In this article we will consider the origin and meaning of the phraseological unit "homemade truth". This expression is certainly not clear to everyone. In order to understand what this phrase nevertheless means, you must first understand what the word "sermyaga" means. Having de alt with the definition of this concept, you will immediately understand what meaning our phraseological unit contains.
What is a sermyaga
Sermyaga is a coarse woolen cloth that has not been dyed. From this material, the peasants sewed their outerwear. Rough fabric, simple cut - there was no aesthetic appearance in it. Clothes made of such material had an unsightly appearance.
However, like the whole life of poor peasants, which was as simple and plain as possible. Usually the word "homely" refers to everything poor, meager and destitute.
The psychological connotation of this word is usually negative and dismissive. In the same way, a person is characterizedwhich is called "skinny". In combination with such an epithet, this means that a person is not educated, without imagination, uncouth, rude, not tactful and “cuts the truth of the uterus”, without thinking about what might hurt or offend someone.
If we take the word "homely" in a generalized sense, then it means simplicity in all areas, without decorations and imagination.
True
What does homemade truth mean? We will consider the meaning of phraseologism a little later. To begin with, let's define what the truth is in general. Of course, there is only one truth. However, it can be presented in different words, coloring it with your subjective emotions and thus giving it a certain look, depending on whether we want to present certain events in a positive or negative light.
If the truth is bitter, we try to somehow reduce its destructive consequences, presenting negative events in a softening form, not finishing some things, looking for some positive aspects and highlighting them, maybe even exaggerating a little their influence. However, the truth can also be told rudely, without embellishing it with anything. Whether this is good or bad is hard to say. Probably, you need to look at each case and judge it depending on the situation.
Sandy truth. Expression value
What is the truth - everyone knows. What is the raw truth? This is the crude, simple, and unvarnished truth. Just as clothes made from sermyagi were not distinguished by sophistication and intricacy, so homespun truth does not have any frills.
In 1931, the novel "The Golden Calf" was published. In this novel, the expression "homemade truth" was first used. In general, this idiom occurs five times in the novel, three of which are with the epithet "great". When this expression is first used in the novel, Ostap Bender quite correctly understands its meaning and even supplements it with a synonymous series.
In those days, the phrase "cottage Rus" was very common. Perhaps our phraseology was created under his influence. The word "homely" very clearly characterized the rude, muzhik and uncomplicated nature of the people in Russia and the truth that existed in those days.
Similar expression in English
It is not only in Russian that the phraseological unit “homemade truth” is found. The same expression, or rather an idiom with a similar meaning, exists in English. It sounds like this - homespun truth. Literally translated, the adjective homespun means "simple, homespun", that is, almost the same as "homespun".
However, a slightly different meaning was put into the English interpretation of this concept. If in Russian the expression had a somewhat ironic form, then in the English version it has an extremely positive characteristic. In the English source, where this idiom was first recorded, the author condemned the vagueness and evasiveness of the language of politicians. In response, he countered them with honesty and directness.
Conclusion
Hard truth is a phraseological unit that can haveambiguous interpretation. Someone, using it, wants to emphasize that the truth that he speaks or hears from someone is true, steadfast and direct. And you can interpret this expression in another way. “Hands-on Truth” is a phraseological unit that was used in the novel “The Golden Calf” and had an ironic meaning. Naughtyness, in the sense in which it was used in Russia, is by no means a joyful definition of poverty, poverty, decline and scarcity that prevailed in those days.
The hard life of ordinary Russian peasants, the muzhik worldview, devoid of loftiness and poetic spiritual aspirations - all this paints "homely" in dull and negative tones. The homely truth in Russia is, rather, the bitter and unpleasant truth of the life of the people, who were deprived of almost all the joys of life and had to work hard in order to at least somehow provide for their miserable existence.
