The origin, interpretation and meaning of the word "scoundrel"

Russian speech, like the language of any people, is a living, ever-evolving instrument of human communication. Instead of obsolete terms, modern analogues come, some words change their meaning to the opposite, other lexical units remain unchanged for centuries. For example, the word "scoundrel", once sounded quite innocuous, gradually turned into a hard-hitting curse.

Foreign borrowing

The meaning of the word "scoundrel" did not initially have a negative connotation. So they called people of an ignorant clan, commoners. The word that came to us from the Polish language, and in Russian speech was used against people of low birth.

Also the phrase "vile people" was used to refer to urban or rural population subject to taxation. This group included merchants, small artisans, wage earners, that is, people who are free, but do not belong to a noble or boyar nobility.

Speech Transformation

Over time, the meaning of the word "scoundrel" has changed somewhat and has become synonymous with "low" and "low" definitions. For example, in Griboyedov's play "Woe from Wit" Sophia turns to Molchalin, kneeling in front of her: "Well, what are you doing? Do not be podsmachat! "That is, it means" you do not need to humiliate yourself. "

By the middle of the XIX century the meaning of the word "scoundrel" is already acquiring a slight insulting color. Among the Russian liberal intelligentsia, this term is applied to people who are at a lower level of the social ladder. After the October Revolution, when the division into poor and rich, noble and commoners has lost its relevance, the word finally turns into an abusive word. This is the name of a person convicted of unseemly acts, possessing low moral qualities, a traitor, a traitor.

The meaning of the word "scoundrel" Ozhegov's dictionary, released in 1949, already explains without reference to the original meaning. The relevant article explicitly states that a scoundrel is none other than a mean man and a scoundrel. It is interesting that here is a variation of this word in the female gender with the note "prostoretchnoe", that is, the lady doing bad deeds in the people is called "podlyachka."

Legend of scoundrels and scoundrels

There is an alternative version that defines the meaning of the word "scoundrel". Ostensibly in ancient Russia, it was customary to betray criminals to executions, pouring cold water in a fierce frost.

And the person tied to the pillar was poured slowly, layer by layer, until it turned into an icy statue. The executioner who carried out the sentence, that is, poured water, was called a scoundrel, and the attacker, frozen as a result of such actions, was accordingly called a scoundrel.