You Can Read Russian, Too!
Once you get past the Cyrillic alphabet, it clears up a lot. There are many similarities between French and English and Russian. You just have to prolong all /i/ sounds to sound like /iii/.
English cognates
ЛОФТ = lift (elevator)
СУПЕРМАРКЕТ = supermarket
ГРАПФРУТ = grapefruit
ДОКТОР = doctor
ВІСКІ = whiskey
БАНК = bank
KPEДИT = credit
PECTOPAH = restaurant
KAФE = café
CMAЙЛ= smile
French cognates
ЭТАЖ = étage (floor)
МАГАЗІН = magazine (store)
Cross-Gender/Culture Notes
Ukrainians wear their wedding rings on the ring finger of their right hands, not their left hand like we do! Sometimes if they move it to their left hand it means that they are divorced.
Men always open the door for women and they always let them go first. I’m constantly forgetting or apologizing for not moving faster.
In the winter, if you don’t wear a hat, they believe that you will get a cold. They also believe that if your feet get cold, you will get a cold.
If you show any skin around your neck during the winter or if your head is uncovered, people will blatantly stare at you on the street. A said that they think perhaps you are crazy. Hm…
On the tram, if you are going a shorter distance, you only need to pay half the rate, nothing need be said. It is best to tell your tram attendant, the one who is collecting the fares, that you don’t need a ticket. This way, the attendant can keep the fare for him or herself. They don’t get paid much, so it is a covert charity.
w’s the weather?” “Mm.” Is it rainy?” “Mm.” Could be yes, could be no…doesn’t matter!Sorry, guys, here's just a random pic from this past weekend! Patrick, Maddy, Oleg, and Sergey!
1 comment:
Hello again!
Well, you've mispelled some words
ЛОФТ --> ЛИФТ
ГРАПФРУТ --> ГРЕЙПФРУТ
ВІСКІ --> ВИСКИ (but your wording would be correct for Ukrainian)
МАГАЗІН --> МАГАЗИН
As for the word "smile", it is used for things like these: :0 :) =] etc., but has no literal meaning. :^)
I don't know much on Kharkiv, but at least here in Melitopol, persons can carry their wedding rings on left hands if they are not married yet, but are going to be. And also if they are divorced, that's right too.
Actually, our people wouldn't believe that you could get a cold, bearing no hat, but:
1. Doctors ensure it is so.
2. Most of people do get a cold under those conditions you've described. Not only a cold, but also a flue and TB (it takes place quite rarely and rather depends on nutrition and such).
But I have seen some man who doesn't care of it and runs without any clothes, with exception of boxers and trainers. On a regular basis, and even in the winter. It seems, he's not going to get a cold.
Smiling in public is considered impoliteness. You won't find it in our etiquette. Nobody will say a word, but you are going to be condemned for smiling in public if there is nobody whom you are smiling at. It looks like... say, speaking aloud while there is no company. Even if nobody notices that or just does not care, you will think you are being condemned, if you are a Ukrainian.
Post a Comment