Fw: tarelki

[C. Fields]

> > I can well see why stavit might come into fashion for plates [putting the
> > plate - not putting sth onto it]. I remember being puzzled for some time on
> > learning 'stavit' tarelki as it seemed to me that this contradicted the
> > idea of putting into a lying down position as opposed to standing a book
> > etc. Forks etc. of course are laid down but so are plates if one thinks of
> > them as flat. However, long, long ago the first plates were more bowls and
> > these one would 'stand'. So perhaps even the natives are deciding not to
> > stand their plates on edge.:-)

I happened to ask a native speaker in St. Petersburg today what verb she
would use to describe putting plates on a table, and her prompt answer was
"stavit'" of course, but then she mentioned that one would "polozhit'
tarelki v sushil'ku"--kak ne stranno. :-)

Emily Fields