Na zdorov'e

[Elena Boudovskaia]

Na zdorov'e is not a toast, its' what you answer when someone says to you
Spasibo!

I wonder why all non-Russian speakers think it's a toast? A reminiscence
from a film somewhere from the 40s  maybe, depicting war-time friendship? Or
from the 50s, about Russian spies? Definitely it's not Russian, whichever
the source.

Real toasts are many (probably there are collections of them somewhere on
the Internet too). Some of the common ones are: Za vashe zdorov'e; Budem
zdorovy (or just Budem); simpler ones like Nu davai or Poexali; and the
famous one from Bulgakov's Sobach'e serdce: Zhelaiu, chtoby vse! (ili:
chtoby vsio; the word-final e allows two readings, and Bulgakov never told
us which one he meant).

Regards,

Elena



----- Original Message -----
From: "Genevra Gerhart" <ggerhart at COMCAST.NET>
To: <SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU>
Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2005 12:11 PM
Subject: [SEELANGS] Na zdorov'e


> Greetings!
>
> Just having returned from a trip up the Volga that included many toasts
> all
> of which were offered by university graduates, I feel impelled to report
> that Na zdorov'e not only dominated, but absolutely excluded the Za Vashe
> zdorov'e alternative.  When I asked, I was assured that one could also say
> Za.etc
>
> Pity. Za.etc sounds better.
>
>
>
> Genevra Gerhart
>
>
>
> ggerhart at comcast.net
>
>
>
> www.genevragerhart.com
>
> www.russiancommonknowledge.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
>  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
>                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------