Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

purposive

Oнa´ подошлa´ к нeму´, что´быпрошeптa´ть eму´ что´-то нa´ ухо.

She went up to him so thatshe could whisper something in his ear .

Я говорю´ э´то ( для того´), что´бывы прeдстa´вили сeбe´ всe

опa´сности.

I am telling you this so that/in order thatyou may picture to yourself all the dangers .

Note:

что´бы+ past tense is used when the subjects are different, as in the last example above, but when the subject of the verb in the subordinate clause is the same as that in the main clause then что´быis followed by the infinitive, e.g. Я э´то говорю´, что´бы вы´рaзитьсвоё нeгодовa´ниe, I am saying this in order to express my indignation .

resultative

Maши´нa сломa´лaсь, тaк чтомы опоздa´ли.

The car broke down so thatwe were late .

Mы до того´устa´ли, чтозaсну´ли в aвто´бусe.

We got sotired thatwe fell asleep on the bus .

concessive

Я тaм бу´ду, хотя´, нaвe´рноe, и опоздa´ю.

I’ll be there , althoughI expect I’ll be late .

Note:

see also modal particle и(5.4, и (с)).

Ha сe´вeрe стрaны´ хо´лодно зимо´й, тогдa´ кaкнa ю´гe тeпло´.

It’s cold in the north of the country in winter , whereasin the south it’s warm .

conditional

´

Eсливы нe понимaéтe, я объясню´.

Ifyou don’t understand I’ll explain .

Я уe´ду в комaндиро´вку, e´сли то´льковы одо´бритe мой плaн.

I’ll go on a business trip providedyou approve my plan .

Note:

see 11.9 on conditional sentences and also 11.6(c) on use of tense in them.

11.12.3

Subordinating conjunctions used in R1 or R3

Some subordinating conjunctions that are not standard in R2 may also be encountered. These may be divided into (a) those which are still

used but which belong mainly in R1 or R3 (including, in R3, many

compound conjunctions), and (b) those which are considered obsolete

in the modern literary language (although they will be found in

classical literature and in some cases may persist in R1, especially in dialect).

restricted use

рaз(R1)

if , e.g. Paзты рeши´л э´то сдe´лaть,

дe´лaй, If you’ve decided to do it, get on

with it .

блaгодaря´ тому´, что(R3)

thanks to the fact that

в связи´ с тeм, что(R3)

in connection with the fact that

в си´лу того´, что(R3)

by virtue of the fact that

ввиду´ того´, что(R3)

in view of the fact that

вслe´дствиe того´, что(R3)

owing to the fact that

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11

Syntax

и´бо(R3)

for , e.g. Bся´кий труд вa´жeн, и´бо

облaгорa´живaeт чeловe´кa, All labour

is important, for it ennobles a man .

(Tolstoi)

нeвзирa´я нa то, что(R3)

in spite of the fact that

по мe´рe того´, кaк(R3)

in proportion as

посто´льку, поско´льку(R3)

insofar as, to the extent that

при усло´вии, что(R3)

on condition that

с тeм что´бы+ infin (R3)

with a view to (doing )

obsolete or

бу´дe(N dialects)/ дa´бы

if, provided that = что´бы

colloquial

доко´лe (доко´ль)

as long as, until

e´жeли

= e´сли (possible in R1)

ко´ли

if (possible in R1, esp dialect)

коль ско´ро

so long as (possible in R1)

покa´мeст

= покa´ (possible in R1)

11.13

Syntactic features of colloquial speech

The language of R1 is characterised by a number of other syntactic

features, as well as predominance of coordinating conjunctions over

subordinating conjunctions and the use of some coordinating

conjunctions not widely used in R2, e.g.

(a)

ellipsis, which may be produced by omission of the verb (especially –

but not exclusively – of a verb of motion) or of some other part of

speech, e.g.

Bы ко мнe?

Are you coming to see me ?

Bдруг мнe нaвстрe´чу пa´пa.

Suddenly dad was coming towards me .

Maм, зa до´ктором!

Mum, get the doctor !

Bы´стрeл. Я чe´рeз зaбо´р.

There was a shot and I leapt over the

fence .

двa нa во´сeмь чaсо´в.

Two [tickets] for eight o’clock .

Mнe порa´.

It’s time for me to go .

Bы мeня´?

Is it me you’re asking ?

Кaк дeлa´?

How are things going ?

Bсeго´ хоро´шeго!

All the best .

(b)

combination of a verb denoting condition or motion with another

verb in the same form to indicate that the action is carried out in a certain state, e.g.

Oнa´ сидe´лa ши´лa.

She was sitting sewing.

´

Eдeм, дрe´млeм.

We were travelling along in a doze .

(c)

repetition of the verb to emphasise the protracted nature of an action, e.g.

´

Eхaли, e´хaлии нaконe´ц

We travelled and travelled, and

приe´хaли.

eventually we arrived .

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11.14

Word order

(d)

combination of two verbs from the same root, separated by нe, to indicate the fullness of an action, e.g.

Oнa´ рa´дуeтся нe нaрa´дуeтся

She just dotes on her son .

нa сы´нa.

(e)

a construction containing a form of взять(often the imperative) and another verb in the same form, the two verbs being linked by дaоr и

оr дa и; the construction expresses sudden volition on the part of the subject, e.g.

Oн взял дa убeжa´л.

He was up and off.

Oнa´ вдруг возьми´ дa и