I can't find some of these words in the Oxford Russian dictionary or Googletranslate

Дружка да свашка--топорик да плашка
I can't even find some of these words in the Oxford Russian dictionary or on Google translate

And the да construction is perplexing? Is it common? Should I be used to it?

thanks

What words can't you find? да means "and" in this context. It is common enough so that you should know it. Russian proverb: Щи да каша -- пища наша.

свашка плашка

thanks for the tip on "and" I always looked at it like "but" so that helps.

But those two words свашка плашка are not in Oxford or google translate. They must be diminutives or with permutations off of some common words.

казеннокоштный, is also not to be found in those dictionaries. It starts with "state-ordered" or "state directive" something like that


thanks

дружка - bridesman
свашка (diminutive) - сваха - female marriage broker
плашка - billet, wooden block (to use as a base for axe chopping) - compare to плаха

The whole phrase looks like archaic-vernacular proverb. I can guess its meaning: "you(they) two are the same gang."

казеннокоштный - (vernacular) state-paid (funded by the state)

I think I get it now. And this is the part I've always loved about studying another language. Most people would call this an idiom and try to find some bland American/English equivalent. I've enjoyed seeing the image from the point of view of the Russian. With these words I see that the idea behind the image more clearly, and it is snarky. While I have encountered many Russian experts who simply toss aside the nuance of literal understanding of these idioms, I have always enjoyed knowing what the actual image is that the Russian has in their head when they are using them. For this one I guess it is partly because of my life experience. Indeed I was not in a hurry to get married fifteen years ago. And even though we use the phrase "ball-and-chain" that's the same kind of hyperbole in this tongue-in-cheek Russian phrase.

thanks, Why so many Russian words don't make it into translation dictionaries is beyond me. It is a simple task to digitize them. But there are always self-proclaimed mystics who want to show they are in the cabal, especially when it comes to foreign languages. Someone should really demystify this phonyism.

such words that are typically used in Russian proverbs and sayings are very archaic and old-fashioned. Thus, such words are not likely to be found in common dictionaries. Besides, this saying is old, as for me I hear it for the first time (maybe because I am an urbanite and we don't tend to use old and archaic language frequently). I think, the general trend today is modernization of the Russian language (which is arguably not very good) and such old words and expressions are dying for sure.

I am reading one book (of several I bought in St. Petersburg last summer) На языке улиц Рассказы о петербургской фразеологии because I so fell in love with that city when I visited as a student in 1984 (27 years ago.) There are many words and phrases which are trying my patience, but I am captivated with the city and I probably wont be back again in my lifetime. It seems like all the Gogol, Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Brodsky et al I have read have left an indelible mark. Alas.

So I'm wondering where the old-time language starts and ends for urbanites? This book is definitely about St. Petersburg. Maybe it all goes along with what Brodsky talked about with the strange light and shadows of the northern capital. It is all a bit mystifying. I've got a couple other books just like this one, also on St. Petersburg so I'm sure I'll have more of these. Thanks so much for your help.

Try ТОЛКОВЫЙ СЛОВАРЬ РУССКОГО ЯЗЫКА С. И. Ожегов и Н. Ю. Шведова. It contains all the words you mention and although it is Russian to Russian it does stretch comprehension and improve vocab. It costs about £20 in the UK and I wouldn't be without it!