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Грамота

Posted: Mar 10th, 15, 11:42
by calzzetin
Привет всем!

I have come across a póster with his message:
Если книг читать не будешь,
скоро громоту забудешь.

I've looked up in a dictionary "грамота" and the translation is "reading and writing". This doesn't help much. What's грамота exactly? Is there a English word to translate or maybe there's no English equivalent?

Re: Грамота

Posted: Mar 10th, 15, 19:52
by Annasjena
Hello!
yes, "грамота" is the basics of the reading and writing skills, i.e. letters, grammar rules, etc...I think it's the source of the literacy. In Russian: literacy - грамотность, грамота - basics of that...sorry, I don't the exact word in English

Re: Грамота

Posted: Mar 11th, 15, 00:36
by Taras
The original of your message is

Если книг читать не будешь,
скоро грамоту забудешь.

According to http://slovarozhegova.ru/word.php?wordid=5653, 'грамота' has two meanings. The first meaning is the ability to read and write (умение читать и писать). Looking at http://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.c ... q=literacy, one can find out that this meaning of 'грамота' is literacy exactly. However, there are expressions like 'знать грамоту', 'учить грамоту', 'забыть грамоту', and in these expressions 'грамота' cannot be replaced with 'умение читать и писать' since we don't say 'знать умение', 'учить умение', 'забыть умение'. That's why in my opinion 'грамота' is the set of the rules of reading and writing in a language, i.e. 'грамота' is grammar. Saying 'грамота', we usually consider the Russian language but one may say

Тебе было сложно учить итальянскую грамоту? - Was it difficult for you to learn the Italian grammar?

It is also worth mentioning that 'грамота' is an old-fashioned word in its first meaning. Now instead of 'грамота' people usually say 'грамматика'. So in Ozhegov's opinion 'грамота' is literacy, in my opinion 'грамота' is grammar.

The situation with the second meaning of 'грамота' is much simplier. Usually it's just a diploma. and it might also be an official document, like in collocations 'верительная грамота', 'патентная грамота'.

Re: Грамота

Posted: Mar 11th, 15, 11:12
by calzzetin
Thanks a lot Annasjena and Taras for your answers. Now everything is clear about the possible meaning of this word.

Now I have lots to learn because Учить русскую грамоту действительно сложно!

Re: Грамота

Posted: Mar 11th, 15, 12:03
by Annasjena
Have a good luck, calzzetin! Учить русскую грамоту сложно , но У ТЕБЯ ОТЛИЧНО ПОЛУЧАЕТСЯ! )))

Re: Грамота

Posted: Mar 14th, 15, 13:09
by calzzetin
Не знаю, не знаю... но я стараюсь!

Re: Грамота

Posted: Mar 15th, 15, 12:50
by Annasjena
calzzetin wrote:Не знаю, не знаю... но я стараюсь!


Главное - верить в себя! :D