готентотский

[blue-segment.livejournal.com]

Hello,
I hope someone here can shed some light on what "готентотский" means in this sentence:

к сожалению, этот готентотский (sic) взгляд на пролетарское искусство существует и доныне

I assume it literally means "Hottentot" but what it's doing in this sentence is a mystery to me.

Thank you.

UPD Thanks everyone.

Comments

[crimeanelf.livejournal.com]

I pass. But googling for "Hottentot" and "готентотский" yields about same results, so maybe it is not Russian language-related.

[andrey-lensky.livejournal.com]

Yes, it means Hottentot. The author wanted to say "primitive one" figuratively. There were many such metaphorical expressions in Russian.

[blue-segment.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[khathi.livejournal.com]

Yep. it indeed means "Hottentot", but not literally. Hottentots are rather backward tribe, so "готтентотский" came to figuratibely mean "primitive", "backward" -- just like obscure African tribe is popularly perceived.

[blue-sky-day.livejournal.com]

It's a bit archaic, but you'll come across the same thing in English.

[blue-segment.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[firebottle.livejournal.com]

"Hottentot" here means "barbarous" or just "primitive".

[blue-segment.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[konstkaras.livejournal.com]

There is now a well-known expression "готтентотская мораль": if I steal a cow, it's good, if someone steals my cow, it's bad.

[windy-corner.livejournal.com]

Loved that bit! Thanks!

[blue-segment.livejournal.com]

Wonderful. Thank you very much.

[moai-s.livejournal.com]

It literally means "Hottentot", but I think that the author emphasised an exotic sounding of the word "готентоский" (rather than Hottentot people), thereby adding to "пролетарское искусство" something odd or different. The author means the unusual sounding of the word, not the Hottentot people. That may be the reason why he hasn't mentioned another African people, say Bushmen people. Why? The expression "бушменское пролетарское исскусство" doesn't have that exotic sounding.
I think your translation might be as follows:
"a kind of some [ ] attitude to proletarian-style art lasts till now"
Please put into braсkets your own word meaning something unusual and exotic for English-speakers.

You are welcome.