# Ukrainian: doctors cure, healers heal...



## ThomasK

I had been referring to a doctor during my class with an Ukrainian. I had hoped something like "doctor" or "medic' would have worked in U, but no. I heard about a likar or something, and then thought that might have to do with healing, then with curing. And indeed, I suddenly got: 


> ЛІКАР ЛІКУЄ ХВОРОГО


So the doctor and his activity seem to have the same root. I suppose: something like curing (as in Dutch: genees-heer, curing-gentleman). Or healing? A cure has the same root: /liky/... Of course, this is Google T... 

The funny thing is that when asking for the translation of "The healer heals the patient", I get: 


> ЦІЛИТЕЛЬ ЗЦІЛЮЄ ХВОРОГО


where the /tsiltel/ seems to be the root: something like "whole" perhaps? 

Just guessing, hoping my guesses are educated though... Does it make sense? Or are there better alternatives?


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## Awwal12

ThomasK said:


> where the /tsiltel/ seems to be the root: something like "whole" perhaps?


Etymologically, yes, though they won't be immediatelly associated with each other. That's "healer".


ThomasK said:


> I suppose: something like curing


Yes, I suppose it's the most adequate translation.


ThomasK said:


> So the doctor and his activity seem to have the same root.


Доктор seems to exist in Ukrainian as well.


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## ThomasK

Thanks a lot for your reaction. My word /doctor/ did not seem to ring a bill with this 25-year-old lady though... One problem is that she hardly speaks English.


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## Awwal12

ThomasK said:


> My word /doctor/ did not seem to ring a bill with this 25-year-old lady though...


Which is strange, especially considering that nearly all Ukrainian speakers are bilingual.


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## ThomasK

Bilingual in the sense that they speak both Russian and Ukrainian?


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## Awwal12

ThomasK said:


> Bilingual in the sense that they speak both Russian and Ukrainian?


Yes, of course.


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## ThomasK

OK, but should I understand that (something like) /doktor/ is the most common word in Russian?


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## Awwal12

ThomasK said:


> OK, but should I understand that (something like) /doktor/ is the most common word in Russian?


Most certainly, ['dɔkt̪ər] (Ukr. ['dɔkt̪ɔr]). A more formal Russian term is врач ['vɾaʨ], generally corresponding to Ukrainian лікар [ˈlʲikɐr] (the direct etymological counterpart of the latter in Russian, лекарь [ˈlʲɛkəɾʲ], is archaic).


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## ThomasK

I see. Thanks a lot again for your valuable information!


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