Thread: any analogy to "закаляться"?

hi, everyone,

is there any equivalent to the russian word "закаляться" (холодной водой) in English?
the closest I found was "harden", but that is more about spirit, right?

any clue?

(impf закаляться свов возв to toughen

Collins Russian Dictionary 82 (2003)

toughen (v) Synonyms: strengthen, harden, build up, reinforce, fortify, beef up, firm up, shore up

Encarta(R) World English Dictionary [North American Edition] (2006) http://encarta.msn.com/thesaurus_/toughen.html

While both "harden" and "toughen" can mean as you say, they also mean:

harden . . . 1. transitive and intransitive verb become or make hard: to become hard, firm, or solid, or make something do this
- The glue hardened overnight.

Encarta(R) World English Dictionary [North American Edition] (2006) http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/harden.html

toughen . . . transitive and intransitive verb . . . 3. make or become tougher: to become less easy to cut or chew or less liable to wear or damage, or make something so

Encarta(R) World English Dictionary [North American Edition] (2006) http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/toughen.html

Thanks for the detailed options of this word, but none of them conveys the meaning I am looking for - to make the body resistant to the sickness by regularly exposing it to changes of temperatures, such as cold water and cold air.

Originally Posted by ostrov

Thanks for the detailed options of this word, but none of them conveys the meaning I am looking for - to make the body resistant to the sickness by regularly exposing it to changes of temperatures, such as cold water and cold air.

well, why didn't you explain it like that earlier?

The right translation could be to harden or to toughen, you can use them synonymously

To harden the body / To toughen [up] the body

Originally Posted by ostrov

Thanks for the detailed options of this word, but none of them conveys the meaning I am looking for - to make the body resistant to the sickness by regularly exposing it to changes of temperatures, such as cold water and cold air.

This procedure is not part of the Western culture so you won't be able to convey the meaning with a single verb. Nobody will know what you mean exactly, although they may get a general idea. However, I am sure they will be thinking of some sort of excercises before anything else.

Originally Posted by MikeM

Originally Posted by ostrov

Thanks for the detailed options of this word, but none of them conveys the meaning I am looking for - to make the body resistant to the sickness by regularly exposing it to changes of temperatures, such as cold water and cold air.

This procedure is not part of the Western culture so you won't be able to convey the meaning with a single verb. Nobody will know what you mean exactly, although they may get a general idea. However, I am sure they will be thinking of some sort of excercises before anything else.

Mike - it is, if you count Scandinavia as being "western"
The idea that children and - especially - babies in their prams, should be taken outside regularly in the winter, to get the advantage of the cold, clear air - to toughen them up, to make their health stronger - is still very much alive.

I think you have found the right words. Maybe these quotes will help:

7. Build a strong immune system in summer, before the cold, wet season starts. Daily swimming in cold water or short cold showers following a hot shower are excellent to build up resistance to bacteria and viruses.
8. Mild walking every day in fresh air for twenty minutes can help shorten the duration of the cold by strengthening the body's resistance.

Common Sense Remedies for Cough http://www.holistic-online.com/Remedies ... -cough.htm

Humanity learned long time ago about the tremendous possibilities of the three natural doctors: sun, air and water. They give you health and strength. Just like steel is tempered, so are our bodies hardened with these three elements. . . . "Russians can withstand extraordinary hot steam. They lie down on the benches and request others to whip and rub bodies with a warmed-up whisk made of oak tree twigs. In winter they jump into the snow,rub their bodies with it and then again get back into the banya. Such dramatic temperature change hardens their bodies."

Boutenko,Igor, "RUSSIAN BANYA (STEAM BATH)" http://www.living-foods.com/articles/banya.html

When I think of hardening our toughening up of somebody, a painful and extremely unpleasant process comes to mind. I think perhaps a more appropriate phrase would be "Build a tolerance".

Especially when talking about temperature, I never hear people use either "Hard" or "Tough". I think its more natural to say "He has a tolerance to cold weather" or "He has built up a tolerance to cold weather". The phrase "He's hardened to the cold weather" doesn't really sound right to me.

Well exposing your body to cold water is considered an unpleasant process to most people...

so the Russian "закалка" doesn't include exercise, but rather exposing onself to harsh/uncomfortable conditions to build physical/mental toughness? Would the training of U.S. navy SEALS or Russian special forces be закалка?

2 Kalinka:

True. It just seemed like 'Tolerance' worked better here. Just my opinion though.

the question is settled.

Originally Posted by ostrov

Thanks for the detailed options of this word, but none of them conveys the meaning I am looking for - to make the body resistant to the sickness by regularly exposing it to changes of temperatures, such as cold water and cold air.

In that case, I think you're looking for : "to harden/toughen against"

This is exactly the same... It can also be used in terms of emotion, like "He's hardened himself against feeling anything anymore."

Can it be used this way in Russian too?

Oh, right-

The best would be to say: "to build up a/your tolerance (to smth.)"

"After a while, you build up a tolerance to it."