Thread: Tetris

One of Russia's most famous exports is the classic GameBoy game Teteris. I was wondering if Tetris means anyhting in Russian?

I'm reading an article on Wikipedia about it that says the name could be derived from "tetrad", which may be derived from "тетрядь". But it's kind of a long shot if you ask me.

BTW, isn't it annoying when they try to make things look Russian by putting a "Я" instead of an "R"?

This game was named "tetris" because each falling piece consists of four squares, I guess. "tetris" is not a Russian word.
Pravit, "тетрадь", not "тетрядь". But the name "tetris" was not derived from this word.

Whoops!

Originally Posted by Pravit

BTW, isn't it annoying when they try to make things look Russian by putting a "Я" instead of an "R"?

Well it's not annoying, it's just funny when they use completely unrelated "Я" letter instead of "R".

There is a (borrowed) word "тетрада" in Russian, whih means "a group of four elements".

Ok, here is the story:

http://www.atarihq.com/tsr/special/tetrishist.html

Pravit, "тетрадь", not "тетрядь". But the name "tetris" was not derived from this word.

Well i heard that it DID come from this word.

А что, тетрис в россии изобрели?

Originally Posted by Nixer

А что, тетрис в россии изобрели?

Ну как бы да. Пажитнов весьма известный человек, сейчас, кажется, в Microsoft работает. Одна из последних его вещей - Pandora's Box, тоже очень приятно сделана.

June 1985: Alexey Pazhitnov creates Tetris on an Electronica 60 at the Moscow Academy of Science's Computer Center

Originally Posted by pisces

There is a (borrowed) word "тетрада" in Russian, whih means "a group of four elements".

In English also - tetrad. It isn't of Russian origin, I believe it's Greek.
OK I just checked dictionary.com - it is indeed Greek "tetras", Indo European root.
Which is why I always found it weird when I found out that Russians called cahiers tetrads

Edit: LOL I just looked up cahier for the hell of it, and it turns out that it comes from exactly the same Indo-European root! Why must notebooks be called four-parted-things?

Cahiers?!?!? I've never heard of this word before.

French ... I don't know why, but it always stuck in my mind. Perhaps I now know why...

Originally Posted by waxwing

Why must notebooks be called four-parted-things?

Maybe because it's main characteristic is beeing of rectangular shape (with 4 corners)?

it's -> its

But the same could be said of books etc. ..?
Still, a very logical answer, thank you

I know the word in French, but I was unaware that this word is also used in BrE.

It isn't. Desole.

Originally Posted by TATY

One of Russia's most famous exports is the classic GameBoy game Teteris. I was wondering if Tetris means anyhting in Russian?

Obviously, the name of the game is derived from the term "tetramino". This is how the figure made of 4 connected squares is called.

The word "tetramino" is not of Russian origin, also. Most probably, it is borrowed from some book written by Martin Gardner. (His books were very popular and wide known in Soviet Union, BTW.)

Yes, game of Tetris was invented in SU. But, I have serious doubts, whether Alexey Pazhitnov was actual inventor. The actual idea was known (and implemented lots of times) years before his Tetris.

Originally Posted by Scorpio

The word "tetramino" is not of Russian origin, also. Most probably, it is borrowed from some book written by Martin Gardner. (His books were very popular and wide known in Soviet Union, BTW.)

Really? That's fantastic! I wonder if you've heard of Douglas Hofstadter?

Originally Posted by waxwing

Originally Posted by Scorpio

The word "tetramino" is not of Russian origin, also. Most probably, it is borrowed from some book written by Martin Gardner. (His books were very popular and wide known in Soviet Union, BTW.)

Really? That's fantastic! I wonder if you've heard of Douglas Hofstadter?

Alas. Never heard about him.