Non-English words and phrases in English-language texts
Thread poster: GaryG
GaryG
GaryG  Identity Verified
Local time: 11:35
English
+ ...
Feb 6, 2005

I was wondering if native Russian speakers might perhaps
appreciate a list of non-English words and phrases which often appear
in English texts (especially "higher-level" writing).

I'm talking not just about such common literary abbreviations as:

i.e =. т.е.
viz. = см.
op. cit = там же

but entire words and phrases in various languages:

deja vu
habeas corpus
schadenfreude
weltanschauu
... See more
I was wondering if native Russian speakers might perhaps
appreciate a list of non-English words and phrases which often appear
in English texts (especially "higher-level" writing).

I'm talking not just about such common literary abbreviations as:

i.e =. т.е.
viz. = см.
op. cit = там же

but entire words and phrases in various languages:

deja vu
habeas corpus
schadenfreude
weltanschauung

etc.

Alas, I've read that the only Russian word in common English
usage is "intelligentsia".

What do readers of this language pair think, particularly the
native Russian speakers, and especially those who do not live
in English-speaking countries?

Perhaps some wish to use this topic to submit such words
and phrases (if this does not violate some ProZ.com rule

P.S. KudoZ is apparently a play on words on the Greek word
"kudos" [=slava], an expression which is often found in English
texts (more often in the sense of "praise", not "glory".
Collapse


 
Natalie
Natalie  Identity Verified
Poland
Local time: 16:35
Member (2002)
English to Russian
+ ...

Moderator of this forum
SITE LOCALIZER
- Feb 7, 2005

'English' words of Russian origin:
Sputnik, vodka, tsar, samovar, troika, tundra, matreshka, kremlin, perestroika, balalaika, steppe

typhoon came from Cantonese Chinese
behemoth from Hebrew
cuddle, eerie, greed come from Scots

vaquero ("cowboy"), alligator (from el legarto or "the lizard"), rodeo come from Spanish

sushi and tsunami from Japanese


 
Alexander Demyanov
Alexander Demyanov
Local time: 11:35
English
+ ...
There are more Feb 7, 2005

GaryG wrote:


Alas, I've read that the only Russian word in common English
usage is "intelligentsia".




Just from the top of my head:

ruble, kopeck, sputnik, apparatchik, babushka, borscht,...

There are more, of course


 
GaryG
GaryG  Identity Verified
Local time: 11:35
English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
OK, but what about the question? Feb 7, 2005

One can argue about what "common" means, but I take your (and Natalie's)
point.

Would exchanging lists of non-Russian words (and not English) words
found in English texts be useful for native Russian speakers, especially
those who live outside English-speaking countries?


 
Marcus Malabad
Marcus Malabad  Identity Verified
Canada
German to English
+ ...
clarify Feb 7, 2005

GaryG wrote:
Would exchanging lists of non-Russian words (and not English) words found in English texts be useful for native Russian speakers, especially those who live outside English-speaking countries?


Gary, your question confuses me. Non-Russian/non-English words in English texts? You mean like rogue (Sinhalese), boondocks (Tagalog), ziggurat (Akkadian), wok (Cantonese), etc.? If non-English speakers living outside Eng-sp countries learn English, why wouldn't they understand borrowed words used in English? Aren't they just like any other words?

I'm perplexed (late Latin: perplexus from per- "completely" + plexus "entangled," pp. of plectere "to twine")

M


 
Elena Ivaniushina
Elena Ivaniushina  Identity Verified
Russian Federation
Local time: 18:35
English to Russian
+ ...
такой список уже есть Feb 7, 2005

Для интересующихся этой темой: на дружественном форуме ведется постоянно пополняемый список иноязычных выражений в английских текстах, с хорошими комментариями:

http://www.multitran.ru/c/m.exe?a=ForumReplies&MessNum=7811&L1=1&L2=2


 
GaryG
GaryG  Identity Verified
Local time: 11:35
English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Спасибо, Аля! Feb 7, 2005

Alya wrote:

Для интересующихся этой темой: на дружественном форуме ведется постоянно пополняемый список иноязычных выражений в английских текстах, с хорошими комментариями:

http://www.multitran.ru/c/m.exe?a=ForumReplies&MessNum=7811&L1=1&L2=2[/quote]

I was unaware that translate.ru even had forums.

Marcus: the list of examples I gave plus the above link indicate what I had in mind.

 
Elena Ivaniushina
Elena Ivaniushina  Identity Verified
Russian Federation
Local time: 18:35
English to Russian
+ ...
это разные вещи Feb 7, 2005

Мультитран сам по себе, а ПРОМТ (translate.ru) сам по себе.

[Edited at 2005-02-07 21:52]


 
Nik-On/Off
Nik-On/Off  Identity Verified
Ukraine
Local time: 17:35
English to Russian
+ ...
;) Feb 8, 2005

GaryG wrote:
Would exchanging lists of non-Russian words (and not English) words found in English texts be useful for native Russian speakers, especially those who live outside English-speaking countries?


Gary, could you share such a list?


 
GaryG
GaryG  Identity Verified
Local time: 11:35
English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
See my original post Feb 8, 2005

Nik-On/Off wrote:

GaryG wrote:
Would exchanging lists of non-Russian words (and not English) words found in English texts be useful for native Russian speakers, especially those who live outside English-speaking countries?


Gary, could you share such a list?


It's of course far from exhaustive and no list could be complete. I don't know if
ProZ-ers would prefer to make this a long-running topic to which someone adds
a question or comment from time to time (like "Anglo-Saxon attitudes") or rather
have them formulated as ProZ questions (in the E>R language pair not, say, Latin>Russian
beause it's the English usage that's the issue).


 
Blithe
Blithe
Local time: 11:35
Russian
+ ...
Great idea! Feb 8, 2005

GaryG wrote:

It's of course far from exhaustive and no list could be complete. I don't know if ProZ-ers would prefer to make this a long-running topic to which someone adds a question or comment from time to time (like "Anglo-Saxon attitudes") or rather
have them formulated as ProZ questions (in the E>R language pair not, say, Latin>Russian beause it's the English usage that's the issue).


I think it would be great to have this topic and add to the list (like everybody's favorite Anglo-Saxon attitudes). It would be very educational. I would also suggest that English/American pronunciation be added. I know for a fact how hard it is sometimes to recognize French words spoken by Americans, which is a normal case with any borrowed words, of course.


 


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