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Help[Facts] Re: Ratka
in reply to a message by Pavlos
Aaaah, there's a Bulgarian connection in far more creative things than the assassination of the pope =o).
Anyways, Ratka is a (for the lack of better term) misspelled variant of Radka, which is a short form of Radostina, Radoslava, Radomila or any other name starting with Rad- "joy".
> "misspelled" is not quite the right term, as the "d" in Radka is pronounced as "t". Yet, no literate Bulgarian beyond the age of 8 would spell Radka as Ratka, unless they care more for the right pronunciation than for the spelling. Would a Greek pronounce a clear "d" in Radka?
Or Ratka's parents may have been of Bulgarian origin but not quite speaking the language and might have directly transliterated what they hear into Greek.
Anyways, Ratka is a (for the lack of better term) misspelled variant of Radka, which is a short form of Radostina, Radoslava, Radomila or any other name starting with Rad- "joy".
> "misspelled" is not quite the right term, as the "d" in Radka is pronounced as "t". Yet, no literate Bulgarian beyond the age of 8 would spell Radka as Ratka, unless they care more for the right pronunciation than for the spelling. Would a Greek pronounce a clear "d" in Radka?
Or Ratka's parents may have been of Bulgarian origin but not quite speaking the language and might have directly transliterated what they hear into Greek.
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Replies
Hmm, I think that in Croatia an Serbia this name would be spelled Ratka, there is also a male variant of this (Ratko). So, maybe Ratka or her parents come from exYugoslavia.
If you take it in this original form: rat means war in croatian/serbian. But that is probably not the true meaning of this name as it originates from the word radost=joy.
If you take it in this original form: rat means war in croatian/serbian. But that is probably not the true meaning of this name as it originates from the word radost=joy.
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I was wondering about that too...
But if she is Bulgarian, she is Radka with a "d". We don't have the Rat- names.
But if she is Bulgarian, she is Radka with a "d". We don't have the Rat- names.
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Well as far as I know Ratka/Radka was born and raised in Bulgaria, but fled from Zhivkov's regime in the eighties. She is too cosmopolitan and refined not to know the proper spelling of her name, so there has got to be aanother explanation: one possibility is that shwe chose "t" because the "d" sound does not exist in Greek, and sounds somewhat awkward to the indigenous ear -- "t" sounds more familiar (the Greek delta sounds softer that the "d", somewhat like the sound "th" in "the").
But enough about theories, I have a better idea: I'll ask her, next time I go munching on her delectable creations.
But enough about theories, I have a better idea: I'll ask her, next time I go munching on her delectable creations.
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The joy of fine dining...
According to this link, Pavlos...
http://www.sca.org/heraldry/paul/r.html
"Radka" is a diminuative of "Rada", a period Russian name meaning "joy". Do many Bulgarians have Russian names, I wonder?
-- Nanaea
According to this link, Pavlos...
http://www.sca.org/heraldry/paul/r.html
"Radka" is a diminuative of "Rada", a period Russian name meaning "joy". Do many Bulgarians have Russian names, I wonder?
-- Nanaea
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Oh yes, dont miss out on Ratka next time youre in Athens, folks :)
The joy of fine dining
=
Enjoy fine thing, Fido :)
The joy of fine dining
=
Enjoy fine thing, Fido :)
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It will be kinda strange if I go to Athens and eat in a Bulgarian restaurant...
... Unless, that is, I want to tell Ratka/Radka about the discussion that was provoked by her name =o). Or I have a sudden urge for the best (read "Bulgarian" :) feta cheese.
... Unless, that is, I want to tell Ratka/Radka about the discussion that was provoked by her name =o). Or I have a sudden urge for the best (read "Bulgarian" :) feta cheese.
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Not to worry, Ratka's cuisine is mostly "world fusion" in its approach -- with obvious Bulgarian touches too!
I always enjoy a hearty shopska salad when in Sofia, but bulgarian white cheese as a bit on the salty side when you are used to feta. On the other hand, I think that it is a crime that nobody has introduces lutenitsa outside Bulgaria. It beats the hell out of ketchup, salsa, or any other dips I can think of! He who markets lutenitsa in the US will make billions.
I always enjoy a hearty shopska salad when in Sofia, but bulgarian white cheese as a bit on the salty side when you are used to feta. On the other hand, I think that it is a crime that nobody has introduces lutenitsa outside Bulgaria. It beats the hell out of ketchup, salsa, or any other dips I can think of! He who markets lutenitsa in the US will make billions.
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Mmm...
Rada is a Slavic name, so it is Russian as much as it is Bulgarian, Serbian or Croatian.
On the question whether many Bulgarians have Russian names: Bulgarians and Russians have a lot of common names, due to their common Slavic heritage (you can put it as Bulgarians use Russian names or Russians use Bulgarian names - both are right :). In addition, there are some Bulgarians named Stalin/Stalinka, Lenin/Leninka, and some are using diminutives that are more common for Russia than for Bulgaria, e.g. Masha and Dasha for Maria and Teodora (the Bulgarian ones would be Mara and Dora). Those people are all in their 50's - 60's and are remnants of the ideology that preached that the Soviet Union is the best place on Earth and Bulgaria should become the 16th republic (luckily they did not want us!).
Rada is a Slavic name, so it is Russian as much as it is Bulgarian, Serbian or Croatian.
On the question whether many Bulgarians have Russian names: Bulgarians and Russians have a lot of common names, due to their common Slavic heritage (you can put it as Bulgarians use Russian names or Russians use Bulgarian names - both are right :). In addition, there are some Bulgarians named Stalin/Stalinka, Lenin/Leninka, and some are using diminutives that are more common for Russia than for Bulgaria, e.g. Masha and Dasha for Maria and Teodora (the Bulgarian ones would be Mara and Dora). Those people are all in their 50's - 60's and are remnants of the ideology that preached that the Soviet Union is the best place on Earth and Bulgaria should become the 16th republic (luckily they did not want us!).
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Simeon rulez :P
Its amazing that within just a few years you have had communist rule, democracy, and now a world-exclusive, the very first-ever hybrid President-King ;)
Its amazing that within just a few years you have had communist rule, democracy, and now a world-exclusive, the very first-ever hybrid President-King ;)
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Rub it in!
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Just for the record: it's prime-minister-king...
Which doesn't change the fact that Bulgaria is the only *republic* ruled by a *king*. That paradox captures the essence of Bulgarian soul so well that it's not even funny. Not to me at least.
Which doesn't change the fact that Bulgaria is the only *republic* ruled by a *king*. That paradox captures the essence of Bulgarian soul so well that it's not even funny. Not to me at least.
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Wow! 'A republic ruled by a king' you learn something new every day!
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to explain the mess...
In 1943 the Bulgarian king at the time, Boris III, died and his 9-year-old son, Simeon II, succeeded to the throne. A year later (1944) he and his family fleed from Bulgaria as the communists took over and changed the monarchy to a people's republic (it remained a people's republic until 1989, and is now a "plain" republic =o).
Simeon II, though dethroned, never renounced his title (he recently renounced his claims to returning the monarchy in Bulgaria) and enjoyed an ever-rising popularity when he started visiting Bulgaria in the post-communist years. He was smart enough to play the role of a public figure caring for the good of Bulgaria, but not associating himself with any of the political parties. Soooo, his time came when the first non-communist government after 1989 (and the first democratically-elected government to serve full term since 1879) failed with flying colors and the people lost any hope that it was ever going to get better. At that time, when it was obvious that neither the socialists (reformed communists), nor the rest could do any good for the country, Simeon took charge, made a party (National Movement Simeon II), and promised he could take the country out of the mess in 800 days. Well, his party won the overwhelming majority in the Parliament and he was elected prime-minister. That was more than 800 days ago... but that's another topic.
In 1943 the Bulgarian king at the time, Boris III, died and his 9-year-old son, Simeon II, succeeded to the throne. A year later (1944) he and his family fleed from Bulgaria as the communists took over and changed the monarchy to a people's republic (it remained a people's republic until 1989, and is now a "plain" republic =o).
Simeon II, though dethroned, never renounced his title (he recently renounced his claims to returning the monarchy in Bulgaria) and enjoyed an ever-rising popularity when he started visiting Bulgaria in the post-communist years. He was smart enough to play the role of a public figure caring for the good of Bulgaria, but not associating himself with any of the political parties. Soooo, his time came when the first non-communist government after 1989 (and the first democratically-elected government to serve full term since 1879) failed with flying colors and the people lost any hope that it was ever going to get better. At that time, when it was obvious that neither the socialists (reformed communists), nor the rest could do any good for the country, Simeon took charge, made a party (National Movement Simeon II), and promised he could take the country out of the mess in 800 days. Well, his party won the overwhelming majority in the Parliament and he was elected prime-minister. That was more than 800 days ago... but that's another topic.
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