03-10-2005, 07:51 PM
Well, I can hardly claim to be an expert in slavic languages. I can only speak Russian at an *extremely* marginal level, and I could only get Latvian by looking at an online dictionary. Polish, Ukranian, Belorussian, etc... are a complete mystery to me.
What I was taught is that, in Russia, "drug" would only apply to your close friends, and not to the broad network of people that we English-speakers would call "friend". Also, I was taught that "tovarish" had clear political connotations. But, then, maybe my prof. was off the ball.
More likely, it just has different connotations in different countries and regions. What's your frame of reference?
Jester
What I was taught is that, in Russia, "drug" would only apply to your close friends, and not to the broad network of people that we English-speakers would call "friend". Also, I was taught that "tovarish" had clear political connotations. But, then, maybe my prof. was off the ball.
More likely, it just has different connotations in different countries and regions. What's your frame of reference?
Jester