Thread: Dmitri to Valya - Russian Term of Endearment needed

I thought I had asked this question but I can't find it in my notes and searched and could not find it in a previous thread... sorry if I have.

Okay my Russian friends, I need your help with a term of endearment. One that Dmitri who is 23 would say to Valya who is 16.

For those of you who don't know the setting of this. I am working on a novel with my teenage daughter. Dmitri is Russian born. Valya is American. He is more or less her "protector or guardian" at the start of the book or for the first book. There is an attraction between them, but nothing happens, think G or PG rated. If they were closer in age or not in the current situation, they would probably be a couple... but as fate has it... that is not the case. Maybe if there is a second or third book they will be a couple. They are close and very fond of each other though because of the situation in which they find themselves in.

So, I would like for there to be a term of endearment for Dmitri to call Valya.

Please provide suggestions in Cyrillic, transliteration and in English.

ValentIna, VAlya, ValyUsha, ValyUshka, VAlen'ka, VAlechka,

Валентина, Валя, Валюша, Валюшка, Валенька, Валечка
copy and pasted from Masterrussian.com
Check out the Russian Bride sites, I've seen sweet talk listed there. Dorogaya (dear) if all else fails. Russian Romance - Johnson's Russia List 2-14-03 is by Michele Berdy from Moscow Times. I can't list my nicknames as my mental health would be questioned.

I wouldn't use "dorogaya" (dear) in the circumstances described by rockzmom. Solnyshko (солнышко), perhaps. It is a sort of a diminutive word for the sun, and people use it sometimes to refer to the actual sun, but it is also frequently used as a term of endearment as well.

Originally Posted by translationsnmru

I wouldn't use "dorogaya" (dear) in the circumstances described by rockzmom. Solnyshko (солнышко), perhaps. It is a sort of a diminutive word for the sun, and people use it sometimes to refer to the actual sun, but it is also frequently used as a term of endearment as well.

translationsnmru, you are correct...dorogaya would not be appropriate in this case. Solnyshko (солнышко), now this one is interesting.

Would this be at all similar to the American endearment and expression of "sunshine" as in "Good morning sunshine, how's it going?"

There is a diminutive form of the name Valya which reads "Валентинка" (Valentinka, pronounced as something like "Vah-len-'teen-kah"). This diminutive form on the other hand is used to denote a Valentine's day greeting card. This is a really nice term of endearment for a girl with the name Valya.

I think if the age relationship is 16 to 23 then addressing Valya by a diminutive name is a sort of endearment. You don't need a special term. It depends on a situation. Using words like дорогая, солнышко, etc. could be too much.

If D. is considered to be some 'protector' or 'guardian' of V. There wouldn't be any 'dear' or 'honey' business. They would more likely be on bro with sis terms with each other so it would be more appropriate to use Валька or Валюшка.

okay.. let's see if I understand all of this ... Way back when... you all helped my with her nickname Valya from her full name of course, Valentina. So, now you are stating that by calling her this nick, it is a term of endearment in itself? Just as Dima would be for Dmitri?

The situations in the story line that I wanted to use this "pet" type name would be ones where in English one might say something like the term "little one" so it could be if he were teasing her or if she has had a bad day and he were to try and encourage her... just a name between the two of them that he calls her, but in Russian.

See, there is not much Russian in the book and he usually only speaks it when he is thinking aloud to himself about something, like working out a problem OR a few words or phrases here or there to her. Words that no matter how long you speak another language, you might tend to say in your native tongue. SO, that is why I am looking for a term other than her name... HOWEVER, if you are all in agreement that a version of her name is the BEST answer.....

I need to start a new thread about the word list!

If they were Russian using the diminutive from her name would be perfectly all right. Not a tender one like Валенька but a teasing one like Валька. Aside from the name there could be thousands of other possible nick names (unrelated to the name) which are used only between those two.

Originally Posted by Ramil

Aside from the name there could be thousands of other possible nick names (unrelated to the name) which are used only between those two.

Out of those thousands... could you give me say your top five? Pretty please with sugar on top?

Nicknames are given for a reason. There must be a story behind a nickname. It can be a silly story or even an anecdote or it should stress some peculiarities of the character or even some physical appearance so it's difficult to pick one without knowing anything about Valentina.

Originally Posted by rockzmom

okay.. let's see if I understand all of this ... Way back when... you all helped my with her nickname Valya from her full name of course, Valentina. So, now you are stating that by calling her this nick, it is a term of endearment in itself? Just as Dima would be for Dmitri?

Just to make sure that you get the things right.
Valya is not a "pet" version it is just a short version of the full name (Of course it can be pronounced with a sweet voice that can make it a "pet" version). Like Will for William or Bob for Robert.
While "Valentinka, Valen'ka, Valyusha, Valechka" are the "pet" versions (diminutive ones). Personally I would never use "Val'ka" (Валька), It doesn't sound nice to me.

Originally Posted by rockzmom

The situations in the story line that I wanted to use this "pet" type name would be ones where in English one might say something like the term "little one" so it could be if he were teasing her or if she has had a bad day and he were to try and encourage her... just a name between the two of them that he calls her, but in Russian.

In such a situation a "pet" version of the name would be certainly the best.

Originally Posted by rockzmom

See, there is not much Russian in the book and he usually only speaks it when he is thinking aloud to himself about something, like working out a problem OR a few words or phrases here or there to her. Words that no matter how long you speak another language, you might tend to say in your native tongue. SO, that is why I am looking for a term other than her name... HOWEVER, if you are all in agreement that a version of her name is the BEST answer.....

If your Dmitri had left the Russia when he was about 7 to 9 he hardly was accustomed to say any terms of endearment to a girl other then some versions of the girl's name.

Originally Posted by CoffeeCup

Personally I would never use "Val'ka" (Валька), It doesn't sound nice to me.

Come on, remember, there is no romance between them, they're just friends according to rockzmom. How would you call a girl named Valentina who is younger than you and with whom you don't have anything but friendship?

Originally Posted by Ramil

Come on, remember, there is no romance between them, they're just friends according to rockzmom. How would you call a girl named Valentina who is younger than you and with whom you don't have anything but friendship?

Maybe "Valyukha" (Валюха) .

Originally Posted by translationsnmru

Maybe "Valyukha" (Валюха) .

Originally Posted by Ramil

Come on, remember, there is no romance between them, they're just friends according to rockzmom. How would you call a girl named Valentina who is younger than you and with whom you don't have anything but friendship?

If they were the same age and wasted their time by playing football together or stealing apples from the nearest garden or painting on walls. So, yes, "Valyukha" (Валюха) or "Val'ka" (Валька) like bro to bro. But taking into account the age difference (23-16) there is rather patronizing than just bro to bro friendship. If they were a real brother and a real sister then again he could call her "Valyukha" (Валюха) or "Val'ka" (Валька). But real brother and sister have another level of relationship than just friends.

I have so much to learn *sigh*

The story line is such that they do tend to pick on each other like older brother and younger sister (think witty banter, playful teasing); however, there is another level there, a real trust and bond form between them. He is ALL that she has and in an exceedingly short amount of time MUST come to trust him. They have made an agreement not to ask the other about their past or their secrets, but in the end it is Dmitri who gets Valentina to talk about her past which is what has brought them together. Why he is protecting her. By him getting her to speak, to open up to him, it is a major event in the storyline. She has never told anyone what had happen to her that caused her to be in the situation she is in and has brought the two of them together.

So, hopefully, you can see from that little amount of detail there, their relationship is very special and why it is that in the end (2 or 3 books from now... if there are any more) they WILL end up together as a couple. Just right now, there is no way I am having a 16 and 23 getting together! Now an 18 and 25... that is possible.

It is also why I would like to have from the start a "name" for him to call her as I feel it is that type of relationship from day one. They are thrown into each others worlds and I believe by him calling her a pet name or term of endearment, it means something special to both of them.

One, it would help with her as she begins to trust him as he does not call anyone else a term in Russian. She realizes that this is something special and unique... Remember what MasterAdmin said yesterday about when you revert back to your native language?

Originally Posted by MasterAdmin
I think people revert back to their native language in situations that help them feel more comfortable or allow them to concentrate on things. These could be very individual situations.

Two, he genuinely cares for and about her. Protecting her is not JUST another job for him.

Does this help at ALL or do you still need more details???

Originally Posted by CoffeeCup

But taking into account the age difference (23-16) there is rather patronizing than just bro to bro friendship.

It's not so big a difference to begin with.

Originally Posted by rockzmom

Does this help at ALL or do you still need more details???

According to what you say, Валюха or Валька are probably the most appropriate names (or so I think). Just Валя will do too, but Валечка or Валюша are too intimate to be used in such circumstances. Later, when their relationship progresses they would become appropriate.

P.S. And, if you don't mind my criticism, I can hardly believe that this model of relationships (more like brother and sister) could lead to any romance.

Originally Posted by Ramil

P.S. And, if you don't mind my criticism, I can hardly believe that this model of relationships (more like brother and sister) could lead to any romance.

comments are always welcome! but my response... hehehehe... they have to have more of a chance at romance than a 100 year old sparkly virgin vampire and a 17 year old girl! No???

One my colleague's name is Valentina Petrovna. That means that her father's name is Peter. I call her just Petrovna. People find it funny when I tell them that Pushkin's line:"Люблю тебя, Петра творенье" (I love thee, Peter's creation) is dedicated to her. Originally it is dedicated to Saint Peterburg in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bronze_Horseman_%28poem%29.

Originally Posted by studyr

One my colleague's name is Valentina Petrovna. That means that her father's name is Peter. I call her just Petrovna. People find it funny when I tell them that Pushkin's line:"Люблю тебя, Петра творенье" (I love thee, Peter's creation) is dedicated to her. Originally it is dedicated to Saint Peterburg in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bronze_Horseman_%28poem%29.

studyr! This is a very interesting idea and at the same time a coincidence as in the VERY, VERY beginning I did have Valentina's last name be Petrovna but changed it because it was suggested that Petrovna was too common a name.

The idea of being able to weave the poem into the storyline would be nice touch as well. My daughter likes the idea a lot and she said the poem reminded her of Edgar Allen Poe!

I'm going to post the poem on the literature thread as there is also a link to hear it in Russian.