?›?µ?¶?°?‚??: to lie
Stand, sit, lie … sit, lie, stand …
I know I sound like a dog trainer on drugs, but bear with me just a little bit longer. You'll thank me some day. If you use the wrong stance verb in Russian, it's as if you were saying in English: My keys are standing on the counter. The response is likely to be: ?’?‹ ???‚???????°? (What country are you from?)
Today's stance verb is ?»?µ?¶?°?‚?? (to lie). Some things always lie. Hair, for example, lies on your head — that is, ?????????° ???µ ???‚?????‚ ???‹?±???? (when it's not standing on end). ???°?? ?·?°???‚?°?????‚?? ?????»?????‹ ?»?µ?¶?°?‚?? ?°???????€?°?‚????? (How do you make your hair stay neatly in place?)
Money, when not changing hands or working for you, also lies. ?”?µ???????? ?»?µ?¶?°?‚ ?? ?±?°?????µ, ???° ???‡?µ?‚??, ?? ???????µ?»?????µ, ?? ???‰?????µ ???° ?????…???µ (The money is in the bank, in an account, in my wallet, in a drawer in the kitchen).
Most food that is not in packages lies. That is, you might say ?????»?? ???‚?????‚ ???° ?????»???µ (the salt is on the shelf) because it's in a package or saltcellar. Or: ???µ?‚?‡???? ???‚?????‚ ???????»?? ???»???‚?‹ (the ketchup is by the stove) because it's in a container. But ?…?»?µ?±, ???????‰?? ?? ?„?€?????‚?‹ ?»?µ?¶?°?‚ ???° ???‚???»?µ (bread, vegetables and fruit are on the table).
So it seems that if something doesn't have a base or an obvious top and bottom, it lies. ?”?µ?‚???????µ ?????‡?????? ?»?µ?¶?°?‚ ?? ?????»?? (The kids' balls are in the corner).
Therefore, shadows also lie, even if they are on the ceiling. Or perhaps like balls, they lie because they are thrown (???‚?±?€?????µ???‹)? In any case: ?’ ???°???? ?±?‹?»?? ?‚???…??, ???€???…?»?°??????, ?? ?‚?‘?????‹?µ ?‚?µ???? ?»?µ?¶?°?»?? ???° ?·?µ???»?µ (It was quiet and cool in the garden, and dark shadows lay on the ground).
People who are sick or injured lie in hospitals or at home, even if they are not bedridden. ???? ?»?µ?¶???‚ ?? ?±???»???????†?µ ???? ???»?????°???????? ?€???????? (He's in the hospital with a broken arm). ?????¶ ???€?????‚???????»????, ?»?µ?¶???‚ ???????° (My husband caught a cold and is taking a sick day at home).
When viewed from above or afar, elements of a landscape — however massive — often lie. ???µ?€?µ?? ???°???? ?»?µ?¶?°?»?? ?????€?µ (The sea lay below us). Even some tall structures on a high hill might lie in Russian, although in English they would stand: ???µ?±???»?????°?? ???€?µ???????‚?? ?»?µ?¶?°?»?° ???° ???‹?????????? ?? ???€???‚???? ?±?µ?€?µ???? ?€?µ???? (A small fort stood — literally "lay" — on a high and steep river bank).
And if something isn't being used, isn't working or is in storage — it lies. It doesn't matter if the thing is placed horizontally, vertically or any which way. ?›?µ?¶?°?‚ ???????° ?????????µ?‚???‡?µ???????µ ?????????¶??????, ???? ?????»???·?????°?‚?????? ?????? ?????µ ???µ???????±???? (I've got cosmetic sponges lying around at home, but I find them hard to use). ?—???????? ???°???? ???µ?»?????????µ???‹ ?»?µ?¶?°?‚ ?? ???°?€?°?µ (In the winter, we put away our bicycles in the shed).
Boxes (?????€???±????) are tricky. Most of the time they seem to lie: ?????€???±???° ???????‡?µ?? ?»?µ?¶???‚ ???° ???‚???»?µ (The matchbox is on the table).
But when they are placed upright (on the short side) or on top of one another, Russian speakers say that they stand: ?????€???±???? ???‚?????»?? ?????‡?‚?? ???? ?????‚???»???° (The boxes were piled up nearly to the ceiling).
See how important this is?
Or are you thinking: Why can't we just let sleeping dogs lie?
Michele A. Berdy, a Moscow-based translator and interpreter, is author of "The Russian Word's Worth" (Glas), a collection of her columns.
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