
the same meaning (see also 10.1.2).
(b) indicating location beyond, on the other side of : a + instr;
+ gen:
I heard a voice over the fence. a(a) a .
They live overseas. O a e.
the forest over the border e a
(c) meaning above: a + instr:
A chandelier hangs over the table. Ha a.
A threat hangs over us. Ha a a.
(d) meaning over the top of: e + gen:
to look over ones spectacles e e
(e) meaning on to: a + acc:
She drew a blanket over the child. Oa aa e a
ea.
370
10.4 Rendering of English prepositions in Russian
Note: eee emphasises duration and therefore occurs with an imperfective verb,
whilst a emphasises the completed nature of the event and therefore tends to
dictate the use of a perfective.
(h) meaning more than: e + gen; e + gen (used with
numerals); e + gen (=over and above, in excess of ):
He drank over a litre of wine. O e a a.
over a million voters e a aee
over (and above) the norm e
(i) in other expressions:
over a cup of tea a a a
Its over my head. e e a.
to go head over heels ee
to stumble over sth a/ -
371
10 Prepositions
372
10.4 Rendering of English prepositions in Russian
373
10 Prepositions
374
10.4 Rendering of English prepositions in Russian
WITH (a) in the majority of meanings, especially in the company of, together with:
c + instr:
I work with him. aa .
She went there with a friend. Oa a a .
a man with a red face a
with pleasure e
I agree with you. aa a.
(b) indicating instrument; also indicating what sth is covered or
surrounded by: instrumental case without a preposition:
She is eating with a spoon. Oa e .
I saw it with my own eyes. e(a) aa.
The lake is covered with ice. e .
O
a house surrounded with flowers ea
(c) indicating presence at sbs home, or entrustment of sth to sb: y + gen:
I lodge with them. a a .
I left my things with the concierge. a(a) e
aa.
(d) indicating source or cause: + gen:
He is trembling with cold. O a.
She is blushing with shame. Oa aee a.
(e) in miscellaneous other functions:
with all ones heart e
with the exception of a ee + gen
with regard to + instr
e + dat (R3)
aae + gen
with your consent ae a
375
10 Prepositions
376
11 Syntax
377
11 Syntax
O e . He is writing a letter.
Oa a. She loves her father.
Note 1 See 11.1.3 on the animate category of nouns.
2 No reflexive verb, with the partial exception of a/a (see
11.1.5(b)), may govern the accusative.
(b) The accusative is also used, without any preposition, to express the
duration of an action, the distance covered, price, and weight. In
the first two meanings it often follows a verb with the prefix po-
(see 8.3, po- (c)).
Paa aa . Work continued all winter.
O ea They travelled a thousand kilometres.
e.
a. The house costs a million dollars.
Maa e . The car weighs a tonne.
378
11.1 Use of the cases
falcons
crocodiles
e sturgeons
a ants
feminine singular and
masculine singular in -a/- feminine plural
e woman ee girls
a horse a dogs
a swallow magpies
e snake cobras
a shark pikes
a butterfly bees
Ca Sasha
uncle
neuter singular neuter plural
officials
eaee mammal ea mammals
eaee reptile ea reptiles
aee insect ae insects
miscellaneous miscellaneous
crowd
a a people
a (n pl) troops
dead body, eea dead man
corpse a the deceased
a queen (cards) e queen (chess)
king (cards,
chess)
a ace (cards)
aea jack (cards)
() to fly a kite
a e
379
11 Syntax
380
11.1 Use of the cases
381
11 Syntax
a
The different aspects of this verb have different meanings when the verb
refers to a single instance.
b
In R1 this verb may now govern the accusative of an animate object, e.g.
Pe ae Be, The child obeys Vera.
c
But this verb governs the accusative when it means to cost (see 11.1.2).
(c) A number of verbs may govern either the genitive or the accusative,
e.g.
a/a to wait until
a/a to wait for, expect
a (various pf ) to look for, seek
a (no pf ) to expect
/ to ask for
ea/ea to require, need
e/ae to want
The reasons for choosing one case in preference to the other after
these verbs are not very clear-cut, and educated Russians may be
unable to explain them or even to agree on which case should be used
in certain contexts. One may say that the genitive tends to be used if
the object of the verb is general and abstract, whilst the accusative
tends to prevail if the object is particular and concrete, i.e. is a specific
thing or person. Thus:
r genitive object
O a ea. He was waiting for an answer.
e. I beg (your) pardon.
Te aea eea. They are demanding the arrest of
the president.
r accusative object
O . He is waiting for his uncle.
O e . He is looking for his aunt.
a e We are asking for a Russian entry visa.
P.
Note: the genitive is understood in set phrases expressing wishes (see 7.9), e.g. Be
! All the best!
382
11.1 Use of the cases
if the verb eea were not negated. Only verbs which, when
affirmative, govern the accusative case may govern a direct object in the
genitive when they are negated.
Note: it may happen that more than one of the above considerations applies and that
it is therefore difficult to define the overriding criterion for using the genitive
in a given context.
383
11 Syntax
384
11.1 Use of the cases
385
11 Syntax
Examples:
e ae, . . . I think (lit it seems to me) that . . .
Ha aa a ea. We liked this play.
Ba ea aa e You ought to have told me that
ea. yesterday.
(e) With negative pronouns which mean to have nothing to or there is
nothing to, etc. (see 11.2.4).
(f ) To express a subjects age. The invariable forms and e are
used to convey past and future meaning, respectively.
Ae aa e. Andrei is 15.
Cae e. Sasha was 5.
B ae e e a Ill be 30 in August.
e.
386
11.1 Use of the cases
/ to be astonished at
aa/aa to rejoice at, be gladdened by
a (impf ) to sympathise with
/ to be surprised at
a
Be/e takes + acc if it means to believe in sth, e.g. O e
a, He believes in God. Contrast the use of the two cases with this verb in
the sentence Oa e ae, e, She doesnt know what to
believe in and whom to believe.
b
aa/aa cannot govern a direct object as can the English
verb to envy in phrases such as I envy you your health.
a
Although / normally governs the dative case, the
accusative form of the reflexive pronoun is used in the expression
/ e ae, to flatter oneself with the hope.
b
When aea denotes ownership it is followed by the dative case
without any preposition, e.g. a a ae e a, This
book belongs to my brother. When on the other hand it denotes membership it
must be followed by and the dative, e.g. O ae
e a, He belongs to the Labour Party.
c
Cea/ea is followed by the dative case only when it means
to follow in the sense of to emulate. When it means to go after it takes a + instr
(see 10.3.4).
d
After /a, to teach and /a, to learn, it is the
subject taught or the thing learnt that is denoted by a noun in the dative
case, e.g. O e a , He is teaching his sister
French; Oa a , She is learning French. However,
after the verb a/, which means to study, the thing learnt is
denoted by a noun in the accusative case, e.g. O ae aea, He is
studying mathematics.
387
11 Syntax
388
11.1 Use of the cases
aa to possess
a/a to use, make use of, enjoy (in sense
dispose of )
Note: the verb a (no pf ), to utilise, on the other hand, governs the
accusative case.
389
11 Syntax
390
11.2 Use of pronouns
Note: the noun which in English functions as the complement is not in the
instrumental in the following type of Russian construction:
a. It was Ivan.
a Taa. It was Tat iana.
ae . It was a French word.
ee. They were trees.
(f ) A number of other verbs, apart from , require an instrumental
complement, at least in some contexts, e.g.
e (impf ) to look (like)
ea/ea to become
aa/aa to seem
aa/aa to call, name
aa/aa to turn out to be, prove to be
aa/a to remain
/ to pretend to be
aa (no pf ) to work as
/ to serve as
/ to be reputed to be
a/a to become
a (no pf ) to be considered
/ to be
(g) Some verbs take a direct object in the accusative and a complement in
the instrumental, e.g. a e , I find this opera
boring (R2/3). Similarly:
a/a to elect
aaa/aa to appoint
a/e to consider
391
11 Syntax
Maa, a ee a, aa.
The car which is outside the station has broken down.
Maa, (a) ea, aa.
The car which I bought yesterday has broken down.
Maa, ea ee, aa.
The car in which the president was travelling has broken down.
Note: , who, and , what, which, may also function as relative pronouns,
although they are more commonly used as interrogative pronouns. As relative
pronouns they occur mainly in conjunction with some form of or
e/, e.g. Te, a a eee aaae,
a Caa, Those who have read Crime and Punishment remember the
character of Svidrigailov; e ae/aa e, , I do not
agree with what he says.
392
11.2 Use of pronouns
393
11 Syntax
11.2.6 Use of
Use of this word gives much difficulty to the English-speaker, because
English has only one possessive pronoun for each person. C
declines like and agrees in gender, case and number with the noun
it qualifies. It denotes possession by the person or thing which is the
subject of the clause in which the possessive pronoun occurs
irrespective of whether that subject is first, second or third person and
394
11.3 Use of short adjectives
395
11 Syntax
a, aa, a, a guilty
, a, , ready
a, aea, ae, ae far, distant
e, a, , satisfied with
e, a, , bound to (i.e. must)
, a, , worthy of
aee, aeea, aee, aee intending to
e, a, , necessary
, a, e, like, similar
a, aa, a, a right
e, a, , free
e, a, , inclined to
ae, aa, a, a agreeable to
e, a, , capable of
O ae e. (preposition + noun)
He is indifferent to music.
Caa Aa aa e. (noun in oblique case)
Saudi Arabia is rich in oil.
(b) when the subject of the statement is one of the words , that; , this,
it; , in the sense of which or what; , everything; e, another
thing; , one thing; ee, the first thing, e.g.
396
11.3 Use of short adjectives
(c) with some adjectives, to indicate that the quality is a permanent one,
e.g.
Oa a. She is an invalid.
397
11 Syntax
11.4.1 Use of o
O, which declines like the demonstrative pronoun (9.2), is
generally followed, when it means one, by a singular noun, even in
higher numbers in which it is the last component, such as twenty-one. It
agrees in gender and case with nouns and adjectives which follow it,
e.g.
one house
aa a a twenty-ne books
e ae in one famous article
Note: does have plural forms which are used with nouns which themselves
exist only in a plural form (see 3.6.1; e.g. , ne twenty-four-hour
period) or when the word means only (e.g. a e a, I
read only Russian novels).
a a two lorries
e two books
three fields
ee ea four months
a eea both telephones
a aa one and a half hours
Note: e, e, are feminine forms.
r adjectives after any of the above numerals are genitive plural, if the
noun is masculine or neuter, or nominative/accusative plural if the
noun is feminine, e.g.
398
11.4 Use of numerals
399
11 Syntax
r It is felt more correct to use the genitive rather than the accusative
forms of a/e, , ee when they are the direct object of a
verb and are used with an animate noun denoting a person,
particularly when the noun is masculine, e.g.
P a e ae. The CIA discovered four agents.
O e ee. He saw three girls.
Note: the use of a genitive form of the numeral entails the use of a plural form of the
following noun.
r When the animate noun denotes an animal then a genitive form of the
numeral is still considered more correct if the noun is masculine
(though this usage is perhaps less clear-cut than with nouns denoting
people), whilst with nouns which are feminine the use of the genitive
may seem stilted, e.g.
O e . He saw two elephants.
O e e . He saw two cows.
r If the numerals a/e, , ee occur as the last component of a
compound number, then they are likely to be used in the accusative
form, esp in R1, e.g. O e aa a aa, He saw
twenty-two boys.
r With the numerals and above only the accusative forms are used
with animate direct objects, even in R3, e.g. O e
a, He saw five boys.
ee a four workers
a e ee. Weve got two children.
400
11.4 Use of numerals
(c) with nouns which exist only in the plural (see 3.6.1), e.g.
e two new pairs of jeans
Note: the collective numerals decline like plural adjectives (see 9.3.1). They may be
used in all cases with animate nouns (e.g. a ee, the mother of three
children), but with inanimate nouns only the nominative/accusative forms are
used (e.g. e , but (not ) , about three days).
11.4.6 Approximation
Approximation may be expressed in the following ways:
(a) by reversal of the order of numeral and noun, e.g.
ee e about two weeks
aa ee a e about two hours after that
(b) by using with a numeral in the genitive, e.g.
a e M about 100 kilometres from Moscow
(c) by placing an appropriate adverb before the numeral, e.g.
e approximately 100
e a e roughly thirty students
Note: see also 5.4a () in .
401
11 Syntax
402
11.4 Use of numerals
Note: e
if there is no accompanying adjective then is often omitted, e.g. O
a e a aae, Each team has a game in hand.
(b) All other numerals are nowadays put in the accusative case and the
following nouns and adjectives conform to the normal rules applicable
after the numeral in question (see 11.4.2), e.g.
aee e aa.
The extra-terrestrials had three eyes each.
C a eaa e e e.
From each hectare [you get] 250 tonnes of vegetables.
Note: the use of numerals from upwards in the dative followed by a noun in the
genitive plural in such expressions (e.g. O a a a, He
gave us five dollars each) is now felt to be old-fashioned or bookish.
11.4.10 Time
(a) The neutral or formal way to ask the question What time is it? is
a? Similarly B a? At what time? Colloquially
one may ask these questions with the phrases C ee? and
Bo ? respectively.
(b) oclock: numeral + appropriate case (though is usually omitted).
At with time on the hour: + acc:
a one oclock
a aa two oclock
a five oclock
ee aa at four oclock
(c) Time past the hour: numeral + a in appropriate case + genitive
singular form of ordinal number indicating the hour (first hour, second
hour, etc.). A quarter past the hour: ee (f ) + genitive singular
form of ordinal. At with time past the hour: + acc:
() aa e (at) twenty-five past twelve
() ee e (at) a quarter past six
(d) half past the hour: a + genitive singular form of ordinal
number indicating the hour. At half past the hour: e (i.e.
+ prep):
a eaa half past eleven
e e at half past five
(e) time to the hour: e + genitive of all components of the cardinal
numeral or of ee + the hour itself. At time to the hour is not
expressed:
e aa (at) twenty-five to five
e ee e (at) a quarter to eight
403
11 Syntax
Note: if a time is followed by one of the phrases in the morning, in the afternoon, in the
evening, at night, then the genitive case of the word for morning, etc. must be
used, e.g. e a a, at nine in the morning; cf. the use of the
instrumental (, etc.) when the phrases in the morning, etc. stand on their
own.
11.4.11 Dates
(a) on a day of the week: + acc, e.g. e, n Wednesday.
(b) on days of the week: + dat, e.g. ea (in R1, ea), n
Wednesdays.
(c) in a month: + prep, e.g. ae, in January.
(d) a date in a month: neuter nominative singular form of ordinal number
( is understood) + genitive form of the month, e.g. ee a,
1 May.
(e) on a date: as in (d) above but with the ordinal in the genitive, e.g.
e a, n 1 May.
(f) a year: a compound number with an ordinal as the last component, e.g.
a e e e , 1994.
(g) in a year: as in (f ) above but preceded by and with the ordinal and
in the prepositional, e.g. e e , in 2004.
Note: if the year is preceded by a more precise date, then the ordinal indicating the
year must be in the genitive case and must be followed by a, e.g. ee
aa a e e a, 1 March 1980 (see also the
note to 11.4.10(e)).
(h) in a century: + prep, e.g. aa e ee, in the twenty-first
century.
Note: AD and BC are ae (or ..) and ae (r ..),
respectively.
11.4.12 Distance
This may be expressed in the following ways:
(a) with the prepositions and + cardinal numeral in the nominative,
e.g.
O ea aa a ea.
It is two kilometres from the centre to the stadium.
(b) with + cardinal numeral and following noun in the prepositional,
e.g.
Ca a ea ea.
The stadium is (situated) two kilometres from the centre.
(c) with the phrase a a + cardinal numeral in the genitive and
a following noun in the genitive plural, e.g.
404
11.5 Use of aspects
a a e ea
at a distance of two kilometres from the centre/two kilometres away from the
centre
Note: the expressions a e, at a height of, and a e, at a depth of, are
analogous to the expression a a, but in ordinary speech a large
numeral following them is likely to be left in the nominative case, e.g.
Ca e a e e e, The plane is flying at a height of
10,000 metres.
405
11 Syntax
imperfective perfective
ea always suddenly
e ee from time to time ea unexpectedly
a sometimes e quite, completely
a every year a immediately
a e every day a + acc over, in the space of
a many times a e until
e a more than once e already
a while
constantly
a often
imperfective perfective
present tense
r incomplete action:
a.
I am reading.
O e .
He is writing a letter.
Oa e.
She is walking down the street.
406
11.5 Use of aspects
r repeated action:
ee a.
I relax on Sundays.
a e a eae ea.
She goes to the theatre almost every day.
future tense
r incomplete action: r single completed action or event:
a , e a. a e .
When you arrive we shall be having supper. I shall write him a letter.
r repeated action:
eea a a.
I shall write letters in the evenings.
r action about to be begun:
Cea e .
Were going to go out now.
past tense
r incomplete or prolonged action: r single completed action or event, sequence of
actions:
a, a a ea. (a) aa a.
I was having supper when my wife came in. I drank a glass of beer.
ee aa(a). a ee a aaa e a.
I worked all week. In the space of one week she wrote a whole chapter.
r repeated action:
e a (a) . O a, aaa e.
I have explained this more than once. He got up, had breakfast and went out.
r annulled action:
O a . O .
He opened the window (but has now shut it He opened the window (and it remained open).
again).
Oa a. Oa a.
She came (but has gone away again). She came (and is still here).
r question or statement of fact without stress
on completion of action:
T a(a) ee?
Have you written the essay?
B a e ea?
Have you read Chekhovs plays?
a eeaa, e e.
They said on the radio that there would be snow.
B aaa?
Have you ordered?
407
11 Syntax
. e ae :
a, e e e.
He had a strained look on his face: he was trying
to recall where he had seen her (before).
O e a ea.
He took the penalty but did not score.
aa or ea ae cf. a r ea ae
to sit/take an exam to pass an exam
aa cf. aa
to try to prove, i.e. to contend to prove
Note 1 The distinctions drawn in the last section above (attempt with reference to
non-achievement or achievement) apply only in relation to a single instance.
In frequentative contexts the imperfective may well convey achievement, e.g.
a aa ae a , Every year he passed his exams
with commendation.
2 The imperfective forms e and a may mean to be able to see and to
be able to hear respectively. The perfective forms of these verbs (e and
a), on the other hand, are not necessarily used to render English
tenses that an English-speaker would normally expect to be rendered by
perfective verbs (e.g. saw, have heard, etc.). The perfective forms tend to refer
to the beginning of a perception, e.g. Caaa e e e a,
e ae , At first he could not see anything in the distance,
but then he caught sight of a tiny boat. See also 4.3, can (d).
408
11.5 Use of aspects
409
11 Syntax
imperfective perfective
r commands relating to repeated action, e.g. cf. e aa, Phone me
ee ae, Phone mother tomorrow.
on Sundays.
r invitation to do sth, e.g. Cae, instruction to do sth on a single occasion,
aa, Sit down, please; e e.g. Ce e e, Sit nearer the
a e, Call in to see me on light; e a ae,
the way home. Call in at the chemists on the way home.
410
11.6 Problems in choice of tense
Note: in reported questions whether is rendered by and the Russian word order,
with inversion of subject and predicate, is an order possible in a question. The
last two examples above illustrate the point.
411
11 Syntax
412
11.8 Use of reflexive verbs
Use of verbs like The easiest way to grasp the distinction between the verbs in the two
categories is perhaps to treat those like as having quite specific
meaning and those like , on the contrary, as covering a broader
range of meanings outside the scope of those like (cf. the similar
distinction made in 11.5.1 between the perfective aspect of the verb
and the broader imperfective).
Verbs like indicate movement in one general direction. The
movement is not necessarily in a straight line, but progress is made
from point A towards point B, e.g.
Oa e. She is going down the street.
O e a. He is running towards the bus.
Use of verbs like One may list a number of meanings outside the scope of verbs in the
category of , and these meanings are all conveyed by verbs like
.
(a) Repeated or habitual action, e.g.
a . On Saturdays we go to the cinema.
(b) Round trip, e.g.
(a) ea. I went to the theatre (and came
back).
In this sense may be synonymous with , e.g. Oa a
ea, She went to the theatre = Oa a eae.
Note: it may be difficult to separate the sense of round trip from the sense of
repetition, e.g. a e e , Each day the children go to
school (and of course come home again).
413
11 Syntax
aa/aa to try
a/ to smile
Note: in a few pairs the imperfective form is reflexive but the perfective form is not:
/e to lie down
a/ to burst (intrans)
a/e to sit down
a/a to become
r In a very large number of verbs the reflexive particle renders a
transitive verb intransitive, in other words it fulfils the function of a
direct object, e.g.
aa/a r aa/a r
e to return (give back) e to return (go back)
a/ to finish a/ to finish
(complete) (come to end)
aa/aa to begin (sth, aa/aa to begin
to do sth) (come into being)
ea/e to dress (sb) ea/e to dress, get
dressed
aaa/a to aaa/a
stop (bring to halt) to stop (come to halt)
a/ to lift a/ to go up
aea/ae to undress aea/ae to undress,
(sb) get undressed
ea/e to ea/e to
increase (make bigger) increase (get bigger)
/ to surprise / to be
surprised
a/ to improve a/ to
(make better) improve (get better)
ea/e to ea/e to
decrease (make smaller) decrease (get smaller)
a/ to make a/ to get
worse worse
r reciprocal action, e.g.
ea/e to meet one another
a/ to embrace one another
ea/ea to kiss one another
r characteristic action: some verbs which are normally transitive and
non-reflexive take the reflexive particle in contexts where they have
no specific object but denote action characteristic of the subject, e.g.
aa . Nettles sting.
Caa ae. The dog bites.
a ae. The horse kicks.
aaa. Cats scratch.
414
11.9 The conditional mood
415
11 Syntax
416
11.10 The subjunctive mood
417
11 Syntax
418
11.11 Use of gerunds and participles
419
11 Syntax
r Long forms of these participles decline like adjectives and must agree in
gender, case and number with the noun to which they refer, e.g.
Ma, eae , ae e.
Cars made in Japan are relatively cheap.
e a , ee e ea.
Food-stuffs made without preservatives are sold here.
a , aa a .
I am reading a book written by your father.
r Short forms of these participles, like short forms of adjectives, cannot be
used unless the participle is used predicatively (i.e. unless some part of
the verb to be comes between the noun and the participle which relates
to it). However, when the participle is used predicatively then it must
be in the short form, e.g.
Ha ee a .
Our telephone was cut off a long time ago.
B e a eea aa ea.
A system of rationing has been introduced in some cities.
ae eaa.
The building has been sealed.
a e .
These houses were built last year.
Note 1 Past passive participles are widely used in speech but in R1/R2 there is a
tendency to avoid them by using instead a verb in the active voice (in the third
person plural without a pronoun; cf. the unspecified English they, French on,
German man). Thus the above examples might be more colloquially rendered
in the following way: Ha ee a ; B e a
e a e; ae eaa; a
.
2 In many passive sentences the agent is named, e.g. O aaa,
He was killed by guerrillas; Oa a aeaa e, She was arrested by
the police. Such sentences too may be rendered with an active verb, although
Russian generally preserves the word order of the passive construction, with
the named agent following the verb, e.g. E aa; E
aeaa .
11.12 Conjunctions
11.12.1 Coordinating conjunctions
420
11.12 Conjunctions
421
11 Syntax
r , or, e.g.
a, a. lit Either a gentleman or Im done
for, i.e. All or nothing.
422
11.12 Conjunctions
purposive Oa a e, ea e - a .
She went up to him so that she could whisper something in his ear.
( ), ea ee e
a.
I am telling you this so that/in order that you may picture to yourself all the
dangers.
Note: + past tense is used when the subjects are different, as in the last
example above, but when the subject of the verb in the subordinate clause is
the same as that in the main clause then is followed by the infinitive,
e.g. , a eae, I am saying this in order
to express my indignation.
resultative Maa aa, a a.
The car broke down so that we were late.
M a, a ae.
We got so tired that we fell asleep on the bus.
concessive a , , aee, a.
Ill be there, although I expect Ill be late.
Note: see also modal particle (5.4, ()).
Ha eee a , a a a e e.
Its cold in the north of the country in winter, whereas in the south its
warm.
conditional E e aee, .
If you dont understand Ill explain.
e a, e e a.
Ill go on a business trip provided you approve my plan.
Note: see 11.9 on conditional sentences and also 11.6(c) on use of tense in them.
423
11 Syntax
424
11.14 Word order
425
11 Syntax
(a) Neutral word order: as a general rule the same sequence of subject +
verb + object/complement which characterises English statements is
observed in matter-of-fact statements in Russian too, e.g.
Maa e . Mums writing a letter.
O a a. The hunters caught a lion.
Caa ae ee. Sasha will become an engineer.
(b) New and known or given information (e ae): the point in
an utterance on which the speaker or writer wishes to focus attention,
i.e. the novel element in it, is placed at or towards the end of the
Russian utterance, since it carries more weight there. The earlier part
of the utterance, on the other hand, contains the information which
leads up to the novel point, i.e. information that is already familiar or
taken for granted or less important. Contrast e.g.
e . The train arrived.
e . A train arrived.
a ea a e. The cat was sitting on the stove.
Ha e ea a. A cat was sitting on the stove.
Note 1 What is new in a statement varies of course according to the point in a
conversation or narrative that has been reached.
2 If it is the subject of the statement that represents the new information then
the order of subject and verb will be inverted.
3 The distinctions achieved in Russian by variations of word order may be
achieved in English by choice between the definite article (the introduces
known information) and the indefinite article (a introduces a new element).
(c) Other rules that obtain in specific circumstances: the following
guidance can be given (note differences from English usage).
r Subject and verb are inverted in statements in which the verb denotes
natural event, existence, process, state, becoming or occurrence, e.g.
e. Its snowing.
Cee aa. Theres a risk of fire.
. The years went by.
. e a.
Ive got a headache.
Haa a. Winter came.
. There was an explosion.
Note: it will be seen that in all these sentences the word order is consistent with the
point made in (b) above about known and new information: in each instance
the weight of the utterance is contained in the subject, while the verb is a weak
word with relatively inconsequential meaning.
r Inversion is also common when the place where an action occurred is
indicated at the beginning of the statement, e.g.
C aaa aa. Clouds were coming from the west.
r The order of subject and verb is also inverted in questions introduced
by an interrogative word and after reported speech, e.g.
426
11.14 Word order
(d) In expressive registers, e.g. R1, R3c and the language of belles-lettres,
emphasis or emotive effect is achieved by infringement of the rules
given above. Consider the following examples which all embody some
departure from neutral word order as it has been described in the
preceding paragraphs:
427
11 Syntax
11.15 Punctuation
Russian usage with regard to punctuation differs significantly from
English usage, and since Russian usage is also more rigid the student
aiming for a high degree of accuracy in the language needs to pay
some attention to the Russian rules in this area.
r The full stop (a), the question mark (e a) and
the semi-colon (a a), broadly speaking, are used as in
English, to mark, respectively: the end of a sentence, the end of a
question, and a division within a sentence that is more marked than
that indicated by a comma.
r The colon (ee) too is used in a similar way in both English and
Russian, i.e. it may introduce:
(a) a clause that explains or expands on the preceding clause, e.g.
Oa aa a e: e , a a eaa,
aea.
She was late for the lecture: the train she was travelling on was delayed.
(b) direct or reported speech, e.g.
O :
He, e .
He passed his hand over his brow. No, Im not going to.
Bce aa e: aa(a) e.
Everybody said the same thing: that I should work a bit harder.
(c) a list, e.g.
Baae a a e: ae, ,
, a . . .
We grow all sorts of vegetables on the allotment: potatoes, carrots, onions,
cabbages . . .
428
11.15 Punctuation
429
11 Syntax
430
11.15 Punctuation
431
11 Syntax
432
12 Stress
433
12 Stress
12.2.1.2 Masculine nouns with stress on the ending after the initial form
r many common monosyllabic nouns, e.g. , table:
sg pl
nom
acc
gen a
dat a
instr a
prep e a
434
12.2 Stress in nouns
sg pl sg pl
nom e e
acc ea e
gen a ea e
dat a e ea
instr a e ea
prep e a ee ea
sg pl sg pl
nom e ae ae
acc a ae ae
gen a aea aee
dat a ae aea
instr a ae aea
prep e a aee aea
435
12 Stress
Note: in some words of foreign origin that end in - stress is fixed, e.g. a,
stained-glass window; ea, landscape; , beach; ea, reporting;
a, knitting; a, espionage; a, crew.
sg pl sg pl
nom e e a a
acc ea e a a
gen ea e a ae
dat e ea a a
instr e ea a a
prep ee ea ae a
436
12.2 Stress in nouns
sg pl
nom a a
acc a a
gen aa a
dat a aa
instr a aa
prep ae aa
( a)
sg pl sg pl
nom a e e
acc a e ee
gen a e ee
dat a e e
instr a ee e
prep e a ee e
437
12 Stress
sg pl sg pl
nom a a
acc e a a
gen e a ae
dat a a
instr e a a
prep e a a
sg pl
nom
acc a
gen a
dat a
instr a
prep e a
438
12.2 Stress in nouns
12.2.2.2 Feminine nouns with end stress in the singular and stress
on preceding syllable in the plural
r disyllabic nouns in -a or - with stress on the ending in the initial
form, e.g. aa, country:
sg pl
nom aa a
acc a a
gen a a
dat ae aa
instr a aa
prep ae aa
sg pl
nom a
acc
gen
dat e a
instr a
prep e a
439
12 Stress
Note 1 Some nouns with this suffix do not have plural forms, or at least they do
not have commonly used plural forms, e.g. ea, darkness; a,
cleanness.
2 In nouns in -a which have initial stress not on the ending but on the first or
penultimate syllable (e.g. aa, deed (official document); aa, worry,
concern; ea, infantry; aa, work) stress is fixed.
sg pl sg pl
nom a a
acc
gen
dat e a e a
instr a a
prep e a e a
12.2.3.2 Disyllabic neuter nouns with end stress in the singular and
stem stress in the plural
The stress pattern of disyllabic neuter nouns in - (and -) with stress
on the ending in the initial form is similar to that of end-stressed
disyllabic feminine nouns in -a or -, i.e. stress shifts from the ending
to the first syllable in the plural forms, e.g. , letter:
440
12.2 Stress in nouns
sg pl
nom a
acc a
gen a e
dat a
instr a
prep e a
12.2.3.3 Disyllabic neuter nouns with stem stress in the singular and
end stress in the plural
The opposite process takes place in some disyllabic neuter nouns in -
and -e in which stress in the initial form is on the first syllable, i.e. stress
shifts to the ending in the plural forms, e.g. , word; e, sea:
sg pl sg pl
nom a e
acc a e
gen a e
dat a
instr a e
prep e a e
441
12 Stress
3 e, sky, heaven, has plural forms eea, eea, ee, eea, eea,
eea. Similarly , wonder, miracle, has ea, etc.
4 , ear, has plural forms , , e, a, a, a.
5 , vessel, has a, a, , a, a, a.
6 In a few disyllabic neuter nouns stress is fixed on the first syllable in all forms,
plural as well as singular, e.g. a, blessing; , dish; e, saucer;
e, armchair; ae, dress; e, means; e, mouth (of river).
sg pl
nom ea
acc ea
gen e
dat e ea
instr ee ea
prep e ea
442
12.3 Stress in adjectives
443
12 Stress
1st pers sg aa e ae
2nd pers sg aae ee aee
3rd pers sg aae ee aee
1st pers pl aae ee aee
2nd pers pl aaee eee aeee
3rd pers pl aa e ae
r In 1B verbs with vowel stems (9.6.3 and 9.6.5 above) stress remains on
the same vowel throughout the indicative (i.e. in imperfective verbs the
present tense and in perfective verbs the simple future tense), e.g.
, to wash, aa, to give:
1st pers sg a
2nd pers sg e a
3rd pers sg e a
1st pers pl e a
2nd pers pl ee ae
3rd pers pl a
444
12.4 Stress in verbs
1st pers sg e
2nd pers sg ee e
3rd pers sg ee e
1st pers pl ee e
2nd pers pl eee e ee
3rd pers pl e
In verbs of more than one syllable (not counting any prefix) that
conform to the first of these patterns (e.g. aa, to cry, , to
go deaf, ea, to go (by transport), as well as ea) stress is on the stem
in the infinitive. In verbs of more than one syllable (not counting any
prefix) that conform to the second pattern (e.g. e, to lead, , to
go (on foot), e, to take (by transport), ee, to guard ) or the third
pattern (e.g. , to prick, a, to look for, aa, to wave, as well
as a) stress is on the ending in the infinitive.
infin
1st pers sg
2nd pers sg
3rd pers sg
1st pers pl
2nd pers pl e
3rd pers pl
445
12 Stress
infin e
1st pers sg e
2nd pers sg e
3rd pers sg e
1st pers pl e
2nd pers pl ee
3rd pers pl e
12.4.2.3 Stress shift from ending to stem after the first person singular
infin
1st pers sg
2nd pers sg
3rd pers sg
1st pers pl
2nd pers pl e
3rd pers pl
446
12.4 Stress in verbs
m f n pl
aa aaa aa aa
e ea e e
ae aea ae ae
aa aaa aa aa
ea eaa ea ea
a aa a a
a
a
e ea e e
a
m f n pl
ea e e
ea e e
ea e e
ea e e
ea e e
e eea ee ee
ea e e
447
12 Stress
Note 1 In e, to burn, and , to go (on foot), and their compounds the ending in
the feminine, neuter and plural forms is the sole vowel in the word (,
a, , ; , a, , .
2 Exception: , to cut (hair or nails), which has stress on the stem
throughout (, a, etc.).
m f n pl
a
a
a aa a a
a aa a a
Note: other common monosyllabic verbs have stress on the stem in all past-tense
forms, e.g. , to beat; , to howl; e, to put; , to blow; e, to eat;
a, to press/reap; a, to put; , to cover; , to wash; e, to sing;
e, to sit down; a, to become; , to sew.
r In some 1B verbs with a consonant stem (e.g. derivatives of -ee
and of -) stress falls on the ending in the feminine form and shifts
to the first syllable (i.e. the prefix) in the masculine, neuter and plural
forms, e.g. , to understand; , to accept, receive; aa, to
begin; ee, to die:
m f n pl
a
a
aa aaa aa aa
e ea e e
448
12.4 Stress in verbs
Note 1 The above rule holds good for reflexive verbs, which form their gerund with
the suffix -, e.g. aeea, having got interested.
2 In perfective verbs which have infinitive in - and a gerund in - (see 9.7.2)
this ending is stressed, e.g. , having entered.
449
12 Stress
Note: in some second-conjugation verbs in which stress shifts after the first-person-
singular form of the indicative (see 12.4.2.3 above), stress in the present active
participle also moves to the syllable preceding the syllable that is stressed in the
infinitive, e.g. ea, , a (from e, to cure, ,
to love, , to serve, respectively).
Note: the same rule applies to those present active participles in which is replaced
by , e.g. e, being led, from e (1st pers pl e).
450
12.4 Stress in verbs
e , visible
, beloved, favourite
, vulnerable
e, unrepeatable
e, impenetrable
e, uncatchable
Note: in verbs stressed on the stem in the infinitive (e.g. a, to think over,
a, to hear) stress remains on the same syllable in the past passive
participle, e.g. a, a.
r Stress also moves one syllable nearer to the beginning of the word in
past passive participles ending in - that are derived from verbs with
the stressed endings -, - (9.7.6), e.g.
, punctured
, mentioned
Note: this stress shift does not apply, however, to verbs derived from monosyllabic
verbs in -, -, -e, e.g. a, closed, a, broken, e,
dressed, from a, a, e, respectively.
r In the short feminine, neuter and plural forms of past passive participles
in - (e.g. e, brought in, introduced; e, brought;
e, swept off; a, lit; eee, intersected;
e, decided; see 9.7.6) stress shifts to the last syllable, with
consequential change of to e in the preceding syllable, e.g.
m f n pl
e eea ee ee
e eea ee ee
e eea ee ee
a aea ae ae
eee eeeea eeee eeee
e eea ee ee
451
12 Stress
m f n pl
, to arrive a
, to stay a
aa, to set aa aaa aa aa
a, to edit, publish a aa a a
a, to give back, hand in a aa a a
a, to attach a aa a a
a, to sell a aa a a
ee, to survive ee eea ee ee
, to live, stay a
a, to flood a aa a a
, to pour over a
, to shed a
Note: in the verb aa, to give out, distribute, the vowel in the prefix changes when
the prefix bears the stress: a/aa, aaa, a/aa,
a/aa.
452
12.5 Variation in stress
The variants of these past-tense forms with stress on the prefix are now
less common than those with stress on the stem of the verb in the
masculine, neuter and plural forms (or the ending in the feminine
forms). However, no firm guidance can confidently be given on usage
in these verbs.
r In R1 stress on the stem is now encountered in the feminine past-tense
form of some monosyllabic verbs, or verbs derived from monosyllabic
verbs, which in the standard language have stress on the ending (see
12.4.3 above), e.g. aa, aa, aaa, a, aa, a,
aa (instead of standard aa, took; aa, waited; aaa, began;
a, accepted, received; aa, gathered; a, took off; aa, slept,
respectively).
At the same time in the neuter past-tense forms of certain verbs
stress may be found on the ending instead of the stem, e.g. a,
, a, (instead of standard a, waited; ,
accepted, received; a, gathered; , took off ).
r Stress in the indicative forms of some second-conjugation verbs is also
unstable in R1. In some such verbs which in the standard language
have stress on the ending throughout the indicative (12.4.2.1 above)
stress now shifts to the stem in the second-person-singular form and
subsequent forms (as in verbs listed in 12.4.2.3 above), e.g. ,
we shall include/switch on; e, (s)he will facilitate. This change is
unsurprising, given that stress may now fall on the stem in the
infinitive form (e instead of standard e).
Past passive participles may be similarly affected, e.g. ae,
concluded, confined, and ee, brought in, inserted, instead of standard
a and e.
r Stress has been particularly affected over the last fifteen or twenty years
by the broadcasting of the speech of politicians and presenters with
regional speech habits. For example, the non-standard stress of the
infinitive form of certain common verbs (e.g. a, to engage, occupy;
aa, to begin; , to accept, receive; , to deepen) came to
be disseminated as a result of the prominence of Gorbachov, who
comes from the Stavropol region of southern Russia.
r One may hear alternative stress in adjectives and nouns, as well as in
various parts of the verb, e.g. a (Ukrainian; adj), ae
(Ukrainian; noun), e (acc sg of ea, price) and a, dollar
(instead of standard a, ae, e, a,
respectively). In some nouns ending in the suffix -ee, in which stress
has hitherto been on the stem in the standard language, the suffix is
now attracting the stress (no doubt by analogy with the vast majority
of nouns ending in this suffix, in which the stress does fall on the
antepenultimate vowel), e.g. aeee, intention, and eeee,
securing, guaranteeing, provision, instead of standard aeee,
eeee. The important thing for the student is to know which
variant is still considered standard.
453
12 Stress
454
Index of Russian words, phrases and
affixes
This index contains words (including interjections and particles), phrases and affixes (i.e.
prefixes, infixes, suffixes) on which specific information is given in Chapters 1-6 and
8-12 inclusive. Only sparing reference is made here to the phraseological formulae given
in Chapter 7 on verbal etiquette.
The following are not included in this index:
r words given as examples of various types of word-formation in Chapters 1 and 8;
r words used as examples of standard or non-standard pronunciation and stress in 1.5;
r individual words that exemplify use of a certain suffix or type of word to which
reference is made in commentaries on the texts given in Chapter 2;
r the alphabetically arranged lists of loanwords and neologisms of various sorts in 5.1.2,
5.1.3 and 5.1.4;
r the lists of computing terms in 5.1.5;
r the list of obscenities in 5.6;
r the key words in the lists of idioms in 5.7, proverbs and sayings in 5.8, and similes in 5.9;
r the list of abbreviations in 6.9 and acronyms and alphabetisms (6.10);
r the geographical names and words derived from them in 6.11 and 6.12;
r the forenames and patronymics given in 7.3.1 and 7.3.2, respectively;
r words given as illustrations of spelling rules in Chapter 8;
r words given as examples of standard types of noun and adjectival inflection in Chapter 9;
r verbs listed as examples of the conjugation patterns illustrated by the paradigms in
9.6.29.6.8;
r examples of verbs that may be reflexive or non-reflexive in 11.8;
r lists of words given as examples of or exceptions to one of the stress patterns illustrated
by the paradigms set out in Chapter 12.
In the case of nouns, adjectives and pronouns that occur in the book in more than one
form it is generally the nominative singular form that is given here.
Both aspects of a verb are usually given together, with the imperfective form invariably
first, although in many cases the point dealt with in the text relates to use of only one
aspect. It should be noted that the perfective forms given here are not all invariably used as
the perfective of the imperfective in question. Where one aspectual form differs markedly
from the other (e.g. a/) the two forms may also be given separately.
For the purpose of arranging forms in alphabetical order, phrases and hyphenated
words are treated as indivisible in this index.
455
Index of Russian words and affixes
aa 93 -a 267
a 189 -a 11, 267
a a 190 -a 284, 443
-a 11, 266 -a 11
-aa 11, 276 -aa 276
aa e 87 ao 292
aae e 87 -a 299
aaa 164
aa a 87 -a 276
aa 87 a a 19, 24
aa 87 a 19
a 87, 165 ay 237
-aa 2667 a a 236
aa 381 ao 164
-a 276 aaa 298
a 207 ae 379
a a 106 a 292
ae 297 aaa a 296
-a 11, 276 aa 88
aa e a 103 ae 13
a e 164 a 188
a a 87 a 83, 164
aa 297 a a 83
ae o 142 ao (a) 127
-ae 268 aa 166
-a 223, 267, 434 aa 13
-aa 223, 2745 ae 88
-a 3, 280, 310, 451 a a 10
-ao 280 a 19
ao 98 a 190
-a 267 a 190
a- 264 a a 379
-a 13, 285 aa 13, 19
-a 280, 283, 310 a 297
ae 92, 298 aa 135
aea 100 a 298
ae a 165 e 294
a 297 e a 412
aa 138 ey 436
aa 10 e e 19
a 87, 100 e 297
a 100 ea /ea 324, 412
a 87, 100 e e 102
a 205, 297 e 337, 373, 403, 443
-a 276 e- (e-) 265
ae 87 e e 176
aa a 88, 100 eo e 93
a a 81 eo 62
aa 81 e a 296
a 421 ey a 93
aae 304 e e 136, 292, 294
-a 280 ee 133, 322, 326, 447
ae 88 e -e 304
ao 133 ea 114
ae a 88 e 889
a 11, 40, 188, 189 ee e 164
ae : see e ey 131
456
Index of Russian words and affixes
ea 142 a 91
e 165 189
164 91
a 165 a 389
23 y e 424
88 y a 102
327 y 93, 96
o a 136 o 189
- e 276 y e 295
aa 343, 358, 372 a 23
aa e 138, 423 a 141
a 88 y 102
ao 169 y 142
ee /ee 147 297
e 188 y e 294
ey 135 y a/y 70
ee 135 a e 295
e e 188 159, 4168
83 a 159
83, 311 a 148, 151
189 127, 419
a 135 93
73 25, 150, 319, 328, 3901, 448
113 148
(eo ) a e 189 e 137
a 132 o 304
o e 189
293 () 28, 2923, 333, 334, 3467, 3501,
136, 292, 294 353, 356, 357, 364, 365, 366, 368,
a 115 372, 373, 404, 4423
a 297, 301 ()- 256, 264
e 160 ao 106
a 88 a e 135
o 103, 312, 397 a 129
o 311 a /a 123
o 1015 a 297
163 a 40
o 78 a e 164
o 112, 316, 351 a 306
136, 292, 294 e (pf ) 329, 331
o a 135 y 16, 337, 423
135, 297 /e 119, 331, 451
112 a a 144
381, 413, 418 313
a 40 e e 16, 350
a 73, 123 337, 356, 359
a 300 406
a/ 320, 330, 351, 453 eo 206
e 293 23
e 83, 302 e y 89
e/e 412 e 11, 176, 17980
ea 13 e e 294
316 e/e 321, 325, 412, 447, 450
163 e 99, 144, 294
412 e e 294
o e 164 ee 128, 387
a /o 121, 141, 408 e 49, 101, 397
457
Index of Russian words and affixes
458
Index of Russian words and affixes
o 309 e 84
297 ao 44
o 93, 114 350, 423
138 e (a) 355
138 e e 16, 338, 358, 423
a(e) ee 177 e 16, 53, 350
e 10, 35, 39, 365 a /o 132
-e 113, 176 aa /a 132, 139, 317
10 a /a 130
e 343 e a 124
e 302 ea /e 112, 116, 124, 332,
o e ao 169 446, 447
o 83 ea /e 124, 353
o a 83 a/y 134
o a 91, 115 a/y 134
- 2568, 264 y e 169
ea /e 133 ee e 350, 360, 361, 371
ee e 83 o 10
ee e 83 e 62
a e 109 a /o 350
a e 142 o 314
ea e 155 ee 138
aa /a 132, 147 -e 176
a / 389 148
/ 132 - 329
a 405 - 329
o e 4001 14, 45, 22930, 234, 251, 433,
35, 1801 452
-o 190 - 257, 264
e 189 a / a 391
o a 189 91
e 350 a a/ e 146
e 350 a a/ aa 133
a 35, 190 e 122, 391
a a 189 115
ee (/a ) 190 / a 147
291 a / 131
e e 113, 144, 362 e a/ ea 123
ee 338 e a/ ea 139
a/y 10 a 142
e 312 y a/ a 143
y a/y a 120 ea / ea 121
a 320 104
aa 146 a / a 103
aa 146 a/ a 148
e /e 386 a / 147
e 100 ea / ee 121
e 74, 83, 143, 302 302
e e e 363, 406 / e 139
o e 40 a a / a 111
- 256 a a/ a 128
a e e 176 aa a/ aa 123
350, 375, 423 aa / a 29
e- 264 ae e 111
161 a a/ a 116, 160
e a 406 o a/ 131
ee a 149 o 83, 311
459
Index of Russian words and affixes
a 439 a 116
o 83 a 126
a / 93 389, 413
e e 99 o 312
a/ 134 e /e 103, 135, 160
148 o 74
/ 121, 123, 327 74
/ a 124 o 294, 437
o e 118 a 83
e 354 opox 92, 291
a 141 o a 92
a 74 83, 119, 311
83
ao o 28 o a 88
a a 296 o 189, 301
ao 205 237
a /a 147 o a 352
ao 136 a 237
e 416 / 148
ea 204, 298 24
ea 88 a 140
e 163 o /o 123
e 107 a 91
e 297 a 141
e 304 aa 83
e 93 a 11, 204, 298
e 164 a 109
aa 19, 118 a 324
a 83, 89 ey 164
a / a r a 74 e 321, 325, 447
a 309 79
a 19, 24, 293, 294, 297 a 207
a e 169 169
a 202 79
aa 164 a 141
o /o 318 / 135, 386
o 311 o (c) (pf ) 10
e 19 o 138
11, 122, 177, 351 y aa 178
a/a 13, 74, 322, 412 a a a 87
o 101 79
/ 160 297
/ 160 79
320 321
10, 39, 322, 327, 329, 353, a 74
445, 447, 449 138
177 a 88
293, 295, 402 o 143
115
a 19, 118, 440 a 156, 1812, 421, 425
o 83 a 424
o 74, 294 aa 190
o 101, 131 aa , aa 190
o 74, 437 aa /a 317, 327, 328, 330, 444,
o 138 447
ea 131 a ea 13
412 ae 10
460
Index of Russian words and affixes
ao 122, 312 e e 94
a 421, 425 e e 149
a 311 a 164
a 83 y 91
ao 83 a a 164
a a 19, 131 e 164
a e 110 e 164
a 106 a e 83
a (pf ) 324, 327, 448; see also a 83
aa a 388
a/e 313, 398400 a 40
e 299 ea 90
e 314 a 19
a/ 125, 389 122
e e 89 338, 361
o e 314, 4001 o , o 423
o a 405 e 79
ea /e 130 79
e e 209 338, 358, 373, 374, 404,
e a 19, 115 443
e a 19, 115 - 257, 264, 265
e a 115, 237, 296 a / 381
e a 19, 115, 236, 237 a /a 131
eo 313 o e 23
e e 4001 y 88
e a 405 ea e 114
e y 237 ea e 88
e a 236 o a a 239
ey 94 o 94, 115, 126
e e 87 o 100, 103
e e 178 80
e e 87 o o 10, 295
e ee o 106 188
ea a 88 (pf ) 99
ea 134 ea /e a 131
e a/ e a 123 e 107
e a/ e a 391 a / a 382
e /ae 351 13
e 23, 24, 88, 103 aa e 110
eo e 169 o e 424
e 79, 291 o 237, 294
e 19, 91, 164 e 13
eo 304 74
ee 24, 74, 147, 296, o 122, 311
299 o 122
e e 299 10
ea a 130 o e 156, 157, 396
ea 328, 351, 449 o 157
ea 351, 381 o 120
ea a e 137, 408 o a 207, 453
e a 188 o 119, 128
e e 4001 24, 294
ee e 88 293
e a 206 o 164
e a 405 /e 119
e 299 /e 131
e 311 e 53
461
Index of Russian words and affixes
y 178 -a 276
o a 148 ea ee 164
389 -ea 2823
a a 114 -ea 276
aa /a 131, 145 -e 233
a 87 -a 276
a / 131, 326, 330, -ea 233
381, 450 -eo 283, 311
ea e 137 e 207
y 144 -e 281
o , a 422 -e 283, 311
o , 423 eo 306
o 10 e a 19, 113
a a/o 145 ea a 422
a/y 131, ea e 384
145 e 306
/ 131 - 276
o a 24 ee a 92
23, 24, 299, 302 e e 424
aa e 83 -a 11
aa 83 e 412
a /a 112 -e 12, 311
e 127 - 278
e 149 189
e /e 13 -e 284
a 169 -a 276
90 -ee 266, 453
a 91 -a 280
a 135 -e 284, 331, 332, 452
114, 236, 300 - 284, 331, 332, 451
y a 306 - 2678
a 178 -e 276
o 108 -e 267
o 114 -e 284
10, 19 - 284
133 -e 11
a 106 -ea 230, 277
y a 119 -e 2801
y ae 143 -e 294
y a/ y a 19, 29, 143, - 268
418 e a 133
y a 119 e 412, 4156, 423
o 100 e o 423
y a 138 -ea 275
315, 325 e (infin) 14, 19, 80, 324, 327
83 e (3rd pers sg) 80, 153
83, 91 e (interjection) 188
83 -e 272
a 83 e a/e a 14, 319, 327,
e 94 412
a 118 e a 10
a 118 -e 216, 223, 266, 268, 276
a 390 -eo 278
e 23 -ea 230, 279
203 -e 279
ea 237 e 182
237, 298 e 190
462
Index of Russian words and affixes
463
Index of Russian words and affixes
464
Index of Russian words and affixes
465
Index of Russian words and affixes
aa 298 e 164
ae a 106 299
a 102 ea 316
a a 74 e 79, 300
ao 88 eo 19
ao ea 92 o 424
ao e 11, 92 305
ao a 10, 11 e 127
ae 84 o a 75
ae a 84 o 294
aa /y 145, 381 o 316, 325, 331, 447
aao a 98 ao 144
aa 412 a 304
a e 294 o 296, 441
a /a 412 300
ae 304 a a 136
aa /aa 135, 389 ao a 94
a 19 a a 328, 388, 449
aa 90 a 164
aa 204 e 304
a a 208 o aa 133
a 89 a 79, 80
e 89 o a 454
ey 305 ee 90
e a 117 88
e 291 e 109
a /y 389 e 62, 178, 367
305 e 62
- 310, 311 e 107
a 212, 298 o 107
e 13, 203, 454 e 164
o 304 eao 88
e /e 160 e 113
/ 160 o 164
297 y 295
101 o 88
a 103 y 88
103 a /o 408
a/ 130, 321, 325, 330 o 109
e 291 a 19, 109
164 91
a 126 291
75 e a 207, 296
a 92 o 107
o 101 298
106 a 436
a 92 o e 79
73, 75 e 102
320 o a 137
ey o 176 113
300 324
a 412, 417, 422 o a 88, 101
o a 75, 137 o a 101
o a 137 o 309
a 137 e a 131
291 o 84, 311
o a 296 o e 176
466
Index of Russian words and affixes
o 78, 208 e 10
e 89 75
y 164 y a 106
a 75 o 291
113 y 113, 299
299 y a 19
75 243
o 161, 3912, 419 eo 188
o e 304
o e 23 -a 11
a 309 a a 136
a 109 a e 78
e 70 a 188
a 109, 128, 136, 293, 294, 300 a 412
a 165 ay 101
ae /ae 147, 315, 444, 447 a a 121
a/a 325, 328, 332 a a 19
a 84 a a 75
ey 169 a a 23
e e 295 a 316
e 142 a 322
e 89 e 291
/ 108, 327 75, 310
o e 339, 361 a e 190
o e o 176 293
o a 109 eee /eee 114
89 e 84
o 136 e o 84
293 eo 84
150 a 449
o 371 ea 153, 323, 329
146 e/e 319, 325, 412
a 94 e e 295
y 94, 95, 101 e e 139
/ 146 e 293, 295, 300
e e 98 ea 75, 79, 80, 122
o 92 e a 75, 140
o 300 ea 412
o 140, 296 ee /ee 80, 324, 412
293 e 402
a 144 e 80, 325, 450
e 107 ey 80
ae 178 e 319, 326, 327
a (aa ) 71, 178, 360 184, 245
a 178 422
307, 392, 416 - 188, 3934
y e 176 - 281
e 205 e 120
a 417 19
y 92 a 291
y 101, 295 o /o 13
a 75 121
y 304 a 80
e a 19 79, 300
e 304 205
, 324, 327, 330, 332, 450; see also 129
a 324, 327, 329, 332, 450 o 19, 95, 111
467
Index of Russian words and affixes
111 Ma 379
a 379 ay a 40
95 a a 75
a / 381 a e 295
a / 122, 381 a 191
312 aea 84
-a 11, 270 aea a 84
293 aea e 84
o 164 aea 84
ae 164 ae 42, 191
164 ae 75
/a 104 a e 191
o 106 ae a 191
- 270 a 23
- 270 a a 24
o a 102 a 19, 23, 24, 302
/e 108, 414 aa 191
291 ao 164
a /a 102 a 164
a a 75 aa /ay 14, 389
o a/o 414 aa 90
o 92 a a 19, 75
o a 24, 299 a 40
24, 80 291, 292, 293
73, 75, 80, 92, 291, 293, 295 e- 265
a 89 e 339, 345, 356
y a 118 e - 265
y 311 e a 178
40 e o 178, 360
- 284, 310, 311 e 84, 291
- 276 e 94, 95, 137, 311
/ 387 e 137
- 276 e 106
e 126 e 84
/ 24, 110, 324, 408, eae 164
446, 447, 450, 451 e 311
a /a 95, 389 e 304
o 291 e 104
92, 129, 298, 299, 402 e a 140
/a 114
aa 89, 102, 136 e /e 145
ao 89 Mey 379
ay a 144 ea 135
a 137, 397 e 321, 325, 447
a e 137 e 107
a a 92 e 24, 120, 133, 134, 149
a 380 ee 141
a a 19 e 87
aa a 19 ea 103, 296
aa 298 e 203
a 111 eo 304
ae 84 e 78, 84
ae a 84 ea 109
aea 89 ea e 109
aao 164 ea 353
a a 207 ea /ea 130, 141, 386
ae 165 e a 10
468
Index of Russian words and affixes
ea 95 84
ea 95 o 89, 111
ea 95 24, 154, 155, 156, 319, 326,
a /y 389 330
10 o a 85
o 379 o 130
e a 90 129
a 314, 399 10
a 204 19, 209
e 203 19
o 314, 344, 399 y a 81
126 a 81
203 ae 23, 302
24, 339, 359, 371 a a 23
a 291 y 133
y 59 y 13
73, 76, 149 y a 85
84 y a 85
e e 95 a 136
o 84 - 284
a 88 19, 143
124 119
a 163 316, 444
a 84, 311 89
e e 147 320
o 19, 117, 126, 314, 380 101
a 10, 44 101
o e 19
155, 156 a 28, 2923, 335, 351, 356, 357,
o e 156 360, 361, 364, 366, 367, 368, 370,
o e 155, 156 373, 375, 4423
o 154, 235, 246, 385 a 190
293 a- 258, 264, 265, 380, 381
306 a- (+ -) 2589
84, 188 ae 100
(particle) 62, 84 a e y 177, 178
84 a a 352
e 169 ao 88
13 ae e 157
o 19, 84 aea 70, 362
a 84 aey 144
o e 311 aea /ae 129, 148
o a 449 ao 23
a 131 ao 10
a /aa 323 a 19
84 a - 265
e 76, 144 a () 156, 345, 352, 354, 370
ea 89 aea /a e 85, 131, 318
o 297 a e 351
o 165 aa 352
a /y 389 aea 53
o a 19 a 385
o e 81, 441 ae a /ae 385, 408
o 92 a o 122
o 114 aa e 126
293 a 23
89 aaa /aa 391
469
Index of Russian words and affixes
470
Index of Russian words and affixes
ea e 19 y 156, 385
e a 150 189
e a 150 - 264, 282
e 150 e 127
e a 150 e 130
ee e 143 a/ a 138
ee 155 - 11, 160, 276, 298
ee o a 166
e e 307, 393 (-, -) 14, 42, 335, 349, 353, 354,
383, 417 356, 368
- 188, 3934 ()- 259, 264, 372
o e y ae 189 o a/oe 313, 3989
e 392 -a 276
-e 49, 52, 57, 161, 2701 aea /a e 13
e 359 a e 126
a a e e 189 / 353
311 y a/ y a 143, 390
- 282, 310, 312 e 23
18 e-/e- 259
- 271 ee ee 453
a 392 ee e 132
ao 383, 392 85
a 392 85
o 307, 392 a a eea 40
a 392 a a 110, 117, 389
- 216, 297, 301 o a 106, 299, 442
y a ea 243 ea /e 28, 453
a 142 (pf ) 452
a ee 189 e 105
-a 274, 275, 276, 438 e a/e 104
-a 11, 285 e (pf ) 104
eo o 189 ay a/ay 112
o 307, 392 (pf ) 328
ea 126 / 109
-a 216 o 91
- 14, 284, 331 e 138
421 138
a 73, 76 a a/ey 146
28 a e 103
o a 95 o a 136
o 92 o a 78, 106, 148
298 a a 13
- 282 aa e 109
o e 127, 133, 295 aa /a a e a 129
293 aa /a 146
91 e 116
76, 81, 324, 412 134
o a 127 e a 110
o -a 164 y ae 134
126, 208 140
o 81 e a/e 136
y 81 o 136
a 106 a / 142
a /a 110, 385 e e 109
35, 40, 42, 71, 178 / 123
a 126 a 295
a 353 o e 150
471
Index of Russian words and affixes
e 89 a a/ 110
e e 98 y a 109
/ 327, 330 o 76, 90, 111
a e 95 98
a 120, 132 - 272, 294
-a 2823 aee 88
- 233 a 23
-a 233 o a 81
-o 283, 310, 311 a 81
- 281 aa 101
- 283, 310, 311 aa 316, 327, 330
o 112, 121, 291 o e 78
o (pf ) 10 o e 295
e 92 e 164
a 106 e /e 119
ea ()/ e () 85, 331, 350 ee e 121
a 19 (pf ) 332
e a 19 a a/e 110, 148
ea (pf ) e 148 o a 85
313, 344, 398 a e 85
a 62, 177 a 110
o 177 o a 106
95 aa /a 131
89 aa /a 85, 391, 409
y a/ y a 105 aa /a e 139
a 382 a /a 85, 121, 133
y a/y 29 aa a()/a ()
aa 124 a 85
189 a 85
-o 280 o 103, 189, 411
- 11, 271, 278 109
a a/aa 147, 391 o 295
o 148, 296 o 119, 134
o a o 169 - 266, 272
ea /e 19 e /e 132
o 33940, 354, 359, 370, 372, () 340, 351, 354, 356, 363, 367, 369,
4001 375, 404
a a/a 13 ()- 2605
a e 109 - 276
o 148 -a 272, 439
o 295 e e 118
o 169 e e 132
297 ea /e 327, 351
-a 280 a / 409
a 70 aa / a 13, 19, 452
- 268 aa / a ee 132
- 2801 a / y 62
OOH 213 o 118
a a /a 111 e 19, 435
a a/ a 125 e e 85
aa 381 89
ae e 112 a a/aa 351
a 85 a a/ 131
a 85 a / 112, 325, 328, 449
a a 129 y a 158
a a/a 128 a / 108
e (pf ) 95 108
472
Index of Russian words and affixes
a a/ay 70 ea 134
a / 163 e a 296
e 340, 354 ea 165
/e 352 e a 137
- 276 e e e 144
a / 125 e 314
a / 125 ee- 260, 264
a 188 eea a/ee 10
a a/a 128 eea /eea 125
a /a 121 eee 109
o 11, 118, 293, 295 eeo 90, 92
a / 116 eea a/eeey 146
o a 102 eeo 92
13 e e () 345, 358, 370
e 65 eeaa /ee a 85
aa /a 85, 123 ee a (e) e 132
a/y 13, 30 eea /ee 125
/ 121 eea a 120
o 95 ee e , a 422
a e 114 ee y a/ee y a 105
o e 85, 126, 230 eeea /eee a 125
o ao 169 eea 111
/o 57 eea /ee 112, 452
o 164 eee a 105
71, 189 eee /eee 105
a a 40 eee /eee 105
-e 279 eeea /ee e 105
o e 23, 126 e ee 295
eeo 96 eea a 106
o 19 eea a/eee 105
-a 230, 279 eee (pf ) 451
92, 115 eeaa /eea 141, 408
(pf ) 324 eeo a 202
a / 150, 322, 326 eeo 148
150 ee /ee 125, 146
a / 29, 112 e e 291
e a 91
a 140 e 99, 144
a 163 eo 300
a a/a 111 ee a 89
a e 85, 104, 435 e 298
a 85 e 76
ao 106, 304 ey 23
a a 19 e 317, 325, 327, 329, 330
aa a 19 ea 89
a 76, 85 ee e 88
a a 85 e 80, 322, 326, 331
a e 19 eo 313
a 304 a 304
aa 297 a 80
a 128 a 205
a 295 a 82
a 100 a /aa 82, 317, 327, 330, 445,
a 295 447, 451
ae e 89 e 116
aa 23 o 296, 440
a 138, 160, 390 a e 113
473
Index of Russian words and affixes
474
Index of Russian words and affixes
293 o / r ao 77
o a 76 o 86
o 111 293
e e 140 e 13
328; see also a e e 120
e e 296 16, 537
207 147
a / 3989 e /e 6
e e 89 ea /e 148, 324
y a 129 o e 82, 341, 355, 368, 371
o a/o a 110, 147, e 82
389 e- 265
o a 76 e 120
76, 109 o e o , a 422
ae 11 y a 350
e e o , a 424 y 116
ee (pf ) 10, 11 o 82
e a 127 e 341
ea /e 6, 130 e 341, 360
o 11, 92, 298 120
(e) 178 o , o 424
341 406
a 132 a / 351
o 132 y 85, 87
a /o 386 o 140
-o e 70, 177, 365 82, 293
o 87 eeo (pf ) 169
o 19 o 11, 369
-a 24 o 82
aae 350 o 82, 143
a 23 y 422
o 305 e 126
a e/a ee 115, 44, 177, a / 134
178 y (pf ) 328
a / 29, 113, 131, 320, 448 a (pf ) 169
e 119 e 53
85 e 88
85 80
e 350, 365, 375 o a 140
/ 109 o e 62
a a /a 111 o e a 122
a (pf ) 169 o 91
a a 138 a 19
e 355 a ae 150
(pf ) 169 189
a 128 a e 189
-o 24 o 96
a e aa 178 o 96
e 350 a 89
o 178 177
o a 82, 385 e e 99
a 82, 144 o 78
-a 109 a 120
e 164 a 89
101 a e 116
o 80 a 389
o 80 ae e 116
475
Index of Russian words and affixes
a 120 aa /a 100
a 120 o 10
a 93, 96, 118 a (pf ) 452
a 85 y a/ y a 143
a 85 aa ()/a () 112, 353
a e 86 a 110
a 86 a /a 103
a 86 a a/aa 128, 387
e- 11, 264 aa /y 145
eaa /ea 105, 146 e e 87
eaa /ea 105, 146, ea e 99
351 e 117
eae e 106 a / 352
ea /e 102 ee e 99
e ()- 261, 265 e /e 147
eaa /e a 85 e 354, 372, 4001
eaa /e 410 ea e 127
ee 77 aea 352, 387
eaa /ea 130 a / 116, 318, 44850,
eae e 119 453
ea /ea 119 a / 408
ea o 15, 151 /e 13, 331, 451
ea (e) ee 11, 178 a 89
eo e 537 e 164
e e eo 113, 177, 354 e 164
e e e 358, 422 aa a/a 140
e 127 a 100
e /e 353 a a/e 137
eaa /ea 107, 141 / 352
eaa /ea 141 a a/e 122, 352
eae e 108 e /e 352
ee 126 100
eeea /eee 389 y a 153
eaa e 106 y 130
eao a/eaa 105 / 391
eaa e 87, 142 a e 169
eaa 142 a e 89
e a/e a 130, o () 57, 424
386 y (pf ) 10
ea /ea 102, 141 / 328, 449
ee 89 / 153, 385
eeo 89 e 137
49, 34950, 361, 365 / 160
- 261, 264, 265 62
ea /e 147 e 114, 236
a / 352 88, 116, 126
e 354, 372, 4001 14, 42, 336, 354
(pf ) 452 - 2612, 264, 378
aa 164 o a 89
a a 164 e 88
e 239 a /a o 112
e a 116 e a 104
ea /e 352 o a/o a 145
/e 13, 329 (pf ) 452
/e 13 a a 189
a / 352, 408 e /e 110
90 113
476
Index of Russian words and affixes
a 78 e e 89, 108
/e 86, 139 / 136
o 78, 91, 96 80, 293
a / 87 80, 300
/a 147, 451 190
a a 77, 90 a e 178
a a 115 132
a (pf ) 449, 451, 452 309
a / 133 a /a 381
o e 113 206
a / o 408, 409 y 13
y a/ y a 143 e 116
e 90 100
e 121, 296 a 141
(pf ) 452 243
o e 126 y aa 889
a/a 122 341
e e e 149 148, 302
/e 86, 123 y a 116
/e 29 113
o (pf ) 451 a 103
ea 149 a /a 145, 413
o 118 e a 164
(pf ) 452 a 405
/e 136 e 4001
a/ a 138 313, 399, 400
a y a 88 e 10, 313
o 78, 88 o 314
a / 125
e 121 ao a 120, 149
e (pf ) 332 ao a 153, 315, 352, 391, 444, 447
ee e 109 ao 149
a/ e 137 a a 149
o 210 a 10
/ 100, 382, 410 ao 149
e 89 ae e 88
a a/ 139 a 86
(e) 178, 235 a 145
o 35 a 309, 387
o 96 a 341
a / 104 a o a 190, 362
y 85 a a/a a 387
o a 99, 210, 296 a 144, 297, 423
o 341, 355, 369 a()-/a- 262, 264
e 386 aa /a 102, 331
y a/ 142 aa /a 10, 126
e 120 a e 108
e c 237, 295 ao 86
a 86 a 86
/ 125, 451 aa a/aey 146
e 119 a 42
e (pf ) 86, 321 a e (pf ) 452
a (pf ) 86, 449, 451 a o e 96
o 142 a o 100
o 120 aae e 115
a / 244 a y a/a y a 105
a /a 353 aa /a 129
477
Index of Russian words and affixes
478
Index of Russian words and affixes
aa ae 163 e 299
a 91 e 302
ae 203 e 23
ao 135, 297 e 134
a a 291 e 134
e a (pf ) 82 e /ae 351
ea /ea 82 e e 296
eea /ee 133 ee a 86
117 e 134
a a 123, 296 e (pf ) 82, 319
a 23 a /e 103
209 e 137, 153
eo 209 449
ea /ey 135 a 129
e 96 1178, 142, 309
e 342, 371 a 88, 89, 126
e- 264, 265 101
e o 177 o 304
e 144 135
e 73, 77, 121, 149 a(e) a 178
e 135 aa (pf ) 29
e 135 a a 141
e 77, 102 a a/aa 353
eo 121 ao a 158
a e 124 a a 134
e e 110 e 90
e ea/a e ea 336, 372
e e 128 a 108
139 - 264, 283, 311, 312
a 86 a 291
e 86 136
e 295 -o 283, 311, 312
o a 114 o 314, 380
o 114 a (pf ) 19, 108
o e 118 o 77
96, 97, 306, 3945 a (pf ) o e 40
a a/ey 146 139
209 o 138
ea 209 a 125, 352
e 342, 371 a 132, 311
a (pf ) 97 a 317
aa /a a e 137, 373, 408 ea 312
a a 105 e a 113, 352
a / 125 e a 157
a / 125 e ae 177
o 369 e a/e a 113, 352, 387
ee 385 e e 156
e 306, 336 e e e 177
eo 144 e a 296
ea 71, 127, 365 91
ee a 10 126
e 165 o 77, 82, 441
e 11, 296 107
e 82, 147 y a 149
eo 82 y a 134, 149
ea 405 e e 134
e e 4001 / 153, 386, 391, 450
479
Index of Russian words and affixes
161 e e 53
y a 111, 144 e a 387
a 98 e e 107
y a(e) 122, 178 a 87
y a/y a 86 386
y a/y a 378, 381 133
/ 391 ea e 107
a 12, 40, 86 o 82, 313
a/ a 12, 40, 86, 138, 323, o a 82
353, 383, 408, 451 295
a 18, 70 a 322
e a 106 e 301
e /e 105 e 86
e a a 88 e 86
e 19 a /a 152
e (pf ) 331, 450, 451 e 140
eo 115 86, 152
e /ae 317, 352, 414 86
o a 92 a e 107
e /e 122, 322, 351 o 314
(e) 189, 411, 425 e e 149
y 102 y a 387
aa a 113, 312 y 89
e 293, 295 124
a / 111 a 298
e e 108 aa /a 133
a / 136 a 19, 322, 448, 453
o a 98 ea 113
e e 109 e a 113
o 90 ee (pf ) 13
(pf ) 453 o 35, 97
a 309 o 131
a / 113 o 164
o 78 99
a e 124 o 148
a (pf ) 453 o 130
e 77 o 106, 116
e a/e a 109, 386, 410 o a/o a 109,
e a/e a 148, 353 386
ea e 124 a /a 100, 123
ee 130 a a/ 100
e 406 355
a e 178 y 202
a 345, 354 aa /a 112, 351
aa 99 a 357, 406
ao a/aa 99 e a 77, 86
aa /a 99, 351, 353 e 342, 356
e e 19 e 19, 148
o 177, 368 ea /e a 107
a /a 103 97, 144
aa /a 107 o a 99
ae e 108 o /o 353
a 297 a /a 130, 139, 160, 324,
e 302 332
ea 353 a /a e 119
109 a 23
a / 119, 353 a 90
480
Index of Russian words and affixes
481
Index of Russian words and affixes
482
Index of Russian words and affixes
149 e 297
y e 149 y 82, 311
101 aa /a 121, 317, 353
81 y a 19
134 a a/ 130
134 o (pf ) 13
11, 190 a a 28, 348
y e 101 a e 453
o 143 a 453
y 297 a a/ 104
118 ea/eey 13
y 135, 298 188
- 277 ea /ee 121
y 101 a 110
y a 106 (pf ) 451
y 112, 132 a /y 40, 414
81 a- 264
77 a 89
81 e 106
a e 103 e 123, 154
11, 14, 39, 22930, 234, 235 a /ee 11, 19, 108, 292, 326,
- 14, 285, 451 330, 448, 450
a 314, 344, 399 y 102, 106
- 277 / 123
, ae 189 - 11, 273
a 296 e (pf ) 329
78, 100, 117, 118, 134 ea 136
- 11 ee 164
y 204
117, 342, 356, 359, 363, 367, 370, a a 129
375 a a/a 128
- 263, 264 y (pf ) 331, 451
e e 142 e /e 147
e a ()/e () 324, 353 ae e 116
e e e 147 a 123, 389
a 189 ae e 111
a /a 131 -a 277
o a 117 aa 141
e a/e 116, 132 a 379
e /e 353 e a r ea /e a 107
ea /e 97, 389 a 117
(pf ) 453 e 117
a a/ 410 y a 134
y 293 ea /e 97, 123, 409
aa / a 123, 385, 409 aa /a 409
a /a 121 ae 128
a 139 y e 298
a 73, 78 a a/a 122
a / a 352 -a 11
a 86 a a 122, 352
a 86, 115 y 300, 442
e a/ea 141 / 121
/ 387 a a 120, 353
ea /e a 121 a e 128
1867 a 140
y e 82 e 111
e 82 78, 87
483
Index of Russian words and affixes
484
Index of Russian words and affixes
a a 297 a a 297
-a 277 a a 117
a e e 164 a 101
a 144 a 101
ae 11 a a/a 389
a a 90 ae 102
a 406 a 291
a 128 a e 295
a 17, 70 a a 91
71 a a 78
eo o 178, 190 ee /eey 125
e 307 e e 139
ee 298, 402 295
ee e 88 ea 137
e 47 313
e a 104 e 107
ea 101, 133 ea 405
e e 14, 3367, 355, 360, 364, 370, e e 4001
372 - 329, 449
e e 295 - 285, 330
e a 91 ae 305
117 e 107
301 o 311
a a 189 ay a 101
/e 189 a 293
eo 292 a 141
ea 405 y a 137
e e 314, 4001 a 117
e e 206, 403 190
e e 313, 398400 - 310
e ea 314 169
- 281 a e a 102
- 2734, 2789 o 139
o 127 e 304
/ 324, 328, 449 13, 14, 296, 454
a /a 325, 327, 328, 331 141, 296
324 206
25, 49, 71, 187, 307, 392, 416 y a 92
o 158, 162, 4178 141
o e a 190 y a 106
aa e 178 y e 295
y eo 114 138, 291
y e 114 y 209
y a/y a 112, 138,
160 -a 298
e 188 a 71
324 e 118
y 300, 442 a 103
o 96, 97, 114 91
o 297 - 285, 329
y 11 - 2734
e 384 -a 274
y /y 138 y a/y a 112
485
Index of Russian words and affixes
- 277 e e 134
-e 268, 274, 298 / 47, 59, 151, 391
- 298 -a 11, 276
- 275, 299 a 24
o 101
236 78, 435
aea /aea 110 a 101
e 107 o 296, 441
o /o 133 - 11, 223, 266
e 87 -a 11
87 188
e a 90 163, 295
a a 147 a 118
ea 90 - 11, 276
e 87 -e 268
e a 87 - 223, 267
o 379 -a 223, 2745
e 129 - 280, 310, 451
o a 99, 144 -o 280, 310
a 11 - 280, 310
a 90 203
42, 44, 383 102
306 164
a 19, 236, 298 91
e 379 e 89
e 120 -a 277
- 284, 443 - 267
- 284, 443
305 -a 223
92 101
486
General index
487
General index
488
General index
489
General index
490
General index
491
General index
492
General index
493