Thread: грамота

Hi all!

From Олег Митяев's Мой Отец:
Восемь грамот, привод в вытрезвитель
И награда за выслугу лет.
Full lyrics here

I can't seem to get the meaning of this line in the context of the song. Here's my attempt at translation:

Eight diplomas (?), ...
And a bonus for long service

Any help is much appreciated. Thank you.

'грамота' here is for official paper of some achivement in labor or something. It's like medal, but in paper. They was widespreaded in USSR.
'привод в вытрезвитель' is for 'detention to sobering-up station'. There were special departments of police stations in USSR called 'вытрезвитель' = 'detoxification/sobering-up stations' (literally something like 'sobering-upper'). If man was cought by police in the state of heavy alcoholic intoxication he was led there and detained until sobering up.

Thank you very much!

I'm still having a bit of a difficulty understanding this in the context of the song. In the first line, it's mentioned that his father was not an alcoholic. So why would he have to go to a sobering-up station?

He wasn't alcoholic, but regular/usual drinker. Second line is not just about his opinion, but acting also.
The soviet law about sobering-up stations formally states: "to detain drunk people if they can harm anyone (including themselves) or their presence is shameful for public". It's logical in it's core, but in practice you could be detained just for "drunk zigzag walking pattern". However it's not clear from context was it "just walking pattern" or really loud and shameful behavior. "Just like everyone else, could have rare day of shame" I think.

Very interesting to know. Much obliged!

Originally Posted by Alex80

He wasn't alcoholic, but regular/usual drinker. Second line is not just about his opinion, but acting also.

Which line are you referring to, please?

second line of song

These phrases were used to indirectly describe his nature and temper; also may be referred to as a 'sum total' of his life.

1. (Eight) diplomas: he was a good specialist, hard working man
2. (Once) Arrested and brought to a Sobering-up station for detoxication: he certainly wasn't a geek (going for a couple of shots of vodka once in a while was thought absolutely normal for an average man in Russia, as opposed to complete teetotallers, which are thought somewhat strange people), he was a normal, average man.
3. Bonus for long service - adds to the statement 1

Also: only one 'visit' to the station means that he used to drink moderately, without losing control. (Avid drinkers get to the detox station much more often than once in life). This happens when one is caught too-drunk in public or found by the roadside dead drunk sleeping.

Originally Posted by Alex80

second line of song

Oh, I see. Хоть и выпить считал – не грешно. So as I understand it, he, unlike what the authorities used to say, didn't think of drinking as a sin.

Originally Posted by Medved

These phrases were used to indirectly describe his nature and temper; also may be referred to as a 'sum total' of his life.

1. (Eight) diplomas: he was a good specialist, hard working man
2. (Once) Arrested and brought to a Sobering-up station for detoxication: he certainly wasn't a geek (going for a couple of shots of vodka once in a while was thought absolutely normal for an average man in Russia, as opposed to complete teetotallers, which are thought somewhat strange people), he was a normal, average man.
3. Bonus for long service - adds to the statement 1

Also: only one 'visit' to the station means that he used to drink moderately, without losing control. (Avid drinkers get to the detox station much more often than once in life). This happens when one is caught too-drunk in public or found by the roadside dead drunk sleeping.

Thank you very much. Very helpful indeed!