Awkward situations happen to everyone, so it’s important to be able to get out of the situation by saving face. When others start to get angry and keep themselves in control more and more difficult, etiquette comes to the rescue. It describes in detail what actions need to be taken, and the words to pronounce. Among the latter there is a "sorry". This is a universal concept, which, thanks to feature films and literature, has long become an international formula for a gallant apology. What does it mean, how did it appear and in what situations is it appropriate?
Request for clemency
There are two possible uses. As an independent word, "sorry" is an interjection, which is worth saying right after the incident. It is decrypted in two ways:
Culturally sensitive. So, a word can be colored in interrogative intonations or even sound threatening. Or it can serve as an original sign to attract attention instead of an apology. Often used in conjunction with a verb. You can "request sorry", which literally reads as "I apologize!" And this is logical: after all, adopting the meaning of a noun, the studied concept becomes a synonym for words:
- forgiveness;
- apology;
- mercy.
But if the classic "Sorry Madame!" sounds elegant, appropriate in a high society, the interpretation with "mercy" is considered colloquial in Russian. You can say this in the middle of a battle or before a duel, but in other cases, such behavior will become a demonstration of bad manners.
Paris footprint
Borrowing came in the time of fashion for everything French. Pardon sounded very exquisite, and in itself went back to the medieval Latin per- paired with donare:
Due to the long history of the term, it is not surprising that interpretations are little-known in Russia. In French Brittany, Pardon is a religious ceremony within the Catholic Church. And for the English, the word is closely connected with both secular and spiritual authority. His exact translation:
A symbolic concept that has changed the lives of prisoners and sinners over the centuries.
Modern use
Is it correct to apologize in Russian? There is a serious connection to a specific situation: consider the upbringing and education of the interlocutor. Although the traditional “sorry” is a request for forgiveness, the concept is often tinted with an ironic, playful intonation. There is nothing wrong with playful communication with a person you like, but during the conflict the opposing side may take this as a mockery. Watch out for words so as not to apologize again!