In the beginning

[Slivkin, Yevgeny]

Dear Svetlana,

If the uncle still alive, Pushkin in the line in question ("on uvazhat'
sebia zastavil") plays with "face value" and idiomatic meanings of the
phrase.  He uses this techniques quite often, especially in his epigrams.

Sincerely,

Yevgeny Slivkin

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Slavic & East European Languages and Literature list
[mailto:SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU] On Behalf Of Svetlana Grenier
Sent: Wednesday, May 03, 2006 9:19 AM
To: SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] In the beginning

Dear Yevgeny,

When Onegin is "letia v pyli na pochtovykh" he does not know that his uncle
is dead (as I pointed out in my first e-mail) and is expecting to spend some
time "poluzhivogo zabavlia[ia]".  We find out what actually happened in ch.
I, LII.  Which means that at least in this instance the phrase does not mean
"kick the bucket".

Regards,
Svetlana Grenier

Slivkin, Yevgeny wrote:

>Dear colleagues,
>
>I believe the key to the beginning of "Onegin" is the subjunctive mood 
>which is implied.
>"No bozhe moy, kakaia skuka poluzhivogo zabavliat'..." thinks Evgenii, 
>imagining what would have happed if the uncle had not kicked the bucket!
>That is in English translation this line should be rendered as that, 
>"But what a boredom it would be to entertain a living corpse..."
>The uncle is already dead. In Pushkin's time "  zastavit' sebia uvazhat'"
>meant only one thing - "to kick the bucket".
>
>
>
>Yevgeny Slivkin
>
>  
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Slavic & East European Languages and Literature list 
>[mailto:SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU] On Behalf Of Genevra Gerhart
>Sent: Tuesday, May 02, 2006 5:46 PM
>To: SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
>Subject: [SEELANGS] In the beginning
>
>http://speakrus.ru/articles/uncle1.htm
>
> 
>
>Go to the above address
>
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>
>Genevra Gerhart
>
> 
>
>ggerhart at comcast.net
>
> 
>
>www.genevragerhart.com
>
>www.russiancommonknowledge.com
>
> 
>
> 
>
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