To study take an expression that we often used in speech, understand its meaning, but where it came from, hardly anyone knows.Unless a person specifically asked this question, or he is not an expert in the field of linguistics.
«sly."Meaning phraseologism in Russian
When we want to say about someone that he is acting stealthily, imperceptibly penetrates somewhere, doing the work slowly, but firmly, that we use in speech expression "acting on the sly."
most commonly used in combination sustained when the person is given a negative response, points to his penchant for activities that are not desirable to others.But despite this, he makes them secretly, against the will of others.
So what kind of Sapa in question in phraseologism?And why is it quiet?Let's try to find answers to these questions by referring to the information available from various sources.
meaning of the word "sapa»
In Russian, there are several meanings of the word "sapa".
Firstly, it is the name of the fish kind of dace.In German, the word means a similar kind of carp.
Secondly, in French "sapa" means hoe, pick - a tool to perform excavation work.
third meaning of the word comes from Italian to French, and then in the Russian language.And it is closely related to the second value.Sapa is called a trench or a trench.The word stuck in military terminology.And it is not by accident.His birth of the word obliged soldiers to besiege the medieval castles.They were the first to use the sly to get into the enemy fortress.
In some areas called sly snake.This is the fourth meaning of the word.
What explanation choose?
from four meanings of the word "Sapa" to choose the one that most closely approach to the disclosure of the meaning of sustainable combination of "quiet glanders."
At first glance it may seem that fit very well the name of fish or snake.After all, they are able to move silently, are hidden from the human way of life.
But studies by linguists have shown that the expression "quiet Sapa" has nothing to do with these values, and is directly related to the second and third.
Background
in military practice XVI-XIX centuries used special way of laying tunnels, trenches, saps.It was called "quiet glanders."Reversible Sapa - another name for the same type of engineering structures.I must say that the rocker (quiet) glanders was used during the Great Patriotic War.
sly works were hidden from the enemy, without leaving the surface.The work was very hard, but the result is to win the battle because of the tunnel can be laid sneak behind enemy lines and destroy its strongholds.
after the invention of gunpowder quiet glanders was used to lay the bomb under the foundations of buildings or any other facilities.Sly became engaged in special people, who were called sappers.
Also quiet sap military engineers used bat glanders.I rummaged trench on the surface, but under the guise of the enemy.It is set in advance and constructed from the ground with the bags, barrels and other available tools.
When digging tunnels used by a large number of soldiers, though the work was hard, but not so exhausting.The final result could be obtained relatively quickly.
group or a small number of quiet glanders did fly slowly, passing the same area several times.
decision to use quiet sap military commanders are rarely taken due to the complexity of work.It was used only in cases when no other way to break the resistance of the enemy was not.
use of the expression in the modern language
So, initially about who is so quiet glanders, was known only to the military.The term was used only in the literal sense.That is, if you say "engaged in the sly," it is meant that a man digging a tunnel, making a secret tunnel.Other values do not exist.
happened to be traveling in different languages and countries, the term got popularized civilians.Here it has acquired a figurative meaning, and its direct meaning is gradually forgotten.
uses the expression most often in the reprehensible sense.It acts on the sly - that is, plotting, plotting, preparing a "tunnel."The people around the time are not aware of such a person's behavior and are unaware of the truth of his intentions.
In Russian idioms are used as stable indivisible lexical units.Their value is the sum of the meaning of the words that make them.But study the history of the emergence of resistant combination can be very helpful.Thus we are introduced to the history of the nations, reveals the mystery of the word.
