асей

Solombala English

Etymology

Purportedly from English I say (/a seɪ/), due to the English habit at that time of often exclaiming it.

Noun

асей (asej)

1. an (English) sailor
   • 1849 [1848], Vereščagin, Vasilij P., Очерки Архангельской губерніи [Sketches from Arkhangelsk Governorate]‎^[1], Saint Petersburg: Typography of Yakov Trey, pages 406–407:

     Ватъ ю вантетъ, асей!

     Vat ju vantet, asej!

     What do you want, sailor!

   • 1849 [1848], Vereščagin, Vasilij P., Очерки Архангельской губерніи [Sketches from Arkhangelsk Governorate]‎^[2], Saint Petersburg: Typography of Yakov Trey, pages 406–407:

     Баёмъ бучь, шусь, асей! Комъ сюда! Вери гудъ бучь, шусь!

     Bajom bučʹ, šusʹ, asej! Kom sjuda! Veri gud bučʹ, šusʹ!

     Buy boots, shoes sailor! Come here! Very good boots, shoes.

   • 1849 [1848], Vereščagin, Vasilij P., Очерки Архангельской губерніи [Sketches from Arkhangelsk Governorate]‎^[3], Saint Petersburg: Typography of Yakov Trey, pages 406–407:

     Асей, асей! Дай ту копѣйки!

     Asej, asej! Daj tu kopějki!

     Sailor, sailor! Give me two kopeks!

   • 1867, Prušakevič, Ivan, “Соломбала, зимою и лѣтомъ [Solombala, in winter and summer]”, in Архангельскiя губернскiя вѣдомости [Arkhangelsk Governorate News], number 85, Arkhangelsk, page 4:

     Асей? Комъ милекъ дринкомъ.

     Asej? Kom milek drinkom.

     Sailor? Come and drink some milk [used in a sexual context, as an invitation to a brothel].

   • 1867, Prušakevič, Ivan, “Соломбала, зимою и лѣтомъ [Solombala, in winter and summer]”, in Архангельскiя губернскiя вѣдомости [Arkhangelsk Governorate News], number 85, Arkhangelsk, page 4:

     Асей, асей, смотромъ: больше добра сундукъ верввель скрипимъ, гутъ верстомъ.

     Asej, asej, smotrom: bolʹše dobra sunduk vervvelʹ skripim, gut verstom.

     Sailor, sailor, look: it’s a very good chest, a very good lock, a good key.

References

• Broch, Ingvild (1996) “Solombala-English in Archangel”, in Jahr, Ernst Håkon, Broch, Ingvild, editors, Language Contact in the Arctic: Northern Pidgins and Contact Languages (Trends in Linguistics. Studies and Monographs (TiLSM); 88)‎^[4], reprint edition, Berlin: De Gruyter Mouton, published 2011, →DOI, →ISBN, page 94 of 93–98