Хрюкаем Вместе

A few nights ago, Nick was lying on his back trying to correctly pronounce the word хрю. (Хрю is the sound pigs make in Russian.) He was having a hard time combining a rolling "r" with a soft "yu" sound. To help him, I was trying to think of more words that include syllable "рю" in them.

Nick: hroo, roo, hruuuu, hroo
Helen: хрю, хххххррррррю, хрю
Nick: hroo, khrooo, kkkhhhhhrrrrru, roo, ru, r'u, r'yu...
Helen: Do you know what the word хрумкать means?
Nick: No. What? hru, hrrrru, hroooo, hrrr, rrrrrrr
Helen: To chew something such that you make a lot of noise doing it.
Nick: So to eat like a pig.
Helen: I guess.
Nick: hroo, roo, roo, rrrrrrrru, yu, yu
Helen: хрю, рю, рю
Nick: hrrrrrrrrrrrrroouu
Helen: Do you know what the work рюмка means?
Nick: Roomka? A little room? hroo, hru, hr'u
Helen: Good one, but no. It means a shot glass.
Nick: hru, hr'u, r'uuu, hryu

Прогалины

Looking out the train window this morning, I noticed how much snow melted in the last few warm days we had. Large areas of brown dirt showed through the dark snow still covering the golf course used for x-country skiing during the winter. The Russian word for such a patch of bare ground, somehow exuding spring warmth even on a winter morning like today, is прогалина (progalina).

Immediately the word made me feel nostalgic, perhaps because I do not remember ever using it since I moved to the US. Somehow ground peeking through melting snow just does not come up in the few conversations I carry on in Russian these days.

Прогалина reminds me of elementary school, of reading about nature. It reminds me of the days when I was told almost daily and truly believed that Russia was the most beautiful country on Earth. It reminds me of Tyutchev, Bunin, Prishvin, Paustovsky--writers whose works I have not read in decades. And it makes me yearn for spring more then ever.

The Clay Crow

The "Clay Crow" song ("Plasticine Crow" actually) randomly came on on my iTunes today, and I decided to look up the cartoon. I realize that many of you do not speak Russian, and the subtitles are terrible, but I think this cartoon is still a gem. As you watch the cartoon, please keep in mind that both "crow" and "cow" are feminine nouns in the Russian language.

Enjoy!

Бременские Музыканты

What happens when you listen to one of your favorite childhood records? I admit I listen to them now probably too often. Why? Mostly nostalgia. These little catchy songs and tales bring back the times and places that are long gone. They are also rather funny. Just take the Russian Winnie the Pooh and his legs--maybe we should not go there today. Today my reaction to some of these records was rather "analytical".

(Disclosure: Apologies to the "can't read Russian" folks.)

Из Бременских Музыкантов:

Разбойники (поют):

...
Завтра дальняя дорога
Выпадает королю.
У него деньжонок много,
А я денежки люблю.
...
Ой-ля-ля, Ой-ля-ля,
Завтра грабим короля!
...

Рассказчик:

Трубадур сразу понял что разбойники собираются ограбить короля.

Моя реакция:

Ну какой сообразительный!

По Следам Бременских Музыкантов:

Рассказчик:

Глупый король вручил генеальному сыщику обещенную королевскую награду, плачащую принцессу запер на ключ и строго на строго велел страже охранять все входы и выходы во дворце.

Моя реакция:

А что собственно еще этой страже делать кроме как "охранять все входы и выходы во дворце."