# трын-трава



## rubes1

Hello, I understand this was a movie, but is this somehow used as a phrase? I couldn't find a meaning for "трын" and am not sure I really understood the meaning.

Thank you.


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## morzh

rubes1 said:


> Hello, I understand this was a movie, but is this somehow used as a phrase? I couldn't find a meaning for "трын" and am not sure I really understood the meaning.
> 
> Thank you.



Трын-трава - a fairy-tale herb.
As a noun it means "something not worthy, something useless, nothing"

Thе expression using it is "Ему все трын-трава" meaning "he does not care".

Or, if something is compared to it - I don't care about that, as in

Да мне эти твои посулы - трын-трава - Those promises of yours mean nothing to me.
Он скоро по миру пойдет, а ему - трын-трава. - He is about to go bankrupt, and he doesn't give a damn.


PS. As for origin, one theory goes it used to be "тын-трава", that is some useless grass growing along the fence.


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## rubes1

Thank you so much for the thorough explanation & examples. Very interesting. Can't wait to use this in conversation.


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## rusita preciosa

rubes1 said:


> Can't wait to use this in conversation.


My advice to you: don't. First, it is quite an old-fashioned expression (compare to "swell" in AE). Second, while it is familiar to most Russians, it is not very common in everyday speech - a foreigner using this in a conversation would sound silly.


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## Maroseika

Agree. Using such words presumes a special style of the speech. Beyond it such words and expressions looks awkward, demonstrating the speaker cannot distinguish styles.


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## morzh

If you want to sound contemporary while using slang, use "по барабану" instead (I hate it, but it seems to be awfully popular).

Ему все трын-трава = Ему все по барабану.

- Его из университета отчисляют - А ему по барабану (used i/o "трын-трава"), он - пофигист. - He is being expelled from the University - He doesn't give  a damn, he's а "couldn't care less" type.

(No, you won't sound silly using "трын-трава", if you speak good fluent Russian. But if you still limping - yes you will).


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## rubes1

Thanks for the warning. May use this then w/ my fiance to make him laugh


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## morzh

As your native is US English, I pretty much can imagine how it will sound. Especially with the way Americans pronounce "ы" 
It sure will make him laugh (provided he's Russian with Russian as the native tongue). 
Go for it.


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## gvozd

morzh said:


> Especially with the way Americans pronounce "ы"



Does it sound really funny?


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## rubes1

Ha! His native tongue is Russian. Luckily, I have a musical ear & I've been told I have almost no accent--my problem is more not always knowing which syllable to stress, but it will still make him laugh, I'm sure!


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## rubes1

gvozd said:


> Does it sound really funny?


 That was definitely the most challenging letter to learn how to pronounce, but once you understand where to place the tongue, it's not as bad as it seems


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## morzh

gvozd said:


> Does it sound really funny?



Yep, it sure does. This is one single sound most Americans learning Russian have trouble mastering.
Actually there was some Soviet movie, about a situation on a plane, where Americans tried to persuade a couple to defect to the US, and there's that policeman on board the plane (a good-natured fellow) who simply engaged into a conversation with a Russian pilot (or some member of the crew), and the latter tried to teach him to say some word with "ы". The whole scene was humorous and revolved around the policeman trying to say that "ы". 
Laughed my rear end off.


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## gvozd

rubes1 said:


> That was definitely the most challenging letter to learn how to pronounce



What about Щ?


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## morzh

Actually for an American this is the easiest one, as in the US English this is almost exactly how "sh" is pronounced.

So, "sugar" is "щюгар". Just a tad less intense. But one can always strengthen it. Like saying "oh, shit!" with really stressing "sh".

In the UK it is different.


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## rubes1

morzh said:


> Yep, it sure does. This is one single sound most Americans learning Russian have trouble mastering.
> Actually there was some Soviet movie, about a situation on a plane, where Americans tried to persuade a couple to defect to the US, and there's that policeman on board the plane (a good-natured fellow) who simply engaged into a conversation with a Russian pilot (or some member of the crew), and the latter tried to teach him to say some word with "ы". The whole scene was humorous and revolved around the policeman trying to say that "ы".
> Laughed my rear end off.


Would love to know what movie that is, if you can remember!


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## morzh

rubes1 said:


> Would love to know what movie that is, if you can remember!



I could try to find it. But it was a propaganda movie, though it might've been based on the real case.
Let me look.

This was the only scene worth watching though.


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## rubes1

Щ is tough too, but I have a harder time differentiating between щ and ш when ш is followed by certain letters that make it sound kind of like "щ" to me.


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## rubes1

Okay, thanks!


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## morzh

Found it.

It is called "Рейс 222" (Flight 222).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h66oTlFQE6M&feature=related

I am not sure if the scene is here - these are excerpts from the movie.
But then you can find and watch the whole thing.


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## rubes1

Thanks so much!


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## gvozd

morzh said:


> and the latter tried to teach him to say some word with "ы". The whole scene was humorous and revolved around the policeman trying to say that "ы".
> Laughed my rear end off.



I saw that movie. Ну, давай: добрЫй день! Растягивай губы!


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## morzh

gvozd said:


> I saw that movie. Ну, давай: добрЫй день! Растягивай губы!



Yes, and then he tries to make him to say "ы" alone, and the cop goes "уи".


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## Albertovna

Examples of using this idiom:
Мне мгновенье — наслажденье. Остальное — трын-трава! (from gipsy songs)
Also, see "Песня про зайцев"  
 Modern synonyms (idioms, spoken, offensive): мне плевать на это (с высокой колокольни/с Эйфелевой башни), мне на это наплевать/начхать, мне это (глубоко) фиолетово, мне это перпендикулярно/параллельно, мне это до лампочки/до фонаря + some vulgar expressions.


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## morzh

"песня про зайцев" gives zero idea as to what the expression means.


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## Albertovna

morzh said:


> "песня про зайцев" gives zero idea as to what the expression means.


Why so? "А нам всё равно", потому что "мы волшебную косим трын-траву".


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## morzh

One would have to explain the link first.


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