Russian language includes many sustainableexpressions, the meaning of which is perfectly understood by its carriers, but puzzling foreigners. "Hack on the nose" - a vivid example of a catch phrase, the translation of which is hardly given to linguists from other countries. The origin of the phraseological unit, as is typical for such expressions, has a simple and at the same time interesting explanation.
The popular expression is so settled thatused by native speakers unconsciously. The idiom "to cut oneself on the nose" comes to the aid of a person when he wants his companion to remember his words forever. For example, this statement can be afforded by parents or teachers who report a naughty child. Also, adults resort to it, quarreling with each other.
This phrase is one of the visual evidence.emotional wealth of the Russian language. The expression “hack on the nose” better conveys the speaker’s emotions and the importance of his words than a simple request to remember something. However, it does not at all conceal the threat of physical violence, as it may seem to a foreigner trying to translate a statement verbatim.
Oddly enough, the popular expression was not originallyhad any kind of emotional coloring. It was completely unrelated to damage to the human body. Offering to hack on the nose, the speaker meant not a sense of smell, as you might think. Several centuries ago, such a name was acquired by tablets that served as a magic wand for a person who was not trained in literacy.
How are these devices related to one of the partsbody? Absolutely nothing, because their name comes from the verb "to wear." Considering the importance of writing materials, many inhabitants of that time practically did not part with them. In fact, "hacking on the nose" meant putting nicks on the "note-noses" that were constantly with them.
Almost until the overthrow of the royal power, who hadplace in 1917, literacy remained the privilege of high society. Most of the population of Russia did not even possess elementary writing skills. Serious gaps in education did not prevent people from actively participating in trade, which flourished in the country. New trading houses were constantly founded, fairs were launched, caravans flourished. Transactions were made every minute and were sometimes associated with large sums.
Дощечки, которым обязан собственным the existence of a phraseologism "hack on the nose", were invented to help illiterate traders. With their help, they recorded in the memory of their own financial transactions, causing nicks. The decoding of the “notebook” was made by counting the number of created “sticks”. This does not seem convenient, but it is worth remembering the lack of electronic gadgets in people at that time.
Interestingly, such devices were widespread in medieval Europe, as the situation with the literacy of the population in those times was deplorable.
Why do people threaten their opponents these daysjokingly or seriously when asked to slaughter on the nose? The emotional color has acquired significance in connection with the main purpose of the tablets, which successfully replaced modern notebooks. They have become a means for fixing debt.
Example of recording such an operation on a commemorative taglead easy. A person borrows three bags of flour from a friend. To remember the fact of the loan and pay it off in time, three notches are made on the plank. Partial repayment of the formed debt was not excluded. In this case, the “notebook” was divided into parts between partners, and on each half of the notches were saved.
Obviously, debentures can conceal a certain threat to the debtor. This is connected with the gradual acquisition of a harmless presentation of emotional coloring.
Существуют и другие оригинальные крылатые фразы, which seem to be related or indeed connected with the organ of smell. Among them are idioms that have a simple explanation, and expressions formed in a complex way. An example of a “light” sustainable phrase can be the “with a gulkin nose” characteristic, meaning a small amount of something. By the gulkin nose speaking is meant the pigeon beak, which has a small size.
The phrase "get away with the nose" is equally longstory, like "hack on the nose." The offer remains from the time when bribery flourished in the country. For example, it was difficult to hope for a positive decision of his question in court if a gift was not prepared for a representative of the authorities. Of course, such a gift was not referred to as a bribe: it was designated as the nose, the bringer. If a person is left with a nose, it means that they have refused his gift. Therefore, the goal is unrealistic.
Many familiar phrases from the past have been forgotten, but the phraseologism “hacked to death” continues to be actively used in Russian.
