"Different Mantillas and Bilindryasis": Foreign Cultural Clothing in the Traditional Russian Language Consciousness (Based on the Plays by A. N. Ostrovsky)

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Abstract

The article examines a number of words and expressions used by the characters of A. N. Ostrovsky's early plays ("Family Picture", "Morning of a Young Man", "Poverty is not a vice"), brought up in traditional culture (Stepanida Trofimovna Puzatova, merchant Smurov, his nephew Vasya, Grisha Razlyulyaev), to denote an unusual foreign cultural clothing (tailcoat or frock coat, lace capes, etc.). These types of clothes penetrated into the Old Russian merchant life due to the desire of individual representatives of this class (Antip Antipych Puzatov, Matryona Savishna Puzatova, Gordey Karpych Tortsov) to "yield to no one", "live in the current way" and "engage in fashions" i. e. to assimilate noble and European culture. Often it was only a blind external imitation and copying, and therefore took caricatured, funny forms, and, accordingly, the characters of early Ostrovsky, who lived "in the old days", perceived fashionistas as mummers in ridiculous masquerades, which was reflected in the designation and characteristics of their clothes. Thus, it was found that the considered composite names of clothing (translit. mantil'i da bilindryasy — transl. mantillas and bilindryasis (mantillas and trivial things), translit. shtuka kurguzaya — transl. kurguzy piece (kurguzy thing), translit. stram pal'to — transl. stram coat (very indecent coat)) and monosyllabic (translit. shtuka — transl. piece (thing)), as well as the expression It doesn't matter how well you starch you clothes (translit. kak ni krakhmal'sya), not only name a certain garment or characterize actions and behavior, but also reflect the attitude towards them. In particular, the latter is manifested in the rejection of noble and European clothing by characters who are committed to the traditional Old Russian way of life. The semantics of a number of such designations (translit. mantil'i da bilindryasy — transl. mantillas and bilindryasis (mantillas and trivial things), translit. kortekol — transl. kortekol (a sort of short dress-coat), translit. stram pal'to — transl. stram pal'to (stram coat, very indecent coat)) are clarified in relation to the context and language of A. N. Ostrovsky's plays.

About the authors

O. R. Rostov

Ivanovo State Power University

Email: olegrost@gmail.com
Ivanovo

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