Spirits don't smell. LaParfumerie
For me this is very interesting topic, because it is associated with both language and perfumes. Although the Russian language is not my direct specialty (I am not a philologist, but a linguist), I love it very much and really want to tell about my point of view on “listening to aromas”.
I will assume that the use of the word "listen" in relation to fragrances is normal, and is not a mistake, since we have enough data over historical extent to conclude that our "case" has existed for a long time in language and is widely used.
Therefore, we cannot deny it or attribute it to the illiteracy of certain individuals, to the cunning inventions of marketers and to the vulgar sublimity of powdered girls from perfume shops.
A couple of examples:
“It seemed to him that he even now heard this smell. And he remembered how, the day before her death, she took his strong white hand with her bony, blackening hand, looked into his eyes and said: “Do not judge me, Mitya, if I am not did, "and tears came out of the eyes faded from suffering," - Leo Tolstoy "Resurrection"
What nonsense! This is me bathing in resin extract, - answered Bodrostina, and, bringing her hand closer to his face, she added: - Smell, isn't it? - No, I can smell new boards, they are being planed somewhere.
Leskov "On Knives"
Then I heard (wow!) a bad smell,
Like a rotten egg has been broken
Or the quarantine guard smoked a sulfuric brazier
Pushkin (poem 1832)
Well, it goes without saying that all of us perfume lovers have heard this expression a hundred million times in life. In general, the language of perfume maniacs is full of sound associations and metaphors.
Our aromas are decomposed into notes, they sound, they are too loud or too quiet. No one is surprised by the descriptions of fragrances, such as: “At first, tuberose was the soloist, jasmine echoed it, and then amber, patchouli entered, and on this note everything suddenly ended.” How much more musical? Is it true?
And then there are such phrases as "a cacophony of aromas." We immediately understand what is meant - this is not just a mixture of smells, it is a mixture of aromas that are not friendly with each other, do not combine, irritate, like empty strumming on a musical instrument.
And in all this I see very interesting point. I believe that languages are complex dynamic systems because they have the hallmarks of complex dynamic systems: multiple diverse agents and interrelationships. Consequently, not a single phenomenon, even the most insane at first glance, happens by chance, just like that. And “listening” about fragrances is not an accidental mistake or a short-lived fashion.
I'll try to explain now how I see it.
We have senses: sight, hearing, touch, smell, taste and balance. We receive the bulk of information through vision, followed by hearing, touch, smell and taste (to a lesser extent), well, balance is generally similar to Pluto in solar system- almost lost, not quite even a planet. And these feelings of ours and their role in obtaining information have a strong influence on the formation of language.
See how much different words we have connected with vision: to see, to look, to look, to contemplate, and so on. And how mobile these words are, how easily they form derivatives with new meanings: to discern, to peep, to glimpse, to revise, and so on.
The same goes for hearing, albeit to a slightly lesser extent: listen, eavesdrop, and so on.
The most depleted of epithets among us, of course, is the sense of balance, which can only be lost and gained. And even verbs relating only to this feeling we do not seem to have.
Since the receipt of information is associated with the process of collecting and processing (roughly speaking), the words associated with feelings are displayed in pairs. Best things go with the most active ways receiving information "look-see", "listen-hear".
And then the difficulties begin. Sense of touch. The word "touch" can mean both to touch and to feel touched. This is a couple in itself, without distinctions according to the principle of "receiving-feeling". But here we have other tools: “touch-feel”, “touch-feel” and others like them in various combinations.
Smell. Smell. Just like “touch”, “smell” can mean both the process of drawing in air, and the process of sensing the aroma, so to speak, the processing of the received data.
And look how clumsy, clumsy these words are, how narrow their range of application is, no scale, no range! You can not "smell" or "smell". We hardly ever use them colloquial speech. They are largely protocol.
There is a word "sniff", but it does not have a pair, although it accurately and definitely refers to an action aimed at obtaining information. There are auxiliary tools - to feel, feel and hear (and where to hear, there to listen). Here a tricky question may arise: why is the word "hear" applied to the organs of smell, but not to the organs of touch? Because we hear at a distance and the aromas are able to feel at a distance. But to touch - no.
I want to give an example:
He smelled the scent of his home
He heard the scent of his home
He smelled the scent of his home
I don’t know about you, for me personally, the first option says that “he” was already inside his home, smelling the aroma
The second option tells me that he is somewhere near the house, but not inside, maybe on the way
And the third option tells me that his house smells bad. Or that "he" is a dog.
And in general, the derivatives of the word “sniff” often sound ironic - all these sniff out, sniff out ... And the sniffing process itself refers to the physical drawing in of air. That is why cocaine is sniffed, not inhaled. Sniff - inhale through the nostrils.
But the sense of taste does not have such luxury. Borrowed from the German word "try" and words-auxiliary tools taken from the sense of touch - that's all. Even the related word "eat" has a different meaning.
Note that the basic senses do not need these tools. We don't feel the paintings in the museum and we don't feel the music in MP3 format.
Thus, when there are not enough own, relatives visual means, they are borrowed from neighboring spheres. At the same time, borrowings fit well into the environment and ideally display all the necessary nuances.
And one more thing related to aromas. As we know, the word "aroma" has several meanings. There is aroma - a synonym for smell, and there is aroma - a synonym for perfume. We cannot smell the smell, we feel or feel the smell (or listen to ha-ha-ha), because this is a property, not an object. We can sniff its source. And the aroma, which is a bottle of perfume, we can easily smell. And here confusion often arises when a person, roughly speaking, holds a blotter in his hands and “smells” its aroma. Although he can only smell the blotter itself, he can inhale the aroma. Or listen, which implies the active involvement of attention and mental work in the process itself. He can feel and feel the aroma - these words are also appropriate, but they do not appeal to attention, while, choosing perfumes, we carefully listen to their shades, and not just feel it randomly, as we can feel, for example, cold going out to the balcony.
Well, why am I here, sobbsno spread the thought along the tree. Convenience. In addition to poetry, in addition to the associative connection of aromas and music, in addition to the lack of native flexible tools, the sense of smell has a banal convenience:
Hear the aroma! What do you hear?
I hear cherry and gladiolus
Smell the aroma! What do you feel/smell/feel?
Here you still have to choose the words, and the language, every language, strives for simplicity and brevity. By the way, I, for example, would not be very pleased with the question of what I feel from an outsider, even if we are talking about fragrances. It sounds too personal. But this is my personal opinion.
Objectively, such a question can be perceived in two ways. Or sound too literary-sublime for a regular store. Although, I find fault, this is also possible. But this is not the only way.
Well, and the last. IN last days I heard several times that we can't listen with our nose because there are no hearing receptors there. By the way, I didn’t hear it, but I saw it several times, because I read it with my eyes on the screen :)
But we can listen to the voice of the heart or its call, our eyes can speak, and not only eyes, but also postures, and appearance, behavior. Although they have nothing to say: there are no speech organs. And people vote with their feet and all that... Feelings are allowed to "walk" back and forth, to spread from one sphere to another. Why? Because the world for us is a source of information, feelings, emotions and thoughts. He speaks to us, and we hear and analyze him. And formalities, in the form of the presence of receptors, often recede into the background, giving way to linguistic metaphors and colors. Of course, if we are talking not about the text of the medical examination.
I am glad that we always have a choice. We can smell, listen, smell. And no one forces us to use those words that we do not like. And it's great! And, most importantly, I wish you all endless perfume joys and great scope for smell!
You have probably noticed that in perfumery stores, consultants usually offer customers not to smell, but to listen to one or another aroma. “Strange,” you thought. “Everyone knows that we catch smells with the nose, not with the ears. Then why do they say that fragrances are listened to and not smelled? Where did this strange terminology come from? Well, let's figure it out.
Why they say "listen" to the scent, not "smell"
Of course, “listening to the aroma” is a figurative expression. You don't have to hold a bottle of perfume to your ear to hear something there. And yet, where did it come from?
It's all about the associativity of our thinking.
For example, we often draw parallels between smell and taste. Describing the taste of vintage wine, we are most likely to talk about its amazing bouquet.
And many aromatic plants are associated with a certain taste, as we often use them as seasonings.
Some scientists have also tried to draw an analogy between color and smell.
They assumed that the seven primary colors of the spectrum could correspond to seven musical notes.
Scientists have managed to draw semantic parallels between smell and sound. A great contribution to this area was made by the English perfumer Piess, who was the first to introduce the concept of a harmonious and disharmonious combination of smells and arrange the main aromatic extracts into sound series.
Since then, in the perfume business, the question of listening to smells or smelling them has disappeared by itself. And the perfumers themselves began to create their aromatic masterpieces according to the principle piece of music: from notes and chords.
Basically there are 3 chords:
Upper chord or upper notes
middle chord or heart notes
and bottom chord or base notes
Together they form a fragrance that, like musical symphony, is not a static (frozen) sound, but plays, develops in time.
Now you understand why they say that the fragrance should be listened to? Agree, in this context, the word "sniff" already sounds somehow strange 🙂
However, there is one small but.
Aromas listen, but perfumes still sniff
Some consultants in stores are so addicted that they offer customers to listen to perfume instead of aroma. Which, strictly speaking, is wrong.
Since the source of the smell (in this case, an aromatic liquid, a bottle of perfume or a scented blotter) we still sniff.
And now we are already listening to the aroma.
This linguistic subtlety is best displayed by the phrase “smell<духи>can you hear how it smells<какой аромат>". Do you catch the difference?
In general, of course, no matter how you say it - smell perfume or listen to them - people will understand your informational message. But something tells us that speaking correctly is important first of all for you. And now you know how to do it right 🙂
Your fragrance is not only a tribute to fashion, or a reflection of your character, mood and style, but also one of the most subtle, personal messages that you send to the people you communicate with. Choosing the right one is an art. And here there are their own "perfumery" laws.
1. It is noticed that the sensitivity to higher in the morning, immediately after waking up - after the olfactory (olfactory) night silence - smells are perceived brighter purely psychologically. In general, the receptors during the day work the same way.
2. But after 50 years, the ability to deeply and fully perceive the surrounding smells begins to gradually become dull. In this regard, older people often prefer intense fragrances - lighter ones simply do not suit them.
3. It must be borne in mind that the susceptibility to aromas also decreases after suffering a cold or flu. Therefore, refrain from making decisions about new perfumes if you have recently been unwell.
4. Hot weather sharply increases the ability to smell and enhances the influence of any smell on a person. In hot weather, you should prefer light and fresh aromas.
5. When choosing perfumes, remember that you can try no more than three or four fragrances at a time. The following will not be received correctly. And try to start familiarizing yourself with the assortment with lighter, unobtrusive odors.
6. The nature of the spirits manifests itself slowly, in several stages:
- initial (head) note
- heart note (middle)
- final (basic) note,
mean the phases of opening the bouquet.
When you apply perfume "on trial", it is advisable to do this on the pulsation points - the wrist, the bend of the elbow. And in no case do not rub - all the listed phases will be mixed up, which ideally should be revealed gradually and sequentially. You will receive the final result of the fragrance no earlier than 10 minutes after application to the skin.
7. Don't choose a fragrance because you liked it on someone. On each person the same perfume will sound differently. The reason is in the individual chemical processes that make the smell special, unique and suitable for you. This is especially true for the best men's fragrances.
8. Advice to men. Never apply eau de toilette after shaving like cologne, it will most likely irritate your face. This is due to the high alcohol content in perfumes, and the skin treated with a razor should be soothed with special creams / lotions / aftershave balms.
9. The bottle should indicate:
perfume- perfume
Eau de Parfum- Eau de parfum
Eau de Toilette- Eau de Toilette.
The difference is in the ratio of the concentration of aromatic oils and alcohols and, accordingly, in the persistence and intensity of the aroma. Most content aromatic oils - from 20 to 30% - in perfumes. This is followed by perfumery water - from 15 to 25%, then toilet water - from 10 to 20%. That is why the price of the same fragrance depends on the form of release.
10. Be careful when applying perfume to clothes, hair and jewelry.
In the first case, keep in mind that perfume can leave a stain, and synthetics- to distort the aroma beyond recognition, the most friendly surfaces for toilet water are fur and wool (the smell lasts for a very long time, practically not changing).
In the second - the hair must be clean. Greasy and unwashed, they also distort the original smell of your perfume by adding too much of their own.
In the third, perfumes can spoil pearls, the brilliance of amber and other stones.
In general, ideally, if we are talking about perfume, the most concentrated aroma, then you need to apply it only on your own skin. It is she who will allow the composition to reveal itself as brightly as possible.
11. Perfumes, not without reason, are divided into “for blondes” and “for brunettes”.
The thing is that the skin of blondes, most often, does not “hold” the aroma well. It intensively fills the space, actively influencing others. So heavy oriental rich smells on the skin of a blonde act like a "weapon of mass destruction." Therefore, fair-haired ladies are better off using fresh citrus or floral scents.
Brunettes, owners of skin less light and more, it is quite possible to use oriental, spicy, rich aromas. They last longer (sebum, as it were, “preserves” the fragrance on the skin), spreads more slowly and imperceptibly in space, without causing a feeling of rejection.
12. As a rule, the smell of eau de parfum disappears quickly enough, and if you want to constantly smell it, just renew the fragrance every three to four hours. For those with dry skin, the fragrance should be "refreshed" more often.
13. Your habits can also affect the intensity of the fragrance. For example, high-calorie spicy foods make the smell of perfume much more intense. And smoking, drugs, as well as elevated body temperature - generally change the aroma.
14. The official shelf life of perfume is 3 years. If they are not opened, then longer. Store preferably in a cool dry place, away from light, but not in the refrigerator.
15. The rule of good taste - others should not feel your perfume too much. In the sense that the range of your fragrance should be – approximately – equal to arm's length, this is the so-called personal space.
The perfume composition does not make a sound. This is fine?
Since the time of the Roman poet and philosopher Lucretius Cara, many theories have been proposed about the nature of smell. All of them can be divided into two groups: contact and wave. Biochemist, perfume critic and author of the Perfume Guide Luca Turin is one of the main proponents of the wave theory. According to it, aroma is determined by the frequencies of vibrations of interatomic bonds in molecules perceived by the olfactory organs. But neither she nor any other serious theory offers to compare smell with sound. However, identifying fragrance with music is a common practice, and perceiving perfume is equated with listening. Why?
The main reason is an insufficient vocabulary for describing smells, a secondary one is romanticization. perfume art. The terms "note" and "chord" have firmly settled in the perfumery lexicon. They were first proposed by the English perfumer and chemist George Wilson Septimus Piess in mid-nineteenth century. In his book "The Art of Perfumery" (1857), he gives the correspondence of the perfume ingredients known to him and the notes of the sound scale. It is enough to have elementary knowledge of music to understand: Piesse's work looks, at least, controversial. Modern supporters of “listening” to spirits give the following logical (as it seems to them) chain: aroma, like music, consists of notes, they merge into chords, and even workplace perfumer is called the organ behind which he creates his "melody". This may seem like a nice comparison, but it has nothing to do with reality. We know five basic senses: sight (sensory organ - eyes), hearing (ears), smell (nose), touch (skin) and taste (tongue). Odors are perceived by the olfactory apparatus, consisting of the olfactory epithelium in the superior turbinate, the vomeronasal nerve, the terminal nerve, and the accessory olfactory bulb in the forebrain, and are interpreted by the limbic system of the brain. Not a word about the ears. In addition, the smell is a combination of many chemical compounds unable to make sounds. The identification of smell with music, as well as with visual images, tactile and taste sensations, - the result of synesthetic perception, individual in each case. And, as already mentioned, when describing our own impressions of smell, we resort to the help of dictionaries from other perception systems, because the olfactory vocabulary is extremely poor.
What do they do with the smell if they don't listen? The obvious answer to this question would be "feel", "feel", "perceive". These are neutral words, but they are most suitable for the process of smell perception. No one forbids and will not be able to forbid describing aromas and smells with any associations and epithets, but the use of the word "listen" in this context is a gross logical error. Journalists and consultants in perfume shops are its main distributors. The only question on this topic, to which we still do not have an answer - what is the word "sniff" worse words"listen"? IN English language the process of smell corresponds to the word "smell" (smell, smell), in rare cases "feel" (feel) and never - "hear" (hear). What negative connotations does the word “sniff” have in the Russian language, that, being the only true one that determines the process of smelling, it was replaced by another verb that does not correspond to it in meaning and logic?
Have a question? Ask it in the comments belowand we will definitely answer Aromo libraries
The Russian language has more than thousand years of history. Some expressions that we use without hesitation in Everyday life, at first glance, may seem illogical or even strange. It is difficult for a foreigner studying Russian to explain why a fly sits on the wall and a vase is on the table. It is also not easy to remember, to say: to put on a coat or put on, to smell or feel. Well, the phrase “no, it’s wrong” has become a classic example of Russian logic. This article is about how to say correctly: "the smell is heard or felt."
Not only the East, but also the language is a delicate matter
The task is quite difficult. Not every linguist will be able to clearly explain how to say correctly: “they hear or feel the smell”. Often, in order to interpret the difficulties of Russian, it is necessary to turn to dictionaries, reference books, and even material from other languages. In particular, many are wondering how, according to the rules of the Russian - "they hear or feel smells"?
Every nation has certain picture world, which in one way or another is reflected in the system of symbols. But the system itself has internal laws and its own logic. Not only do we make the language, but it also makes us.
To understand the difference between the expressions "to smell or feel", it is not necessary to immediately turn to dictionaries. It is easy to see that the verb "hear" refers more to the physical ability to perceive sounds, and the verb "feel" reflects the state of mind.
We perceive external world complex, because our senses interact with each other. So, in painting there are cold and warm shades, in music - heavy melodies, etc. Therefore, sometimes we figuratively say that we hear a smell, understanding by this the process of perceiving a particular aroma.
Words, like people, may not fit together.
The term "valence" is familiar to many from the school bench. So in chemistry they call the ability of a molecule to bind to another molecule. But the language, despite the abundance of phrases and words that seem to have no logic, is actually a wisely organized system of signs.
In linguistics, valency is the ability of one lexeme to be combined with other words. For example, we say "thin road", "thin path", but "thin person". Semantically, the word "thin" fits better with inanimate objects or body parts, but people in general are not spoken of in this way. In the famous story of A. Chekhov, one of the friends is named precisely thin, and not thin, because this character, unlike his “fat” friend, has lost his individuality and honor, turned into a servile flatterer.
Chekhov used the epithet "thin" on purpose, to make the narrative more emotional. But sometimes we make random mistakes, because apart from the norms literary language there is also colloquial speech, which often goes beyond the norm. Therefore, in order to understand how to correctly say, “I hear a smell or feel,” you need to turn to explanatory dictionary and a dictionary of the compatibility of words of the Russian language. Well, the logic of constructing these phrases was mentioned above.
What do dictionaries say
In the first half of the twentieth century. both forms were absolutely equal - "hear the smell" and "feel the smell". This can be checked in the dictionary of D.S. Ushakov.
However, since the middle of the twentieth century the language system has changed somewhat and now the only correct general literary norm is the combination “smell”. It is in this form that this expression is presented in the dictionary of word compatibility, published in 1983 by the Institute of the Russian Language. A.S. Pushkin. On this moment it is one of the most authoritative publications of its kind.
Meanwhile, in a "live" speech ...
Linguists are engaged in fixing, describing and substantiating the literary norm. However, almost 30 years have passed since 1983, and the language has changed somewhat, because it is constantly and relentlessly developing. As people's living standards improve, the perfume industry improves, new types of perfumes appear, specialty stores open, etc.
As a result, now we see that the expression “to smell” has not completely fallen out of use, but has migrated to the field. Perfumers do not think about whether you need to smell or feel. After all, for them, spirits are a kind of music of the body, special language moods and desires.
Thus, if you do not know whether they hear or smell perfume, then you can safely use both of these phrases in colloquial speech. In everyday communication, this will not be a mistake. True, in official documents, if they have to be drawn up, a normalized combination should still be used. If we are talking about an unpleasant smell, then in any case, you need to use the verb "feel".
What other verbs are combined with the word "smell"
In addition to the word “feel”, the following verbs are combined with the lexemes “aroma”, “smell”:
- absorb;
- be in love;
- have;
- publish;
- not tolerate;
- do not endure.
The smell itself can be heard or penetrated somewhere / from somewhere, as well as remind you of something, like it or not like it.
How to translate the expression "smell" into other languages
Interestingly, in European languages with the word "smell" the verb "feel" is also most often used: fr. sentir, engl. "feel". True, it should be noted here that if the English do not think about whether to smell or feel, there are other subtleties in their language. Remember at least famous song Nirvana "Smells like teen spirit". After all, "smell" literally means "to smell", to perceive by smell. How would you translate the title? impossible, isn't it?
In Ukrainian there are the same variants of combinations as in Russian. Against the background of the normalized expression “smell the smell” in colloquial speech and journalism, you can find the phrase “slightly smell” (literally “hear the smell”).
Perhaps the tendency to perceive perfume aromas as music is characteristic of many Slavic peoples.
Thus, there is no unequivocal answer to the question of how it is right: the smell is heard or felt, does not exist. The second option is the official norm, but the first is also acceptable in colloquial and professional speech.
