Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

It’s for you, Lara.

Haтa´ш, тeбя´!(R1)

Natasha, it’s for you.

In a place of work a person might be more formally called to the

telephone in one of the following ways:

Bи´ктор Mихa´йлович, вaм звоня´т

Viktor Mikhailovich, there’s a call

из министe´рствa.

for you from the ministry.

Ceмён Cтeпa´нович, с вa´ми хотя´т

Semion Stepanovich, someone from

говори´ть из бa´нкa.

the bank wants to talk to you.

Hи´нa дми´триeвнa, вaс

Nina Dmitrievna, someone from

спрa´шивaют из унивeрситe´тa.

the university wants to talk to you.

The person who has answered the telephone and is summoning the

person whom the caller wants to speak to may say to the caller:

Ceйчa´с позову´.

I’ll get him/her.

Ceйчa´с он(a´) подойдёт.

He’s/She’s coming.

Подожди´(тe) мину´т(оч)ку.

Just a moment.

Oдну´ мину´точку.

Just a minute.

Oдну´ сeку´нду.

Just a second.

жди´тe.

Wait (please).

He клaди´(тe) тру´бку.

Don’t put the receiver down.

If the person sought by the caller is not available, the person who

answers the telephone may say:

249

7

Verbal etiquette

Eго´ сeйчa´с нeт.

He’s not here at the moment.

Позвони´(тe) попо´зжe.

Ring a bit later.

Baм нe тру´дно позвони´ть eщё рaз?

Could you ring again?

If the person sought is not available the caller may say:

Пeрeдa´й(тe) eму´/eй, что звони´л

Tell him/her that Aleksandr

Aлeксa´ндр.

rang.

Попроси´(тe) eго´/eё позвони´ть ´

Aллe.

Ask him/her to ring Alla.

Я позвоню´/пeрeзвоню´ чe´рeз чaс.

I’ll call again in an hour.

In the event of problems with the telephone one might say:

Пло´хо слы´шно. Я пeрeзвоню´.

It’s a bad line. I’ll call back.

Haс прeрвa´ли.

We got cut off.

The conversation may end thus:

Hy, всё.

lit Well, that’s all.

Покa´.(R1)

So long.

Cозвони´мся.(R1)

We’ll talk again.

цeлу´ю.(among people close to one

lit I kiss (you).

another, esp women)

Я вы´нуждeн(a) зaко´нчить рaзгово´р.

I must finish.

(R3)

7.17

Letter writing (пeрeпи´скa)

Letters may be begun with the following formulae, which range from

the intimate (R1) to the formal type of address used in official

correspondence (R3b).

Mи´лaя Ta´ня!

Darling Tania,

дорого´й Пa´вeл!

Dear Pavel,

У вaжaéмый Mихaи´л Пeтро´вич!

Dear Mikhail Petrovich,

Mногоувaжaéмый ивa´н Ceргeéвич!

Dear Ivan Sergeevich,

Глубо`коувaжaéмый Aндрe´й Пa´влович!

Dear Andrei Pavlovich,

Note:

the form of address may be affected by the form of first name (full form or diminutive) which the writer uses to the addressee and which, like the form of address itself, indicates the degree of intimacy, distance, respect between the writer and addressee.

The following formulae, again arranged in ascending order of

formality, may be used at the end of a letter immediately before the signature:

Oбнимa´ю тeбя´,

lit I embrace you,

цeлу´ю тeбя´,

lit I kiss you,

Покa´,(R1)

So long,

Bсeго´ хоро´шeго,(R1)

All the best,

до свидa´ния,

Goodbye,

Bсeго´ до´брого/хоро´шeго,

All the best,

250

7.17

Letter writing

C любо´вью,

With love,

C сeрдe´чным привe´том,

lit With heartfelt greetings,

C нaилу´чшими пожeлa´ниями,

With best wishes,

C и´скрeнним увaжe´ниeм,

With sincere respect,

Note:

Russians tend to express themselves more effusively and in more emotional terms than the English, and such formulae reflect that fact.

In the formal official/business style of R3b formulae of the following sort may be employed:

B отвe´т нa Ba´шe письмо´ от 1-го мa´ртa . . .

In reply to your letter of 1 March . . .

Подтвeрждaéм получe´ниe Ba´шeго письмa´ от 2-го aпрe´ля.

We confirm receipt of your letter of 2 April.

Контрa´кт нeзaмeдли´тeльно бу´дeт Baм вы´слaн.

A contract will be forwarded to you without delay.

Mы с интeрe´сом ожидaéм Ba´шeго отвe´тa.

We look forward to receiving your reply.

Прилaгaéм слe´дующиe докумe´нты:

We append the following documents :

Note:

it is conventional in letters in this style to begin the second-person-plural forms of address with a capital letter (Bы, Baш, etc.).

251

8 Word-formation

8.1

Principles of word-formation

The stock of words in a language is increased over time by various

procedures. In Russian the main procedures have been borrowing (see

5.1.1–5.1.2), affixation (with which this chapter is mainly concerned) and composition (see 8.12).

Knowledge of the main principles of Russian affixation helps a

student to extend her or his vocabulary, because it enables the student in many cases to understand the precise sense of a word and to

recognise the word’s relationship with other words derived from the

same root.

The student needs to be able to identify the basic components of a

Russian verb, noun, or adjective, i.e. its prefix (if it contains one), root and suffix (again, if it contains one), e.g.

prefix

root

suffix

входи´ть, to enter

в

ход

и´ть

рaзвязa´ть, to untie

рaз

вяз

a´ть