Jacqueline Lehrer
asked
Katherine Arden:
i really enjoyed the bear and the nightingale but i have a question for you or anyone familiar enough with Russian. how is Olya a nickname for Olga? its the same name except one letter is changed so it isnt even a diminutive....
Katherine Arden
Well, recall that it is a Russian name.
Olya = Оля in Russian while Olga = Ольга
A diminuitive doesn't necessarily make a name shorter, it indicates closeness or affection between speaker and listener. The ya (я) in this case is a diminuitive that has the effect of softening the name, affectionately.
We do the same thing in English. For example Mike --> Mikey. Mikey is longer, but it is still a diminuitive ending because it has the effect of infantilizing the person addressed. Or Liz --> Lizzie, etc.
Olya = Оля in Russian while Olga = Ольга
A diminuitive doesn't necessarily make a name shorter, it indicates closeness or affection between speaker and listener. The ya (я) in this case is a diminuitive that has the effect of softening the name, affectionately.
We do the same thing in English. For example Mike --> Mikey. Mikey is longer, but it is still a diminuitive ending because it has the effect of infantilizing the person addressed. Or Liz --> Lizzie, etc.
More Answered Questions
Judy Nappa
asked
Katherine Arden:
Katherine, would you ever consider doing a book or two on Vasya by the lake? After reading the Winternight Trilogy, it would be wonderful to read more about her abilities and her history as well as her helping her niece to develop her sight... This trilogy was an amazing read - thank you for many hours of enjoyment.
Olga
asked
Katherine Arden:
Love all your sources! How about a sort of predecessor in the fantasy genre based on Russian folklore https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7973.Enchantment? Thank you so much for Vasilissa! And great poetic language., I also enjoyed your bringing obscure real historic figures into the fantasy world (Dmitry Donskoy,, Ivan Kalita, Sergyi Radonezhsky etc,) Thank you!
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