truth or fiction?

[Ralph Cleminson]

On Mon, 20 Dec 1999,  Genevra Gerhart wrote:

> An  interesting question from another list:
> What, indeed, is the Russian word for "non-fiction"? Seems so
> simple, yet... Reasonably, a _Russian_ librarian wants to know.
> Thanks, Genevra -- Genevra Gerhart
> http://www.wolfenet.com/~ggerhart/
>

The category of "belletristika" is defined by Ozhegov as
"povestvovatel'naja khudozhestvennaja literatura", which is pretty
close to the English "fiction", even though my impression is that the
pattern of usage of the two words in their respective languages is
slightly different.  "Non-fiction" might then be "vse, krome
belletristiki".


R.M.Cleminson,
Professor of Slavonic Studies,
University of Portsmouth,
Park Building,
King Henry I Street,
Portsmouth PO1 2DZ
tel. +44 23 92 846143, fax: +44 23 92 846040