One of the most difficult sections in learning a language is phraseology. Understanding fixed expressions is not easy. To do this, you need to look deep into the past. Know the customs, rituals of the people speaking the language being studied. If you ignore stable phrases as such, then you can get into an absurd situation, since it is simply impossible to guess the meaning of many of them.
Meaning
The meaning of "Don't drink water from your face" has been rethought. The words: “water”, “drink”, “face” in the usual sense for us do not have any meaning in this phrase. The meaning of the phraseological unit “Do not drink water from the face” is to accept a person not by the beauty of the face. The proverb is easier to understand if you turn to history. In Russia, for a long time there was a rite - to marry young people by agreement of their parents. Until the wedding, the bride and groom were not supposed to see each other. This caused a lot of concern about the appearance of the future spouse. For parents it waswhat is important is mainly the material we alth of the new family, so with the help of this phrase they consoled the intractable child. In addition, young people with unattractive appearance or physical disabilities were given a chance at family life.
Gradually the custom to decide for children their future disappeared, but the idiom remained. Its meaning remains the same. It denotes material gain in marriage. If a person is we althy, his appearance fades into the background. But in the meaning of “Do not drink water from the face”, another concept appeared - to value human dignity above the beauty of appearance. In the end, you can put up with shortcomings and even not notice them at all if a person has good spiritual qualities.
Origin story
The appearance of a phraseologism is presumably connected with another rite - the rite of tea drinking. In Russia, the tea ceremony was accompanied by an abundance of treats and could drag on for several hours. The guests were seated in the best places, under the icons. For the tea ceremony, they used beautiful, and most importantly, whole dishes (without chipped edges and cracks). This custom showed the generosity and breadth of the Russian soul. The meaning of the proverb “Do not drink water from your face” is not to see the flaws in a person’s appearance. You can’t drink tea from bad dishes, but you can accept a person, no matter what he is. Everyone has both advantages and disadvantages.
Why exactly water, because there were many other drinks in Russia? Most likely, the word “water” has grown to the phrase due to the fact that it is transparent,any flaw is clearly visible through it.
Equivalents, synonyms, antonyms
Many proverbs and sayings have equivalents. This is natural, because the origin of many of them dates back to the pre-literate period. People remembered the main meaning, and individual words or grammar could well be changed. This phrase is no exception. Any combination of words included in this phrase should be understood in relation to the basic meaning of “Do not drink water from your face.”
In addition, this proverb can have synonyms (expressions similar in their lexical meaning, but different in sound and spelling). They can be found in the collection "Proverbs of the Russian people", compiled by V. I. Dahl. He gives synonyms of this proverb in the section "Essence-appearance". So, the meaning of the phraseological unit “Do not drink water from your face” can be revealed using other set expressions:
- Not tel, but divided.
- Not pretty, but fit.
In the same collection, you can also pick up antonyms, that is, expressions with the opposite meaning.
Using a proverb
The presence of a large number of synonyms and antonyms indicates the prevalence of the use of the phrase we are considering. Most often it is used when talking about the chosen one or the chosen one, about family life. Sometimes the meaning "Do not drink water from your face" is comic. For example, when a person is too obsessed with the shortcomings of a partner.
The expression is often found in works of literature that tell about the traditions and customs of the Russian people. It can bemeet in the works of N. A. Nekrasov, N. S. Leskov and many other writers of Russian classics.
The use of set expressions in speech makes it more figurative and original. These phrases help to understand the situation without lengthy explanations, which is why they are so loved not only by the authors of the classics, but also by journalism.
