Re: languages in Russia

From: Roman Belenov (Roman.Belenov_at_intel.com)
Date: 08/30/04 

Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2004 19:39:57 +0400

tyusha@freemail.ru (Xenia) writes:

> The whole things is a joke and mystification. There are three
> notorious differences in the lexicon of Moscow and Petersburg:
>
> 1) all over Russia they say "podiezd", in St.Pete they say
> "paradnaya";
> 2) all over Russia they say "baton", in St.Pete they say "bulka";
> 3) all over Russia they say "trotuar", in St.Pete they say "porebrik".
>
> These "differences" are recalled by modern Petersburgers with
> laughter, because they are not in general use anymore.

As for 1) and 3), my friends from St. Petersburg (most of them in their
twenties) actually say it the old way, so it seems to me that the difference
is still there (though "porebrik" is used for "bordyur" (curb); the
St.Peterburgish for "trotuar" is "panel'" - and I heard it too). The most
eyestriking difference, though, is "shaverma" (St.P.) instead of "shaurma"
(Moscow), since it's written on stalls frequently encountered in both cities.

See also http://www.wowwi.orc.ru/views/etimology.htm for more differences. 

-- 
 							With regards, Roman.
Standard disclaimer: I work for them, but I don't speak for them.