Thread: Masha, Mashka, Mashenka

Originally Posted by Hyoga

How do you feel when you are called---without any nicknames, just directly,
like "Sergei!!" "Alexandr!!" ????

it's okay, absolutely

Спасибо

And what do you think...
the relationship between man and woman but they're friends,
a man says to her to call him ---ka nickname, like Mashenka,

there's something means special or it happens a lot in the friendship?

Hyoga

"-ka" is used between lovers, relatives, close friends, in a very friendly atmosphere between colleagues sometimes. a girl hardly will be offended if called "-ka" from not a very familiar person, but it's better to refrain.

But it's ok to call so your woman secretary. "Леночка, принеси чаю, пожалуйста". "Анечка, для меня есть новая почта?"

"-ka" doesn't mean love or intimacy in the ordinary sense.
And some people are too shy to call anyone "-ka".

Originally Posted by Indra

Originally Posted by Hyoga

How do you feel when you are called---without any nicknames, just directly,
like "Sergei!!" "Alexandr!!" ????

it's okay, absolutely

So someone addressing you in such a way would not imply that they were trying to stay a little distant or didn't want to get personal?

Originally Posted by basurero

Originally Posted by Indra

Originally Posted by Hyoga

How do you feel when you are called---without any nicknames, just directly,
like "Sergei!!" "Alexandr!!" ????

it's okay, absolutely

So someone addressing you in such a way would not imply that they were trying to stay a little distant or didn't want to get personal?

It's better to mistake and to choose more formal address than to mistake and to choose too familiar/unceremonious form - if you don't feel the difference between Mashka and Mashenka, Maria will be the best of options

Originally Posted by basurero

So someone addressing you in such a way would not imply that they were trying to stay a little distant or didn't want to get personal?

Addressing someone "Вы" is much more likely (and a better way!) trying to stay distant, than calling you full name. Because "Sergei" can be diminished to friendly "Serega" (Серёга) which is permitted only between pretty close friends.

P.S. Although it may sound jokingly between friends, I often address my buddies "Вы, Александр, сделали нечто ужасное". It sounds cool.

Originally Posted by Vincent Tailors

Hyoga

"-ka" is used between lovers, relatives, close friends, in a very friendly atmosphere between colleagues sometimes. a girl hardly will be offended if called "-ka" from not a very familiar person, but it's better to refrain.

But it's ok to call so your woman secretary. "Леночка, принеси чаю, пожалуйста". "Анечка, для меня есть новая почта?"

"-ka" doesn't mean love or intimacy in the ordinary sense.
And some people are too shy to call anyone "-ka".

whoa it's surprising that calling someone just adding -ka gets you Russians shy!

I understand well that -ka nickname is used frequently and usually even between man and woman...

And can I recognize you basically call friends/familiar people with those nicknames originated from the basic name? *except for the unique nicknames, etc. given by your frineds jokingly

Originally Posted by Hyoga

I understand well that -ka nickname is used frequently and usually even between man and woman...

And can I recognize you basically call friends/familiar people with those nicknames originated from the basic name? *except for the unique nicknames, etc. given by your frineds jokingly

I'm not sure you may call that a nickname. It's just one of the many forms every russian name has. And yes, we basicaly call each other by names. The convinience is you can chose the form of name that suits the situation the best.

Originally Posted by gRomoZeka

I'm not sure you may call that a nickname.

Yeah, these are usually called "dimunuatives" in English -- a "shortened" form of an actual name. I think that Russian distinguishes between it as well: уменьшительный vs. кличка. A nickname is usually something that's just attributed by one's friends/family that describes some trait they have. So maybe you have a guy named Mikhail, who's called Misha as his diminuative, but maybe his soccer buddies call him something like "shorty" (b/c he's not tall) or "rabbit" (b/c he's fast/has big ears/looks like Bugs Bunny/whatever).

whoa it's surprising that calling someone just adding -ka gets you Russians shy!

Ehmmmmm, not shy, but calling -ka between men surely causes suspicions about their homosexuality. Between girls it's always ok, between men and women it depends on situation. Khm... I call -ka all my female friends and they seem to be pleased. And many of them call me "Vitalichka" (-ka from Vitaliy) though we're not lovers. I do say calling -ka not always means love and all. Just close relationship.

As I understand your language, you basically add -kun and -chan to men and women names to show some formality. Names without them are permitted between close friends. I think the same with -ka, but -ka is also caressing thing, not just a sign of friendship.

And can I recognize you basically call friends/familiar people with those nicknames originated from the basic name?

Yeah, they're not nicknames actually. Just a familiar "branch" of naming.