It is not surprising to get confused in Russian-language definitions. Some of the words were borrowed from foreign vocabulary, others were modified and/or acquired new interpretations depending on the region. And what is the result? Anyone can be called pockmarked: this is a chicken from a favorite children's fairy tale, and a girl with problem skin. The colorful concept causes sincere bewilderment among young people, because it is almost impossible to get to its original meaning, relying on modern dictionaries.
Not a notch, but a wave
Philologists were guided by a common Proto-Slavic root, and then compared adjacent terms from the languages of the Slavic group. Found quite a few values:
- spotted;
- variegated;
- flicker;
- ruffle.
This is clearly about the visual perception of the object. You look at a zebra, try to understand the flickering of leaves or watch small waves in a barrel, “pockmarked” is a universal characteristic for what you see, taking into account derivative forms. There is also a rejected version of the origin.
The hypothetical replacement of the letter in the root, the change from -rub- to -ripple, Vasmer considered erroneous and ill-founded. He is notrecognized the connection with the verb "cut". However, in parallel within the language there is an unusual concept. Did you know that "rowan" can be not only a tree? Other transcript:
- small indentation, gap;
- speck.
On the face and in the sea
Based on the collected information, the modern meaning of the word "pockmarked" was formed. Three cozy interpretations for all occasions, even if some cause a fair amount of experience for carriers:
- face with rash, pimples, potholes, rowan;
- color with contrasting spots;
- covered with small waves.
In relation to a person, they use the first meaning. Thus, they indicate the specifics of appearance associated with an illness or some kind of incident. It is not accepted to say that this one is pockmarked, and that one is burr. The definition sounds as incorrect as possible and is not used by polite people. Talking about a funny motley chicken, about an exotic animal with a spotted skin, or about the surface of a lake in a strong wind is another matter. The usual description without a hint of rudeness, albeit rustic.
In books and conversations
How appropriate would the expression be? The dictionaries do not contain notes about obsolescence or vernacular, but it is not easy to hear a capacious epithet on the streets of a 21st century city. Today, “pockmarked” is a “hello” from fiction. The inhabitant prefers synonyms "pimply, motley". And he builds phrases about reservoirs in such a way as to insert the noun “ripple”. Remember for purposesself-education will be useful!
