https://www.reddit.com/r/Ukrainian/comments/1ifygaq/two_countries_separated_by_one_language_ukusa/
created by BrilliantAd937 on 02/02/2025 at 14:33 UTC
23 upvotes, 5 top-level comments (showing 5)
Okay, that's a joke--I lived in the UK for five years and, as a citizen of the United States, it always amused me to learn idiosyncratic language differences. In England, for example, dogs molt. In the United States, only animals with feathers molt. On this side of the Atlantic--dogs *shed* when they are losing their hair. So to a person from the United States, the image of a molting dog is a comical one.
In any case, I'm teaching myself Ukrainian via various sources and don't have a native speaker to ask these questions. For example--I'm pretty sure "oarlock" is кочет, but I'm pretty sure a sculling boat's rigger is not a виносної опори (yes, my sport is rowing). But maybe not?
Two words I am having trouble learning in Ukrainian: "fancy" and "nibble."
To me, these words have specific connotations. Something that is "fancy" is probably simultaneously ornate/elaborately decorated AND sophisticated/expensive. Is there a Ukrainian equivalent of this word, or are these two separate concepts? Модний
"Nibble" is something a rabbit delicately does to eat its kibble, or what one might gently do to one's partner's wrist. Клювати--is that nibbling or pecking? Those are not the same verbs in English!
Okay--so if there is no exact equivalent no issue. But as a lover of language--I have these questions.
If this is the wrong place to post this question, no worries. I'll remove and try somewhere else.
Comment by Exciting_Clock2807 at 02/02/2025 at 15:03 UTC
14 upvotes, 1 direct replies
This sub is a perfect place to ask these kind of questions.
Very often there is no exact 1:1 mapping between words in different languages. And that’s the beauty of learning new languages - you are also learning a new way of thinking.
Comment by Apprehensive_Set_105 at 02/02/2025 at 14:45 UTC
10 upvotes, 0 direct replies
There is no exact equivalent of these words. Fancy could be translated as many words — витончений, виразний, модний, стильний ітд. Nibbling for me more associates like: гризти, куштувати, або сленгове -точити.
Comment by akostta at 02/02/2025 at 15:26 UTC
4 upvotes, 1 direct replies
«Fancy» could also be communicated as вишуканий / елегантний.
«Nibble» is quite close to надкушувати / надкусувати or прикусувати (if it is a liitle bite but without actually biting something off).
Comment by Low-Union6249 at 02/02/2025 at 18:01 UTC
3 upvotes, 0 direct replies
Wow this is one VERY specific vocabulary
Comment by BrilliantAd937 at 02/02/2025 at 15:55 UTC
2 upvotes, 1 direct replies
I find it completely fascinating that the concepts of elegantness and exquisiteness and fashionableness seem to be separated from concepts of ornateness or elaborateness in Ukrainian.