Khrushchev's words and his shoe banging

[elenka]

Dear colleagues:

I am happy to see that my query about Khrushchev has started such a lively
exchange. I was, of course, primarily interested in the translation of "ya vam
pokazhu kuzkinu mat" but it is interesting to follow the discussion as it
unfolds.

Regarding superstitions. I think it's a weak explanation.
>From what I heard, the whole action of shoe banging might have been if not
planned (domashniaia zagotovka), then at least thought over as a possible form
of expressing protest during the session of the UN Assembly. Apparently, the
regulations in the UN do not allow such interruption of sb else's speech as
clapping, shouting, waving hands, etc. Nobody thought of shoe banging as a
form of protest that might by used among diplomats. so it is possible that
Khrushchev was simply inventive. no superstitions were involved. Moreover,
from what I heard, he even expected Gromyko to follow his example.
Anyway, the regulations of the UNO and domashnie zagotovki of Russian leaders
(Putin is another good example) are not quite what I am interested in
learning.

Would anyone have more ideas on translating "ya vam pokazhu Kuzkinu mat"?

Yelena Minyonok indicated she knows the original "maternoe virazhenie" which
is still used in some villages in Russia.
Which expression do you have in mind? We're almost all "filologi" here, of
course, but if you don't want to share it with everyone, could you please
write to my e-mail address:

elenka at uvic.ca

Many thanks to everyone who's responded to my query.

Elena Baraban

>===== Original Message From Slavic & East European Languages and Literature
list              <SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU> =====
>So what are those Russian superstitions related to shoes? From
>experience I know only one: if your friend does not have as many as
>possible, she may not survive it. :) Kirill
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Slavic & East European Languages and Literature list
>[mailto:SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU] On Behalf Of Yelena
>Sent: Friday, May 02, 2003 2:47 PM
>To: SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU
>Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] Khrushchev's words and his shoe banging
>
>
>I believe that this is an accidental similarity in another culture.
>Russians have plenty of supersitions, customs and believes connected
>with shoes but not so obvious as you have mentioned. And of couse it is
>extremely rude to bang the table with a shoe, because the table is
>associated with the altar - stol-prestol. Thank you, yours Yelena
>Minyonok
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Paul B. Gallagher" <paulbg at PBG-TRANSLATIONS.COM>
>To: <SEELANGS at LISTSERV.CUNY.EDU>
>Sent: Friday, May 02, 2003 9:13 PM
>Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] Khrushchev's words and his shoe banging
>
>
>> Ruth Kreuzer wrote:
>>
>> > Side light on the "shoe-banging incident"...Many years ago my
>> > dissertation advisor (Dr. Nicholas Pervushin, now deceased) was
>> > working as interpretor at the UN that day. He told me the "shoe" was
>
>> > really a sandal.  (I've always wanted to share that bit of
>information!).
>>
>> I'd be interested to know whether there's any relationship between the
>
>> shoe/sandal-banging and what we saw in Iraq after the American troops
>> came through: local citizens banging shoes on statues of Saddam
>> Hussein to demean him. Or was that just an accidental similarity in
>> another culture?
>>
>> The NY Times had a sidebar explaining that the bottom of the shoe is
>> considered dirty in Arab culture, so it is rude to show someone the
>> bottom of your shoes, to wear your outdoor shoes inside a house or
>> mosque, or to touch or strike someone with the bottom of your shoe...
>>
>> --
>> War doesn't determine who's right, just who's left.
>> --
>> Paul B. Gallagher
>> pbg translations, inc.
>> "Russian Translations That Read Like Originals"
>> http://pbg-translations.com
>>
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