derivation of the word Zhid

[Uladzimir Katkouski]

There could be one more explanation for this, which I personally like
very much...

Dastaeuski was born in Belarus. In the language of this country
the word "zhid" is the absolutely neutral term for "jew", not a
derogative one at all, unlike in Russian. Although during 20th
century Belarusan word "zhid" started to get negative connotations
because of the Russian influence, and nowdays the more politically
correct word for it is "habrei"...

In Dastaueski's prose there are lots of indications of his Belarusan
roots. First of all, it's the lastnames of the characters in many
of his books. And, so, I am inclined to believe that "zhid" was just
another reflection of Belarusan influence on Dastaueski's vocabulary.

Best,
U.K.


On 18 Aug 98 at 17:54, Daniel Rancour-Laferriere wrote:

> In response to Jim Rice's comments on the term "Zhid" I would like to
> mention one more author who has dealt with Dostoevsky's use of the term,
> namely: the late Felix Dreizin, in his book _The Russian Soul and the Jew:
> Essays in Literary Ethnocriticism_ (University Press of America, 1990), pp.
> 61-113.  Dreizin's work is psychologically more nuanced than previous
> studies.  Dreizin shows that Dostoevsky often used "Zhid" in the pejorative
> sense, especially in his private correspondence.  The translation "Kike" or
> "Yid" is therefore justified.  His was a "zoological" anti-Semitism in
> private, if a somewhat toned-down anti-Semitism in public.  There were also
> interesting projective features to Dostoevsky's ethnic hatred, which fit in
> with his general paranoid tendencies.  Dreizin lays this out in painful
> detail.  Must reading for anyone interested in Dostoevsky.
>
> Daniel Rancour-Laferriere
> University of California, Davis
> darancourlaferriere at ucdavis.edu
>