A Collection of Trivia: Russia

Siberia is Not Just Snow

Siberia is not only snow and tundra. It's true, that the impressive flat icy tundra that beckons banishment does exist. However, Siberia has large evergreen woodlands known as taiga (the same type of forest covering parts of Canada). This forest makes up a very large part. There are also large grasslands known as steppes.

The Tooth Fairy is a Mouse?

Instead of a tooth fairy, Russia has a tooth mouse. Once a baby tooth falls out, the child throws the tooth under the bed before sleep time. They ask aloud for a mouse to bring them a new tooth. Many would prefer money rather than a peeing rodent, but to each their own.

Diversity

There are 120 different nationalities living in Russia with 80 different languages between them. However, it is a minority that makes up the non-Russian speaking population. They are only up about 19% of the country. Of other languages, the most common is Tartar followed by Ukrainian and Chuvash.

Naming Conventions

Women and girls add an "a" to the end of their last names. This would mean that the famous Tennis player Maria Sharapova has the family name of Sharapov. The "a" is added to show her gender.

Also, everyone has three versions of their first name. Adults will call children by a nickname and children refer to adults by a patronymic name. A patronymic name consists of the full first name plus the name of the person's father with an appropriate gender related ending. Women use a female ending (ovna or evna) and men use a masculine ending (ovich or evich).

According to the book Russian Girl the name Olga would have the nickname Olya. If her father's name was Vladimir then her patronymic name would be Olga Vladimirovna.

Russian Celebrate a Birthday Twice

That's right, Russians get two birthdays. One occurs on the day of their birth and the other on the saint day that they are named after. There are over thirty saints.

Sources:

"Russian Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette" accessed June 2011

Kendall, Russ Russian Girl: Life in an old Russian Town Scholastic New York, 1994.

Park, Ted Taking Your Camera to Russia Steck-Vaughn Company Austin, TX, 2001.