Blog po-Jonathansky

21:15 20 November 2008

There is an interesting facet of the Russian language that allows any noun to become a adjective. This has lent itself to the naming of many dishes. Many dishes are named “(Main Ingredient) Po-(adjective of choice)”. Thusly, “Miaso po-Franzoosky”, “Spaghetti po-Italionsky”, and “Makaron po-Flotsky” are all popular dishes- literally translating to “Meat by French”, “Spaghetti by Italian”, and “Pasta by Navy-y”. More accurately translated these would be “French style meat”, “Italian style spaghetti” and “Navy style pasta”.

I digress, the reason that I brought up this interesting linguistic attribute is because I have started using this form to describe various dishes I have prepared without good translatable names. Some of the better ones- “Bliny po-Ivritsky”- Jewish style pancakes (latkes), “Kapusta po-Venersky”- a nameless cabbage dish my sister Venera prepared, and “Macaron po-Voluntorsky”- a pasta and creamy pumpkin sauce I made with the two JICA volunteers in my village.

Anyhow, it is fun to name dishes in this manner (at least to me) and cooking with my JICA friends is always really fun. It’s amazing when I am with them and any Host Country National- our conversation is held quadrilingually between Kyrgyz (the JICAs and HCNs know Kyrgyz), Russian (I and the HCNs know Russian), English (Saori and I know English and Chika studied it somewhat), and Japanese (both JICAs of course know Japanese). The hodgepodge that results, with HCNs talking to them in Russian and to me in Kyrgyz and getting confused as to who know what, is highly comical. Regardless friendship prevails and usually one way or another the point gets across.