Mystery Solved

by bill - 2012-11-16 ( education / language ) [html version]

I solved an old mystery today, thanks to one of the Russian language podcasts I've been listening to lately. It's a phase I'm going through. I'm starting to listen to Hindi, Chinese and Brazilian Portuguese, too. I guess I'm doing all of the "BRICS" languages for some reason -- except South Africa, since I already speak English fairly well.

Anyway, when we first came home from Russia with Elizabeth she always used to say what sounded like "pajoom." This was usually while she was going out the back door, waving me along after her. I could tell by the context it meant something like "Come on." But I was never sure.

Well, finally today, in one of the podcasts they explained/translated the Russian phrase for "let's go." I was told in Russia by our American hotel manager that Russian for "let's go" is "duh-VYE," which actually (according to him), literally just means "let's." And he was correct.

But today's podcast explained that the "proper" way to say "let's go" in Russian is ... "pah id-YOAM." If you say that fast with a little kid's accent it could easily be misheard as "pajoom."

I know, I lost your interest after the first paragraph. But, for me, it was a wonderful realization to finally know what my little girl was telling me 4½ years ago.