Remember the famous quote from the beloved "Ivan", who changes his profession: "You almost upset the noble lady, filthy peasant?" "Oh, you tramp, mortal pimple, filthy peasant!"?We are laughing together over a bewildered Yakin (Michael Pugovkina), admire the Terrible (Yuri Yakovlev), but when we undertake to re-read Bulgakov's immortal comedy, pay attention to the wonderful language, to whom work is written.
stinks stinks strife
modern reader, quickly forget the lessons of this school subject such as history, certainly not immediately say what the serf, or rather who it is.But the curious, of course, it will be interesting to find out that in this way the people were called the Old Russian state, with the exception of the nobility (boyars) and the clergy.Ieunder this concept implies a trading people, merchants and artisans, roving clowns and citizens, as well as peasants.So what is the serf?This commoner, plebeian origin of man.However, over time, the word takes on a different semantics.
peasant question
Now some clarification.The peasants in Russia were once free husbandmen.Then, as enslavement, they were divided into three categories: "People", "slaves", "smerdy.""People" refers to non-owners boyars citizens of low birth.As the "Russian Truth" (a legal document Test XI-XVI centuries), if someone kills a free man and is caught, he must pay a fine of 40 hryvnia.And what is a serf, if his life was worth no more than the life of a servant (slave) - 5 hryvnia?Also, it turns out, a slave.Whose?Prince, that is,Boyar.
The category of serfs gradually applies to the free peasant farmers who enslaves as social stratification and rising land of the landlords.This meaning is typical for the time of Kievan Rus.
stinks "in Novgorod»
Novgorod Republic was a special territory.And there are rules for their act.What is a serf under local law?This farmer, depending on the state, not by the private owner.Next in this category began to carry all of the peasants.In Russia it is tillers are the largest category of citizens.The government gave them land holdings, for which smerdy paid into the treasury taxes and princes - duty "in kind": food, cloth, wildlife home, and so on. D. To live such peasants had in the villages (from the word "sat", ie.e. "Settlement").Around the XV century, the term "smerdy" is replaced by "peasants".Since the army recruited from the common people, in the days of Ivan the Terrible and later such words were called servicemen people.
The documents (orders, messages, letters, petitions) at the time it is officially accepted form when applying to the king's soldiers.After a few centuries of the concept of "serf" turned into contempt, almost a swear designation of serfs and commoners.Incidentally, during the princely strife it was specific, then out-of use of the word "osmerdit": subjects to capture the captive prince enemy.
And more about the etymology and word usage
If we talk about the origin of words, it refers to the Indo-European language group.Lexical transformation we have reviewed.It remains to say more about the Incremental semantic values obtained in the process of consumption.From the word "serf" formed the verb "to stink," ie,"Stink".The fact that the huts inhabited by poor peasants and slaves, serfs, small window dragged bullish bubble, do not leak air.They were heated oven "in the black" smoke just coming out of the premises, all prokurivaya through.A late autumn, winter and early spring, along with people in the huts and kept poultry to cattle.It is understood that the "flavor" smerd could smell a mile away.Therefore, over time, the word "serf" instead of "land" came to mean a dirty, unkempt, stinking man.Modern synonym - "homeless."
