In the works of many Russian classics of the XVIII century, the word "foreign land" often appears. Let's find out what it means, where it came from in Russian, and pick up possible synonyms and antonyms for this noun.
What is a "foreign land"?
According to the Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian language of Ushakov, this term means "foreign land".
In this sense, the word is used by Gogol, Pushkin, Leskov and other famous writers of the XVIII-XIX centuries.
The origin of the word "foreign land" is not reliably known. It was probably formed from the adjective “alien” or “alien”. In this case, one can trace its etymology down to the Proto-Slavic language.
In favor of this version is the fact that in other Slavic languages (formed from the same Proto-Slavic) the word "foreign land" is pronounced very similar to the Russian version. In Ukrainian - "stranger", in Belarusian - "stranger".
Synonyms and Antonyms
Having learned what a "foreign land" is, we consider synonyms and antonyms for this word.
As an alternative to the term, the phrase "alien land" is often used, less often - "foreign land". The noun “abroad” is a contextual synonym, as it can be used only in certain cases.
It is noteworthy that in modern Russian the term in question is rarely used. Instead, they often say "abroad" or "abroad." Perhaps this is due to a change in attitude towards other countries. If earlier they were "strangers", now they are perceived more loyally.
The noun itself is more often used when they want to stylize antique speech or emphasize a negative attitude towards another state. For example, in the movie "Love in the Big City", the main characters, discussing the origin of their problems, say: "Maybe this has repelled us from a foreign land?", Trying to connect what is happening with the fact of their residence in America.
In most cases, the words "homeland", "home" (in the meaning of "homeland") are used as antonyms. Sometimes the phrase "native country" appears as an antonym to "foreign land".