kuda tsar' peshkom xodil

[Robert A. Rothstein]

Although I introduced the expression into the discussion of euphemisms 
in the form "...khodit peshkom," with the verb that would seem to be 
required by the rules of Russian grammar, I wonder if native speakers 
would agree with my contention that "idet" is also possible. In support 
of this I would argue that "ia idu tuda, kuda sam tsar' khodit peshkom" 
is simply a statement of fact, while "ia idu tuda, kuda sam tsar' idet 
peshkom" is a proverbial expression - and therefore potentially a poetic 
utterance in Jakobson's sense - with a consistent iambic rhythm and with 
the determinate verb making the expression more vivid.

I can't think of another such example involving the 
determinate/indeterminate opposition (the contrast between "ia kazhdyi 
den' khozhu na rabotu" and "ia kazhdyi den' idu na rabotu v 8 chasov" is 
not really parallel), but there are examples involving the 
perfective/imperfective opposition. In the "zhestokii romans" "Marusia 
otravilas'," for example, there's a line: "V bol'nitsu privozili i klali 
na krovat'."  Not repetition, not process, so why not 
"privezli...polozhili"? Presumably for vividness - it's as if we're 
witnessing the events.

Bob Rothstein

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