the Russian gaze
John Dunn
J.Dunn at SLAVONIC.ARTS.GLA.AC.UK
Tue Jun 27 10:39:01 UTC 2006
The ironic/pejorative use of Ukrainisms is a
characteristic feature of a certain type of
Russian writing on Ukrainian topics (as is, some
might say, the affected cynicism and the mixture
of Schadenfreude and paranoia). But I wonder if
the Ukrainians do all that they could to promote
their language. In a somewhat desultory fashion
I have been noting the various transliterations
used for the names of Ukrainian football players
participating in the current World Cup (it helps
to pass the time during tedious 0-0 draws).
These are bewilderingly mixed (Gusev, but Husin;
often a forename transliterated from Ukrainian is
combined with a surname transliterated from
Russian), and I have no idea where they are
taken from, but the versions on the players' own
shirts, which might be thought to have some
official status, are mostly, though not
consistently derived from Russian: Gusiev [sic],
Gusin, though Shovkovskyi and Tymoschuk [sic].
It is not as if no linguistic expertise was
applied, as the mark to indicate the soft sign in
the name of Rotan' indicates. The whole thing is
decidedly odd.
John Dunn.
>http://www.russ.ru/docs/121392371
>
> In the same magazine as the interview about
>translation... Notice the labeling of different
>Ukrainian regions as "russian-speaking,"
>"Russian," and "polonized" (îïîëÿ÷åííûé).
>Another evidence of the Russian gaze's inability
>to see anyone "Ukrainian"? Notice also, the
>inverted commas and a ukrainianism for
>"independence" - íåçàëåæí"ñòü.
>
> Nina Shevchuk-Murray
> Lviv-Lincoln, NE
>
>
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John Dunn
School of Modern Languages and Cultures (Slavonic Studies)
University of Glasgow
Hetherington Building
Bute Gardens
Glasgow
G12 8RS
United Kingdom
Telephone: +44 (0)141 330 5591/330 5418
Fax: +44 (0)141 330 2297
e-mail: J.Dunn at slavonic.arts.gla.ac.uk
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