Thread: Перестройка

Is this word actually used to talk about "re-organisation" in general? Or is it only used in reference to Gorbachev's 1980s reform program?

For example if I am going to re-organise my kitchen, or if there is a re-organisation at work... Can I use перестройка to talk about that?

Originally Posted by Johanna

Is this word actually used to talk about "re-organisation" in general? Or is it only used in reference to Gorbachev's 1980s reform program?

For example if I am going to re-organise my kitchen, or if there is a re-organisation at work... Can I use перестройка to talk about that?

This word literally means 'modifying the way it's built' (not even 'rebuilding' since it usually means that there is nothing standing left), but Gorbachev meant 're-organisation', of course. Theoretically you CAN say you have perestroyka in your kitchen.

But in minds of Russian people the word perestroyka is associated with total chaos and disorder. This will be funny only if you mean this about your kitchen.

Yes, "перестройка" (the corresponding verb is "перестраивать") is a common word, which means "rebuilding" (in regard to building and construction) or "reorganisation" (when you are talking about work or company structure, for example.). So Gorbachov basically called his new program "Reorganisation". Please note that "перестройка" and "перестраивать" are based on the words "стройка" (construction) and "строить" (to build).

For example if I am going to re-organise my kitchen, or if there is a re-organisation at work...

I think that "перестройка кухни" implyes some serious changes (lie tearing down walls, or making new windows, etc.), so it's better to find another word. But it's ok to say (for example) "Я хочу полностью перестроить свою работу" (I want to reorganize my work completely), or even "..перестроить свою жизнь" (to reorganise my life).

Yeah, this word is not really used a lot... Lingvo does give this word combination -- "перестройка компании" -- "company reconstruction, company redeployment, company reorganization", but it sounds a bit starnge. I'd say "У нас в компании перестановки/реорганизация".

And if you want to move furniture in your room, you say: "Я хочу передвинуть/переставить мебель". Or: "Я передвинул(а)/переставил(а) мебель". If you want to renovate your flat, e.g. re-paper the walls and so on, then it's "ремонт": "У нас/меня ремонт. Я делаю ремонт. Я затеял(а) ремонт".

Перестройка компании практически никогда не употребляется. Обычно говорят либо реструктуризация, либо реорганизация.

Wow! gRomoZeka is back!

Originally Posted by Ramil

Перестройка компании практически никогда не употребляется. Обычно говорят либо реструктуризация, либо реорганизация.

Почему же, употребляется, пусть и реже, чем всякие "ре-бла-бла-бла-ции"
Например, "структурная перестройка компании", "перестройка структуры компании" и т.п. довольно часто встречается.

ЗЫ. 2 Оля. ДА!!!

In my city there is a supermarket net called "ПЕРЕстройка". These supermarkets sell instruments, materials and all other stuff for building, rebuilding, reconstruction etc. It appeared more than 10 yes ago. When it had just appeared everyone who heard the name said that they used a cheap marketing trick. But today everyone who hears the word "перестройка" thinks of these supermarkets first and maybe only few days after he can recall that there was other meaning for this word related to someone called Gorbachev.

When I saw the word "Перестройка" in the title of this topic, I thought about Gorbachev's "Перестройка"

Originally Posted by Airin

When I saw the word "Перестройка" in the title of this topic, I thought about Gorbachev's "Перестройка"

So did I. The verb "строить" and many of its derivatives are very widely used, of course: "стройка" (construction site), "застройка" (site development), "организм перестраивается" (er... don't know how to translate it -- it means that your organism adapts to new conditions, for example, when a woman is pregnant, her dietary habits may change, etc.), "настройка (радио)" -- tuning... And so on, and so forth.

Originally Posted by Johanna

For example if I am going to re-organise my kitchen [...]

If what you want is to remodel or redo your kitchen, use "переделка"; "переделать кухню".
If what you want is to reorganize your kitchen (i.e. move some stuff around on your counter top, move a fridge from one corner to the other, etc.), use "перестановка"; "переставить кухню".

gRomoZeka, welcome back!

Thanks all very much for the responses. I'm feeling a bit put off at the moment, after reading those comments in the Political forum, so I'll come back some other day and check this properly... I really appreciate the explanations.

I was born in 1985 so my parents sometimes call me the 'child of perestroika' (дитя перестройки).

From one of my favourite childhood books, "The Adventures of Pechenushkin", written in the early 1990s:

"-- А эти вот огольцы -- местные, -- Федя указал на четверых картоморов.
-- Живут, значит, тут -- и все. Способные -- страсть! Отзывчивые такие, а уж
ласку любят... А ну, скажи "пе-ре-строй-ка"!! -- заорал рыжий и больно
щелкнул Глазка по макушке.
-- Пы-ле-стлой-ка-а-а-а! -- расплылся Глазок, кланяясь и исподтишка
показывая домовому кулак."
(Сергей Белоусов. Смертельная кастрюля, или Возвращение Печенюшкина. http://www.lib.ru/TALES/BELOUSOW_S/pechenyushkin2.txt)

*картоморы -- существа, придуманные самим писателем -- разговаривающие и мыслящие картошки-мутанты с морковными ручками и ножками.

Почему-то запомнилось это место

Thanks so much for all the helpful explanations of this word!

I understand now that most people primarily associate the word with Gorbachev's programme, but that it has an original meaning that can be used too (although with the risk that people think there is some kind of pun).

Thanks for giving suggestions for alternative ways of saying "moving furniture", re-organising at work... etc!

I am building up a massive collection of flashcards (in the Anki software)... So all useful sentences go into my collection. I am trying to build up a vocabulary of a about 3000 words and the BASICS of grammar before I start the SERIOUS grammar cramming....