Malvolio, it might be a joke, but for the letters that sort of look like English characters, its not always readily apparent that it is in fact Russian.
When I lived in Tajikistan, it took me two months to figure out (even though I had learned the Russian alphabet) that all those signs saying “PECTOPAH” were in fact in Russian. I just thought it was the direct English transliteration of the Tajik or Russian word for restaurant.
My late ex wife, may she RIP, once sent out a flier for a convention. Only after it was sent did she discover that “Medieval Studies Program” had been rendered “Medieval Studies Pogrom.”
The Russian word for popcorn is popcorn. I buy Russian microwave popcorn all the time at the local Ramstor here in Bishkek. It is pretty good. It comes in a variety of flavors of which vanilla is my favorite.
Case3L: When I lived in Tajikistan, it took me two months to figure out (even though I had learned the Russian alphabet) that all those signs saying “PECTOPAH” were in fact in Russian.
I like to say “Let’s go to the pectopah for lunch” to tease my Russian friend Alexandr, whom I call Cawa, for reasons that must be obvious.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Addie Bendory and Eugene Volokh, Eugene Volokh. Eugene Volokh said: Did You Mean “Pogrom”?: The result of an EUdict English-Russian Dictionary search for “popcorn”: Word is not fo.. http://bit.ly/7exH9W [...]
Let me explain this. When the only “Popcorn” available in Russia was this composition by Gershon Kingsley, it was translated as “Vozdushnaya kukuruza” (air corn). Now, as actual popcorn has become available, they have dispensed with lots of cumbersome words (like “electronic digital computing machine”) and just go for the English original.
I thought this one was pretty funny….I looked up a translation for “porridge” and the translator asked: “Did you mean Portuguese prairie dog?” I wish there was some way to say, “No, you fool, I meant porridge!”
Kazinski says:
I hope not.
December 20, 2009, 5:26 pmJohn Burgess says:
Boy, does that leave the door open for abuse!
December 20, 2009, 6:11 pmMaureen says:
Katzner’s dictionary (which is oriented more toward American English) says popcorn is vozdushnaya kukuruza. :)
December 20, 2009, 6:18 pmDave N. says:
It is quite apparent that Russia has much more experience with the latter than with the former.
December 20, 2009, 6:48 pmJohnF says:
For what it may be worth, the Apple translator widget gives this as the Russian translation for popcorn:
попкорн
Unfortunately, I don’t know what that is.
Can somebody translate it back? (the Apple widget translates it back as “[popkorn”; not sure what that bracket is doing at the start…
December 20, 2009, 7:23 pmMalvolio says:
I don’t know if you are making a joke but “п” is “p”, “р” is “r” and “н” is “n”. Popkorn.
December 20, 2009, 7:39 pmApperception says:
Well, “popcorn” means “pogrom” now. Usage is meaning, after all…
December 20, 2009, 8:03 pmRyan Waxx says:
Well, ovens are handy for both…
December 20, 2009, 8:18 pmCase3L says:
Malvolio, it might be a joke, but for the letters that sort of look like English characters, its not always readily apparent that it is in fact Russian.
When I lived in Tajikistan, it took me two months to figure out (even though I had learned the Russian alphabet) that all those signs saying “PECTOPAH” were in fact in Russian. I just thought it was the direct English transliteration of the Tajik or Russian word for restaurant.
December 20, 2009, 8:27 pmAnderson says:
Unnecessary tragedies of history: “The Tsar wasn’t telling us to *pogrom* … he was wanting us to have some *popcorn*!”
December 20, 2009, 9:21 pmOperationCounterstrike says:
Um, no, I don’t think you used an oven for the pogroms. It means a gang of cossacks ride into a getto and make mayhem. No oven needed!
It does remind me of the old joke which begins, “Q: What’s the difference between a Jew and a pizza?” though.
December 20, 2009, 10:03 pmDid You Mean “Pogrom”? | Liberal Whoppers says:
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December 20, 2009, 10:33 pmDave Hardy says:
My late ex wife, may she RIP, once sent out a flier for a convention. Only after it was sent did she discover that “Medieval Studies Program” had been rendered “Medieval Studies Pogrom.”
December 20, 2009, 10:37 pmPeter K. says:
And the Czar and the Tsar were actually the same person!
December 21, 2009, 12:29 ameyesay says:
This web page also can’t translate any of these:
muffin scone granola oatmeal treat trick desk.
However, it does translate these:
December 21, 2009, 1:07 amcomputer Internet blog.
J. Otto Pohl says:
The Russian word for popcorn is popcorn. I buy Russian microwave popcorn all the time at the local Ramstor here in Bishkek. It is pretty good. It comes in a variety of flavors of which vanilla is my favorite.
December 21, 2009, 1:19 amMalvolio says:
I like to say “Let’s go to the pectopah for lunch” to tease my Russian friend Alexandr, whom I call Cawa, for reasons that must be obvious.
December 21, 2009, 2:00 amSyd Henderson says:
This brings a new and alarming meaning to “jiffypop”.
December 21, 2009, 10:35 amSimon Spero says:
It’s a common mistake- remember all the confusion that resulted when Nasser asked if anybody wanted a ride to the beach?
December 21, 2009, 10:54 amTweets that mention The Volokh Conspiracy » Blog Archive » Did You Mean “Pogrom”? -- Topsy.com says:
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Addie Bendory and Eugene Volokh, Eugene Volokh. Eugene Volokh said: Did You Mean “Pogrom”?: The result of an EUdict English-Russian Dictionary search for “popcorn”: Word is not fo.. http://bit.ly/7exH9W [...]
December 21, 2009, 10:56 amAlejandro says:
In the US, you get popcorn. In Soviet Russia, pogrom gets you!
December 21, 2009, 11:17 amJames T. Carrington says:
Second only to Marie Antoinette’s “If they are hungry, they can have my cake, I’m finished with it.
December 21, 2009, 11:58 amys says:
Let me explain this. When the only “Popcorn” available in Russia was this composition by Gershon Kingsley, it was translated as “Vozdushnaya kukuruza” (air corn). Now, as actual popcorn has become available, they have dispensed with lots of cumbersome words (like “electronic digital computing machine”) and just go for the English original.
December 21, 2009, 2:12 pmMalvolio says:
It’s been a day and no one has asked the obvious question: did you mean “pogrom”?
December 21, 2009, 2:14 pmAndrew says:
I thought this one was pretty funny….I looked up a translation for “porridge” and the translator asked: “Did you mean Portuguese prairie dog?” I wish there was some way to say, “No, you fool, I meant porridge!”
December 21, 2009, 3:58 pmmariner says:
Andrew,
I thought you meant “oatmeal”.
;)
December 21, 2009, 8:53 pmmg says:
Prof. Volokh,
Curious: why were you looking up the definition of popcorn in the first place?
December 22, 2009, 3:33 pm