Studying ancient texts can be very difficult due to the abundance of furious terms or outdated expressions. You can even find phraseological units in which there is a vyya. What is this term so mysterious? Moreover, it is found both in the description of a person in general, and to indicate the characteristics of his character, and sometimes - as a compliment to a beautiful lady. And never changes its base value!
Old Russian origin
We are talking about the most ordinary neck. But the neck, implying a part of the body to combine the head and body, is etymologically associated with the verbs:
The closest analogy is vyya, which, within the framework of the Old Slavonic language, is also as close as possible to needlework, but through other words:
to bind;
to knit;
to twist.
Around the 13th century, the term from the spinal and lateral parts opposite the throat gradually spread to the shoulder area.
Derived Conventions
The Russian people also did not ignore the back of their heads. However, initially it was not about the back of the head, because for him, two original morphemic structures were created from the word “vyya”:
For this reason, a number of philologists suggest the meaning “neck opening” for the term under study. Although such an interpretation looks very ambiguous, as the layman observed the whole skin, and did not conduct anatomical studies.
Paired with epithets, the synonym for “neck” acquired additional characteristics. It was often used in relation to women to indicate the beauty of the possessor of elegant features. Was it about character? Then vyya is part of the status:
"High Vyya" - pride, nobleness.
"Relentless howl" - perseverance, stubbornness.
The colorful description was based on a person’s ability to keep his head in public. After all, it was part of the etiquette of that time, compulsory education, in which, from a young age, the Russian people absorbed the rules in society, while communicating with elders, with equal or lower social status, rank.
Relevance in the 21st Century
Can I insert a word into everyday speech? Only if you plan to shock the interlocutor or surprise him with a rich vocabulary. At the household level, contemporaries prefer the neck. There is no need to shake the dust of time from outdated designations and confuse others. But as part of an exotic compliment, vyya is a good option. It is also suitable for theme nights in the spirit of an old Russian feast or for artworks to immerse readers and spectators in the atmosphere of past centuries.