the Russian gaze

[John Dunn]

The ironic/pejorative use of Ukrainisms is a 
characteristic feature of a certain type of 
Russian writing on Ukrainian topics (as is, some 
might say, the affected cynicism and the mixture 
of Schadenfreude and paranoia).  But I wonder if 
the Ukrainians do all that they could to promote 
their language.  In a somewhat desultory fashion 
I have been noting the various transliterations 
used for the names of Ukrainian football players 
participating in the current World Cup (it helps 
to pass the time during tedious 0-0 draws). 
These are bewilderingly mixed (Gusev, but Husin; 
often a forename transliterated from Ukrainian is 
combined with a surname transliterated from 
Russian), and I have no idea  where they are 
taken from, but the versions on the players' own 
shirts, which might be thought to have some 
official status, are mostly, though not 
consistently derived from Russian: Gusiev [sic], 
Gusin, though Shovkovskyi and Tymoschuk [sic]. 
It is not as if no linguistic expertise was 
applied, as the mark to indicate the soft sign in 
the name of Rotan' indicates. The whole thing is 
decidedly odd.

John Dunn.



>http://www.russ.ru/docs/121392371
>   
>   In the same magazine as the interview about 
>translation... Notice the labeling of different 
>Ukrainian regions as "russian-speaking," 
>"Russian," and "polonized" (îïîëÿ÷åííûé). 
>Another evidence of the Russian gaze's inability 
>to see anyone "Ukrainian"? Notice also, the 
>inverted commas and a ukrainianism for 
>"independence" - íåçàëåæí"ñòü.
>   
>   Nina Shevchuk-Murray
>   Lviv-Lincoln, NE
>
>
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-- 
John Dunn
School of Modern Languages and Cultures (Slavonic Studies)
University of Glasgow
Hetherington Building
Bute Gardens
Glasgow
G12 8RS
United Kingdom

Telephone: +44 (0)141 330 5591/330 5418
Fax: +44 (0)141 330 2297
e-mail: J.Dunn at slavonic.arts.gla.ac.uk

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