pancakes A translator today would use the Russian word blintzes, which is now a familiar part of English cooking terminology and belongs both to the Russian and the Yiddish cultures.
phalansteries Buildings similar to dormitories or communal apartment living. These were often advocated by some of the socialists.
pood A Russian unit of weight, equal to 36.11 pounds.
"pour vous plaise" "In order to please you." [French]
Pushkin and Turgenev Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin [1799-1837] is considered the father of Russian literature, and his home was outside of St. Petersburg. Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev was a contemporary of Dostoevsky, and his novels were very popular.
Radischev Alexander Radischev was a leading liberal Russian writer who attacked the abuses of the serfdom system and also the judicial system, which allowed men to own other men — that is, serfdom. Raskolnikov considered himself to be aligned with these forward-thinking people.
rouble The main Russian monetary unit. At the time of the novel, the rouble consisted of 100 copeks and was worth approximately 50 cents. Thus when Raskolnikov pawns his watch for 1 1/2 roubles, he received approximately 75 cents.
Rousseau Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote in his famous Confessions (1781-88) "Myself, myself alone; I might not be better, but at least I am different." It is ironic that at the time Raskolnikov is thinking how his theories have set him apart from other men, he would be translating Rousseau.
