dobryj vs. xoroshij

[Charles E. Townsend]

Dear SEELANGERS,

In all these comments about xoroshij vs. dobryj, nobody (that I've noticed anyway) has mentioned the most salient difference between the two; namely, that xoroshij often describes the good quality of a thing or person (xoroshij dom, xoroshij chelovek), whereas dobryj rarely does.  It can describe qualities in formulas like "Dobroe utro" and, of course, it's the generic Slavic adjective for "good" in the broadest sense, and it designates good quality in many Slavic languages.  In Russian, though, it's been mostly replaced in that function by xoroshij.  If asked what dobryj usually means, I'd just go with "good-hearted."  Dobryj dom would be eminently mystifying.

Charlie Townsend
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