Grade 10, English Unit 9, Reading II Flowers in Russian Culture
Reading II
What do these flowers represent in your
culture?
Flowers: Symbols
a. Night jasmine
(Parijat) : Love and Fertility
b. Lotus : Beauty, purity and holiness
c. Globe amaranth
(Makhamali) : immortality
Flowers
in Russian Culture
Flowers are a staple item in the
gift-giving world. For many of us, it usually does not matter which blossoming
bunch we receive. Flowers are a thoughtful gesture of good will, as long as
they produce a pleasant aroma and a visually
pleasing colour palette.
The Russians are practically
no different, and similarities exist regarding using flowers as a token of
expressing love and affection. It is always heartwarming
to receive flowers. However, flower-gifting in Russia has some unique
traditions. Flower etiquette, in Russia is strictly guided by a range of rules
depending on the setting. For instance, the kinds of flowers gifted in a
romantic setting differ immensely from those
gifted when visiting a Russian home. If flowers are gifted outside these rules,
it is possible to offend the receiver.
Red carnations are filled with a deep sense of patriotism.
The origins of this symbolism reside in the 1917 February Revolution. The
Russian Social Democratic Workers' Party of Bolsheviks had produced masses of cardboard pins designed like red carnations. These
badges gained widespread popularity and
became a symbol of resistance against the Russian Provisional Government.
In Russia, red poppy
flowers symbolize weakness and fleeting love. Consequently,
giving a red poppy to a loved one contradicts the desire for a long, healthy
relationship. Interestingly, however, poppy seeds are viewed differently. At
traditional Russian weddings, poppy seed is often eaten as a symbol of
happiness for a married couple. Sometimes, the seeds are placed in the bride
and groom's shoes as a symbol of procreation.
Chamomile is the
national flower of Russia. Its slender white petals encapsulate
a bright yellow centre. Russians believe that chamomile, in the form of tea and
aromatherapy, offers a vast range of medical
benefits in treating fatal diseases from cancer
to diabetes.
A lesser-known belief
suggests that the chamomile is a mosquito and fly repellent
another protective quality beyond that of fatal diseases. Throwing a bunch of
these white and yellow flowers into a fire is believed to deter irritating insects.
Among women, chamomile
holds a fortune-telling function. The self- murmured pattern
of 'he loves me, he loves me not' is repeated
until the last dainty petal is plucked. A
similar fortune-telling function is served by the Lily of the Valley flower.
Each lily petal is plucked with the inner monologue
of the holder following an 'it will happen, it won't happen' pattern.
The white calla lily
is an elegant flower that would pair nicely with
a snowy wedding dress. However, bringing a white lily bouquet to a Russian
wedding would not pair so nicely with the responses you would receive from
other attendees. These flowers symbolise death
and are believed to foreshadow the split of the
newly-wed couple.
Glossary:
Staple : /ˈsteɪpl/ forming
a basic, large or important part of something
colour palette : range of
colors
aroma : /əˈrəʊmə/ a
pleasant smell that is easy to notice
heartwarming : /ˈhɑːt
wɔːmɪŋ/ causing feelings of happiness and pleasure
immensely : /ɪˈmensli/ extremely; very much
offend : /əˈfend/ to make
somebody feel upset because of something you say or do that is rude or
embarrassing
carnations : /kɑːˈneɪʃn/ a white, pink, red or yellow flower, often worn as a
decoration on formal occasions
cardboard : /ˈkɑːdbɔːd/ stiff material like very thick paper, often used for making
boxes
omens : /ˈəʊmən/ a sign
of what is going to happen in the future
fleeting : /ˈfliːtɪŋ/ lasting only a short time
Consequently : /ˈkɒnsɪkwəntli/ as a result; therefore
Procreation : /ˌprəʊkriˈeɪʃn/ the act or process of producing children or baby animals
Dishonesty : /dɪsˈɒnɪsti/ the fact of being dishonest
Inevitable : /ɪnˈevɪtəbl/
that you cannot avoid or prevent
Encapsulate : /ɪnˈkæpsjuleɪt/ to express the most important parts of something in a few
words, a small space or a single object
Aromatherapy : /əˌrəʊməˈθerəpi/ the use of natural oils that smell sweet to improve physical,
emotional or mental health, by rubbing them into the skin or breathing in their
smell
Fatal : /ˈfeɪtl/ causing
or ending in death
Repellent : /rɪˈpelənt/ very unpleasant; causing strong dislike
Deter : /dɪˈtɜː(r)/ to make somebody decide not to do something or continue doing
something, especially by making them understand the difficulties and unpleasant
results of their actions
self- murmured : /ˈmɜːmə(r)/ to say something in a soft quiet voice that is difficult to
hear or understand
dainty : /ˈdeɪnti/ small
and pretty in a way that people find attractive
monologue : /ˈmɒnəlɒɡ/ a long speech by one person during a conversation that stops
other people from speaking or expressing an opinion
elegant : /ˈelɪɡənt/ attractive and showing a good sense of style
attendees : /əˌtenˈdiː/ a person who attends a meeting, etc.
foreshadow : /fɔːˈʃædəʊ/ to be a sign of something that will happen in the future
A. Find out the single words for the following
meanings.
a. a
strong, usually pleasant smell ………………….
b. different
colours of paint, especially as used by an artist …………….
c. to
a great degree ……………………..
d. lasting
only a short time ………………..
e. the
act or process of producing children or baby animals ……………….
f. enclose
(something) in or as if in a capsule ……………………..
a type
of treatment which involves massaging the body with special fragrant oils
………………….
h. causing
to be kept away ……………………
i. to
be a sign of something that will happen in the future …………….
Answers:
a. aroma
b. palette
c. immensely
d. fleeting
e. procreation
f. encapsulate
g. aromatherapy
h. repellent
i. foreshadow
B. Words like gift-giving, heartwarming,
cardboard, etc., are compound words. Make a list of such compound words from
the text.
Gift-giving Heartwarming Cardboard Flower-gifting
Red carnations White carnations Poppy seeds Yellow
flowers
Aromatherapy Break-up Fortune-telling Lily of the Valley
Calla lily Showy wedding Newly-wed
C. Complete the sentences below with the
correct information from the text.
a. People
do not care which flowers they are receiving as long as the flowers are
beautiful and they give a pleasant aroma.
b. Flowers
are gifted worldwide to express love and affection.
c. Following
the strict flower etiquette while gifting flowers in Russia
saves you from offending people.
d. Red
carnations symbolize a sense of patriotism produced by the Russian Social
Democratic Workers' Party of Bolsheviks.
e. Russian
people believe that the white carnation strips holders off good luck and talent so, we
should not gift them to performers.
f. Russian
people do not gift red puppy flowers to their loved ones because they think
if they do so their love becomes weak.
g. When
Russians want break-up from their beloved ones they gift yellow flowers.
h. Chamomiles have medicinal
values so they can be used for the treatment of fatal diseases.
i. We should not gift a white lily
bouquet in a Russian wedding as it symbolises death and foreshadows the split of the
newly-wed couple.
D. Answer these questions.
a. Mention any two reasons for
which people gift flowers to others.
Any two reasons for which people gift
flowers are i) to express love and affection, and ii) to convey good will to others.
b. How do people feel when they are
gifted flowers?
People
generally feel heartwarming and appreciated when they are gifted flowers.
c. What determines the selection of
flowers for gifting in Russia?
The selection of flowers for gifting
in Russia is determined by flower etiquette, which varies based on the setting
and occasion.
d. Which event in Russian history
is reflected by the red carnation?
The red carnation reflects the 1917
February Revolution in Russian history.
e. Does a Russian like to keep a
white carnation under his/ her pillow? Why?
Russians believe that placing a white
carnation under the pillow brings inspiration upon waking the next morning.
f. What's the reason for
connecting the red puppy with fragile love?
The red poppy is connected with
fragile love due to its symbolism of weakness and fleeting love in Russian
culture.
g. What makes the Russian people
eat red puppy seeds in their wedding?
Russians eat red poppy seeds at their
weddings as a symbol of happiness and sometimes place them in the bride and
groom's shoes to symbolize procreation.
h. Do you prefer to grow chamomile in your garden? Why? What colour is
chamomile?
Yes, I prefer to grow chamomile in my
garden because this flower is valued for its medicinal properties. Chamomile
flowers are typically white with a bright yellow center.
i. Write the names of two flowers
used for fortune telling.
Two flowers used for fortune-telling
are chamomile and Lily of the Valley.
j. Which
flower is mostly used in Russian weddings?
The white calla lily is the flower
most commonly used in Russian weddings.
E. Do you know other flowers that are commonly
used for gifting? Write the names of those flowers and the occasions on which
they are gifted.
Roses: Valentine's Day, anniversaries,
expressing romantic love
Lilies: Funerals, sympathy, expressing
condolences
Tulips: Spring celebrations, Mother's Day,
birthdays
Daisies: Birthdays, to bring cheer and
happiness
Orchids: Housewarming, to convey elegance and
beauty
Sunflowers:
Get well soon, to
brighten someone's day
Carnations:
Mother's Day,
expressing love and gratitude to mothers
Chrysanthemums:
Funerals, sympathy,
expressing condolences (though be cautious as they can have varying cultural
meanings)
Gerbera
Daisies: Celebrations,
to bring joy and happiness
Peonies: Weddings, anniversaries, to symbolize
love and good fortune
Hydrangeas:
Birthdays, thank you
gifts, expressing heartfelt emotions
Iris: Sympathy, to convey condolences
Anthurium:
Housewarming, to
wish good luck and happiness in the new home
Daffodils:
Spring celebrations,
to express new beginnings and joy
Alstroemeria (Peruvian lilies): Friendship, to
show appreciation and companionship
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