One Russian folk song says:

He brought three pockets:
The first pocket is with pies,
The second pocket is with nuts ...

It would seem, what an absurdity: what does it mean to “bring a pocket”?
Old dictionaries indicate that once in Russia the word " pocket” denoted a sack or bag that was attached to the outside of clothes.

Such pockets were sometimes hung on horse saddles, if necessary, they were not closed, but “ kept(revealed) wider».
Speaking these days "hold your pocket wider" we want to mock someone's overstated demands.

case tobacco

In the expression tobacco case both words are understandable, but why does their combination mean “very bad”, “hopeless”? You can understand this by looking at history. Let's do it together.

It turns out that the expression tobacco case came from the Volga barge haulers. When fording shallow bays or small tributaries of the Volga, barge haulers tied their pouches of tobacco around their necks so that they would not get wet. When the water was so high that it came up to the neck and the tobacco got wet, the barge haulers considered the transition impossible, and their position in these cases was very bad, hopeless.

smoke rocker

Smoke rocker - how is it? How can smoke be associated with a yoke on which buckets of water are carried? What does this expression mean?

Many years ago, the poor built in Russia the so-called chicken huts without chimneys. The smoke from the mouth of the stove poured directly into the hut and exited either through the “portage” window or through the open doors into the hallway. They say: “to love warmly - and to endure smoke”, “and a kurna hut, but a heat oven”. Over time, smoke began to be removed through pipes above the roof. Depending on the weather, the smoke goes either in a “pillar” - straight up, or in a “drag” - spreads down, or in a “rocker” - it falls in clubs and rolls over in an arc. By the way the smoke goes, they are guessing for a bucket or bad weather, for rain or wind. They say: smoke pillar, yoke - about any human hustle, a crowded quarrel with a dump and bustle, where you can’t make out anything, where “such a sodom that the dust is a column, the smoke is a yoke, either from a task, or from a dance.”

The soul has gone to the heels

When a person is very frightened, they can develop an unusually high running speed. The ancient Greeks were the first to notice this feature.
Describing in his Iliad how the enemies were frightened by the hero Hector, who suddenly appeared on the battlefield, Homer uses the following phrase: “Everyone trembled, and all the courage went to their feet ...”
Since then the expression "the soul has gone to the heels" we use when we talk about a person who has become a coward, very scared of something.

Let's start with the fact that no word middle-of-the-road not in Russian. Easter cakes will come out of the Easter cake, Easter cakes from the Easter cake. In fact, it is not necessary to send to the middle of nowhere, but to the middle of nowhere. Then justice will prevail, and we will be able to begin to explain this truly Russian turnover.
Kuligi and kulizhki were very famous and very common words in the North of Russia. When the coniferous forest "weakens", clearings and clearings appear there. Grass, flowers and berries instantly begin to grow on them. These forest islands were called kuligs. Since pagan times, sacrifices have been made on kuligas: priests slaughtered deer, sheep, heifers, stallions, everyone ate their fill, got drunk.
When Christianity came to Russia and it began to crowd out paganism, a peasant came to the kuliga, built a hut, began to sow rye, barley, whole village artels appeared. When life became closer, children and nephews left the old people, and sometimes so far that they stopped reaching, they lived like in the middle of nowhere .

Under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, the following order existed: requests, complaints or petitions addressed to the tsar were lowered into a special box nailed to a pole near the palace in the village of Kolomenskoye near Moscow.

In those days, all documents were written on paper, rolled up in the form of a scroll. These scrolls were long, and therefore the box was long, or, as they said then, long.

Petitioners who put their petition in the box had to wait a long time for an answer, bow at the feet of the boyars and clerks, bring them gifts and bribes in order to get an answer to their complaint. The associated red tape and bribes were common. That is why such an unkind fame survived for many years long box. This expression means: shamelessly drag out the case.

First of all, let us recall that this is what they say about purchasing cheap, but at the same time quite worthwhile, necessary, good. It turns out that the word angrily can be used in a "good" sense? Having rummaged in dictionaries, we find out: earlier this word really meant “expensive”, “good”. What then is the pun: "Cheap, but ... expensive"? But it can be expensive not only for the price (especially if you remember that the word angry has a common root with the word a heart).

Some linguists argue that this expression arose as a contrast to the proverb: expensive, but cute - cheap, but rotten. It happens that and cheap and angry.

From pre-revolutionary courts, a lot of caustic expressions have come into our speech. Using them, we do not even think about how they happened.
You can often hear the expression " case burned out”, that is, someone has achieved his goal. Behind these words is the former blatant disgrace that was going on in the judicial system. Previously, the process could stop due to the fact that the documents collected by the investigation disappeared. In this case, the guilty could not be punished, and the innocent could not be acquitted.
A similar situation is described in Gogol's story, where two friends quarreled.

A pig that belonged to Ivan Ivanovich runs into the courtroom and eats up a complaint filed by a former friend of its owner, Ivan Nikiforovich. Of course, this is just a fun fantasy. But in reality, papers often burned, and not always by accident. Then the defendant, who wanted to stop or drag out the process, remained very pleased and said to himself: “Well, my case has burned out!”
So that -" case burned out”carries a reminder of those times when justice was administered not by judges, but by bribes.

In the bag

Several centuries ago, when mail in its present form did not exist, all messages were delivered by messengers on horseback. A lot of robbers then wandered along the roads, and a bag with a package could attract the attention of robbers. Therefore, important papers, or, as they used to be called, affairs, sewn under the lining of hats or caps. This is where the expression came from: case in the hat” and means that everything is fine, everything is in order. About the successful completion, the outcome of something.

Woe onion

When a person cries, it means that something happened to him. That's just the reason why tears well up in the eyes, not in all cases is associated with some kind of misfortune. When you peel or cut an onion, tears flow in a stream. And the reason for that is grief onion».

This proverb is also known in other countries, only there it is slightly modified. The Germans, for example, have the phrase "onion tears". These tears people shed over trifles.

Expression "mountain onion" also means minor troubles, much sadness because of which it is not worth it.

deaf grouse

An experienced hunter carefully approaches a black grouse carelessly sitting on a branch. The bird, unaware of anything, is busy filling itself with its intricate singing: flowing, clicking and squirting fills everything around. The black grouse will not hear how the hunter sneaks up to an acceptable distance and unloads his double-barreled shotgun.
It has long been observed that the current black grouse loses its hearing for a while. Hence the name of one of the breeds of black grouse - capercaillie.

Expression "deaf grouse" refers to gaping, sleepy, not noticing people around. Although by nature these birds are very sensitive and attentive.

Agree that sometimes we happen to see situations when the person responsible for some event can run back and forth with the words: - there is no highlight of the program! In this case, everyone understands that even he is a little to blame for this. Returning home from a concert, we can say that the highlight of the program is a folk singer or other outstanding person who was on stage.

In a word, highlight of the program is a unique number or performance that can arouse genuine interest among the public. It is known that this phraseological unit was interpreted in many languages, but it has survived unchanged to our time.

This proverb arose as a mockery and mockery of the numerous tourists who in the 19th century traveled in huge crowds to the so-called foreign places, and they did it so quickly that they did not even manage to enjoy the natural beauty and color. But in the future, they praised everything “seen” so much that everyone was only amazed.

Also in 1928, the great writer Maxim Gorky also used this expression in one of his speeches, which further consolidated it among the common people. Well, today it is often used in the bohemia of society, which also boasts of its knowledge of the world and numerous travels around the world.

From another source:

Ironic. Without going into details, hastily, superficially (to do something).

Compare: in haste; on a live thread; on a living hand; with the opposite meaning: along and across.

“For travel essays, the editors are going to send another person to the track, this must be done thoroughly, and not like that, with a cavalry charge, gallop across Europe."

Y. Trifonov. "Quenching Thirst"

Lying like a gray gelding

Lying like a gray gelding- this proverb, which can often be heard among the people, is quite difficult to interpret. Agree, it is difficult to explain why exactly the gelding, which is a representative of the animal world, was awarded such a title. And if we take into account the fact that the suit is being specified - gray gelding, then there are even more questions. Many who study this phenomenon say that everything is connected with a mistake that occurred in the memory of our people. After all, this is simply not explained by any other facts.
The well-known linguist Dahl said that for many years the word " lying" , used today, could come from the word "rushing" as a result of the incorrect pronunciation of one of the speakers. Initially, the gray gelding boasts tremendous strength and endurance.
But at the same time, one should not forget that gray gelding nothing significantly different from bay or gray horses, which also boast endurance and quick wits. From this it follows that the masses could hardly simply exclude them from the phraseological unit and single out the gray gelding.

To date, you can find another rather interesting interpretation. It is believed that for the first time this phraseological unit originated in the memories of a man named Sivens-Mering, who had the fame of an impudent liar. There were bad rumors about him, so many said - lies like Seans-Mehring . Perhaps, after many years of using this option, the one that we often use today has been established.
There are other opinions that completely refute previous versions. It is said that there are other interpretations of it, such as "lazy as a gray gelding" and others. Take, for example, the well-known Gogol hero Khlestakov, who often uses the expression “ stupid as a gray gelding". This also should include the concept of "bullshit", which means nonsense and complete nonsense. In a word, phraseology has not yet been able to give a clear interpretation of the expression " lying like a gray gelding”, but this does not prevent us from using it in daily communication.

Get into a mess

manual slip

Now rope, twine, ropes are made in factories, and not so long ago it was handicraft. Entire villages were engaged in it.
In the streets there were poles with hooks, from which the ropes stretched to wooden wheels. They were rotated, running in a circle, by horses. All these devices of rope artisans were called.
It was necessary to carefully monitor so as not to catch on the tourniquet tightly coiled in the hole. If the tip of a jacket or shirt gets into weaving - goodbye clothes! It shreds its prosak, tears it up, and sometimes even maims the person himself.

V. I. Dal explains: “Prosak is the space from the spinning wheel to the sleigh, where the twine scurries and spins ..; if you get there with the end of your clothes, with your hair, you will twist it and you won’t get out; hence the proverb."

That's where the dog is buried!

As the story goes, the experienced Austrian warrior Sigismund Altensteig had a favorite dog that accompanied him on all military campaigns. It so happened that fate threw Sigismund to the Dutch lands, where he found himself in a very dangerous situation. But a devoted four-legged friend quickly came to the rescue and saved the owner, sacrificing his life. To pay tribute to the dog, Altensteig arranged a solemn funeral, and decorated the grave with a monument commemorating the heroic deed of the dog.
But after a couple of centuries, it became very difficult to find the monument, only some locals could help tourists find it.

Then the expression " That's where the dog is buried!”, meaning “find out the truth”, “find what you are looking for”.

There is another version of the origin of this phrase. Before the final naval battle between the Persian and Greek fleets, the Greeks loaded all the children, the elderly and women into transport ships and sent them away from the battlefield.
The devoted dog of Xanthippus, the son of Arifron, swam over the ship and, meeting with the owner, died of exhaustion. Xanthippus, amazed by the act of the dog, erected a monument to his pet, which became the personification of devotion and courage.

Some linguists believe that the saying was invented by treasure hunters who are afraid of evil spirits that guard the treasures. To hide their true goals, they said "black dog" and a dog, which meant, respectively, evil spirits and treasure. Based on this assumption, under the phrase " That's where the dog is buried” meant “This is where the treasure is buried.”

free will

Perhaps to some this expression seems to be complete nonsense: like " butter oily". But do not rush to conclusions, but rather listen.

Many years ago, ancient Russian appanage princes wrote in their treaties with each other: “And the boyars, and the children of the boyars, and the servants, and the peasants free will…»

For a free will, therefore, it was a right, a privilege, it meant freedom of action and deeds, it allowed to live on earth as long as it lives, and go wherever it pleases. Only free people enjoyed this freedom, as sons with fathers, brothers with brothers, nephews with uncles, and so on were considered in those days.

And there were also serfs and slaves who forever belonged to the masters. They could be pawned as a thing, sold and even killed without trial or investigation.

Simonyi: the will to the wave, the way to the walker;

Dal: free will - paradise saved, wild field, damn the swamp.

To be born in a shirt

In one of the poems of the Russian poet Koltsov there are lines:

Oh, on an unfortunate day
In the untalented hour
I'm shirtless
Born into the world...

To uninitiated people, the last two lines may seem very strange. You might think that the lyrical hero regrets that in the womb he did not have time to put on a shirt, or, to put it in an understandable language, a shirt.

Once a shirt was called not only an element of clothing, but also various films. The thin membrane under the eggshell could also bear this name.

Sometimes it happens that the head of the child, when he is born, may be covered with a film, which soon falls off. According to ancient beliefs, a child born with such a film will be happy in life. And the French even came up with a special name for it - “ happy hat».

These days, the thought that a small film on the head of a newborn will make him lucky is a smile. However, in a figurative sense, we often use this expression when we talk about people who are lucky in something. Now the phrase is used only as a saying, and the folk sign has long sunk into oblivion.

By the way, not only in Russian there is such a proverb. Europeans also use similar expressions, for example, " be born in a cap". The English have another phrase that has the same meaning: "to be born with a silver spoon in your mouth." But it came from a different custom. The fact is that in Foggy Albion it is customary to give newborns spoons made of silver for good luck.

They don’t go to a foreign monastery with their charter

Once upon a time, the routine of the entire monastic life was determined monastic statutes. One monastery was guided by one charter, the other - by another. Moreover: in the old days, some monasteries had their own judicial charters and had the right to independently judge their people in all their sins and transgressions.

Expression: " They don’t go to a foreign monastery with their charter"This is used in a figurative sense in the sense that one must obey the established rules, customs in society, at home, and not establish one's own.

Balbeshka Stoerosovaya

So they say about a stupid, stupid person.
“Excuse me, why did I say such a stupid, awkward thing to you, it jumped off my tongue, I don’t know myself, I’m a fool, a dumbass stout-haired” (Yu. Bondarev).

Burnt theater artist

About a person whose real abilities or capabilities do not correspond to their supposed level.

“Death is the same for everyone, the same for everyone, and no one can be freed from it. And while she, death, lies in wait for you in an unknown place, with inevitable torment, and there is fear from her in you, you are not a hero and not a god, just an artist from a burnt theater, amusing himself and bloated listeners.

(V. Astafiev).

This idiom (set phrase) is intended to evaluate non-professionals. A couple of centuries ago, the profession of a theater actor was, to put it mildly, not prestigious.

Hence the disdain that comes through in the phrase: firstly, an actor, and secondly, without a theater. In other words, the circus left, but the clowns stayed.
Because the burned theater is not the theater that was destroyed by the fire, but the one that went bankrupt due to the inept play of the actors.

Appetite comes with eating

About the increase in someone's needs as they are satisfied.

The expression came into use after it was used by the French writer F. Rabelais (1494-1553) in his novel Gargantua and Pantagruel (1532).

Guardian angel

According to religious beliefs, a creature that is the patron of a person.

“He prayed every time until he felt on his forehead, as it were, someone's fresh touch; this, he thought then, is the guardian angel accepting me ”(I. Turgenev).

About a person who shows constant attention and care to someone.

beat with a forehead

Ancient antiquity emanates from this primordially Russian expression. And it went from Moscow palace customs. The boyars closest to the tsar used to gather in the "front" of the Kremlin Palace early in the morning and after dinner at vespers. Seeing the king, they began to bow, touching the floor with their foreheads. And others did it with such zeal that even tapping was heard: appreciate, they say, sovereign, our love and zeal.

Fresh legend, but hard to believe.
As he was famous for, whose neck bent more often;
As not in the war, but in the world they took it with their foreheads -
Knocked on the floor without regret!

A. Griboedov, "Woe from Wit"

Thus, beat with a forehead means first of all bow”, Well, its second meaning is “ask for something”, “complain”, “thank”.

“Oriental splendor reigned at the Court of our kings, who, following the Asian custom, forced the ambassadors to speak only on their knees and fall to the ground before the throne, from which the common expression then came: I strike with my forehead.”

The evidence given at the same time of the existence of the prostration dates back no earlier than the 16th century, since only Ivan the Terrible in 1547 was the first to accept the permanent title of “tsar” in Moscow. It turns out that the history of the phrase "beat with a forehead" began twice. At first, they were literally beaten with a forehead, admitting their guilt, and with the introduction of Christianity, they worshiped the Lord God. Then they “beat with their foreheads” in words, complaining, thanking and greeting, and, finally, they introduced the custom of bowing to the ground to the sovereign at court, which was also called “strike with their foreheads”.

Then, in the first case, the expression meant not “bow to the earth”, but “bow from the waist”, in the form when, when asking for forgiveness in parochial disputes, the offender, standing on the bottom step of the porch, bowed to his master from the waist. At the same time, the strong one stood on the top step. A waist bow, thus, was accompanied by a petition, a knock of the forehead on the steps.

Rake heat with the wrong hands

This means: enjoy the results of someone else's work.

And what kind of heat are we talking about?

Heat is burning coals. And, by the way, raking them out of the oven was not at all an easy task for the hostess: it would be easier and easier for her to do it “by someone else's hands”.

In the common people there is also a rougher version:

"Ride someone else's dick to paradise."

Beat the thumbs

To beat the buckets - to mess around.

What is buckets ? Surely the word must have its own meaning?

Oh sure. When in Russia they slurped cabbage soup and ate porridge with wooden spoons, tens of thousands of handicraftsmen beat the buckets , that is, they pricked linden wood logs into blanks for the master-spoon. This work was considered trifling, it was usually performed by an apprentice. Therefore, she became a model not of deeds, but of idleness.

Of course, everything is known in comparison, and this work seemed easy only against the backdrop of hard peasant labor.

And not everyone will succeed now well bucks to beat .

Know by heart

What is the meaning of these words - children know no worse than adults. Know by heart - means, for example, to learn a poem perfectly, to solidify a role and, in general, to understand something perfectly well.

And there was a time when know by heart , check by heart taken almost literally. This saying arose from the custom of checking the authenticity of gold coins, rings and other precious metal products by tooth. You bite the coin with your teeth, and if there is no dent left on it, then it is genuine, not fake. Otherwise, you could get a fake one: hollow inside or filled with cheap metal.

The same custom gave rise to another vivid figurative expression: crack a man , that is, to thoroughly know its advantages, disadvantages, intentions.

Take rubbish out of the hut

Usually this expression is used with negation: " Do not take dirty linen out of the hut!».

Its figurative meaning, I hope, is known to everyone: quarrels, squabbles between close people, or secrets of a narrow circle of people should not be disclosed.

And here's the real meaning of it phraseological unit Let's try to explain now, although it will not be easy. This expression is connected with evil spirits and, by the way, there are a lot of such in the Russian language. According to ancient beliefs, rubbish from the hut must be burned in the oven, so that evil people do not get it. The so-called quackery "rejections" or "relations" were very common in the past. A branch could be, for example, a bundle thrown at a crossroads to "guard" against illness. Coal or furnace ash was usually wrapped in such a bundle - oven .

She was especially popular with healers, because it was in the oven that rubbish from the hut was burned, in which hair and other items necessary for witchcraft were found. It is no accident, therefore, that the ban on dirty linen in public came into use in the Russian language.

It is written with a pitchfork on the water

The expression "Written with a pitchfork on the water" comes from Slavic mythology.

Today it means an unlikely, doubtful and hardly possible event. In Slavic mythology, mythical creatures living in reservoirs were called pitchforks. According to legend, they could predict fate by writing it on the water. Until now, "forks" in some Russian dialects mean "circles".
During divination by water, pebbles were thrown into the river and, according to the shape of the circles formed on the surface, their intersections and sizes, they predicted the future. And since these predictions are not accurate and rarely come true, they began to talk about an unlikely event.

In not so ancient times, gypsies with bears walked around the villages and staged various performances. They led the bears on a leash tied to a nose ring. Such a ring made it possible to keep the bears in check and perform the necessary tricks. During the performances, the gypsies performed various tricks, cleverly deceiving the audience.

Over time, the expression began to be applied in a broader sense - "to mislead someone."

Goal like a falcon

In the old days, for the capture of besieged cities, wall-beating guns were used, which were called "falcons". It was a log bound with iron or a cast-iron beam, reinforced with chains. Swinging it, they hit the walls and destroyed them.

The figurative expression "goal like a falcon" means "poor to the last extreme, nowhere to get money, even beat your head against the wall."

Keep me out

The expression "Chur me" came to us from ancient times.
Since ancient times, to this day, we say "Chur me", "Chur mine", "Chur in half." Chur is the oldest name for the keeper of the house, hearth (Chur - Shchur - Ancestor).

It is fire, mental and physical, that gives people warmth, light, comfort and goodness in every sense, is the main custodian of ancestral heritage, family happiness.

Knight at the crossroads. Painting by Viktor Vasnetsov. 1882 Wikimedia Commons

ALABUSH (ALABYSH). Cake. Peren. A punch, a slap in the face, a slap. He gave him a tyapush each, added alabush each. Yes, I added alabysh to the f[opu]. Decrease Alabushek. On the other he planted alabushki.

ARABITIC. Arab. Yes, and scored a lot of pearls, / Yes, and more than that, he scored Arabian copper. / Which was Arabian copper, / It never busel and rusted.

BASA. 1. Beauty, beauty. 2. Decoration. This is not for the sake of the bass - for the sake of the fortress.

BASS. 1. Dress up, dress up. 2. To flaunt, to show off, to show off with youth, an article, smart clothes. 3. Engage others in conversation, rhetoric, amuse with tales. To pinch, to rage, and they are three years old, / For every day, yes, dresses are interchangeable.

BAYAT. Tell fables, fiction; speak, chat. The riotous windmills didn’t blow on me there, / Good folks there wouldn’t babble about me.

BOGORYAZHENAYA, GODDESSED. Bride. I would have known to myself and to the God-bearer ... to the goddess.Blessed. Groom. It can be seen that I will be divinely married here.

GOD. Godmother. Yes, it’s not Dyukov here, but I’m a mother, / And Dyukov’s here, but I’m a god.

BROTHER. A large metal or wooden vessel, usually with a spout, for beer or mash. They poured the brother green wine.

BRATCHINA. Alcoholic drink made from honey. Bratchina would drink honey.

BURZOMETSKY. Pagan (about a spear, sword). Yes, Dobrynya did not have a colored dress, / Yes, there was no sword and Burzometsky.

BYLICA. Real case, really. And Noah boasted like a bylicia, / And Noah fasted with you and a fable.

VECESSITY. Keeping, generic knowledge, observance of the law of the ancestors, the norms adopted in the team; later - politeness, the ability to honor, to show polite (cultural) treatment, good breeding. I would be glad to spawn you, child ... / I would be beautiful in Osip the Beautiful, / I would have you with a scrawny gait / In that Churilu in Plenkovich, / I would be in valor in Dobrynushka Nikitich.

LEAD. News, message, invitation. She sent a message to the king and Politovsky, / That the king and Politovsky would run over.

WINE GREEN. Probably moonshine infused with herbs. Drinking green wine.

WHITE. Wide open. Ilya stood out and on frisky legs, / Put on a dressing gown ruffled.

OUT (SIT). 1. The amount of food a person can eat at one meal for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. He eats a sack and bread to the point. 2. Food, food. Oh you, wolf's full, bear's howl!

FUCK OUT. Cross out what is written. He came to that sulfur pebble, / He screwed up the old signature, / He wrote a new signature.

ELM. Cudgel. Vasily grabbed his scarlet elm.

PLAY. Make loud, disorderly cries, croak (about crows, rooks, jackdaws). Ay gray raven, after all, in a vranian way.

GRIDNYA. 1. The room where the prince and the squad held receptions and solemn ceremonies. 2. The upper chambers of noble persons. They went to the affectionate prince to Vladimir, / Yes, they went to the grill and to the dining rooms.

BED. A board, a crossbar where clothes were folded or hung. He took off the one-row and put it on the garden bed, / And he put the green morocco boots under the bench.

GUZNO. Ischial part of the body. No length of service will be a heroic de lie under the guzzle now under a woman's team.

DO LOVE. Satisfying, to full satisfaction. They ate to their fill, drank dolubi.

PRE-YULESHNY. Former, ancient, ancient. Get-tko you give yourself a way out / And for the old for the year, and for the present, / Yes, and for all of you for the times and for the past.

DOSYUL. In the past, in the old days. My father-parent had a dosyul / There was a gluttonous cow.

FIREWOOD. Gifts. And the prince fell in love with this firewood.

FUCK. Collapse, fall, collapse. The old nonce has a horse, right, ёbryutilsa.

SACRIFICE. Speak, broadcast. Sacrifice the horse with the tongue of man.

ZHIZLETS. Lizard. Ilya screamed in a loud voice. / At the bogatyr’s horse, fell on his knees, / A zhizhlets jumped out from under the strman of the gaffs. / Go, zhizhlets, but on your own, / Catch, zhizhlets, and sturgeon-fish.

ZHUKOVINE. Ring with stone, signet or carved insert. Peppers are thin, everything is feminine, / Where have you been, and know that place.

CLOSED. Choking, suffocating when drinking any liquid. If you want to spit, you will succumb.

FLUSH. Fly high or jump high. Yes, oh, you, Vasilyushko Buslaevich! / You are a young child, do not flutter.

RESIDENCE. Iron., bran. A villager, the same as a redneck. For smerd-from sits and for the settlement.

ZNAMECHKO. Label, sign. — And oh, Mother Dobrynina! / What badge did Dobrynya have? / - The badge was on the little heads. / She felt the badge.

ZNDYOBKA. Birthmark, mole. And my sweetheart has a child / There was, after all, a birthmark, / But there was a rib on the head.

FISH TOOTH. Usually walrus tusk, also a name for carved bone and mother-of-pearl. In the hut there is not a simple bed, but ivory, / Ivory bones, fish teeth.

TOYS. Songs or melodies. My husband used to play toys.

KALIKA. 1. Pilgrim, wanderer. 2. A poor wanderer who sings spiritual verses, who is under the auspices of the church and is numbered among the people of the church. The wanderers got their name from the Greek word "kaligi" - this is the name of the shoes made of leather, tightened with a belt, which they wore. How does the transitional Kalika come.

KOS-CHAPTER. Scull. Says the scythe-head of a human.

CAT. 1. Sandy or rocky shoal. 2. Low-lying seashore at the foot of the mountain. A cat would have grown, but now the sea is here.

MUCH. Dumpy, strong (about oak). And yon tore raw oak and cracked oak.

COOL. An old trade measure of loose bodies (about nine pounds). He eats a sack and bread by the way. / He drinks a bucket of wine at a time.

BATERED. Handsome, handsome. Walked de walked already bathing well done.

LELKI. Breasts. With his right hand he beat on the lelks, / And with his left foot he shoved me in the throat.

LOW. Middle of summer, hot time; summer long day. White snowballs fell out of time, / They fell in the low water of a warm summer.

BRIDGE. Wooden floor in the hut. And he sat down on a bench, / He drowned his eyes in the oak bridge.

MUGAZENNY (MUGAZEYA). Score. Yes, she brought him to the mugazine barns, / Somewhere overseas goods are stored.

SMOKING. Obtain, cook in some quantity by distillation (smoking). And yon smoked beer and called guests.

UNPLACED. Uncastrated (about pets). Far away there are mares who are not driven, / Far away are colts who are not laid.

SHUT UP. desecrate, desecrate; convert to Catholicism. Cover the entire Orthodox faith.

REGULAR CHURCH. The building of the church, built on a vow in one day. I'll build that ordinary church.

ON SOMETIMES. Recently; the day before yesterday, the third day. They sometimes spent the night, as we know, / And how Yena called him to the prince's bedroom.

PABEDE. Meal time between breakfast and lunch. On the other day he went from morning to pabedya.

Blight. Death. In old age, my soul is ruin.

PELKI. Breast. And I can see by the dumplings that you are a women's regiment.

GRIND. To get the better of someone, to surpass someone. He overshot Churila's son Plenkovich.

FEATHERS. Women's breasts. He wants to plait his white breasts, / And he sees by the feathers that the female sex.

POCKY. bent over; crooked, bent. And Wordy sits on seven oaks, / It's in the eighth birch for a curse.

FIREWOOD REMOVED. Bogatyr. There were twelve people - woodcutters of the smart ones.

POSHCHAPKA. Panache. Yes, Duke and Stepanovich are sitting here, / He boasted of his valiant pinch.

SIGN. An omen, a distinguishing mark by which one can recognize someone or something. He hung up one gilded tassel, / Not for the sake of beauty, bass, pleasing, / For the sake of a heroic recognition.

ROSSTAN (ROSSTAN). The place where the roads diverge; crossroads, fork in the road. Well done come to the wide growths.

RUMBLE. 1. Divide, cut, cut (about food). Ruining bread, cake or roast. He does not eat, does not drink, does not eat, / He does not destroy his white swan.2. Violate. And do not break the great commandments.

SKIMER (SKIMER-BEAST, SKIMON-BEAST). The epithet of a monster, a strong, angry dog, a wolf. And henceforth a dog runs, a fierce skimmer-beast.

FLYING. Southern. The gate to the side is not blocked.

TEMLYAK. A loop of a belt or ribbon on the handle of a sword, saber, checker, worn on the hand when using a weapon. And he took out a sharp saber from the scabbard, / Yes, from that heroic lanyard.

TRUN (TRUN, TRUNIE). Rag, rags, rags, rags, cast-offs. And the gunya on the Kalika of Sorochinskaya, / And the drone on the Kalika of Tripet.

DARK. Ten thousand. Each king and prince / Strength has three darknesses, three thousand each.

PLEASING. The beauty. Beauty, after all, and all servility / As good as Dobrynushka Mikititsa.

CUTE. A place in the heat, strong heat. Yes, Dobrynya sat down on the stove, / He began to play the harp.

TRUNKS. Tubular snouts of mythical monsters resembling tentacles; thrown out to capture the enemy. And the snake's trunks began to hug. He and the trunk is throwing something like a snake.

CHOBOTS.Instead of: Chebots. Boots. In some white stockings and without a shoe.

SHALYGA. Club, stick, whip, whip. Immediately the guys took the road shalygi and went out.

FLY, WIDTH. 1. Towel. She embroiders different widths. 2. Rank, row. They became one width.

SHAP. A dandy, a dandy, smart and combed for show. But there’s no courage / Against the bold Aleshenka Popovich, / With an act, gait, a pinch / Against Plenkov’s Churilka.

BUTTOCK. Cheek. And they cut off her [pike] and the right buttock.

YASAK. Sign for alarm; signal in general; conditional, not understandable to everyone, or even a foreign language. He neighed [burushko] with a horse here with a sack. 

Do you know what a necklace, carp, crate or muscle is? After reading the dictionary of obsolete words, you will understand that not everyone knows about these and other words that are now used in a different meaning ...

Almanakhs- astrological collections for divination by the movement of the stars and the signs of the zodiac.

Argamak- oriental thoroughbred horse, horse: at a wedding - a horse under a saddle, and not in a harness.

Arshin- a measure of length equal to approximately 71 cm.

Bel mozhayskaya- Old Russian variety of bulk apples.

Pancake(pie) - several pancakes, layered one on top of the other and shifted among themselves with various fillings, greased from the sides with a mixture of eggs, flour and milk so that the filling does not fall out, and lightly fried in the oven.

Bort- a hollow tree in which bees are found, our ancestors collected and used the honey of wild bees.

hogweed- a perennial plant of the umbrella family (Heraclium), young leaves and shoots were eaten.

Bratina- a large bowl, a goblet with a spherical body, was used for round drinking.

brashna- food.

Vekoshniki- pies filled with meat and fish food leftovers.

Vershok- a measure of length equal to approximately 4.5 cm.

Spinned- fried on an open fire.

Vespers- daily church service, sent before the evening.

blast- vegetable, onion or berry seasoning, sauce, gravy with spices for meat and fish dishes, also called drinks from fruits and berries boiled with honey, beer or kvass.

Volosnik- women's headdress, a mesh of gold or silver thread with sheathing (often not festive, like a kick, but everyday).

Ravenheart- divination by the cries and flight of birds; a book describing such signs.

sackcloth e - sackcloth, coarse fabric, rags, thin torn dress.

Bran- what remains after sifting flour.

Gorlatnaya(hat) - sewn from very thin fur taken from the neck of an animal; in shape - a high straight hat with a crown that widens upwards.

upper room- living quarters in the upper part of the house (cf. mountain - up).

hot wine- vodka.

hryvnia- a unit of weight equal to a pound, or approximately 400 g.

garden bed- a pole from wall to wall on which clothes were hung.

guzhi- cut into strips of scars or intestines, boiled with garlic and spices.

Right hand- right hand.

Dora- antidor, a large prosphora, from which the Lamb was taken out to perform the Sacrament of Communion, parts of it are distributed to those who took communion at the end of the Liturgy.

Roads- very thin oriental silk fabric.

Epancha- a wide raincoat, a long top dress without sleeves.

Penance- Church punishment for sins in the form of renunciation of any blessings of life, an increase in the prayer rule or the number of prostrations, etc.

Zhitnaya(porridge) - barley, from unground barley groats.

Zaspa- any cereal that is poured into various liquid dishes.

Astrologer- astrology.

Zendeni

golden- gold-woven or embroidered with gold (especially valuable).

Izvara, zvars - special vessels such as tubs for preparing drinks.

cabal- any urgent written obligation, loan bondage - a loan letter with a penalty.

Calla- a liquid first course with the addition of pickles and cucumber pickle.

Damask- patterned silk oriental fabric.

Canon- a church song in praise of a saint or a holiday, read or sung at matins and vespers; the establishment of the apostles, ecumenical and local councils on faith and church rites.

Eve- dishes for the commemoration of the dead.

Kaptan- winter covered wagon.

Kaptur- fur winter dress for married women, especially widows; he covered his head and on the sides his face and shoulders (cf. later - a bonnet).

Loaf- large round hearth bread made from wheat flour.

Karasiki- pies made of unleavened dough with a triangular shape resembling crucian carp, with various fillings, fried in oil.

caftan- upper long-skirted men's dress of various cuts.

Kebenyak- men's outer coat made of cloth with a hood and long sleeves.

Kika- women's headdress of a rounded shape (a symbolic designation of a married woman); the kick was complemented by an embroidered scarf (slap) and a povoinik (underbruskin), which covered the hair, falling on the shoulders and chest.

Kindyaki- Imported cotton fabric.

crate- a cold half of the hut, often served as a pantry, closet.

Cartel- a warm summer coat lined with fur and covered with a light silk fabric (without laces and buttons).

Kortsy- ladles hollowed out of wood served as a measure of life.

Korchaga- a large clay pot or cast iron.

Kosyachnaya(sturgeon) - salted teshka of red fish.

boilers- cakes made of dough, layered with lamb fat, fried in oil.

Xeni- caviar in the shell, as well as sturgeon liver and dishes from them: pike xeni with saffron - caviar boiled with saffron, non-white sturgeon xeni - sturgeon liver boiled with poppy milk or hemp oil.

Kumgan- a metal narrow-necked vessel with a lid and a handle.

Kundums- a product made from unleavened wheat dough such as dumplings stuffed with mushrooms or rice with mushrooms.

Kurnik- a rich round pie with chicken and eggs.

Kutya- boiled wheat with honey, brought to the church in commemoration of the dead.

Levashi- sweet pies with berries.

Levashniki- oval-shaped pies made of unleavened pastry (in fasting in vegetable oil) stuffed with pureed fruit mass.

Letnik- light women's outerwear with long wide sleeves.

liar- a sacred vessel with a cross on the handle, used as a spoon during Communion.

Lodoga- fish of the whitefish family, found in Ladoga; lodozhina - the meat of this fish.

Loubier- underbark of linden, used on the roof (under the board), on the bast, on the bast.

Lysina- horse browband in a harness.

Mazuni- a sweet dish of radish with molasses and spices.

Malachi- masturbation, masturbation.

Manti(curves) - products from unleavened dough with meat stuffing in the form of a crescent.

Honey, honey is the main sweet product in the diet of the Eastern Slavs; gravity honey, or molasses - liquid honey flowing by gravity from honeycombs suspended in the sun; obarny honey - the lowest grade, obtained by rendering from honeycombs on fire. Drinks made from honey were also called mead. Fresh honey - pure, not diluted and without additives.

Medvedna- dressed bear skins, served as a cavity in the sleigh.

Mernik- a vessel of known measure, volume, for example, a bucket.

Minderi- a cloth blanket, usually spread by young people over a warm blanket.

Monisto- necklace, beads.

Motion a - purse, bag.

Mshloimism o - a passion for acquiring and collecting unnecessary and superfluous things.

Muscle- shoulder, strength.

Nagolnaya(fur coat) - not covered with fabric, with fur inside.

Naltsevskiye(sleigh) - high elegant sleigh, which was used on special occasions: on holidays, at weddings.

Funeral- a log house, a building over a cellar.

Nasp- Usury on grain bread.

Nogavitsy- clothing or shoes that cover the legs.

Nights- a shallow wooden trough for sifting flour, rolling bread.

Obrot- halter, horse bridle without a bit and with one reason, for a leash.

Navar- liquid boiled down during cooking, broth.

Single row- long-skirted caftan without a collar with a direct smell and buttons, single-breasted.

Necklace- fastened embroidered standing collar of a shirt or zipuna.

Salary- decorative coating on the icon of thin sheets of gold, silver, gilded copper, often decorated with precious stones.

Okorenye- Shanks, cartilage of the legs of cattle.

Unleavened bread- thin dry cakes made of unleavened dough, which Judaism prescribes for believers to eat on the days of the Jewish Passover.

Oserdie- part of the offal, consisting of the throat, lungs and heart.

prison- pointed stick, fishing tool; spurs.

octopus- an eighth of something, a measure of the volume of loose bodies, especially grains, an eighth of an old cadi, by weight about 16 kg.

okhaben- swing dress made of silk or light cloth with a necklace and an odd number of buttons; ohabnem was also called a heavy cloak thrown over a feryaz.

chill- to make a serf, a serf.

Panagia- an icon worn by bishops on the chest; possibly.

Paste- Russian delicacy, berry pulp boiled with honey, laid out in layers and dried.

Syrup(white) - “honey tear” flowing down from honeycombs by gravity, pure fresh honey is its best variety.

Pahwa- a horsetail, a belt with a point from the saddle, the horse's tail is threaded into it so that the saddle does not slide down the horse's neck.

Plast- fish cut into thin layers and dried, layered fish - the same.

Kitchen- kitchen.

compline- daily church service, leading from the custom of monks to celebrate Compline in their cells; you can sing at home.

Povoloka- silk or paper fabric, used as lining for fur coats.

Under- brick smooth lining inside the Russian stove.

podklet- a room in the foundation of the house, which served for various household needs.

Hearth(pies) - sour dough, strongly germinating, which are baked on the hearth.

Stands, - table, little table, cabinet for dishes.

A train(wedding) - a solemn, ritual ride, a procession, as well as all participants in the ceremony - they are trainees.

overweights- nets for catching birds; places for catching birds.

satiate- sweeten, add honey.

Pozem- apply for the land under the buildings.

canvases- processed, cut along the poultry carcass, salted in barrels. Polotkovaya (fish) - flattened along and salted.

Poltava meat- carcass of beef, pork, poultry, cut lengthwise into two parts, salted or dried.

Midnight Office- a church service that takes place at midnight and at any hour of the night.

Fimble- the best canvas, peasant shirt.

Postav- a whole piece, a roll of fabric; as well as a weaving mill.

Postavets- a vessel in which kvass and beer are served at the table.

Prutovaya(fish) - cleaned, lightly salted and then dried, stored in bundles (rods).

navels- the middle part of the fish between the head and tail (tesha); part carved from the belly of the beast; poultry stomachs.

Brine- a solution of salt or a liquid part of salty and fermented foods, used as condiments and drinks: plum, lemon, cabbage, beetroot, cucumber, etc.

Rafli- a book that interprets dreams and riddles.

Cavity- a carpet or fur cover used in a sleigh.

Polt- half carcass, poultry, etc.

Lattice- a device for frying food over coals in a Russian oven or on an open hearth.

dewy- boiled in brine.

Romanea- sweet tincture on Fryazhsky wine.

Scar animal stomach.

Saadaq- embroidered case for bow and arrows.

fathom- a measure of length equal to 1.76 m.

Sandrik- kidney part of lamb carcass, saddle.

saint, hierarchical rank - the highest degree of priesthood, bishops, bishops, archbishops, metropolitans.

juicy- thin cakes made of unleavened dough, which could be smeared on top with cottage cheese on fast days, and porridge on lean days.

sporky- torn things, parts of clothing.

Strada- summer agricultural work: harvesting, mowing, harvesting, etc.

Thunderbolts and axes- sand fused by lightning or a stone of meteorite origin; served for therapeutic "draining of waters" for magical rites.

acquisition- property, wealth, everything acquired and mined.

Exist, exist, exist- dried small fish, not necessarily smelt.

Glassware- a bottle, a small vial, sometimes any glassware was called that.

Cheese- so called and cottage cheese, and cheese. Spongy cheeses are rennet cheeses obtained by fermenting milk with rennet. Sour cheeses - molded, strongly squeezed cottage cheese.

fill up- sweeten with honey.

Abomasum- one of the four stomachs of ruminants.

Tavranchuk- a liquid fish dish in which the fish is cut into pieces.

Trivet- a round iron hoop with legs, under which a fire is made, placing dishes with brew on it.

Taffeta- smooth and thin silk fabric of oriental origin.

Created- round vessels in which they made (created) and molded cottage cheese, marshmallow, etc.

Telogreya- women's warm jacket, with or without sleeves, long or short, worn over a sundress.

Telnoe- fish without bones, fish fillet, often chopped (chopped) with onions and seasonings, laid out in wooden forms in the form of any animals and birds (for example, piglets and ducks, hence piglets are corpulent, ducks are corpulent), or simply round (loaf corpulent) , or wrapped in cloth and baked or boiled.

Terlik- a kind of caftan to the heels, with short sleeves and with an interception at the waist, with a fastener on the chest.

Tolchaniki- koloboks, meat dumplings, ate with fish soup.

Tropari- church hymns, follow the irmos and the canon. They are turned to the irmos, lead a series of thoughts from it and are subordinate to it in rhythm and tone; in their content, they represent prayers in honor of the holiday of a given day or the saint who is honored on this day.

Trumpets- dried fruit or berry marshmallows or levashi, rolled up in thin layers.

Pipes(beluga) - non-plastered headless carcass of a medium-sized fish without a tail.

Tukmachi- a kind of noodles made from wheat or pea flour.

Tyn- solid wood fence.

Tysyatsky- one of the participants in the Russian wedding, the main steward.

tax- direct tax, tax from a peasant family endowed with land.

Tyazh and (carriage) - a support, from the end of the axis of the cart to the beds.

Ubrus- thin linen, boards, scarf.

Oud- any externally separate part of the body: arm, leg, finger, etc.

Vinegar - beer kvass was called vinegar.

Chime- a cutting of the inner surface of a wooden vessel at the edge where the bottom is inserted with a rib.

ear- a large group of old Russian soups, almost a broth with the addition of onions and seasonings: fish, chicken, crayfish, beef; white - from pike perch, perch, ruff, whitefish with onions, black - from asp, carp, chub, crucian carp, carp, red - from sturgeon and salmon fish, nazima - frozen very strong broth, jelly, ordinary - cooked in the simplest way, baked - from pre-baked fish, plast - from plast dried fish.

ear- a liquid dish of lamb brisket, chopped into pieces.

Veil- a cover made of light transparent fabric, a large square scarf, a bedspread.

Feryazi- outerwear without a belt and a collar with long sleeves, oar, with a number of buttons.

Fryazhsky(wine) - Italian, i.e. any overseas grape wines.

brushwood- fried in oil cookies from pastry in strips.

Sieve bread- from flour sifted through a sieve.

Bread- from flour of the highest grade, sifted through a sieve.

tufted- folk names for a small ruff, usually dried: in general, any fish that was sold not by weight, but by measurements.

Khryapa- upper cabbage leaves.

Hearts(hat) - sewn from fur taken from the belly of an animal.

Quarter- a quarter of something; a measure of the volume of loose bodies, especially bread, a quarter of an old cadi, by weight approximately 32 kg.

Chetygi- soft leather (saffiano) or cloth stockings with leather soles, on which shoes were then put on.

Chin- the correct order of service, action or ritual: the person who performs it.

loins- waist, or body circumference above the pelvis, waist.

sixth beef- that is, dried on the hearths in a Russian oven.

Sixwing- tables for divination by the signs of the zodiac and the stars.

Shekhonskaya(sturgeon) - caught in Sheksna.

Fly- any panel, piece of solid fabric; a towel, the bride gives away the fly of her work, either embroidered or with lace; a fly was girded instead of a sash, the fly was hung in a tent over the images; a large scarf with which the bride was covered was also called a fly.

cones- a kind of round-shaped biscuits, baked on Shrove Week; the same young people presented guests invited to the wedding.

Shti sour- a variety of kvass, differed from kvass in a more sour taste; used as a drink and for marinating meat before frying and for cold soups.

Shuia- left.

Liquor- a decoction of ash or an infusion of boiling water on the ashes, was used as a detergent.

cabbage soup two- in general, a stew, any soup with seasonings, but without meat, game or fish.

Yurma- types of sausages with lamb, bacon, etc.

Yalovaya(heifer) - not yet given offspring.

One of the most interesting dead languages ​​is Old Church Slavonic. The words that were part of his vocabulary, grammar rules, even some phonetic features and the alphabet became the basis of the modern Russian language. Let's take a look at what kind of language it is, when and how it originated, and whether it is used today and in what areas.

We will also talk about why it is studied at universities, as well as mention the most famous and significant works on the Cyrillic alphabet and Old Church Slavonic grammar. Let us also remember Cyril and Methodius, the world-famous Thessalonica brothers.

General information

Despite the fact that scientists have been paying attention to this language for more than one century, studying the Old Slavonic alphabet and the history of its development, there is not so much information about it. If the grammatical and phonetic structure of the language, the lexical composition is more or less studied, then everything related to its origin is still in question.

The reason for this is that the creators of writing themselves either did not keep records of their work, or these records were completely lost over time. A detailed study of the writing itself began only a few centuries later, when no one could say with certainty what kind of dialect became the basis of this writing.

It is believed that this language was artificially created on the basis of dialects of the Bulgarian language in the 9th century and was used on the territory of Russia for several centuries.

It is also worth noting that in some sources you can find a synonymous name for the language - Church Slavonic. This is due to the fact that the birth of literature in Russia is connected directly with the church. At first, literature was church: books, prayers, parables were translated, and original scriptures were also created. In addition, in general, only people serving the church spoke this language.

Later, with the development of the language and culture, Old Slavonic was replaced by the Old Russian language, which largely relied on its predecessor. It happened around the 12th century.

Nevertheless, the Old Slavonic initial letter has come down to us practically unchanged, and we use it to this day. We also use the grammatical system, which began to emerge even before the emergence of the Old Russian language.

Creation versions

It is believed that the Old Slavonic language owes its appearance to Cyril and Methodius. And it is this information that we find in all textbooks on the history of language and writing.

The brothers created a new script based on one of the Thessalonica dialects of the Slavs. This was done primarily in order to translate biblical texts and church prayers into the Slavic language.

But there are other versions of the origin of the language. So, I. Yagich believed that one of the dialects of the Macedonian language became the basis of Old Church Slavonic.

There is also a theory according to which the Bulgarian language was the basis of the new written language. She will be nominated by P. Safarik. He also believed that this language should be called Old Bulgarian, and not Old Slavonic. Until now, some researchers are arguing about this issue.

By the way, Bulgarian linguists still believe that the language we are considering is precisely Old Bulgarian, and not Slavic.

We can even assume that there are other, less well-known theories of the origin of the language, but they have either not been considered in scientific circles, or their complete failure has been proven.

In any case, Old Church Slavonic words can be found not only in Russian, Belarusian and Ukrainian, but also in Polish, Macedonian, Bulgarian and other Slavic dialects. Therefore, discussions about which of the languages ​​is closest to Old Church Slavonic are unlikely to ever be completed.

Thessalonica Brothers

The creators of the Cyrillic and Glagolitic alphabets - Cyril and Methodius - come from the city of Thessalonica, in Greece. The brothers were born into a fairly wealthy family, so they were able to get an excellent education.

The elder brother - Michael - was born around 815. When he was ordained a monk, he received the name Methodius.

Constantine was the youngest in the family and was born around 826. He knew foreign languages, understood the exact sciences. Despite the fact that many predicted success and a great future for him, Konstantin decided to follow in the footsteps of his older brother and also became a monk, receiving the name Cyril. He died in 869.

The brothers were actively engaged in the dissemination of Christianity and sacred writings. They visited different countries, trying to convey the word of God to people. But nevertheless, it was the Old Slavonic alphabet that brought them world fame.

Both brothers were canonized. In some Slavic countries, May 24 is celebrated as the day of Slavic writing and culture (Russia and Bulgaria). In Macedonia, Cyril and Methodius are venerated on this day. Two more Slavic countries - the Czech Republic and Slovakia - moved this holiday to July 5th.

Two alphabets

It is believed that the Old Slavonic letter was created precisely by the Greek enlighteners. In addition, initially there were two alphabets - Glagolitic and Cyrillic. Let's look at them briefly.

The first is a verb. It is believed that Cyril and Methodius were its creator. It is believed that this alphabet has no basis and was created from scratch. In Old Russia, it was used quite rarely, in some cases.

The second is Cyrillic. Its creation is also attributed to the Thessalonica brothers. It is believed that the statutory Byzantine letter was taken as the basis of the alphabet. At the moment, the Eastern Slavs - Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians - use the letters of the Old Slavonic alphabet, or rather, the Cyrillic alphabet.

As for the question of which of the alphabets is older, there is also no unambiguous answer to it. In any case, if we proceed from the fact that both Cyrillic and Glagolitic were created by the Solunsky brothers, then the difference between the time of their creation was unlikely to exceed ten to fifteen years.

Was there a written language before Cyrillic?

An interesting fact is that some researchers of the history of the language believe that there was a written language in Russia even before Cyril and Methodius. The “Book of Veles”, which was written by the ancient Russian Magi before the adoption of Christianity, is considered a confirmation of this theory. At the same time, it has not been proven in which century this literary monument was created.

In addition, scientists argue that in various records of ancient Greek travelers and scientists there are references to the presence of writing among the Slavs. It also mentions the agreements that the princes signed with Byzantine merchants.

Unfortunately, it has not yet been definitely established whether this is true, and if so, what kind of writing was in Russia before the spread of Christianity.

Learning Old Church Slavonic

Regarding the study of the Old Church Slavonic language, it was of interest not only to scientists studying the history of the language, dialectology, but also to Slavic scientists.

Its study began in the 19th century with the development of the comparative historical method. We will not dwell on this issue in detail, since, in fact, a person who is not closely familiar with linguistics will not be interested and familiar with the names and surnames of scientists. Let's just say that on the basis of research, more than one textbook was compiled, many of them are used to study the history of language and dialectology.

In the course of the research, theories of the development of the Old Church Slavonic language were developed, dictionaries of Old Church Slavonic vocabulary were compiled, grammar and phonetics were studied. But at the same time, there are still unsolved mysteries and mysteries of the Old Slavonic dialect.

We also allow ourselves to give a list of the most famous dictionaries and textbooks of the Old Church Slavonic language. Perhaps these books will be of interest to you and help you delve into the history of our culture and writing.

The most famous textbooks were published by such scientists as Khabugraev, Remneva, Elkina. All three textbooks are called "Old Church Slavonic".

A rather impressive scientific work was published by A. Selishchev. He prepared a textbook, consisting of two parts and covering the entire system of the Old Slavonic language, containing not only theoretical material, but also texts, a dictionary, and also some articles on the morphology of the language.

The materials devoted to the Thessalonica brothers, the history of the origin of the alphabet are also interesting. So, in 1930, the work "Materials on the history of the emergence of the most ancient Slavic writing", written by P. Lavrov, was published.

No less valuable is the work of A. Shakhmatov, which was published in Berlin in 1908 - "The Legend of the Translation of Books into Slovenian". In 1855, O. Bodiansky's monograph "On the time of origin of Slavic writings" saw the light of day.

Also, the "Old Slavonic Dictionary" was compiled, based on the manuscripts of the 10th - 11th centuries, which was edited by R. Zeitlin and R. Vecherka.

All these books are widely known. On their basis, not only write essays and reports on the history of the language, but also prepare more serious work.

Old Slavonic layer of vocabulary

A rather large layer of Old Slavonic vocabulary was inherited by the Russian language. Old Slavonic words are quite firmly entrenched in our dialect, and today we will not even be able to distinguish them from native Russian words.

Let's consider a few examples in order for you to understand how deeply Old Church Slavonicism has penetrated into our language.

Such church terms as "priest", "sacrifice", "rod" came to us precisely from the Old Slavonic language, abstract concepts such as "power", "disaster", "consent" also belong here.

Of course, there are much more Old Slavonicisms themselves. We will give you a few signs that indicate that the word is Old Slavonicism.

1. The presence of prefixes in and through. For example: return, excessive.

2. Compound lexemes with the words god-, good-, sin-, evil- and others. For example: malevolence, fall into sin.

2. The presence of suffixes -stv-, -zn-, -usch-, -yushch-, -ash- -yashch-. For example: burning, melting.

It would seem that we have listed only a few signs by which Old Slavonicisms can be identified, but you probably already remembered more than one word that came to us from Old Slavonic.

If you want to know the meaning of Old Slavonic words, we can advise you to look into any explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. Almost all of them have retained their original meaning, despite the fact that more than one decade has passed.

Use at the present stage

At the moment, Old Church Slavonic is studied at universities in separate faculties and specialties, and is also used in churches.

This is due to the fact that at this stage of development, this language is considered dead. Its use is possible only in the church, since many prayers are written in this language. In addition, it is worth noting the fact that the first sacred writings were translated into the Old Slavonic language and are still used by the church in the same form as centuries ago.

Regarding the world of science, we note the fact that Old Church Slavonic words and their individual forms are often found in dialects. This attracts the attention of dialectologists, allowing them to study the development of the language, its individual forms and dialects.

Researchers of culture and history also know this language, since their work is directly related to the study of old memos.

Despite this, at this stage, this language is considered dead, since no one has been communicating in it, like in Latin, ancient Greek, and only a few know it.

Use in the church

This language is most widely used in the church. So, Old Slavonic prayers can be heard in any Orthodox church. In addition, excerpts from church books, the Bible are also read on it.

At the same time, we also note that church employees, young seminarians also study this dialect, its features, phonetics and graphics. Today, Old Church Slavonic is rightfully considered the language of the Orthodox Church.

The most famous prayer, which is often read in this particular dialect, is “Our Father”. But there are still many prayers in the Old Slavonic language that are less known. You can find them in any old prayer book, or you can hear them by visiting the same church.

Studying at universities

The Old Church Slavonic language is today quite widely studied at universities. Pass it at the philological faculties, historical, legal. In some universities, it is also possible to study for philosophy students.

The program includes the history of origin, the Old Slavonic alphabet, features of phonetics, vocabulary, and grammar. Basics of syntax.

Students not only study the rules, learn how to decline words, parse them as part of speech, but also read texts written in a given language, try to translate them and understand the meaning.

All this is done so that philologists can further apply their knowledge to study ancient literary memoirs, features of the development of the Russian language, its dialects.

It is worth noting that it is quite difficult to learn Old Church Slavonic. The text written on it is difficult to read, since it contains not only many archaisms, but also the very rules for reading the letters "yat", "er" and "er" are difficult to remember at first.

Thanks to the acquired knowledge, history students will be able to study ancient monuments of culture and writing, read historical documents and annals, and understand their essence.

The same applies to those who study at the faculties of philosophy, law.

Despite the fact that today Old Church Slavonic is a dead language, interest in it has not subsided so far.

findings

It was Old Church Slavonic that became the basis of the Old Russian language, which, in turn, replaced the Russian language. Words of Old Slavonic origin are perceived by us as primordially Russian.

A significant layer of vocabulary, phonetic features, grammar of the East Slavic languages ​​- all this was laid down during the development and use of the Old Church Slavonic language.

Old Church Slavonic is a formally dead language, which at the moment is spoken only by the ministers of the church. It was created back in the 9th century by the brothers Cyril and Methodius and was originally used to translate and record church literature. In fact, Old Church Slavonic has always been a written language that was not spoken among the people.

Today we no longer use it, but at the same time it is widely studied at the philological and historical faculties, as well as in theological seminaries. Today, Old Church Slavonic words and this ancient language can be heard by attending a service in a church, since all prayers in Orthodox churches are read in it.

Slavic dictionary of old Russian words. K - P

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Slavic dictionary. Part 2

KAZHENIK - eunuch

PUNISHMENT - instruction, exhortation

INDICATOR - mentor

KALIGI - boots with low tops

KAL - sewage, dirt

KALNY - dirty

KALUGER - monk

KAMARA - vault, shelter; tent, tent

KAPA - hat

KAPITSIA - to come together

DRIP - together, together

KATUNA - wife

KENDAR - a measure of weight (about 3 pounds)

KERAST - a snake; echidna

CEREMIDA - plate

KERSTA - coffin, grave

KLUKA - cunning, deceit

KLYUSYA - horse, foal

KEY - fit

KEY - steering wheel, helm

KMET - warrior

KOB - sorcery, divination; happiness, luck

GOAT - deceit

KOY (KUYU) - what, what

TIGHTS - quarrel, turmoil

KOLO - wagon, cart, wheel

KOMARY - vaults on the roof

KOMON - warhorse

KOMKATI - to commune

CRUMBLING - communion

KOPRINA - silk

FOOD - food; type of tax, content; feast, meal

FEED - to feed

KOROSTA - coffin

KOSNETI - to delay

kosno - slowly

KOTORA - quarrel, enmity

KOTORATISYA - scold, swear, quarrel

KOFAR - Hindu slave

KOSHCHEI - slave, prisoner

KOSHHUNA - sacrilege; funny jokes

KREMOLA - rebellion, rebellion; malicious intent, deceit; ambush, strife

KRASNA - yarn, weaving mill

KRIN - lily

EXCEPT IN vain - looking away, despite this

KRYLOSHANES - clergymen

KUDES - miracles

KUNA - skin of a marten, a banknote in Ancient Russia

KUPINA - bush, shrub

KUPISCHE - market, marketplace

KUPNO - together

KUSCHA - tent

KYI (KIY) - which one; some

KЪMET - warrior, combatant

LAGVITSA - bowl

LAGODITI - indulge; do something nice

LANITA - cheek

PLEASANT HEART - gluttony

PLEASANT-HEART - gluttonous; pampered

LEK - dice game

LEPOTA - beauty, splendor; propriety

LEPSHIY is the best

Flattery - deceit, cunning; heresy; CONSPIRACY

SUMMERWEED - shoots of plants

FLY - you can

LYOKHA - ridge, heap

LIKHVA - interest

DASHING - evil

LICHBA - number, score

LICHENIK - insignificant, unfortunate

LOV - hunting

LOVITVA - hunting, fishing

LOVISCHE - a place for animal and fish hunting

LOJESNA - womb, uterus

LOMOVOY - heavy

LONISH - last year

LUKA - bend, gyrus

LUKAREVO - sinuously

LUKNO - basket

LUTOVYANY - bast

LYCHITSA - bast shoes

ANYWHERE - well, anything, maybe even

LOVE - love, affection; predilection, inclination; agreement

FLATTER - cunning, deceitful

LYADINA - thicket, shrub; young forest

MAESTAT - throne, throne

MOM - a type of monkey

MASTROTA - skill

MEGISTANE - dignitaries, nobles

THROWING - bows

SWORDER - princely combatant in Ancient Russia; guard, squire

MILOT - sheepskin; outerwear; mantle, cloak

MNITI - think, believe

MOVE - bath

GRAVE - hill

MREZHA - network

MUDITY, MUDDNO - to delay, slowly

MUNGITS - Mongols

MUSIKIAN - musical

MUSIKIA - music

MUKHOYAR - Bukhara fabric made of cotton with wool or silk

MSHITSA - small insect, midge

MUKHORTY - nondescript, frail

COLLECTOR - tax collector, covetous

MYTO - board; file, trade duty; outpost, gathering place

NABDETI - take care, help

NAV - death

INDICATE - slander

NAZIRATHI - observe

NOMINATE - indicate, represent

NAIPACHE - especially

PUNISHER - mentor, teacher

NAKRY - tambourines, drums

NALESTI - get, find

NALYATSATI - strain

DRAIN - assign

FLOOR - in half, in two

IN vain - suddenly, unexpectedly

NEPSHCHEVATI - to invent

to name - to name

DESIGNATED - certain, known; noble; a great

ORDER - order, establishment of order

NASAD - ship

HERITAGE - descendant

NASOCHIT - to convey, to announce, to inform

INSTALLATION - succession to the princely throne

NEGLI - maybe, perhaps

negligence - negligence

INCLUDED - unworthy

Dislike - displeasure, annoyance; enmity

GERMAN - foreign, foreign

GEMKO - dumb

UNUSUAL - bad

UNIDENTILE - pregnant

HATE - hostile, diabolical

NEPSHATI (NEPSCHAVATI) - to believe, to doubt; think

NETI - nephew

UNWASHED - incorruptible

NIKOLIGE (NIKOLI) - never

NOTHING GREAT - nothing special

NOGUT - peas

ZERO - maybe; almost, up to, then

NUDMA - by force

NEED - hard

NECESSARY - forced, bad

DIVERS - ruin, lair, pit, gully

LOUD - to deceive, win over

OBACHE - however, but

OBESITE - hang up, hang up

OBESTITI - notify, notify

offend - bypass

REPRESENT - glorify, glorify

SHUT DOWN - step back from something

OBLO, OBLY - round

OBON POL - on the other half, on the other side

OBOYALNIK - seducer, sorcerer

IMAGE - view, image; icon; example, symbol, sign

OROCHIT - to impose a quitrent

OBSITI - hang, hang

OVO - whether, then ... then, or ... or

OVOGDA - sometimes

OVY - one, some, this, that; such, some

ODESS - on the right

SINGLE ROW - single-breasted outerwear

ODRINA - building, hut, barn

AUG - what if

OKAYATI - to call unhappy, miserable; deem unworthy

FEED - manage

AROUND - around, about

OKSAMIT - silk fabric with a pile of gold or silver threads

DOWN - try, try to do something

OLAFA - reward, gift

OLE - however, but

OMZHENNY - closed

ONOGDY - recently

ONOMO - so

ONSICA - someone, some

ONUDU - since then, from there

OPANITSA - bowl, dishes

OPASH - tail

OPRATI - wash

LOWER - change, lean

AGAIN - back, back

ORATAI - plowman

yell - plow

OR - horse

ORTMA - bedspread; blanket

be offended - mourn

OSLOP - pole, club

OSN - point

OSTROG - a palisade, a fence made of stakes or logs

OSJST - surround, besiege

OTAI - secretly, hidden

GET OUT - to be eliminated, to be removed

OTEN - paternal

HEAT - warmth

MARKER - renegade

FROM - from where, from there, why, because, because of that

REJECTION - condemnation, prohibition

OTROK - a teenager, a young man; warrior from the personal guard of the prince

REPORT - renounce

SHUT OFF - damage, spoil

FUCK - hide; leave; fall behind; abstain

OCET - uksuk

OE - if

OCHINA - fatherland, inheritance transferred by the father to the son

OSHUYUYU - on the left

PAVOLOKS - silk fabrics

PAKI - again, again, again

PARDUS - cheetah, leopard

PAROBEK - boy, servant, servant

PAHATI - blow, flutter

PACHE - more, higher, higher, better

PELYN - wormwood

PENYAZ - cash coin

SWITCH - outwit

CROSS - to be frightened

TURN OUT - interpret, translate from another language

PERCHES - abrasion

PERCY - breasts

FINGER - a handful of earth, earth, decay

PESTUN - educator

GREENING - care, care, chores

BURN - take care

PSHTS - pedestrian

PJSHTSI - infantry

PIRA - sum

PLISH - noise, cry; confusion, excitement

FLESH - body

FLESHING - bodily

PLUSNA - foot

POVSMO - bundle, skein

STORY - news, message, story

WIRE - silk

DAMAGE - to overthrow

SHOW - tell, tell, show

POGANIAN - pagan

FUCKING - pagan

SIMILARITY - comparison, use

HANDLE - subdue

HANDCUFF - subordinate

CLIMB - flattery, slyness

SHAME is a spectacle; ridicule

SHAME - watch

SQUARE - bent, twisted

POKOSNY - associated

FIELD - judicial duel

POLMA - half

POLOSHATI - scare

WOOL - felted

NOON - south

MIDNIGHT - north

FULL - open

POMAVATI - give a sign

Wake - gifts

PONE - although at least

PONT - sea

GET - grab, seize

FIELDS - a travel measure with a length of 1000 steps; day crossing

PLEASE - contribute

PORECLO - nickname

FAULTS - battering rams

POROSI - dust

PORT - a piece of cloth. clothes

TAILOR - canvas

PORUB - dungeon, prison, cellar

POSKEPATI - split, split; to harm

PROVERB - verbal agreement, consent; proverb

POSLUH - a witness

SALTING - by the sun

SHOT - plague, epidemic

CONSUMP - exterminate

SHIELD - try

PULL - contrive, try

PULL - hit, kill

POUKHATI - sniff

SHUTTER - ridicule

POYATI - take

RIGHT - real, correct

TRANSFORM - turn, bend

PRESENT - scout, spy; messenger

CHARMING - deceitful, deceitful

CHARM - deceit, delusion; seduction; devilish machinations

DEBATE (PRYA) - dispute, litigation; objection; court case

MISSION - the middle of something

notorious - famous, illustrious

REVEAL - to threaten

pretorzhiti - tear apart

STUMBLING - stumble, stumble; to err, to sin

DRY - dry out

PROHIBITION - threat

PRIVABITI - call, invite; attract

PRIVOLOKA - short outerwear

BUTT - example

RESPOND - resist

PRESETIT - visit, visit; send mercy; consider

PRISNO - always

PRISNY - native, close

DOWN - equip

PRITOCHNIK - writer of parables

STUCK - prove

PROK - remainder

INDUSTRY - intercessor

SLEEVE - become famous

PROSTRETI - stretch, stretch; proceed; spread, put

PAN - imprint, list; duty

PROTOSAN - guard

PROSTATE - predefine

OTHER - the future, in the future

YARNS - to dry, fry (with immersion in oil), oven

PYH - pride, arrogance

PIRST - finger

Vocabulary is the totality of all the words that we use. Old words can be considered a separate group in the vocabulary. There are many of them in the Russian language, and they belong to different historical eras.

What are old words

Since the language is an integral part of the history of the people, the words that are used in this language are of historical value. Ancient words and their meaning can tell a lot about what events took place in the life of the people in a particular era and which of them were of great importance. Old, or obsolete, words are not actively used in our time, but are present in the vocabulary of the people, recorded in dictionaries and reference books. Often they can be found in works of art.

For example, in the poem by Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin we read the following passage:

"In the crowd of mighty sons,

With friends, in a high grid

Vladimir the sun feasted,

He gave away his younger daughter

For the brave prince Ruslan."

There is a word "gridnitsa" here. Now it is not used, but in the era of Prince Vladimir it meant a large room in which the prince, along with his warriors, arranged festivities and feasts.

historicisms

Ancient words and their designation are of various kinds. According to scientists, they are divided into two large groups.

Historicisms are words that are not actively used now for the reason that the concepts they denote have fallen out of use. For example, "caftan", "chain mail", armor, etc. Archaisms are words that denote concepts familiar to us in other words. For example, mouth - lips, cheeks - cheeks, neck - neck.

In modern speech, as a rule, they are not used. Clever words and their meanings, which are incomprehensible to many, are not typical for our everyday speech. But they are not completely out of use. Historicisms and archaisms are used by writers in order to truthfully tell about the past of the people, with the help of these words they convey the flavor of the era. Historicisms can truthfully tell us about what happened at one time in other epochs in our homeland.

Archaisms

Unlike historicisms, archaisms designate those phenomena that we encounter in modern life. These are clever words, and their meanings do not differ from the meanings of words familiar to us, only they sound different. Archaisms are different. There are those that differ from ordinary words only in some features in spelling and pronunciation. For example, hail and city, gold and gold, young - young. These are phonetic archaisms. There were many such words in the 19th century. This is a club (club), a store (curtain).

There is a group of archaisms with obsolete suffixes, for example, museum (museum), assistance (assistance), fisherman (fisherman). Most often we meet lexical archaisms, for example, eye - eye, right hand - right hand, shuytsa - left hand.

Like historicisms, archaisms are used to create a special world in fiction. So, Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin often used archaic vocabulary to give pathos to his works. This is clearly seen in the example of the poem "Prophet".

Words from Ancient Russia

Ancient Russia gave a lot to modern culture. But then there was a special lexical environment, some words from which have been preserved in modern Russian. And some are no longer used at all. Old obsolete Russian words from that era give us an idea of ​​the origin of the East Slavic languages.

For example, old curses. Some of them very accurately reflect the negative qualities of a person. Hollow-breech is a talker, Ryuma is a crybaby, Tolokon forehead is a fool, Zakhukhrya is a disheveled person.

The meaning of old Russian words sometimes differed from the meanings of the same root in the modern language. We all know the words "jump" and "jump", they mean rapid movement in space. The old Russian word "sig" meant the smallest unit of time. One moment contained 160 whitefish. The largest measurement was considered "far distance", which was equal to 1.4 light years.

Ancient words and their meanings are discussed by scholars. The names of the coins that were used in Ancient Russia are considered ancient. For coins that appeared in the eighth and ninth centuries in Russia and were brought from the Arab Caliphate, the names “kuna”, “nogata” and “reza” were used. Then the first Russian coins appeared - these are golden coins and silver coins.

Obsolete words from the 12th and 13th centuries

The pre-Mongol period in Russia, 12-13 centuries, is characterized by the development of architecture, which was then called architecture. Accordingly, then a layer of vocabulary appeared, associated with the construction and erection of buildings. Some of the words that appeared then have remained in the modern language, but the meaning of the old Russian words has changed over all this time.

The basis of the life of Russia in the 12th century was a fortress, which then had the name "detinets". A little later, in the 14th century, the term “Kremlin” appeared, which at that time also meant the city. The word "kremlin" can be an example of how old obsolete Russian words are changing. If now there is only one Kremlin, it is the residence of the head of state, then there were many Kremlins.

In the 11th and 12th centuries, cities and fortresses were built in Russia from wood. But they could not resist the onslaught of the Mongol-Tatars. The Mongols, having come to conquer the lands, simply swept away the wooden fortresses. The stone cities of Novgorod and Pskov withstood. For the first time the word "Kremlin" appears in the chronicle of Tver in 1317. Its synonym is the old word "silicon". Then the Kremlin was built in Moscow, Tula and Kolomna.

Socio-aesthetic role of archaisms in classical fiction

Ancient words, which are often discussed in scientific articles, were often used by Russian writers in order to make the speech of their work of art more expressive. Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin in his article described the process of creating "Boris Godunov" as follows: "I tried to guess the language of that time."

Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov also used ancient words in his works, and their meaning exactly corresponded to the realities of the time, where they were taken from. Most of the old words appear in his work “The Song about Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich”. This, for example, is “you know”, “oh you are a goy”, Ali”. Also, Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky writes works in which there are many ancient words. These are "Dmitry the Pretender", "Voevoda", "Kozma Zakharyich Minin-Sukhoruk".

The role of words from past eras in modern literature

Archaisms remained popular in the literature of the 20th century. Let us recall the famous work of Ilf and Petrov "The Twelve Chairs". Here, the old words and their meaning have a special, humorous connotation.

For example, in the description of Ostap Bender's visit to the village of Vasyuki, the phrase "The one-eyed man did not take his only eye off the grandmaster's shoes" is found. Archaisms with Church Slavonic overtones are also used in another episode: “Father Fyodor was hungry. He wanted to be rich."

Stylistic mistakes when using historicisms and archaisms

Historicisms and archaisms can greatly embellish fiction, but their inept use causes laughter. Old words, the discussion of which often becomes very lively, as a rule, should not be used in everyday speech. If you start asking a passer-by: “Why is your neck open in winter?”, then he will not understand you (meaning the neck).

In newspaper speech, too, there is an inappropriate use of historicisms and archaisms. For example: "The principal of the school welcomed young teachers who came to practice." The word "greeted" is synonymous with the word "greeted". Sometimes schoolchildren insert archaisms into their writings and thereby make sentences not very clear and even ridiculous. For example: "Olya ran in tears and told Tatyana Ivanovna about her offense." Therefore, if you want to use ancient words, their meaning, interpretation, meaning should be absolutely clear to you.

Obsolete words in fantasy and science fiction

Everyone knows that such genres as fantasy and science fiction have gained immense popularity in our time. It turns out that ancient words are widely used in fantasy works, and their meaning is not always clear to the modern reader.

Such concepts as "banner" and "finger", the reader can understand. But sometimes there are more complex words, such as "komon" and "nasad". I must say that publishing houses do not always approve of the excessive use of archaisms. But there are works in which the authors successfully find application for historicism and archaism. These are works from the "Slavic fantasy" series. For example, the novels of Maria Stepanova "Valkyrie", Tatyana Korostyshevskaya "Mother of the Four Winds", Maria Semenova "Wolfhound", Denis Novozhilov "Far Far Away. Throne War.