Besame without Mucho
English POSITIVE is used as a slang word with the stress at the end POSITI’VE. Sounds sophisticated when you hear it in the Russian context. Perestroika demolished the wall between West and East, and English words flooded the Russian daily language. To hear Russians saying “wow” is something else! It is a recent thing.
Some Russians say BESAME for kissing
and, if they get sarcastic in their descriptions of a certain relationship, they comment, BESAME WITHOUT MUCHO.”
I began to notice in my conversations with American couples how the answer rarely came out of the man’s mouth, but usually from another side of the room.
Once I asked one of my leaders, “Charlie, what do you think about our strategy?”
Then I see Charley’s lips not moving, but the answer comes from another corner of the room in a clear female voice.
“Charlie thinks….”
Another similarity with Russian culture. How many silent men I met in my country?
No wonder BESAME comes without MUCHO.
I began to notice in my conversations with American couples how the answer rarely came out of the man’s mouth, but usually from another side of the room.
Once I asked one of my leaders, “Charlie, what do you think about our strategy?”
Then I see Charley’s lips not moving, but the answer comes from another corner of the room in a clear female voice.
“Charlie thinks….”
Another similarity with Russian culture. How many silent men I met in my country?
No wonder BESAME comes without MUCHO.
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