Toasts

[Bryon]

What, then, is factually correct? I, too, would be interested to know. I've been living in Russia continuously since 1996, and I've had many opportunities to listen to, and make, toasts. "Na" is almost always used -- even if, as you say, it's wrong to do so. I've never once heard "za" used without a pronoun.

Thanks,  Bryon
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Alina Israeli 
  To: SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU 
  Sent: Saturday, February 28, 2004 1:50 AM
  Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] Toasts


  >I've yet to find a consensus, a hard and fast rule, on when to use one or
  >the other... even after eight years of rigorous research. (Ahem!)
  >"Na" is definitely the most common of the two, and is, indeed, used as a
  >toast.

  Only in Polish, not in Russian.

  >The explanation that makes the most sense, to me, is that "na" is
  >preferable when the toast is more general, when no one in particular is
  >being addressed. In this way it's kind of like "Cheers!" But "za" is used
  >when someone wants to be more specific, to toast to the health of someone
  >in particular. That's why "za" is always (in my experience) followed by a
  >pronoun (such as "Vashe/vashe " or "nashe"), as in, "Za vashe zdorov'e."

  In may make sense but it is all wrong. Factually wrong.

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

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

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