Pronunciation of "Zdravstvyuitye"

[Will Ryan]

I suppose it depends who you are talking to, and in what circumstances - 
but in general yes. I have tried in vain to think of an outrage-inducing 
mnemonic for privyet - 'privy' seemed at first to offer possibilities 
but I decided it is too old-fashioned to have the desired impact. 
Incidentally, the cover of the latest issue of that informative and 
influential British periodical 'Private Eye' carries a picture of Prince 
Harry in full battle array in Afghanistan, apparently about to kick a 
donkey. Can you guess what the caption is?

Will Ryan

Frans Suasso wrote:
> At least for some 15 years already most of my russian friends pronounce 
> "Zdravstvuitye"  as "PRIVYET",  That seems to solve a lot of problems.
> 
> Frans Suasso
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "William Ryan" <wfr at SAS.AC.UK>
> To: <SEELANGS at BAMA.UA.EDU>
> Sent: Thursday, March 06, 2008 11:27 AM
> Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] Pronunciation of "Zdravstvyuitye"
> 
> 
> Two nice examples - and no, pace one earlier message, this should not be
> seen as an assault on the noble and pure English language.
> 
> (However, pedantry and pedagogical instinct compel me to note boxwood is
> not just a bush (strictly just 'box')- some species can be substantial
> trees, and the wood is, as your guide indicated, prized by cabinet
> makers and wood carvers. I have a chess set made from it.)
> 
> Will Ryan
> 
> 
> Nathan Longan wrote:
>> Emily,
>> óÅÎØËÁ ÂÅÒÉ ÍÑÞ
>> otherwise pronounced "Thank you very much."
>>
>> As for funny pronunciation coincidences, how about the Russian word for
>> "boxwood"?  That made for one of the funniest English language excursions
>> ever.  The young guide couldn't remember the name of the wood that a 
>> certain
>> piece of furniture was made from so she just stuck the Russian word in,
>> hoping that it might fit.  It certainly fit, but not the way she 
>> thought it
>> would:
>>
>> "Here we have an excellent example of a cabinet from a French workshop of
>> the 18th century.  The cabinet and all the details were painstakingly 
>> carved
>> from..., carved from ..., they were carved from, from, from ... 
>> ÓÁÍÛÉÔ, for
>> a beautiful effect."
>>
>> Well, the effect was indeed spectacular, and everyone learned (later) 
>> how to
>> say "boxwood" in Russian.  Boxwood (buxus) is just a bush so I'm not sure
>> how they actually built a cabinet from it, but it definitely livened 
>> up the
>> excursion.
>>
>> NL
>>
>>
> 
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