Thread: бумага: "ava" or "aga"

бумага (boo-mava or boo-maga)?

Is there a general rule for
-ага, -ого
pronunciation? The few words I've come across with -ого, have an "ovo" sound. Would this hold true for all -ага, -ого endings?

Thanks,
Torrance S.

Only words ending in -ого sound as if endig in -ово. But not all words follow this rule. This has been discussed here:

http://masterrussian.net/mforum/viewtop ... =%EE%E3%EE
http://masterrussian.net/mforum/viewtop ... =%EE%E3%EE
http://masterrussian.net/mforum/viewtop ... =%EE%E3%EE
http://masterrussian.net/mforum/viewtop ... =%EE%E3%EE

Originally Posted by MasterAdmin

Only words ending in -ого sound as if endig in -ово. But not all words follow this rule. This has been discussed here:...

Thank you for the references.

Regards,
Torrance

Hey, what about the old Russian ending -аго?

Originally Posted by Pravit

Hey, what about the old Russian ending -аго?

As in святаго духа? It's pronounced -ago, but nobody uses it. In fact, I wasn't aware of this form until I turned 30 something I suppose. It's not used any more.

You learn something new every day! Thanks, VM.

So if this is an archaic form of the genitive, when(and why) did they switch from pronouncing the "г" as "г" to "в"?

Originally Posted by Pravit

You learn something new every day! Thanks, VM.

So if this is an archaic form of the genitive, when(and why) did they switch from pronouncing the "г" as "г" to "в"?

So long ago that you needn't bother. Centuries ago. Why? Well, another dialect took over perhaps? BTW, in some parts of Russia they still pronounce -ogo as -ogo. But never -ago, it's absolete. You will only hear it in the context of prayers in Old Church Russian (or whatever they call the language they speak in our churches). Since I'm not religious, I didn't know this form existed until I accidently tuned in into some religious radio station.

Originally Posted by VendingMachine

I accidently tuned in into some religious radio station.

I hate when that happens.

Originally Posted by giarcmirt

бумага (boo-mava or boo-maga)?

Is there a general rule for
-ага, -ого
pronunciation? The few words I've come across with -ого, have an "ovo" sound. Would this hold true for all -ага, -ого endings?

Thanks,
Torrance S.

It's easy to remember. -ого (obsolete -аго), -его pronounced as -ово, -ево is the genetive case inflexion. This rule works only in the gen. case. Бумага is nominative, it's just such a word. "г" is part of the root there. As also in коряга, ватага, салага, etc.