The younger generation is prone to exaggeration. Evaluation of any phenomenon, action or object often goes to extremes. And if an adult looks at the momentary problem with doubt and decides to return to it a little later, the teenager will certainly say that it's over. And what word does he use? Most likely, this is “kapets” or its synonyms. Behind the short expression lies a whole storm of emotions and disbelief in a positive outcome. But how did the slang word come about?
Mysterious origin
Some experts find a direct connection with the word "kopets". The difference is only one letter, but you can immediately go to the Belarusian, Polish and Czech counterparts. There is a similar term in Ukrainian. If you follow this version, then kapets is something related to death:
burial ground;
the embankment;
heap (of land).
As a result, the phrase "You kapets!" makes sense of a real threat or warning. There is also a parallel with the word “end”, distorted by rapprochement with vulgar euphemism for concepts:
catastrophe;
failure;
failure.
There are also original borrowing options from German and Latvian. In the first case, the meaning of “kapets” comes from a mixture of the Russian “end” and the German “kaput”, which mean practically the same thing. In the second, they point to the NKVD employees from Latvia, who became famous with the question “Why?”, Which is written in Latin as capec and pronounced accordingly.
Ambiguous spelling
You can choose absolutely any version. But what to do? Write in the root of "o" or "a"? Spoken Russian dictionaries record both spellings. Most often, the option “o” is found among residents of Belarus and Ukraine, while “This is a kapets!” like everyone else.
Exact decryption
It doesn't matter how close the word is to swearing, if it implies something trivial, harmless. And this is our case! When a child or student suddenly expresses negative emotions, do not rush to take up education. They only refer to one of three meanings:
The first interpretation is identical to the statement “Everything is bad, there is no way out!” and requires moral support. The following statement of a fait accompli, it remains only to deal with the consequences. The meaning of the concept demonstrates the speaker’s excitement, but does not indicate the direction of his emotions.
Everyday communication
For some, kapets is an introductory word to diversify speech. Others show them surprise or sincere empathy with their comrades. Still others use instead of or together with swear words. The meaning always depends on the context, so try to respond calmly if you suddenly hear a capacious exclamation!