Political Correctness in Russia

[Valery Belyanin]

I would like to add a couple of thoughts.

1. Orwellian language is really different from PC. Calling Soviet invasion
in Afghanistan on December 27th 1979 временный ввод ограниченного
контингента советских войск

(vrememnyj vvod ogranichemmogo kontimngenta sovetskih vojsk) was ideological
language, language that camouflaged the reality. It neither offended, nor
was polite, just telling everyone that the USSR wanted to have another
socialist state in its neighbourhood was not appropriate. Hiding the real
aims is a common thing in politics.

2. I would say that "the Soviet Orwellian language where things were called
by their opposite" was not only Soviet. As I mention in my new textbook on
psycholinguistics (Belyanin V. Psiholingvistika, Moscow, 2009, p.187-188),
there was official American and usual American during The Vietnam War (which
was called "international army conflict"), e.g. a "splintered set of logs
thrown across a stream" was called "a bridge", a "thirty-four dollars given
to families of South Vietnamese civilians killed by mistake" was called
"condolence awards" etc

3. PC will appear in Russian verbal culture when the minorities will be able
to defend themselves. When they will feel the support from their government,
or from some mixed community.

When I was in Harkov in 90ies I was several times called as "kljaty
moskali". Even from the officials. I cpuld not get support from Russia, I
was a minority in Ukrain, etc. No one cared about my feelings because I
could not (was afraid to) speak up. The moment those who are insulted start
speaking up the situation will change.

Last summer I was interviewed by a great journalist from radio Freedom in
Moscow who thought that there was nothing offensive in bulling. It just make
children more resistant to the words they may hear in the future...

4. Russian language behavior is much more straightforward. more judgmental
and accusing, and seems to be more offensive in general )esp. compared with
American). This is the way it is nowadays.
-- 
Валерий Белянин / Valeri Belianine
Психолингвистический форум = http://mospsy.ru/phorum/list.php?f=2