The Russian is the elder brother, the first among equals

[John Dunn]

According to K. Dushenko, Slovar' sovremennyx citat, p. 628, it is an anonymous formulation that becomes established during the 1930s.  His examples suggest that старший/-ая среди равных [starshij/-aja sredi ravnyx] is the more usual version.  It seems more a journalistic than a folk embodiment and in this incarnation, at least, refers to Russia's relationship to the other republics of the USSR.

John Dunn.

-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Chandler <kcf19 at DIAL.PIPEX.COM>
To: SEELANGS at BAMA.UA.EDU
Date: Wed, 7 May 2008 14:43:22 +0100
Subject: [SEELANGS] The Russian is the elder brother, the first among equals

Dear all,

русский - старший брат, первый среди равных!

I’m not sure if these words are an actual quotation from Stalin, or just a
kind of folk-embodiment of a widespread attitude.

Will be grateful for prosveschenie!

Best Wishes,

Robert

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John Dunn
Honorary Research Fellow, SMLC (Slavonic Studies)
University of Glasgow, Scotland

Address:
Via Carolina Coronedi Berti 6
40137 Bologna
Italy
Tel.: +39 051/1889 8661
e-mail: J.Dunn at slavonic.arts.gla.ac.uk
johnanthony.dunn at fastwebnet.it

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