Political Correctness in Russia

[Lise Brody]

Thank you Paul.  PC began to be maligned, I think, at about the same time it
began to be referred to as "PC."  The term was derogatory the moment it was
coined, or at least when it was shortened to an abbreviation.  Backlash is
always swift.

 

Those of us over forty do remember an effort to use language that was based
on respect and self-identification.  Why this effort should be the target of
such relentless and nasty ridicule is a question worth asking.  What is so
threatening about respect?

 

Lise

 

-----Original Message-----
From: SEELANGS: Slavic & East European Languages and Literatures list
[mailto:SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu] On Behalf Of Paul B. Gallagher
Sent: Friday, December 05, 2008 3:16 PM
To: SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] Political Correctness in Russia

 

colkitto at rogers.com wrote:

 

[quoting me without attribution:]

> "Yes, it's important to distinguish between real PC as created and 

> implemented by caring, sensitive people and the caricature of PC as 

> derided by its opponents. The opposition campaign has been so

> effective in confusing things that many Americans think PC is the

> caricature -- ridiculous names for perfectly ordinary things that

> serve only to obscure the obvious truth and make everybody laugh."

> 

> That itself is the most ridiculous thing I've read today, and I'm in

> Ottawa as we speak.

> 

> You mean "Real PC as ridiculous names for perfectly ordinary things

> that serve only to obscure the obvious truth and make everybody

> laugh" as opposed the caricature of PC as "created and implemented by

> caring, sensitive people" (stop it, that's too funny).

 

See what I mean, folks? Mr. Colkitto is obviously one of the opponents 

of PC, and he argues against it by fictionalizing it and then destroying 

his straw man. If that were what PC was, I would oppose it, too.

 

> The mentality that has someone describing Obama as an "enigma" and

> being called a racist (think of the stress).

 

I missed that one, and I paid a LOT of attention to the presidential 

campaign as an active participant in the local effort.

 

> PC is a Western import Russia really, really, really needs.

 

I wouldn't wish the right-wing caricature on anyone. Reality is somewhat 

different.

 

-- 

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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