Encolpius
Senior Member
Praha
Hungarian
- Dec 11, 2009
- #1
Hello, I wonder if you used a special greeting during the Soviet Union era just like in Czechoslovakia or Hungary. Thanks.
E
estreets
Senior Member
Russian
- Dec 12, 2009
- #2
I don't exactly remember. Can you give any examples of such greetings in Czechoslovakia or Hungary?
C
cablino
Senior Member
Philadelphia
English (American)
- Dec 12, 2009
- #3
Maybe you can be more specific in what you are asking.
If I am understanding your question correctly:
Many people greeted each other with "Товарищ" which literally means comrade. If I am not mistaken, this was used to refer to friends often in greetings. This translate into English as "Hello friend" which is still of common usage. The usage of "Товарищ" is not popular anymore in Russia.
Awwal12
Senior Member
Moscow, the RF
Russian
- Dec 12, 2009
- #4
Many people greeted each other with "Товарищ" which literally means comrade. If I am not mistaken, this was used to refer to friends often in greetings. This translate into English as "Hello friend" which is still of common usage. The usage of "Товарищ" is not popular anymore in Russia.
1. "Товарищ" wouldn't do as a greeting ("hello friend") in any cases, only as an address.
2. This address was quite formal (="mister"), and used towards men.
Товарищ, вы забыли сумку. - Comrade, you've forgot the bag.
It is still used nowadays sometimes, - partly from force of habit, partly because "гражданин" (citizen) is a more formal address, and "господин" (mister) is the most formal one. "Товарищ" is a bit more neutral word (but, of course, still formal to sufficient degree). Of course, one can use more specific addresses ("молодой человек", "мужчина" etc.). "Товарищ" sounds kind of archaic.
3. The address "товарищ" could be used added to a surname in a formal context (just as "mister" in English). In this context, it also could be used when speaking about women or addressing to them.
Товарищ Петров вчера не был на партсобрании. - Comrade Petrov wasn't on a party meeting yesterday.
Товарищ Павлова! - Comrade Pavlova!
This use takes no place nowadays.
4. The addess "товарищ" is still used in Russian army (and in any other defence or law enforcement agency), being added to a military rank.
Товарищ капитан, сержант Иванов по вашему приказу прибыл. - Comrade captain, sergeant Ivanov has arrived by your order.
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Encolpius
Senior Member
Praha
Hungarian
- Dec 12, 2009
- #5
Yes, it really seems to me that no special greeting was used in the Soviet Union. In Czechoslovakia it could have been rather common, it was "Čest práci!" [Честь работе] and in Hungary "Freedom!", first I thought it was Soviet influence, but the Czech greeting has a Czech origin. I know товарищ, it was no greeting, in Czechoslovakia they use it like Tоварищ учитель/дпректор! I wonder if any communist greeting was used in other Comecon countries but I have to ask that somewhere else. 
S
Slavianophil
Senior Member
Russian
- Dec 12, 2009
- #6
I don't remember any special Communist greeting. As regards the word "товарищ" which was normally used as a very formal address, it could be applied to women as well as men.
Lorenc
Senior Member
Italy
Italian
- Dec 15, 2020
- #7
I'd like to resuscitate this thread to ask if there is any specific gesture associated with the Communist party.
In Italy the traditional communist greeting gesture was a raised closed fist.
Maroseika
Moderator
Moscow
Russian
- Dec 15, 2020
- #8
I think this is gesture called Рот Фронт, was in use here before the war but, scarcely long after.
But it was not just Communist gesture, but rather gesture of the international solidarity.
O
Olya34
Member
Russian
- Dec 15, 2020
- #9
In the Soviet Union there was a greeting gesture among young pioneers, so-called "pioneers salute", knuckle on their forehead, a modified form military salute. Adults (who were not in the army) didn't use it though.
Maroseika
Moderator
Moscow
Russian
- Dec 15, 2020
- #10
Olya34 said:
In the Soviet Union there was a greeting gesture among young pioneers,
May I make a minor correction? Not "young pioneers", but just pioneers (children in the age of 9-14 years).
Awwal12
Senior Member
Moscow, the RF
Russian
- Dec 15, 2020
- #11
Maroseika said:
May I make a minor correction? Not "young pioneers", but just pioneers (children in the age of 9-14 years).
Children in the age of 9 to 14 years who were members of the Pioneer movement (not all children were - although not being a member was becoming more and more uncommon as decades passed; in 1920s the membership meant a great deal, in 1980s it meant nearly nothing).
Anyway, the Young Pioneer salute was just a minimally changed military's salute.
Rosett
Senior Member
Russian
- Dec 15, 2020
- #12
Not as much as a common greeting, but between Communist Party of the Soviet Union it was widely accept to address each other like an equal (regardless of their ranks, like in German SS,) using second person singular forms which otherwise would be understood as if in casual terms only. Compare with «Борис, ты не прав!»
Such conversational style would modify other polite common greetings between Soviet communists in the same way.
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