variations, in clubs

[Robert DeLossa]

Ukrainian preserves a similar dichotomy. However, my lunchtime informant
says that the difference is due to relative entry into the language (the
"village" forms are more archaic, 17th-century, vs. 19th-century for the
standard forms, which correspond to Russian). Anyone out there have time to
peruse Vasmer and give us the scoop? Rob DeLossa

>
>The 17-volume Slovar' sovremennogo russkogo iazyka defines KRESTI as
>PROSTORECH'E for TREFI and VINI as PROSTORECH'E for PIKI.  And that's what
>they are.  When I played P'IANITSA, PODKIDNOI DURAK or PIKOVAIA DAMA with
>my NIANIA about forty-five years ago then the clubs were KRESTI and the
>spades were VINI.  But when I was a student and played PREFERANS with my
>friends then the suits were PIKI, TREFY, BUBNY, CHERVI.  Actually, all
>respectable players use feminine singular for suits: PIKA, TREFA, BUBNA,
>CHERVA.
>
>So, I would say that in the family usage VINI, BUBI (instead of BUBNY) and
>KRESTI are pretty common.  But "serious" players would never use them.
>
>And although the 17-volume dictionary gives TREFI for clubs, it is
>obsolete.  The 4-volume dictionary (1981) gives TREFY, and this is, I
>believe, the most common contemporary usage among "serious" players.  Some
>pronounce R hard, others soft.
>
>Diamonds are BUBNY.  BUBI is sometimes used, but Russian dictionaries do
>not have this term (at least those which I have consulted).  Dal' lists
>BUBI  as Siberian dialect.
>
>
>Konstantin Kustanovich
>
>Department of Germanic & Slavic Languages
>Vanderbilt University
>Box 1525, Station B
>Nashville, TN 37235
>Tel.: (615) 322-2751
>Fax: (615) 343-7258


____________________________________________________
Robert DeLossa
Director of Publications
Ukrainian Research Institute, Harvard University
1583 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138
617-496-8768; fax. 617-495-8097
reply to: rdelossa at fas.harvard.edu
http://www.sabre.org/huri