Difference between revisions of "Language/Old-Russian/Tips/Ancient-Russian"

Imagine yourself a medieval warrior, a noble or maybe a monk. Imagine, that there is a Xth century AD behind your door. A christianity is not divided yet, there are no catholic or orthodox churches. Fearless vikings rule over the whole North Europe. Erik the Red discovers the Greenland, and his son Leif Erikson travels even further, to North America. In Britain people speak in Anglo-Saxon language, and nobody thinks about any Norman invasions. In France a Capetian dynasty establishes, in the place of Carolings. Mieszko becomes a first king of Poland, the young state at that moment. A Bulgarian army gains victory over Byzantine Empire in the battle of Achelous. On the far East, in Corea, the united state is established. In Chinese chronicles the first battle use of gunpowder is fixed. The classic literature work, “The Tale of Genji”, is created in Japan.

This is the time of the Ancient Russian state. On the vast territory, from White Sea to Black sea, many cities emerge. There live many different tribes – mostly Slavic (Krivichs, Vyatichs, Polans, Severyans, Dregovits etc) and Finno-Ugric (Merya, Meshchera, Muroma etc). By the way, among warriors and merchants you can find many vikings – Varangians – here. Xth century AD is truly the age of vikings! A new Russian state quickly grows and becomes a serious power. Russian princes destroy Khazar Khanate in the East and threaten to a Byzantine Empire in the South. The main language of the new state is the Ancient Russian language.

Why do we need to study the Ancient Russian? Many of people, studying Russian language (as well as Ukrainian and Belorussian), know, that in these languages there are many things, that seem to be strange and illogical. But (surprise!) most of those things can be easily decrypted with a help of the Ancient Russian. For example, when studying a plural number in Russian, students often ask – why a word “приказ” (= a command) in plural gives us a form “приказы”, “алмаз” (= a diamond) - “алмазы”, “камаз” (= a KAMAZ truck) - “камазы”, but a word “глаз” (an eye) unexpectedly gives us a form “глаза” (and not “глазы”)? Where is the logic? The Ancient Russian language helps us to reveal the secret. In the Ancient Russian a special dual number, along with singular and plural, existed (as for modern languages, you can find a dual number, well, in Arabic). And the form “глаза” (since each of us has two eyes on the face) – it is not the “true” plural, it is the ancient dual number.

Here's a translation onto English: // And dwelled Oleg, being prince in Kiev, and having peace with all countries. And the autumn came, and remembered Oleg about his steed, that he had set to feed with the decision never to ride him. Since he asked wizards and mages: “Of what shall I die?”. And told him one mage: “Prince! Of thy favorite steed on who thou ride – of him thou shalt die”. Oleg thought about these words and said so: “Never shall ride him and never shall see him”. And ordered to feed him and not to lead him to him. And lived for several years not seeing him, until went to war on Greeks.

And when he returned to Kiev and 4 years passed, on the fifth year he remembered about his steed, of whom his death mages had predicted. And called he for a main stableman and said: “Where is my steed, who I ordered to feed and to keep?”. That one answered: “Died”. Oleg laughed and reproached that mage, saying: “Wrong say wizards, but everything is a lie – the steed is dead, and I am alive”. And ordered to saddle a steed: “I wish to see bones of him”. And rided to a place, where naked bones were lying and a naked scull, dismounted, laughed and said: “Whether of this scull shall I die?”. And stepped his leg on the scull, and out of the scull a snake crawled, and stinged him in his leg. And from that became sick and died. Mourned him all people with a great weep, and carried him, and buried on the mountain, that is named Shchekovitsa; there's still his grave and is known as Oleg's grave. And was all years of his being prince 33.//