Glossary
ahmeen | amen
arzhin | .71 meters
banya | Russian sauna
batushka | the dear father
bistro | quickly
bit-po-semo | so be it
bizmyen | permission to kiss the tsaritsa’s hand
bog | God
bogoroditsa | the Virgin
bozhe moi | my God
bozh’i-liudi | God’s people
chai’naya | teahouse
da | yes
derevenschina | naïve country girl, yokel
devochka | young girl
devushka | girl
doche | daughter
dochenka maya | my little daughter
dorogaya maya | my dear
Dukhobory | a religious sect known as pacifist “spirit wrestlers”
durachok | cute little fool
durak | fool
dyadka | uncle, fellow, bodyguard
dyavol | the devil
fortochka | small transom window
garderob-sheek | coatroom attendant
gospodi | good heavens
gospodin | mister
grupa seksa | group sex
izba | peasant’s log hut
kammerfurier | court log
Kazanskaya | The Virgin of Kazan, one of Russia’s most revered icons
Khlysty | a religious sect known as “the Whips”
kiot | large icon case
konyechno | of course
kosovorotka | Russian shirt, fastened alongside the collar
kroogli durak | round idiot, complete fool
kto tam? | who is there?
leemoan | lemon
liodi | common people
malenkaya maya | my little one
milaya maya | my dear one
ministir | minister
molodets | excellent, a smart one
Molokans | a religious sect known as “the milk drinkers”
muzhik | peasant
nyet | no
narod | the masses
ochen | very
pelmeni | Siberian meat dumplings
pirog | a pie
podstakanik | metal holder for tea glass
pravoslavni | Russian Orthodoxy
proshchaitye | farewell
prospekt | prospect, boulevard
prostitutka | prostitute
radeniye | rejoicing
radi boga | for the sake of God
rasputitsa | a season of horribly muddy roads
rasputiye | a crossroad
rasputnik | a debauched person
reeba bez vodii | a fish without water
revolutsiya | revolution
russkiye | Russian
sevodnya soopa nyetoo | today there is no soup
sermyaga | peasant clothing of heavy cloth
Skoptsy | a religious sect known as “the castrators”
slava bogu | thanks be to God
spasibo | thank you
starushka | a sweet, old woman
strannik | a (wandering) pilgrim
starets | a religious elder, a man of God
starii xhren | an old piece of horseradish
Subbotniki | a religious sect whose beliefs fall between Christianity and Judaism
svalnyi grekh | group sinning
takzhe | also
tapochki | slippers
telega | a cart without springs
vershok | 4.4 centimeters
v’koosno | tasty
vranye | fibs, the art of creative lying
xhama | rogues
Xhristos | Christ
Xhristovshchina | the Christ faith
xhorosho | good/fine
ya spala kak ubeetaya | I slept like the dead
ya tebya lubloo | I love you
ya Vas slushaiyoo | I am listening to you
zakuska | appetizer