Political Correctness in Russia

[William Ryan]

I would certainly not dispute the fact that some words genuinely cause 
offence, and even harm, in some contexts, and that politeness and common 
decency should oblige us to avoid them. However, PC began to be maligned 
because, however good the intentions are of those who coin new words or 
terms, or ban old ones, they tend to reflect the opinions of pressure 
groups, are often ignorant and/or ludicrous, and may achieve the 
opposite of what was intended by inviting ironical use or downright 
mockery, are a prime source of  'urban legends', and when insisted on by 
governments, official bodies, editorial boards etc., amount to 
censorship. This can sometimes be no more than local prudishness - a 
journal published by a very distinguished US institution once edited out 
of an article I had written, on a history of science topic, a quotation 
from an 18th-century text including the now obsolete astronomical term 
'menstrual libration' (the relative monthly movement of the moon 
relative to the earth), on the grounds that it was offensive. Nowadays 
Google simply asks if by 'libration' you mean 'liberation'. The whole 
notion of prescriptive terminology for sensitive areas also ignores the 
fact that once a word is tabooed and replaced by a euphemism, the 
euphemism may in turn become sensitive and require yet another euphemism.

In the matter of v/na Ukraine, mentioned in another response, this is 
quite literally a matter of  'political correctness', and is mirrored by 
the insistence that we should in English refer to 'Ukraine' and not, as 
formerly, 'the Ukraine'. The argument seems to be that in both cases the 
old formulation implied that the Ukraine was a mere territory and not an 
independent state (notwithstanding the analogy of 'na Rusi'). This has 
been discussed here before, and I would still maintain that it is not 
'the' which implies marginality but 'Ukraine', for obvious etymological 
reasons.

Will Ryan


Lise Brody wrote:
> 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.
>
>  
>
>   

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