Another query re theological language in Russian

[Alina Israeli]

>I came across the phrase "supruzheskaya blizost'" in a context where
>in English one would expect
>"conjugal relations" or "marital relations".  Neither phrase is
>ambiguous in English, and either one is
>suitable for high-toned moralistic literature, but the Russian struck
>me as a euphemism for a euphemism.
>Couldn't it just as easily imply "spousal companionship", which is
>nice but not identical to "marital relations"?

No, it couldn't. The Russian phrase is totally completely unequivocally
unambiguous.

There are some other phrases which may look euphemistical, yet are
unambiguous as well:

Oni blizki. Oni sostojat v blizkix otnoshenijax.

__________________________
 Alina Israeli
 LFS, American University
 4400 Mass. Ave., NW
 Washington, DC 20016

 phone:    (202) 885-2387
 fax:      (202) 885-1076 

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