When they say "no zig is visible," what do they mean? This means: you can’t see anything in two steps because of the darkness or poor vision.
It is clear that the greatest doubt in the expression of this raises only one word. It is completely out of use - so much so that most of us do not even remember what “zga” is. Something small, we’ll probably say at random, and we won’t be mistaken. But what exactly?
What is zga?
The meaning of this word caused a lot of controversy in science back in the days of the notorious admiral A. S. Shishkov, who once asked "What is the meaning of the word " zga " in French ?"
Since then, water has flowed decently. But it’s worth turning to the dictionary of Vladimir Ivanovich Dahl, and he will tell us that “zga” is darkness , darkness, darkness. In this sense, this word was understood in the old expression "on the street zga zgoi", which means "completely dark."
This value, however, is still considered controversial by some scientists, because if "zga" is darkness, then the combination "see no zgi" (or "do not see zgi") is tautological in essence.
The word “zga” is also used with negation in the combinations “no zgi” or “no zgi” - it does not matter whether there is light or something else. You can say: "do not see any zgi" or "the old man does not see a zgi, completely blind." They also say "there is no bread in the barn." And here we come to the second meaning of the word "zga" - a spark, a glimpse or a small part of something. As, for example, in the examples of the Ryazan dialect cited by the same Dal, in which the word "zginka" (or "zginochka") was used - in the meaning of "spark", "baby".
Origin of the word. Version one
To date, there are three versions of the origin of the word. According to one of them, more widespread and reliable, supported by most researchers, the word “zga” originates from the words “steg”, “stig” or “path” in the meaning of “path”, “path” or “road”. Over time, the literal combination “te” - “t” fell out of the word, and the sound “c” before the consonant “g” turned into a “z”. So the word "steg" became "zgo."
This version is often confirmed by examples of expressions with this word in Russian literature. See, for example, in the poem Dead Souls by N. V. Gogol:
Selifan, not seeing zgi, sent the horses straight to the village.
In this sentence, "do not see zgi" means precisely not to see roads, paths.
The evidence was once used by various versions of the same stable old expression:
Because blind and crying, that zgi does not see.
and
Because blind and crying because he does not see the stitches.
Second version
And here is another opinion. The origin of this word by some researchers was associated with the dialect "zga", which meant "spark". This is understood, for example, this word in the story of the Russian Soviet writer A. G. Malyshkin "Sutulovskie Christmas time":
A blizzard slashed across his face, and blue eyes flashed at his eyes.
"Blue zgi" is, of course, snowflakes, sparks of snow.
Later, these "sparks" completely disappeared as such and only an understanding of what "zga" was left. This is a very small part of something, baby, and along with the denial of “neither” the word has turned into nothing at all. As we see it in the phrase belonging to A.P. Chekhov:
In his letter there was not a single bright zgi, everything was completely black.
Third version
And also, explaining what it means "no zig is visible," they said this: "It got completely dark - you can’t see the ringlet at the arc." Here, by the ring, was meant the very same “ring on the arc of a horse harness”, through which an excuse was passed through. Sometimes, instead of a ring, they talked about a metal bell hanging under the arch of a horse (the so-called "bridle bell"), or about the gap between this arc and the horse’s head.
What is zga in this version? Something small, immediately in front of the eyes of the peasant.
Here the third assumption brings us back to the very first, for the word "steg" also meant a rod or a whip, that is, what horses quilted with. It is clear that the whip was in the hand of the coachman.
Again an example from Gogol:
“What, con, what road are you on,” Chichikov said.
- Well then, master, to do it, time is such, you cannot see the whip, such darkness!
That is, it is so dark that the subject closest to consideration is not visible.
These are the possible interpretations of the word "zga" and phraseological units with it. The question of the origin of the word among researchers is still considered unresolved, but it will not be able to exert any particular influence on the essence of the concept.