dobryj vs. xoroshij

[Curt Woolhiser]

Actually, there are quite a few Russian companies selling construction
materials and furniture, as well as real estate agencies and even animal
shelters, that are called “Dobryj dom.” Stores bearing the Russian-language
name “Dobryj dom” also show up in Belarus and Ukraine, although one can’t
rule out possible semantic influence from Belarusian and Ukrainian in those
cases.

      In addition, “dobryj” in Russian is found with inanimates in such
idioms as “staryj dobryj” (starye dobrye vremena, for example), and
colloquially in phrases like “dobryj kusok” (a big chunk/hunk), etc.



Curt Woolhiser

Brandeis University

On Mon, Jul 16, 2012 at 2:53 PM, Charles E. Townsend <townsend at princeton.edu
> wrote:

> 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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