The history and the origin of words and phrases.
5
votes
1answer
59 views
Why some Russian interrogatives start with к- and others - with ч-?
Many Russian interrogatives start with к-:
кто?
кому?
куда?
кем?
как?
который?
где? (<кде?)
когда?
On the other hand, some interrogatives start with ч-. They seems to be case variants of "что?":
...
4
votes
1answer
141 views
4
votes
4answers
131 views
Вероятность and вера
In Czech language, the word "вероятность" sounds like "pravděpodobnost" [правдеподобность], and means "it is truthlike" (подобно правде). This made me look to Russian word - вероятность. Does it ...
-1
votes
1answer
92 views
этимология слова “ружьё”?
Кто-нибудь знает происхождение слова "ружьё"? Не смог найти ни одного однокоренного слова, кроме его производных.
0
votes
3answers
140 views
What are the exact orthography, etymology and explicit semantics of галимо/голимо?
In phrases like:
Это г@лимый бред.
Это г@лимыe сопли.
The word has been detected in conversational register of middle/low class native speakers in NW Russia, sometimes in fictional ...
4
votes
0answers
114 views
Are the уж (a kind of snake) and узко (narrow) related? [closed]
According to Mallory we have the following PIE words (in this notation, g = palatal/plain ġ=plain/uvular):
a̯enġhu̯is snake (> уж)
a̯enghus narrow (> узко)
a̯enghnos fear, constriction (> ужас)
...
4
votes
3answers
336 views
Can someone tell whether this Russian swear word derives from German?
Лох is a word that I heard among Russians and Ukrainians who never visited Germany. So it’s not quite clear whether the German language is the origin. Can anyone shed any light on the origin of this ...
3
votes
1answer
228 views
Are there verbs in -оть not having been subject to the metathesis of the liquids?
All Russian verbs ending in -оть I can think of had been subject to the metathesis or the liquids and did not have this ending in Proto-Slavic:
бороть (CS брати) < *барти (cf. брань)
...
2
votes
2answers
332 views
Adjectives ending in -тный
Upon this discussion with YellowSky, a follow-up question arose:
There are some adjectives ending in -тный which could be grammatically possibly originated from both a noun and a verb with -т- not ...
5
votes
3answers
179 views
5
votes
1answer
158 views
6
votes
2answers
254 views
Are the Russian “рыжий” and French “rouge” (red) related? / Как связаны русское «рыжий» и французское «rouge»?
While I since had learned that linguistics works in much more mysterious ways than simply “if words sounds alike, or also mean similar things, they must be related”, for a long time I presumed that ...
1
vote
1answer
65 views
Are there any patterns for loanwords phonetics in Russian which are specific for a source language?
В (древне)русском языке есть (был) набор специфических фонем. В языках, из которых осуществлялись заимствования, тоже был набор специфических фонем. Вопрос: могли ли одни и те же звуки ...
3
votes
1answer
73 views
Kакова этимология слова “варяг”? What is the etymology of 'varyag'?
Имеется в виду буквальное значение слова. The word is meant in its literal sense.
4
votes
2answers
214 views
Etymology of “переборщить”
What is the origin of "переборщить"?
I really do doubt it has something in common with Russian soup борщ. Another hypothesis was that it is somehow related to "перебор" in this meaning:
Derived ...
2
votes
1answer
115 views
What is the etymology of чашка? Какова этимология слова “чашка”?
Does it have anything in common with Sanskrit चषक (casaaka) = bowl, glass, cup, wine, liquour? Please avoid elliptic definitions like 'it is a diminutive from 'чаша'.
Есть ли у слова что-либо общее с ...
4
votes
1answer
120 views
Этимология слова «даже» / Etymology of the word “dazhe” (even, although)
Каково происхождение слова? Сочетание да + же представляется слишком очевидным. Фасмер дает только *датже, не останавливаясь на использовании современной лексемы и не останавливаясь на элизии ...
3
votes
1answer
84 views
Etymology of хорваты / Этимология слова “хорваты”
What is the possible origin of this word? Can it be related to "сарматы"?
Каково возможное происхождение этого слова? Может ли оно быть связано со словом "сарматы"?
3
votes
2answers
169 views
Этимология слова «аист» / etymology of “аист” (stork)
Считается, что в русском языке нет исконных слов, начинающихся на букву «А». Как объяснить этимологию слова «аист», явно отличающуюся от лексем в родственных языках?
бел. бусел
укр. лелека
русин. ...
2
votes
1answer
96 views
Traditional utility outbuildings and annexes: etymology, patterns, and geogrpaphical differences
When we are talking about utility buildings near or around traditional Russian dwelling (be it izba or khata), mayhaps the first that comes to mind is the сени (seni) — enclosed veranda separating ...
2
votes
3answers
519 views
Origin of the phrase “их нравы”
Where and when did the phrase in question originate? Was it the invention of Soviet propaganda, or did authorities themselves adopted the earlier phrase from other literary sources? Could it be used ...
9
votes
3answers
327 views
Difference between “нация” and “народ”
Given that народ is connected to род, and has to do with birth, and нация derives from the Latin natus, past participle of nasci (being born), is there any difference between the two terms?
I have ...
6
votes
5answers
671 views
Can “чита” mean “monkey”?
A Russian friend of mine claims that the word "чита" can mean "small monkey". She thinks that it might be a colloquialism, but she cannot recall its etymology. I believe she has been using it since ...
8
votes
1answer
674 views
Origin of “cемь пятниц на неделе”
What is the origin/etymology of phrase Семь пятниц на неделе (literally, seven Fridays in a week)? I am not interested in the meaning of it (I know what it means), but rather where it came from.
I ...
1
vote
1answer
395 views
What is the root meaning of the name 'Samovojska'?
I have seem alternative spellings of this name listed as
Samovojska
Samovojsky
Samovosky
Samosky
Is this a Rus surname?
What is the origin or root meaning of this surname?
3
votes
3answers
267 views
Vowel in “раст\рос” stem: how did it happen that they are different?
The following words have the same stem:
рост
росток
рослый
растение
расти
возрасти
возросший
возраст
I think that they have the same stem because their meaning is related and they ...
4
votes
2answers
5k views
“Война войной, а обед по расписанию”
Откуда пошло выражение (поговорка)?
Война войной, а обед по расписанию
5
votes
3answers
491 views
Etymology of the phrase “Пряничные ворота”
I understand the phrase as metaphoric gates you want to enter but cannot:
Б. Гребенщиков, "Дуй":
Сколько ни стучись у этих пряничных ворот...
I cannot find an origin of the phrase
6
votes
3answers
2k views
котов and Петров
This is a follow up to this question.
Here is a Daniil Kharms short story:
ПЕТРОВ И КАМАРОВ
ПЕТРОВ:
Эй, Камаров!
Давай ловить комаров!
КАМАРОВ:
Нет, я к этому еще не готов.
...
5
votes
1answer
3k views
Why “подруга”, not “друга”
I wonder are there any other cases when prefix по- indicates feminine gender?
I can recall some nouns with по- prefix, like постель or повесть, but this words have roots that are also feminine.
On ...
4
votes
1answer
140 views
Впервые or впервыя (in old orthography)?
In pre-1918 Russian orhography, female and neuter adjectives in pl. nom. had endings -iя, -ыя: новыя вѣщи, голубыя озёра, but новые наряды, голубые киты.
Pluralia tantum require some etymologic ...
2
votes
5answers
1k views
When and how “разбор полётов” became a idiom
In Russian "разбор полётов" means an ex post facto analysis of some event, which most likely had dramatic consequences or lead to failure.
For example:
Дмитрий Медведев обещал провести разбор ...
3
votes
2answers
740 views
What's the origin of “по первое число”?
This phrase ("по первое число"), meaning "large amount", is usually used when describing a punishment or generally an unpleasant experience (e.g. Завалило снегом по первое число or Получил от ...
10
votes
2answers
239 views
Put noodles onto somebody's ears?
I've been asked to explain why people say вешать лапшу на уши for uncovering lies and expressing distrust. Where does it come from?
3
votes
2answers
199 views
Происхождение и значение современного употребления “погнали”
Хотел бы сверить с обществом собственные социокультурные соображения по поводу выражения погнали в значении начали. Откуда оно есть пошло?
Пример употребления глагола "погнать" в значении "начать ...
7
votes
5answers
4k views
The history and meaning of “ни фига себе”
I understand how the expression is used pretty well, but wonder where did it come from?
What exactly does фиг mean?
1
vote
1answer
156 views
Where did the phrase “гладить против шерсти” come from?
I figured out through its usage and some Google-Fu, that гладить против шерсти means rubbing the wrong way, but can someone explain to me why "touch/press against the wool"? Where did this phrase come ...
11
votes
7answers
4k views
Why “пить таблетки”?
"Пить таблетки" (literally "drink pills") is a commonly used phrase. But why is it "пить" ("drink")? Naturally, pills are solid and thus can't be "drunk" in a traditional sense. There is phrase ...
7
votes
2answers
168 views
Where do the following words come from: лето, весна, осень, зима?
I am interested in knowing the etymology of names of the seasons in Russian: лето, весна, осень, зима.
UPDATE:
And especially the original meaning of the proto-words that gave birth to these words.
8
votes
1answer
129 views
Defining autochthonous etymology of Russian lexems
Judging by several etymological discussions erupting around this site, people have vastly different ideas about what constitutes “native” Russian word.
For me, borrowing (whether it be recent (last ...
6
votes
4answers
349 views
Etymology of “Пошел в Баню!”
Given the meaning of the phrase ranging from benign "Go away" to the rude "Пошел на ..."
I am curious of the origins of this form?
10
votes
2answers
197 views
Do “русый” and “русский” have a common root?
Does the name of the hair color русый come from the name of the people/land?
6
votes
3answers
240 views
Почему Евклид, а не Эвклид?
Why is Евклид spelled with Е in Russian? All the other words and names with Greek origin starting with E that I can think of are spelled with Э in Russian.
Эратосфен, эвтаназия, эвристика
...
5
votes
1answer
285 views
What is the origin of “на обиженных воду возят”?
I was always wondering where this expression has its starts and what its origins? I've searched through the net and found few discussions on this issue:
Link 1: ...
8
votes
4answers
258 views
Addressing taxi/bus driver by “шеф”/“командир” - where does it come from?
While using buses and marshrutkas as a means to reach point B from point A, I often hear drivers being addressed as "шеф" or "командир", as in:
Командир, возьми за проезд!
or
Шеф, до ...
8
votes
3answers
273 views
Etymology of “С дуба рухнуть”
The expression С дуба рухнуть means: crack up, go nuts. For example:
Ты что, с дуба рухнул?
Have you lost it?
What is the etymology of this expression?
15
votes
3answers
333 views
Are there words that can be spelled with both т and ф
Some words of greek descent use ф as corresponding to greek θ, while some use т. The former I think tend to be loaned earlier. In "Brothers Karamazov" however I have found Mitya using word эфика. The ...
10
votes
2answers
150 views
Etymology/Origin of “Грузия”
In many languages, the name of the country Georgia is derived from the name of St.George. In Georgian, Georgia is called საქართველო(Sakartvelo), so obviously Грузия has nothing to do with it either. ...
15
votes
5answers
760 views
Why doesn't Russian have native words beginning with А?
I've heard that Russian has no native words beginning with the letter A. The claim is that the words appearing under A in dictionaries were all imported at some stage or another. Browsing through the ...
2
votes
2answers
204 views
What are some of the most common words which were borrowed from other neighbouring Soviet republics? [closed]
The Soviet Union endured for over seventy years and I know lots of Russian words were borrowed into the languages of the Soviet Republics around Russia during this time.
But are there some words ...
