What is a ‘zga’ and why can't you see it?
“Не видно ни зги!” (“Ne vidno ni zgi!”) or “You can't see a zga!” – This is what a person would say when they are outraged at finding themselves in the dark. What kind of ‘zga’ did they see and where is it actually located?
Let's explain in order. In the old days, long-distance trips and journeys were made on horses. The fluctuations in the weather had to be steadfastly endured – the main thing was not to lose one’s way. Thick fog, heavy snow, pouring rain: under any circumstances, a horse harness was used as a landmark. If the visibility worsened so much that one could not see the ‘zga’ – a special ring on the arc of the horse harness, through which the end of the rein not used during the trip was passed – then it was impossible to go any further.
In the explanatory dictionary, Vladimir Dal gives a dramatic example: “In the yard ‘zga’ ‘zgoyu’.” That is, the darkness is impenetrable. Perhaps, this word comes from the Old Russian ‘stga’ – ‘path’. So, when a person says: “You can't see a ‘zga’,” they are indicating that it is impossible to see any road.
An English equivalent would be: “It’s as dark as midnight.”
