youtube.com/watch?v=qT2ZFTEEae

Russia's war in Ukraine and their support of Hamas makes it hard for me to continue my Russian studies. But once in blue moon, I come across a Russian song that I actually like and gets me back to my former habit of using song lyrics as a way to improve my vocabulary.

Russian friends, feel free to correct my translation.

Острой Бритвой / Sharp Razor
Дима Билан / Dima Bilan

Разделяю стихи на цитаты,
I divide poems into quotes,

Где слова за горло берут,
Where words take you by the throat,

И часы – бессмысленный круг.
And the clock is a meaningless circle.

Своё сердце отдам я в подарок.
I will give my heart away as a gift.

Я готов в любви утонуть,
I'm ready to sink in love

Дай немного счастья вдохнуть.
Let meі inhale a little happiness.

Ты одета в мои объятья,
You are dressed in my embrace,

Я заставлю о прошлом забыть.
I will compel you to forget about the past.

Через день я живу на распятье,
Every other day I live at the crossroads

А ты? Что же ты?
And you? What about you?

Ревёшь и считаешь ошибки,
You wail and count your mistakes,

Твои чувства, как слёзный ручей.
Your feelings are like a stream of tears.

Ты – ничья, и я – буду ничей.
You are a draw, and I will be a draw.

Острой бритвой по сердцу пишу роман.
I write a novel with a sharp razor to my heart.

Тебя ревную к чужим улыбкам,
I'm jealous of you and other people's smiles,

Ревную к чужим глазам.
I am jealous of other people's eyes.

Острой бритвой по сердцу твои слова.
Your words cut like a razor to my heart.

И я услышу послушное «да»,
And I will hear an obedient “yes”

Услышу послушное «да, да, да…»
I will hear an obedient “yes, yes, yes...”.

Не надейся, чужой ты не станешь,
Don’t hope, you won’t become a stranger,

Посмотри в глаза – я жду.
Look into my eyes - I'm waiting.

Я живу и не живу.
I live and I don’t live.

Тень надежды моей угасает.
The shadow of my hope is fading.

Я скучаю, не могу.
I am bored, I can't.

Возвращайся, очень жду.
Come back, I am looking forward to it.

В зазеркалье моё пространство,
Through the looking glass is my space,

Залетаю ночами в сны.
I fly into dreams at night.

Без тебя ничего не надо,
I don't need anything without you,

А ты? Что же ты?
And you? What about you?

Ты плачешь, считая ошибки –
You wail, counting mistakes -

Твои чувства, как слёзный ручей.
Your feelings are like a stream of tears.

Ты – ничья, и я – буду ничей.
You are a draw, and I will be a draw.

Острой бритвой по сердцу пишу роман.
I write a novel with a sharp razor to my heart.

Тебя ревную к чужим улыбкам,
I'm jealous of you and other people's smiles,

Ревную к чужим глазам.
I am jealous of other people's eyes.

Острой бритвой по сердцу твои слова.
Your words cut like a razor to my heart.

И я услышу послушное «да»,
And I will hear an obedient “yes”

Услышу послушное «да, да, да…».
I will hear an obedient “yes, yes, yes...”.

Острой бритвой по сердцу пишу роман.
I write a novel with a sharp razor to my heart.

Тебя ревную к чужим улыбкам,
I'm jealous of other people's smiles,

Ревную к чужим глазам.
I am jealous of other people's eyes.

Острой бритвой по сердцу твои слова.
Your words cut like a razor to my heart.

И я услышу послушное «да»,
And I will hear an obedient “yes”

Услышу послушное «да, да, да…».
I will hear an obedient “yes, yes, yes...”.




How the Russian language has changed because of the war. With English and Russian subtitles.

Worth a listen whether or not you're learning - a podcast from two Russian language instructors who left their country because of the war.

I found this particularly interesting since I posted previously about new Russian vocabulary I've learned since the start of the war.

youtube.com/watch?v=DBQT5yjqec

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December 21, 2022. Day 300 of Putin’s “special military operation” in . Part of my studies. New vocabulary that I’ve learned since the 24th of February. How sad.

21 декабря́, 2022-го го́да. 300-й день «специа́льной вое́нной опера́ции» Пу́тина в Украи́не. Часть своего́ изуче́ния ру́сского языка́. Но́вая ле́ксика, кото́рую я узна́л с 24-го Фебраля́. Как гру́стно.

and – Zed, derived from the phrase “за побе́ду” (za pobédu, “for victory”). Zed patriót: a person who unequivocally supports Russia’s military and the war in Ukraine. The letter Z doesn’t exist in the Russian alphabet. It is often colored in the orange and black stripes of the Ribbon of St. George, which had previously been used to honor Russian WW2 veterans but has since been adopted as part of Russia’s current propaganda.

o Painted white onto military vehicles to distinguish Russian military equipment from Ukrainian, since both armies still use Soviet era equipment

o Painted onto doors of Russians opposed to the war as a sign of intimidation

o ? (Z zachyém)- Z why?, an anti-war symbol during protests

(Bakhmútskaya myasorúbka)– Bakhmut meat grinder, see also пу́шечное мя́со

(bespilótnik)– unmanned aerial vehicle, another word for дрон (drone), also дрон камика́дзе (drón kamidádze; kamikaze drone)

(bézhenets)- refugee

(bomboubyézhishche)– air raid (bomb) shelter

(vátnik)– a standard issue padded winter jacket originally used by the Soviet military that was also distributed to prisoners of the gulags. The jacket became a black-eyed, disheveled, Sponge Bob-like internet meme as a pejorative for a steadfast, jingoistic follower of Russian propaganda.

(gosudárstvo spónsor terrorísma)– state sponsor of terrorism

(krilátaya rakyéta)– cruise missile


(человек) (mobilizávannii chelovyék) - a mobilized one (person)

(móbik) - slang word for a mobilized person

(nyet mogilizátsii)- No to grave-ization. A play on the words мобилиза́ция (mobilization) and моги́ла (grave). In Russia, used as an internet meme calling for protests against mobilization


(Донба́сса к Росси́и) (prisoedinyénie Donbássa k Rossíi)– annexation (of Donbass to [by] Russia)

(púshechnoe myáso)— cannon-fodder, literally cannon meat

(radioactívnie osádki) - nuclear fallout, literally radioactive precipitation

(spezoperázia)– contraction of the two words специа́льная (special) опера́ция (operation). Long form: специа́льная вое́нная опера́ция (spetziálnaya voénnaya operátsia), special military operation. Russian abbreviation: СВО.

(yádernaya voiná) - nuclear war

(yádernoye orúzhie)- nuclear weapon

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Maps from the New York Times and the Institute For The Study of War.

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