coukaski

[R. M. Cleminson]

The word in the book itself (p.15 of the edition, published 1760 but undated) is "Coucasky", so the entry in Littré is either mistaken or based on a different, later edition. (I note several differences between the 1760 text and the text as quoted in the original question, but, being ignorant of the textual history of the work, I cannot draw any conclusions.)  Not that this helps much either.  Since this is Voltaire, one has to allow for the possibility that he simply made it up.  If not, then it appears to be considerably distorted, like so many "Russian" words in Western European texts (and not only in the eighteenth century).  From the context one might speculate that it conceals some derivative from указъ, скука or even (given that the word is supposed to be "très-énergique en Slavon") сука, but none springs to mind.

----- Pôvodná správa -----
Od: "Francoise Rosset" <frosset at WHEATONMA.EDU>
Komu: SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu
Odoslané: piatok, 2. marec 2012 0:01:15
Predmet: Re: [SEELANGS] coukaski

It's actually "courkaski" with an R.  (acc. to the Littré)

Not that that helps much, I don't recognize the "Slavonic" word, and 
it doesn't form a pun in French either.
The closest is the word "cocasse," which means "droll" or "comic."

-FR



On Thu, 1 Mar 2012 10:12:32 -0500
  Franklin Sciacca <fsciacca at HAMILTON.EDU> wrote:
> I have a request from a Voltaire specialist. He inquires about the
> 
> meaning of "coukaski" in the following sentence (which is apparently 
>a
> 
> Voltaire comment on the use of the word instructeur in a line to a
> 
> satirical poem entitled Le Russe a Paris:
> 
> "Peu de nos Auteurs se sont servis du mot instructeur qui manque a 
>notre
> 
> langue. On voit bien que c’est un Russe qui parle. Ce terme repond a
> 
> 
> 
> celui de coukaski, qui est tres energique en sclavon. "
> 
> Any thoughts?
> 
>Frank
> 
> 
> -- 
> -- 
>Franklin Sciacca
> Associate Professor of Russian
> Program in Russian Studies
> Hamilton College
> 198 College Hill Road
> Clinton, New York 13323
> 315-859-4773
> 


Francoise Rosset, Associate Professor
Chair, Russian and Russian Studies
Wheaton College
Norton, Massachusetts 02766
Office: (508) 285-3696
FAX:   (508) 286-3640

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