Here's a fireworks store that I ran into Saturday while downtown at Central Market. On the red sign, we have more English cognates brought into the Russian language. Fireworks is that last word there and I'll bet that's straight from English. (We'll let Sveta in Moscow have the last word on this. She seems to have access to a super-duper dictionary with the etymologies and such.) But I'd say all three of these words come from English. The first word is Salutes (pronounced very similarly to English), the second is rockets (pronounced closely) and last of all is fireworks, the last word (pronounced similarly). That's the view standing on the tram line, looking straight ahead, south.
From here, pivot right and. . . what beauty! Of construction soon to obstruct the view of the cathedral, from this vantage point at least. But that's progress for ya. . . Say, do you hear that noise. . . it's getting closer, closer. . . Oh my goodness Here Comes a Tram. Let's get off these tracks so we don't become fireworks, ourselves!
4 comments:
Hi, Eileen,
I've found some information about the etymology of the word "salute". It's said to be controversial, but it's how it came to Russian language.
In fact, it's a Latin word "salus, salutis (which means, health, welfare), in German “salut”.
In Russian the word “salut” (салют) as well as the same verb (салютировать) have been used since Peter the Great age and was adopted from the German language. In German language as well as in other languages in Western Europe the word “Salut” was adopted from Latin Salus, Salutis (“health” and later as “prosperity, salvation, greeting). In modern languages it means “official military greeting using salvo, signal stars etc.).
I don't know about 'rocket', but I think the word "фейерверк" (firework)have also come to Russian from the German (I remember, they explained us the etymology of this word at school). Fоr example, in Bulgarian they use 'фойерверк", which also comes from German.
Regards,
Ludmila
Thank You Ludmila for your expertise. Perhaps you are an etymologist! =) Oh my, this is good for *us* to realize that not ALL words come from English. I'm starting to see that perhaps I have an lingo-centric bent (that might be a new word - like ethnocentric but now with a twist). Maybe You are a linguist! Lyda, would you have a website that you would recommend with Russian etymologies? Now that I think about it, our mutual friend, Sveta in Moscow might have mentioned one in an earlier comment. I'll need to go back and have a look. Thanks again Ludmila! Please feel free to comment any ol' time. (And do we agree that *Second Hand* would come from English? And also *Test Drive?*) E
Hi, Eileen!
I put a comment yesterday, but I haven't seen it yet. That's why I want to post a link to the site with Russian etymology dictionary. Look at this site:http://evartist.narod.ru/text15/004.htm
As for 'second hand' and 'test drive' , I agree with you - they come from English.
Regards,
Ludmila
Hi, Eileen!
As for "ракета" I already commented about this word in another article: http://russiawithlove.blogspot.com/2008/01/coming-soon-favorite-jewelry-store.html:
Ракета came to Russian from German rakete (Since Petr I Russian always admire of German technical abilities.) This is the dictionary article:РАКЕТА (нем. Rakete)
Thank you, Ludmila, for your answer about another words! ;)
Best wishes,
Svet
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