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I’ve never come across this anywhere, not even in the Russian-speaking internet, but I’m sure this information will interest you, open your eyes to some things, and hit you pretty hard, short guys.
So, I want to talk about the etymology and usage of the word “низкий” (short) in Russian (I’m sure it’s not the only language where this happens, but I don’t know others, so…).
Here’s the thing: in Russian, the word “низкий” isn’t just a description of someone’s height — it’s also a synonym for “bad,” “poor moral qualities,” “lack of taste,” “devoid of nobility,” and about a million other negative traits. To make it clear for non-Russian speakers, imagine it in English like this: “You have short taste” meaning “You have bad taste.” “That was a short move” meaning “That was a vile move.” Yes, you read that right — in Russian, “short” and “bad” are literally the same word.
Meanwhile, the word “высокий” (high/tall) means, as you’d expect, “respected,” “good,” “worthy,” “good taste,” “aristocratic,” and so on.
If you think these facts aren’t worth paying attention to, I strongly disagree. Because this shows that contempt for short men is baked into human nature at such a deep level that it has literally made its way into the etymology of words and everyday language.
So, I want to talk about the etymology and usage of the word “низкий” (short) in Russian (I’m sure it’s not the only language where this happens, but I don’t know others, so…).
Here’s the thing: in Russian, the word “низкий” isn’t just a description of someone’s height — it’s also a synonym for “bad,” “poor moral qualities,” “lack of taste,” “devoid of nobility,” and about a million other negative traits. To make it clear for non-Russian speakers, imagine it in English like this: “You have short taste” meaning “You have bad taste.” “That was a short move” meaning “That was a vile move.” Yes, you read that right — in Russian, “short” and “bad” are literally the same word.
Meanwhile, the word “высокий” (high/tall) means, as you’d expect, “respected,” “good,” “worthy,” “good taste,” “aristocratic,” and so on.
If you think these facts aren’t worth paying attention to, I strongly disagree. Because this shows that contempt for short men is baked into human nature at such a deep level that it has literally made its way into the etymology of words and everyday language.
