Folk wisdom has been passed down from generation to generation with the help of proverbs and sayings for many centuries. And although today this part of Russian folklore has lost its former popularity, it has not been completely forgotten. It often happens that using any established expressions, we do not even suspect that they are proverbs. However, many proverbs and sayings have come down to us modified: some of them have lost their ending. Such a fate befell the continuation of the proverb "two pair of boots." Let's remember how it sounded in its original form, and also see if this fact influenced the meaning that was invested in the saying by our ancestors.
Origin of the proverb
First of all, it should be noted that this proverb is not entirely Russian in origin. The word "pair" in it comes from the Latin par, meaning "equal". Knowing this fact, one can guess the meaning of the saying.
Linguists express two versions of the originphraseologism. According to the first version, this phrase appeared from the professional activities of shoemakers. Previously, shoes for both the right and left feet were sewn exactly the same, without any differences (this is how felt boots are still sewn). This is where the expression "two pair of boots" came from.
According to another version, this phraseological unit owes its origin to the girls who prepared the dowry. Previously, the "property" of the bride must have been a pair of felt boots made by the girl herself. And since in Russia felt boots were also considered boots (V. I. Dal defines felt boots as boots or shoes made of wool), this is where the second version of the origin of the saying “two pair of boots” follows.
How does the proverb end?
There are many versions. Some on the Web claim that there are several continuations of the proverb "two boots - a pair". The most common option is “both left”, as well as its modifications (“both are worn on the left leg”, etc.). More inquisitive users found a variant of the proverb in which the beginning was cut off: "A goose and a loon - two pair of boots" (there is a version of "a sandpiper and a loon"). There is even a version of "two boots - felt boots", but all this information is erroneous.
True continuation of the proverb "two pair of boots"
The Internet as a source of information is a wonderful thing, although it has one significant drawback. Intelligence,which are placed on the World Wide Web do not always correspond to reality. So it happened with the continuation of the proverb "two pair of boots".
If you turn to the most famous collector of Russian folklore - Vladimir Ivanovich Dal, out of interest to look into his book "Proverbs and sayings of the Russian people", you can find a lot of interesting things. So, for example, the end of folk wisdom: "A hen pecks grain by grain," according to the lists of "complete" sayings and proverbs that have recently circulated, are the words "yes, the whole yard is in litter." However, in the dictionary V. I. Dahl has a completely different ending. In fact, the full version of this folk aphorism sounds completely different: "A hen pecks grain by grain, but lives well".
And the phrase: "Whoever remembers the old, the eye is out", unlike modern lists, there is no continuation at all. This is the full version of the saying. True, there is another version of the proverb, which sounds: "Whoever remembers the old, the devil will pull him to reprisal."
How does the proverb "two pair of boots" end? According to Dahl's collection of Russian folklore, this folk aphorism has no ending at all. But the proverb has a beginning lost in time: "Odd and odd is the same even. Two pair of boots."
Meaning of the proverb "two pair of boots"
You can guess the meaning of this popular expression if you know that in the old days boots were opposed to bast shoes. bootsused to be worn only by we althy people and dandies who wanted to be considered rich. Hence the ironic coloring of the word "boots" appeared. This is confirmed by such sayings as "boots with a creak, but porridge without butter", as well as "do not judge in bast shoes, boots in a sleigh" (says the one entering the hut).
The generally accepted meaning of the proverb two pair of boots - "suitable for each other." Most often, this phraseological unit is used with irony, indicating the similarity of people in negative qualities. This meaning is especially clearly manifested in the modern full version of the proverb: "Two pair of boots, but both are left."
Similarly, with the beginning of the saying: "Odd and odd is the same even." V. I. Dahl explains the word "odd" as unpaired. And the word "even" (it's a couple) for the same Dahl is equivalent to the word "pair". That is, the phrase "odd with odd the same even" using more understandable words will sound - "unpaired with unpaired the same pair".
Similar in meaning proverbs and sayings
A huge number of phraseological units have a similar semantic meaning with the proverb "two pair of boots":
- "One field of berries".
- "As if they were hewn out of one block".
- "Everything is on the same block".
- "Both two, neither is good".
- "Smeared with one world".
- "Shit with one bark".
- "Birds of the same flight".
- "Like two drops of water".
- "Same suit".
These are just some of them.
