Moscow Times article
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learn_russianThe Politically Correct and Incorrect
By Michele A. Berdy
Америкашки: Russian slang for Americans
Talking about ethnic groups and nationalities is a constant challenge: Just when you think you've mastered the current, politically correct term, the folks go and change it and you have to start all over again. And once you master the terms in one language, you discover yourself at a loss in another.
For example, Russian makes the nice and clear distinction between citizens of Russia (Россия), who are россияне, and ethnic Russians, who are русские. English ignores the "o" in Россия and calls both categories "Russians." If you need to make sure everyone knows you are talking about people of any nationality who live in Russia, you have to spell it out in English: Среди россиян есть армяне, грузины, татары и представители многих других национальностей. (There are Armenians, Georgians, Tatars and people of many other nationalities among the citizens of Russia.) You can also say русскоязычные -- Russian-speakers -- although this means just that: people who speak Russian. I once translated a speaker struggling to be utterly politically correct and describe the citizens of the Russian Federation who were united by culture: российские, русскоязычные ... люди русской культуры (Russian citizens, Russian-speaking people, people who identify with Russian culture).
Great country that this is, there are some people who think that Russian culture is the best in the world. Some of these folks are patriots; others are just plain old шовинисты (chauvinists). The latter folks are likely to use crude and insulting names to describe non-Russians. While you should never even think about using these words, it's useful to know them, if only to recognize a chauvinist when you see -- or hear -- one.
The slang word for Ukrainians (украинцы) is хохол (a man) or хохлушка (a woman). It is also the word Russians use to describe a tuft of hair: In times of old, Ukrainians shaved their hair, leaving only the topknot (хохол). This can be said fondly, but don't risk it. В нашей группе была одна хохлушка -- белокурая, пышная, весёлая. (We had a Ukrainian woman in our group who was fair, buxom and cheery.) The slang word in Ukraine (and other former Soviet republics) for Russians is москали. This was originally the word for people from the state of Muscovy. While it can be used jokingly, it generally has an edge to it. For example, one headline reads: Понаехали москали: экспансия российских топ-менеджеров на Украину. (The Invading Russians Are Turning Up the Heat: the expansion of Russian top managers in Ukraine.)
The $64,000 question is: How do you know this headline appeared in a Russian newspaper? The answer: Because of the preposition на. Since 1991, Ukrainians have requested that English-speakers say "in Ukraine" rather than "in the Ukraine," and Russians say в Украине rather than на Украине, since it is a country, not a territory (as implied by "the" and на). Russians complain this is hard to do -- режет слух, it grates on the ear (literally "cuts"). Ukrainians to Russians: Get over it.
If you hear a Russian referring to хачик or чурка, move away: These are very crude and derogatory slang words for an Armenian (or anyone from the Caucasus) and a Central Asian. Move away very quickly if someone refers to people from the Caucasus as чёрные (blacks). This word can also be used in reference to people of color; in either case, it is extremely insulting. This can confuse English-speakers, for whom "black" is an acceptable term. On the other hand, the Russian word негр, while sounding like a very derogatory word in English, is, on the contrary, a neutral and acceptable Russian term that simply means Negro.
What do Russians call us Americans? They used to call Americans штатники (something like Stateniks), but this is now dated. They sometimes call us америкосы (a kind of sound play on американцы and абрикосы -- apricots) or more frequently америкашки, a slightly condescending diminutive.
Russians to америкашки: Get over it.
Michele A. Berdy is a Moscow-based translator and interpreter
By Michele A. Berdy
Америкашки: Russian slang for Americans
Talking about ethnic groups and nationalities is a constant challenge: Just when you think you've mastered the current, politically correct term, the folks go and change it and you have to start all over again. And once you master the terms in one language, you discover yourself at a loss in another.
For example, Russian makes the nice and clear distinction between citizens of Russia (Россия), who are россияне, and ethnic Russians, who are русские. English ignores the "o" in Россия and calls both categories "Russians." If you need to make sure everyone knows you are talking about people of any nationality who live in Russia, you have to spell it out in English: Среди россиян есть армяне, грузины, татары и представители многих других национальностей. (There are Armenians, Georgians, Tatars and people of many other nationalities among the citizens of Russia.) You can also say русскоязычные -- Russian-speakers -- although this means just that: people who speak Russian. I once translated a speaker struggling to be utterly politically correct and describe the citizens of the Russian Federation who were united by culture: российские, русскоязычные ... люди русской культуры (Russian citizens, Russian-speaking people, people who identify with Russian culture).
Great country that this is, there are some people who think that Russian culture is the best in the world. Some of these folks are patriots; others are just plain old шовинисты (chauvinists). The latter folks are likely to use crude and insulting names to describe non-Russians. While you should never even think about using these words, it's useful to know them, if only to recognize a chauvinist when you see -- or hear -- one.
The slang word for Ukrainians (украинцы) is хохол (a man) or хохлушка (a woman). It is also the word Russians use to describe a tuft of hair: In times of old, Ukrainians shaved their hair, leaving only the topknot (хохол). This can be said fondly, but don't risk it. В нашей группе была одна хохлушка -- белокурая, пышная, весёлая. (We had a Ukrainian woman in our group who was fair, buxom and cheery.) The slang word in Ukraine (and other former Soviet republics) for Russians is москали. This was originally the word for people from the state of Muscovy. While it can be used jokingly, it generally has an edge to it. For example, one headline reads: Понаехали москали: экспансия российских топ-менеджеров на Украину. (The Invading Russians Are Turning Up the Heat: the expansion of Russian top managers in Ukraine.)
The $64,000 question is: How do you know this headline appeared in a Russian newspaper? The answer: Because of the preposition на. Since 1991, Ukrainians have requested that English-speakers say "in Ukraine" rather than "in the Ukraine," and Russians say в Украине rather than на Украине, since it is a country, not a territory (as implied by "the" and на). Russians complain this is hard to do -- режет слух, it grates on the ear (literally "cuts"). Ukrainians to Russians: Get over it.
If you hear a Russian referring to хачик or чурка, move away: These are very crude and derogatory slang words for an Armenian (or anyone from the Caucasus) and a Central Asian. Move away very quickly if someone refers to people from the Caucasus as чёрные (blacks). This word can also be used in reference to people of color; in either case, it is extremely insulting. This can confuse English-speakers, for whom "black" is an acceptable term. On the other hand, the Russian word негр, while sounding like a very derogatory word in English, is, on the contrary, a neutral and acceptable Russian term that simply means Negro.
What do Russians call us Americans? They used to call Americans штатники (something like Stateniks), but this is now dated. They sometimes call us америкосы (a kind of sound play on американцы and абрикосы -- apricots) or more frequently америкашки, a slightly condescending diminutive.
Russians to америкашки: Get over it.
Michele A. Berdy is a Moscow-based translator and interpreter
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no subject
Date: 2004-11-19 04:02 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-19 04:26 am (UTC)thanks
Date: 2004-11-19 05:47 am (UTC)good to know)
no subject
Date: 2004-11-19 06:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-19 07:17 am (UTC)BTW I have never heard this word applied to Americans.
no subject
Date: 2004-11-19 07:18 am (UTC)Хохол is any Ukrainian, be that щирый or западенець :)
no subject
Date: 2004-11-19 09:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-19 11:25 am (UTC)another popular slang words for U.S. citizens
Date: 2004-11-19 12:06 pm (UTC)Юсовцы (just the same, but based on russian word-constructing - ср. "бендеровцы" - Bendery's dwellers)
no subject
Date: 2004-11-20 08:39 am (UTC)But the most offensive word for a person from Caucasus is [I'm sorry] черножопый (black-arsed). Please, do not include this word in your active vocabulary.
no subject
Date: 2004-11-22 03:35 am (UTC)