Citations:vranyo

English citations of vranyo

Mentions

• 2000, Jacques Tocatlian, Around the World in 80 Missions:

  He proceeded to say that vranyo was untranslatable. [...] When using vranyo, Russians know that they are fibbing and expect their audience to understand that.

• 1989, Raymond F. Smith, Negotiating with the Soviets, page 41:

  The distinction between vranyo and lozh can be subtle, but it is important. Vranyo in its pure form is an art, an exercise in imagination, a tall tale told for the joy of it, not in an effort to gain advantage at the expense of the listener.

• 1996 April 19, Charles Trew <db559@FreeNet.Carleton.CA>, “Re: What makes the Ukrainians like their own children for breakfast?”, in alt.current-events.russia‎^[1] (Usenet):

  No one could be such an idiot on purpose, you're clearly spreading disinformation in classic, Soviet style. The appropriate term for this is: vranyo.

• 1994, John Arundel Barnes, A pack of lies: towards a sociology of lying, page 67:

  In Russian culture a distinction is drawn between two kinds of lies, vranyo and lozh which do not have exact parallels in English. Vranyo has been claimed as uniquely Russian, and seems to consist of telling untrue but credible stories, a practice not condemned by those who recognize what is going on. Indeed, for success in vranyo-telling, there must be a listener who pretends to believe in the truth of what is being said. [...] Lozh, on the other hand, implies a conscious intention to deceive.

• 1983, David Shipler, Russia: Broken Idols, Solemn Dreams, page 21-25, 295:

  A Russian friend explained vranyo in this way: "You know I'm lying, and I know that you know, and you know that I know that you know, but I go ahead with a straight face, and you nod seriously and take notes."