Every Russian learned a few key дразнилки (teases) in childhood. According to Vladimir Dal’s dictionary, дразнилки – это выражения, которыми умышленно сердили кого-либо (“expressions that are used to anger someone on purpose”).
Most often дразнилки are short, rhymed verses created by children to poke fun at someone, usually with cruel intent, often referring to some physical trait, and equally often not making logical sense (these, as the past column, fall in the category of “things you may never use, but should certainly know”). To wit: a chubby boy might hear “Жирный, жирный, поезд пассажирный” (“Fatty, fatty, big as a passenger train”). A redhead (рыжий) with freckles would be taunted with “Рыжий-рыжий конопатый убил дедушку лопатой” (“Freckled, redhead killed his grandpa with a spade”). Конопатый is a synonym for веснушчатый (freckled), and конопушки means веснушки (freckles).
A snitch who tells on his peers to the teacher (or his parents) gets this:
Ябеда-корябеда, турецкий барабан Кто на нём играет? — Васька-таракан You, sneak, Turkish drum, Who plays on it? Vaska-the cockroach
While draznilki rarely make much sense in translation, rest assured they sound plenty offensive to Russians, who may be inclined to respond with this universal anti-draznilka: “Кто так обзывается, так сам и называется!” (“He who calls me names, is calling himself by that name!”)
Then, of course, there are the teasing phrases related to Russian имена (first names). Veteran RL readers will remember Михаил коров доил (“Mikhail milked a cow”). But there are many more.
Коля, Коля, Николай, Сиди дома, не гуляй, А то девочки придут Поцелуют и уйдут. Kolya, Kolya, Nikolai Sit at home, don’t go out and play Or the girls will come, Kiss you, then go away.
And certainly draznilki are not limited to boys. Валентина may be teased as “Валюха-горюха” (“Valyukha the Miserable”). And Elena as “Ленка-пенка” (“Lenka the milk skin”).
Others? Фёдор hears “Федя-бредя съел медведя” (“Fedya-bredya ate the bear”). Vladimir Putin, who in his childhood was probably called just Вовка (a diminutive for Vladimir), was surely teased with “Вовка-морковка” (“Vovka the little carrot”). There is another, much better rhymed phrase with another diminutive (Володь), but I’ll pass on that one, as I value my personal freedom.
Surely there are draznilki for the other half of the ruling tandem (Дмитрий or Дима), but I don’t know them. There is just a banal quote from a pop song by Larisa Chernikova, “Я люблю тебя, Дима, что мне так необходимо” (“I love you Dima because I need to”). I am sure, though, that in his school and university years Дмитрий Анатольевич must have heard the two universally known дразнилки that are targeted at men of small stature: “метр с кепкой” (“one meter [tall] in a cap”); and “От горшка два вершка” (“Just two vershoks off the pot”). A вершок is an old Russian measurement equivalent to 4.4 centimeters.
Tall kids are not spared either. The коротышки (short persons) tease big guys by saying “всё, что было в рост пошло” (“the only thing he was given was height”). And Russian kids may ask of giants: “Дяденька, достань воробышка!” (“Uncle, grab a sparrow for me!”)
The lesson is that there are draznilki for most every person and for most every occasion. But there are exceedingly few cases where one can use them with impunity. So, know and understand draznilki, but avoid them at all costs, unless of course you are looking for разборки (fights).
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