Avoska
Encyclopedia
Avoska or perhaps-bag is a vernacular
for a particular type of shopping bag
widespread in the former Soviet Union
, a net
ted sack (setka, сетка). It was a major cultural phenomenon of the everyday Soviet life. It was manufactured of various kind of strings. With the advent of synthetic materials, some of them were made of stretchable string, so that a very small net could be stretched to a very large sack.
The name "avoska" derives from the Russian adverb
авось, an expression of vague expectation of luck, in various contexts translated "perhaps", "just in case", etc. The term was introduced in 1930s in the context of shortages of consumer goods in the Soviet Union
, when many basic things could have been purchased in a shop only by a strike of luck, and people used to carry an avoska in the pocket all the time. The origin of the term is uncertain, with several different attributions. In particular, in 1970 a popular Soviet comedian
Arkady Raikin
explained that around 1935 he introduced a character, a simple man with a netted sack in his hands. He used to demonstrate the sack to the spectators and to say "А это авоська. Авось-ка я что-нибудь в ней принесу" ("And this is a what-iffie. What if I bring something in it..."). The text is attributed to Vladimir Polyakov.
With the popularization of plastic bag
s (with the same important trait of convenient foldability) avoskas gradually went into disuse, but recent political trends banning plastic bags may bring it back.
Vernacular
A vernacular is the native language or native dialect of a specific population, as opposed to a language of wider communication that is not native to the population, such as a national language or lingua franca.- Etymology :The term is not a recent one...
for a particular type of shopping bag
Shopping bag
Shopping bags are medium sized bags, typically around 10-20 litres in volume , that are often used by grocery shoppers to carry home their purchases...
widespread in the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, a net
Net (textile)
Net or netting is any textile in which the warp and weft yarns are looped or knotted at their intersections, resulting in a fabric with large open spaces between the yarns....
ted sack (setka, сетка). It was a major cultural phenomenon of the everyday Soviet life. It was manufactured of various kind of strings. With the advent of synthetic materials, some of them were made of stretchable string, so that a very small net could be stretched to a very large sack.
The name "avoska" derives from the Russian adverb
Adverb
An adverb is a part of speech that modifies verbs or any part of speech other than a noun . Adverbs can modify verbs, adjectives , clauses, sentences, and other adverbs....
авось, an expression of vague expectation of luck, in various contexts translated "perhaps", "just in case", etc. The term was introduced in 1930s in the context of shortages of consumer goods in the Soviet Union
Consumer goods in the Soviet Union
The industry of the Soviet Union was usually divided into two major categories. Group A was "heavy industry," which included all goods that serve as an input required for the production of some other, final good...
, when many basic things could have been purchased in a shop only by a strike of luck, and people used to carry an avoska in the pocket all the time. The origin of the term is uncertain, with several different attributions. In particular, in 1970 a popular Soviet comedian
Comedian
A comedian or comic is a person who seeks to entertain an audience, primarily by making them laugh. This might be through jokes or amusing situations, or acting a fool, as in slapstick, or employing prop comedy...
Arkady Raikin
Arkady Raikin
Arkady Isaakovich Raikin was a Soviet stand-up comedian. He led the school of Soviet and Russian humorists for about half a century.Raikin was born into a Jewish family in Riga , then part of the Russian Empire. He graduated from the Leningrad Theatrical Technicum in 1935 and worked in both state...
explained that around 1935 he introduced a character, a simple man with a netted sack in his hands. He used to demonstrate the sack to the spectators and to say "А это авоська. Авось-ка я что-нибудь в ней принесу" ("And this is a what-iffie. What if I bring something in it..."). The text is attributed to Vladimir Polyakov.
With the popularization of plastic bag
Plastic bag
A plastic bag, polybag, or pouch is a type of packaging made of thin, flexible, plastic film, nonwoven fabric, or plastic textile. Plastic bags are used for containing and transporting goods such as foods, produce, powders, ice, magazines, comic books, chemicals and waste.Most plastic bags are...
s (with the same important trait of convenient foldability) avoskas gradually went into disuse, but recent political trends banning plastic bags may bring it back.