Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

други´ми словa´ми

in other words

знaéшь/знaéтe

you know

знaть

evidently, it seems

знa´чит

so, then

извини´(тe)

excuse (me for saying so)

ины´ми словa´ми

= други´ми словa´ми

к сожaлe´нию

unfortunately

к счa´стью

fortunately

кaк бы

sort of, like

конe´чно

of course

кстa´ти (скaзa´ть)

by the way

мe´жду нa´ми

between ourselves

мe´жду про´чим

incidentally

нa бeду´

unfortunately

нe повe´ришь/повe´ритe

you won’t believe it

ну

well

по всeй вeроя´тности

in all probability

по крa´йнeй мe´рe

at least

по прa´вдe скaзa´тъ

to tell the truth

позво´ль(тe)

allow (me to say it)

поми´луй(тe)

pardon (me) (as expression of objection)

понимaéшь/понимaéтe

(do) you understand

по´просту говоря´

to put it simply

прeдстa´вь(тe) сeбe´

imagine

прости´(тe)

forgive (me for saying it)

пря´мо скa´жeм

let’s be frank

сa´моe глa´вноe

the main thing

скaжи´(тe) нa ми´лость

you don’t say (iron)

слу´шaй(тe)

listen

соглaси´шься/соглaси´тeсь

you’ll agree

тaк

so

тaк скaзa´ть

so to speak

ти´пa

sort of, like

чeго´ до´брого

who knows (anticipating sth unpleasant)

что нaзывaéтся

as they say

178

5.4

Modal particles

5.4

Modal particles

Modal particles are not often encountered in the relatively objective varieties of the formal written language (esp R3a/R3b) but in the

spoken language, and in particular in colloquial conversation, where subjective utterances abound, they are extremely important. However, they are not easy for the English-speaking student to master, since

English often achieves the nuances that particles convey by means of tone of voice or intonation rather than by lexical means. Moreover, the precise meaning or function of the Russian particles is elusive, partly because they are in most cases polysemantic and also because they

interact with word order, phrasal stress and intonation to produce

complex and variable nuances.

This section lists a number of the less elusive functions of the most important modal particles. At the end of the section a list is given of other particles which have a lexical or morphological function rather than a modal one.

a

(a)

placed at the end of an utterance, exhorts the hearer to give an answer or agree to sth, e.g.

Mоро´жeноe дaть, a?

Want an ice-cream?

Bсё в поря´дкe, a?

Is everything all right then?

Tы гото´в(a)? Поe´дeм, a?

Are you ready? Shall we go then?

(b)

occurs in vocative expressions (see 7.3.1) when a diminutive name is repeated, in which case the particle is placed between the two words in the vocative, e.g.

Taнь, a Taнь!Кaк ты ду´мaeшь,

Tania, what do уоu think, should

мнe нa вe´чeр пойти´?

I go to the party?

Maм, a мaм!Tы помо´жeшь мнe?

Mum! Will you help me?

(c)

placed at the beginning of an utterance, gives a spontaneous link with what has been said or assumed, e.g.

– Oтку´дa э´то у тeбя´ тaко´й

‘Where did you get such a lovely

крaси´вый шaрф?

scarf ?’

– Aмуж подaри´л.

‘My husband gave it to me as a

present.’

– Mи´тю мо´жно?

‘Can I speak to Mitia?’

– Aон нa рaбо´тe.

‘He’s at work.’

– Aкогдa´ бу´дeт?

‘When will he get home?’

– B шeсть. Aкто eго´ спрa´шивaeт?

‘At six. Who’s that asking for

him?’

вeдь

(a)

expresses mild assertion of sth which the speaker considers obvious; sometimes this assertion constitutes an objection to another point of view, e.g.

Beдьинa´чe и быть нe мо´жeт.

For it just couldn’t be otherwise .

179

5

Vocabulary and idiom

Порa´ у´жинaть. Mы вeдьс утрa´

It’s time to have supper. After all, we

ничeго´ нe e´ли.

haven’t eaten since this morning .

– Tо´ля, нaдe´нь шa´пку.

‘Tolia, put your hat on.’

– He хочу´.

‘I don’t want to.’

– Beдьдe´сять грa´дусов ни´жe

‘But it’s minus 10.’

нуля´.

– He бу´ду читa´ть э´ти кни´ги.

‘I’m not going to read these books.’

– Beдьпровa´лишься нa

‘Then you’ll fail your exam.’

экзa´мeнe.

(b)

expresses gentle reproach or warning, e.g.

Hy, хвa´тит! Я вeдьскaзa´л(a), что

That’s enough. I told you not to

нe нa´до шумe´ть.

make a noise .

Tы вeдьсовсe´м нe обрaщaéшь

You just don’t pay any attention to

внимa´ния нa мои´ словa´.

what I say .

(c)

expresses surprise at an unexpected discovery, e.g.

– Гдe моя´ шa´пкa?

‘Where’s my hat?’

– Я eё нa вe´шaлку повe´сил.

‘I hung it on the peg.’

– A вeдьeё тaм нeт.

‘But it isn’t there.’

Я вeдьнe по´нял(a´), что онa´ ужe´

I hadn’t realised that she was already

aспирa´нткa.

a postgraduate .

(d)

in questions, encourages sb to give the answer the speaker wants to

hear; in this sense fulfils the same role as the English tail question, as in the following examples:

Tы вeдьпобу´дeшь у нaс?

You will come and stay with us for a

bit, won’t you?