Northern Words for Snow

A listing of some coastal-dwellers’ words and expressions (some of which are not translatable, and can only be explained with a definition):

Вода  – Water – a measure of time and distance; the period of high and low tide lasts six hours; therefore, in response to the question, “how long does it take to cover this distance?” one might hear, “two waters,” “three waters” and so on. 

Сухая вода – Dry water – a spot where there is no water during the low tide.

Живая вода – Live water – a spot where a boat does not run aground during the low tide.

Дрогнула  вода – “The water trembled” – the water started to recede after the high tide.

Вверх – Upward – from the ocean, toward Russia.

Вниз  – Downward – toward Norway.

Ледоплав  – Ledoplav (“ice-float”) – ice breaking on the river.

Морок – Morok – cloudiness. 

Мутница – Mutnitsa – mucky water before ice breaks on the river. 

Наслуд  – Naslud – water squeezed on top of the ice during the breaking of the ice. 

Натягивает  – “Pulling over” (as if with a blanket) – the sky is becoming cloudy.

Ноги  льда – “Legs of ice” – an underwater ice reef attached to a large ice floe. 

Няша  – Nyasha – a silty, muddy spot on the shore.

Отпадыш – Otpadysh (“the fallen one”) – an ice floe or a block of snow which fell off a mountain side.

Рассол  – Brine – sea water.

Расплав – Pasplav (flux) – scarce drifting ice.

Ропаки  – Ropaki – ice hummocks.

Сполох  – Spolokh – northern lights. 

Чамра – Chamra – damp, fine snow in foggy weather.

Яснец—Yasnets (“the clear one”) – clear, transparent ice with no snow particles.