A comrade is ... A sentence with the word "comrade". Appeal: Comrade, Citizen, Friend

The word "comrade" is one of the most frequently used nouns of the Russian language. However, in the last hundred years, a few additional ones have added to its main significance. What are they and what is the difference between the words "comrade", "friend" and "citizen"?

Origin of the word

In the vast expanses of Ancient Rus a noun "comrade" appeared for a long time. This name originated from the Turkic word tavar, which translates "goods" (sometimes cattle or other property).

It is believed that initially comrades called merchants specializing in trading one kind of goods. However, why later the etymology has undergone such drastic changes - it is not known.

There is also a female form in the word "comrade" - this is a "product". In the XIX century. It was actively used in speech. However, in the modern language this noun is practically not applied.

The traditional meaning of the word "comrade"

Long before the revolution of 1917, comrades were called people united by some common occupation or working on one thing.

This word was applicable to persons studying together, traveling or fighting. In connection with this, the ironical idiom "comrade in misfortune" is quite common.

Despite the fact that in connection with the events of 1917 this word acquired a somewhat different meaning, today it is again used in its traditional meaning.

Friend and friend: what's the difference

Both of these nouns are synonymous, but there is a very significant difference between them.

Friends are people who are related by close relationships, built on sympathy, mutual understanding, disinterestedness and trust. Often they live near or study, sometimes they work. However, these factors are not fundamental, because sometimes real friends live not only in different cities, but also on separate continents.

For friendship, there is no need for any physical or social community, while the concept of partnership provides for it. Even the best workmate can often not be a friend. And not because he has some bad qualities, but because of a lack of spiritual intimacy, despite the common cause.

In fact, the reasons for the emergence of friendship, like love, are inexplicable. And friends are often people of completely different social strata (in the Bible, for example, describes the friendship of the son of King Saul and the shepherd David).

There are often cases when, working with a person, you draw near to him, and he becomes like a friend-friend. Whether relationships have reached this level can be determined with the help of simple care on vacation. If during the "separation" period people continue to call up, correspond and even spend time together - it means that they are united not only by companionship. By the way, Pushkin's expression "from doing nothing friends" refers more to the concept of camaraderie.

Another indicator of the difference between these concepts is the presence in the noun of a "friend" of their own synonyms, which are not applicable to the term "comrade". It's a "twin brother" and a "panibrate". In addition, in the early nineties the name "bromance" (from the English brother romance) was coined to designate close non-sexual friendships.

Who were called comrades in the Soviet times?

With the coming to power of Communists and a change in the political order in the Russian Empire, such appeals as "mister / mistress", "sir / madame", "your honor", "your lordship" and others were abolished.

In order to emphasize universal equality not only in social status, but also in terms of gender, an appeal was made to all "comrade".

The history of this value

The tradition of using this word as an appeal arose after the Great French Revolution. After the overthrow of the monarchy and the treatment of France in the republic, it became necessary to use a general appeal to all citizens in order to emphasize their equality. Originally, this word was "citizen" (citoyen), but it seemed not enough "revolutionary" and in 1790 was replaced by camarade (comrade).

With the light hand of the French, the word became popular in anti-monarchist circles. Thus, the majority of anarchist, communist, socialist and even social-democratic organizations of the XIX century. Began to use it as an appeal between its members.

After the Communists came to power in the Russian Empire, it acquired an official status. By the way, in fascist Germany in the course there was a similar treatment Parteigenosse (party comrade).

After the collapse of the USSR in the CIS countries, the appeal "comrade" was gradually abolished. In Russia today, instead of it, a "citizen" or "gentleman" is used; And in Ukraine - "Gromadyanin", "Pan".

Citizen, comrade: the difference

Although after the French and October revolutions in France and Russia the appeals of "citizen" and "comrade" have become practically synonymous, there is a significant difference between them. So, every citizen can be a friend, but not every fellow citizen.

The fact is that citizens are people who permanently reside in the territory of a certain state, who have the right to use all its benefits and are obliged to perform all the functions assigned to them by law. No comrade has such privileges, because he can be a citizen of another country.

These values became close to each other at the beginning of the 20th century. Because they were in the process of being an official appeal to the USSR. At the same time, the "comrade" was a universal appeal to both men and women, while the noun "citizen" had a feminine gender - "citizen".

Who is the "friend" of the military

As a rudiment, this word has been preserved by the military of many CIS countries. Thus, in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, the noun "comrade" is used as a mandatory official address between servicemen of all ranks. According to the charter, it is always added before the military rank - "Comrade Major".

Who are called comrades

In addition to the two main meanings, this term had many others.

In the Russian Empire before the revolution, comrades were called deputy or assistant officials. This is also the name of the participants of some commercial enterprise - a partnership.

Ukrainian Cossacks in the XVII-XVIII centuries. Used the title of "army comrade", which was akin to the rank of "cornet". There was also another title - a "bunchuk comrade", whom the hetmans honored the sons of the sergeant-major and the colonels. By the way, after the destruction of Zaporozhskaya Sich the descendants of bunchuk comrades received a noble rank in the Russian Empire.

In Poland, in olden times, comrades were called prosperous noblemen, who bought for their money uniforms for their retinue, consisting of impoverished nobles. Also this word was the name of the rank (ensign).

Along with the nouns, there are several own nouns with this name. For example, the four-masted bark Lauriston, renamed the Soviet Union in "Tovarishch." This ship was destroyed in 1943. Later, in honor of him, the German three-masted barge Gorch Fock, which was inherited after the war of the USSR, was named.

The name Tovarich wears the play of American playwright Robert Sherwood, written in 1935. Two years after the publication, she was filmed.

In 1970 the composer O. Ivanov wrote the song "Tovarishch" ("I fill the song with the wind with the wind about how the comrade went to war ...") against the words of A. Prokofiev.

The most famous examples with the word "comrade"

In addition to the trivial sentences with this noun ("I'm a friend from the institute today went to the cinema together"), there are some who have long turned into winged phrases. For example, a quote from the program of the Communist Party of the USSR: "Man to man - a friend, comrade and brother."

As for the use of this term in the form of an appeal, here are a few other examples. In honor of the legendary hero of the film "Caucasian Captive" was named restaurant on the Dnieper - "Comrade Saakhov."

Not a single sentence with the word "comrade" met in Soviet times on various propaganda posters. In the picture below you can see an example of one of them.

Speaking on this topic, we can not fail to mention the cult offer with the word "comrade" of the authorship of VI Lenin, which today has acquired a satirical meaning.

The word itself has always had a positive meaning in all centuries, but due to excessive speculation in the days of the USSR today it causes people very unpleasant associations. Will it change, time will tell.