Piter

Categories / City Topography/Toponymy
PITER is a colloquial name of St. Petersburg that appeared in the beginning of the 18th century as the abbreviation of the original city's name "Saint Peters-Burgh". It was widely used in colloquial speech and folklore (chastooshka or folklore humorous songs), historic folksongs, proverbs and sayings. Folk poetry of the 18th century refers to the city as "glorious" and "strong" Piter. Proverbs reflect a complex city life: "Father Piter flattened us out" (during the Civil War - "Red Piter has flattened Yudenich out"). The colloquial adjective "pitershic" - a name for artisans or peasants searching for jobs in St. Petersburg - originates from "Piter". The city's colloquial name and "pitersky" - the referring adjective - are still widely used.

References: Синдаловский Н. А. Петербургский фольклор. СПб., 1994; Лурье Л. Я. "Питерщики" в Петербурге // Город и горожане в России XX века: Материалы рос.-фр. семинара... СПб., 2001. С. 86-91.

M. G. Khugayeva. Синдаловский Н. А. Петербургский фольклор. СПб., 1994
Лурье Л. Я. "Питерщики" в Петербурге // Город и горожане в России XX века: Материалы рос.-фр. семинара... СПб., 2001