Philosophical debates about languages

[А.М.]

I don't remember where I have read this phrase... During World War II fashist spies were calculated with use one question and some potatoes: "Где должен быть командир?". Every soviet kid knew, that "Командир должен быть впереди, на боевом коне! "
I think, this is one of those tests to check is the man native russian or not.
There are many things that man can know only if he was born in that country or if he has had special training.

[Пушистая няшечка2]

Oh my god. I didn't know this phrase. Maybe because I'm not actually a Soviet kid, just a little bit. If I had a time machine, these people would consider me a spy. Potatoes... did I hear it right? Why potatoes?

[А.М.]

It is from movie "Чапаев"
Chapaev explained to Pet'ka about tactic and strategy.
He put potatoes on the table in different combinations, asked this question and answered himself.

[А.М.]

I beg your pardon I myself don't remember this phrase exactly. It's not "на боевом коне", but "на лихом коне".

[Яшка]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JT9ZV_fRlg0

[Пушистая няшечка2]

Thanks! I can't watch the video now, but I understood. You're not gonna believe this: I've had this movie in my collection for about 2 years and still haven't seen it! Sometimes I feel like an alien. Even people my age know these old movies, and I don't... I definitely need to watch more classics.

This spy-revealing phrase reminds me of a short story I read as a kid: "Штабс-капитан Рыбников" by Alexander Kuprin. Maybe you know it, it's quite famous. It's World War I, our army battling against Japanese army. And there's a man who looks strikingly Japanese, but behaves like a typical Russian soldier. He knows plenty of Russian folklore and speaks exactly like a soldier, you know, including rude words. And people are racking their brain trying to guess what in the heck this person is. Can it be just pure Russian with unusual complexion? Or is it a dangerous, very intelligent and cold-blooded spy who's come through a veery good special training?.. Such an interesting story. I like it.

Personally I think that the early age of the person is something irreplaceable. No special training in this world can make you forget what was "programmed" into you in this time. And in danger, or some other moments when you're very nervous, you'll speak in your first language without realizing it. Now I remembered an anecdote about Stirlitz. I can't say exactly, but in this anecdote he lost his spoon when eating and said "Ой". That's why we can never lose our accent if we took up the language being "too old". Because it's too late to forget that we're Russian. Is it bad or good? What do you think?

[А.М.]

Is it bad or good? What do you think?

The grass is green. The snow is white. The postboxes are blue. We are Russian. And it's too late to forget that. Is it good or bad? Who knows...

[Дерзкий Серхио]

The grass is green. The snow is white. The postboxes are blue.

Heh, now this is philosophical. I like that postboxes thing. Never heard it before.

I think it’s good. Some Russian accent wouldn’t hurt. Scottish people are proud of their accent. Why shouldn’t we be proud of ours? I don’t want to be a weird American who was born in Russia, raised in Russia, and who’s never been in the USA. I prefer to be a Russian who speaks English.

I agree with A.M. That’s neither good nor bad. That’s just the way it is. And I like it that way, that’s why I said “I think it’s good”.

[Пушистая няшечка2]

You're both right... from logical point of view. But people, for some reason, like so much to set up unachievable goals and suffer from that. It's, I don't know, our weird feature that makes us people. If something is impossible, we want it hundred times more. If someone sentences you to failure before you even tried, only because you're too old, you're starting to rebel and immediately want to prove everybody that you're unusual. Even if you don't need any spying and nobody will kill you for your accent. This crazy perfectionist voice just keeps on whispering in your ear. "You can be better, better, better! There's no limit to your abilities. If you try, you can make a new record! You can get rid of your accent absolutely! You'll be unusual Russian who speaks like an American. And you'll be a superstar because of that."

I won't speak for everybody, but I also suffer from this disease. I have no idea where to find the cure.

[Дерзкий Серхио]

I have no idea where to find the cure.

You don’t need a cure! That feature of yours, this is a fighter’s spirit. You have a soul of a real fighter. Don’t try to cure it. Treasure it! Most people lack that feature.

[А.М.]

Never heard it before.

I just have wrote what I see every day.

You don’t need a cure!

I agree with Sergey also. But at the other side, this crazy perfectionist voice must not prevent just to live and enjoy life as it is.

Остапа понесло
By the way, can you explain this phrase to native english? Or translate to english?

[Пушистая няшечка2]

You don’t need a cure! That feature of yours, this is a fighter’s spirit. You have a soul of a real fighter. Don’t try to cure it. Treasure it! Most people lack that feature.

Thank you! I always wanted to be as you described. The problem is, I always can't complete what I want to. Every failure, or bad mood, or getting tired knocks me out at the drop of a hat. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak - that's how they say... That makes me feel like a split personality. I always suffered from that.

Остапа понесло
By the way, can you explain this phrase to native english? Or translate to english?

I'm sorry, but I haven't read the twelve chairs book, too. Only some extracts. So I have a very vague idea of the context. Perhaps Sergey can do it.

[А.М.]

That makes me feel like a split personality. I always suffered from that.

Allow me repeat that this voice must be under your control...

Perhaps Sergey can do it.

I don't want somebody to translate this phrase. I think, maybe it's one of the tests of native russian...

[Пушистая няшечка2]

Allow me repeat that this voice must be under your control...

I try, but it's easier said than done. When Crazy Motivated Voice and Crazy Demotivated Voice suddenly appear out of nowhere and vanish into thin air, it's kinda difficult to deal with them. And it's hard to understand where is real you.

I don't want somebody to translate this phrase. I think, maybe it's one of the tests of native russian...

ahaha. I failed your test of being a native Russian for the second time. Who knows, maybe this will help me master the accent...

Anyway, I'm sure this phrase can be translated or at least explained to people of other culture, if you need it. One should just know the context of the original expression, and be good at the target language.

[А.М.]

Anyway, I'm sure it can be translated or at least explained to people of other culture, if you need it. One should just know the context of the original expression, and be good at the target language.

Oh, yeees! Try to find first russian phrase after translate it to english and then to russian: "Леди, покидающая автомобиль, увеличивает его ход."