The two of the most frequently used words in the Russian language, the two words without which it is simply impossible to get around in Russia, even when one isn't trying to be the least polite, are actually more than just two words. I believe that anyone studying any language at all sooner or later will arrive at the point where it feels like your soul is screaming out loud for an etymologic dictionary (for those studying language but who have yet to arrive at this soul-screaming point – an etymologic dictionary explains the origin of words rather than their meaning). It does not take long when in possession of such a dictionary before one realizes that the most common greeting phrase in Russia, здравствуйте (or здравствуй, a variant which is a little less formal, yet still miles away from being as informal as the only-among-close-friends привет) actually is short for the original greeting of здрава желаю, meaning “I wish [you] health”. It can also be said that здравствуйте means “I wish you to be healthy”. Both of these meanings underline, in my opinion, the eternal Russian dread of disease. Therefore it cannot come as any surprise to anyone familiar with this culture that its people would have a greeting that means wishing everyone health all the time.
The original meaning of the second word is not much of a surprise either, and ever the more interesting for of it. The origin of the word спасибо makes a natural connection with the long tradition of Orthodoxy in Russia. During many centuries the phrase used to thanking people спаси вас/тебя Бог [God save you] shrunk into the short спасибо, which is now the word used by people on a daily basis from Kalingrad to Vladivostok. With time the phrase was turned into a substantive, and we are now allwoded to say things like спасибо большое [big thank you], when we really want to express our gratitude.
As for the third most used word in the Russian language, that hard-to-pronounce-yet-of-absolute-necessity пожалуйста [please; certainly! by all means!; you’re welcome!; don’t mention it], I’m as lost as the next foreigner living in Russia to what its origin might be. It could have come from the adverb пожалуй [perhaps, very likely, it may be] that in turn comes from the verb пожаловать, as used in добро пожаловать [welcome]. It is the perfect to the imperfect verb жаловать, which means “to grant, to bestow, to reward, to favor, to regard with favor”. That’s my guess, anyway. Anyone who might have a qualified guess of their own about what its etymology might be? Or maybe someone actually knows?
Comments (8)
I dont know who you are but you must be rather young or have very little knowledge of language
and History;))
Russia is a formell country with great politness which we have been loosing moore and moore .Russia is living in my grandmothers time.
I am Norwegian and my grandmother lived from -89 till -59.
How do you do.an english welcoming frase allmost forgotten;)We allways wished our friends a good healt,eaven if you ask people today there wish number 1 most people will ask for good healt;)insted of money.When you make a toastm,wish you good healt.
Russian are thanks God moore polite and caring than we are;)They will sadly copie us and be moore egoistick and selfobserved like the major part of the poulation in the west;))))))))
Thank you Russia for giving me the oppertunaty to see my grandmothers life and your politness to other people
Arne Seim
Posted by Arne Seim | February 12, 2008 11:40 AM
Posted on February 12, 2008 11:40
Thank you. Your blog is always very interesting.
Posted by Dave Hauslein | February 12, 2008 11:49 AM
Posted on February 12, 2008 11:49
i personally think that пажалуйста originates from желать - пожелать, to wish in russian.. i could be wrong however..
Posted by fear | February 14, 2008 5:00 PM
Posted on February 14, 2008 17:00
Wow! I've lived in Russia for 6 years, speak it with a degree of fluency and it never hit me until today how right you are. Thanks for pointing that out to me!
Posted by Aleckii | February 17, 2008 7:07 PM
Posted on February 17, 2008 19:07
I believe "poka" is also a shortening of a religious phrase, but I don't remember which one. Does your dictionary say?
And what about "privet"?
Posted by Sarah | February 19, 2008 1:58 PM
Posted on February 19, 2008 13:58
As a Russian I may say that ethimologies for "спасибо" and "здравствуйте" are correct. In Russian army the fool form "здравия желаю" is still in use, when greeting someone of superior rank.
As for "пожалуйста", the Russians themselves are largerly unaware of its origin, and even phylologists have different versions. The number of meanings is a great obstacle. It is certainy derived from "жаловать" (to grant, to give). "-ста" is an archaic affirmative particle. I suppose the original meaning was "please". So the "ethimological" translation could be "would you give me ...". I may be wrong, although.
"Poka" has nothing to do with religion. It means "for a while", or simply "while" (in the middle of the sentence). As a parting phrase it means "see you later".
"Privet" is derived from "приветствую" - "I greet you".
Posted by Alexander | February 21, 2008 8:42 PM
Posted on February 21, 2008 20:42
In reply to Sarah: About the 'privet' and its derivation; couldn't is also be the other way around seeing as in Russian a lot of words easily get their own verb?
Posted by Janneke | February 24, 2008 5:50 AM
Posted on February 24, 2008 05:50
Arne Seim,
You are exactly on point when it comes to manners and formality in the West. As I am an American Baby-boomer, I deplore American and Western Culture becoming more and more relaxed, and even slouching in every respect, from style of dress to greetings. In America it has been for many years now, "What's up?", taken directly from the low status of the street dwellers. I think this also has some root in the increasing Socialistic Tenor in American culture, where, as in the Soviet Union, eveyone had the same status, (except Party members!), usually Mediocre.
But as I study Russian culture and Russian language, I find that some of what had been described in Russian culture as "Backwardness" was actully a Virture, to consider others as better than oneself, as the Apostle Paul encourages us to do. This young Josephina from Sweden is but one and intersting part of my education.
Posted by John Baker | March 28, 2008 7:52 PM
Posted on March 28, 2008 19:52