Phraseology In The News: Колено [The Knee] Posted by josefina on May 23, 2008 in language, News
One of the first things I noticed when I arrived in Russia back in 2004 was how much the young teenage generation differed from their parents and even from people in their twenties and thirties, despite a difference of a little more than ten years between them. It didn’t take long for me to clearly realize that those born during perestroika or straight after the collapse of Soviet Union are completely different people, living in another world. They’re opinionated and optimistic and goal oriented and brave, altogether with a fearless outlook on the world (perhaps because they’ve never been behind an iron curtain?). Immediately I felt that all of Russia’s hopes for the future is in this very new generation, and I wasn’t afraid to speak out about my views, yet many people, both Russians and foreigners, didn’t understand me for over four years time. Now it turns out that at least Russian Newsweek is on the same page as me, in any case according to their front page story in №21 (194) 19-25th of May «Поколение Путина выбирает стабильность и карьеру» [‘Generation Putin’ chooses stability and a career]. First it was the picture that caught my attention – I meet all of these ‘young types of Russians’ on a daily basis, I know then, and I know them well. Secondly, the interesting use of the word «колено» [knee] in a phraseology-like construction also intrigued me. Though I was not successful in solving the riddle and failed to uncover its whole meaning, I can’t help but to suspect it being a spin-off from the colloquial expression «(мне, тебе, ему, ей, им, вам, нам) море по колено» [(I, you, he, she, they, you, we) couldn’t care less].
The article tries to clarify the views and opinions and values of people born between 1983 and 1992, thus simultaneously explaining the generation often called “Generation Y” or “The Millenium Generation”. (I know I should probably consider also myself a part of this very generation, but I’ve always felt like an old soul and my year of birth doesn’t really hold that much importance or information to me…) The main theme of the article is the problem of how to understand these young people – what do they want, what are their principles, what do they dream of, what are they ready to work for, and about what couldn’t they care less? Over eight pages long, it has interviews with both scientists and ordinary young people who are just starting out their careers, not only in Moscow but also in other regions. It features an interview with one of Russia’s most successful young bloggers, the twenty-two year old Вера Полозкова with the online nickname of «Vero4ka», who published her first book at the age of 15 and dropped out of the journalism faculty of Moscow State University one semester before getting her diploma. Though I found many of her answers to the questions both superficial and ignorant, her vocabulary is a remarkable testimony of what happens to people’s ability to express themselves when what they read is limited to the contemporary. It also concludes the results of a country-wide research of the professional aspirations of young Russian people today, narrowing the results down to the following five ‘types’:
«Яппи (19% молодёжи) – работа мечты: предприниматели, бизнесмены»
Yuppie (19% of young people) – dream job: entrepreneurs, businessmen.
«Госрезерв (16% молодёжи) – работа мечты: юристы, адвокаты, сотрудники МВД (Министерство внутренних дел), ФСБ (Федеративная служба безопасности), МЧС (Милиция чрезвычайных ситуации)»
State-reserve (16% of young people) – dream job: lawyers, attorneys, officials of the Ministry of Interior Affairs, the Federal Service of Security, the Police of Extreme Situations.
«Офисный планктон (20% молодёжи) – работа мечты: менеджеры, юристы, бухгалтеры, маркетологи, программисты»
Office plankton (20% of young people) – dream job: managers, lawyers, accountants, working with marketing, [computer] programmers.
«Бюджетники (13% молодёжи) – работа мечты: врач, учитель, научный работник»
State workers (I choose this translation of the word above, since it comes from «бюджет» [budget] meaning usually in Russian the budget of the government) (13% of young people) – dream job: doctor, teacher, research associate.
«Пролетарии (17% молодёжи) – работа мечты: затрудняются назвать работу мечты, не ориентированы на конкретную сферу занятности, предпочитая работу в коммерческих организациях»
Proletarian (17% of young people) – dream job: they find it difficult to name their dream job; they’re not oriented toward any particular sphere of employment, preferring work in commercial organizations.
All in all, the new generation of Putin, not having known any of the economic difficulties or political troubles that their parents and older brothers and sisters knew, don’t dream only of money and becoming ‘presidents’ of companies and/or countries, but prefer having a job they like and doing something they care about, even if it means a smaller salary. They’re ready to risk in order to win, and they might also be the first Russian generation that will put off getting married and having kids until they’re over 30. They’re also the first non-communistic generation to be politically aware, whereas the generation before them (1970-1983) doesn’t seem to give a damn. Who knows what this will mean for Russia in the long run? For once I’ll agree with the washed-out Russian saying “всё будет хорошо“ [everything will be good].
P.S. I’m really thankful for any kind of comments on my English translations of the Russian! Any suggestions for improval is always welcome, since it’s not my native language and sometimes I don’t ‘feel’ it the way I should.
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Comments:
Stephen Farrand:
Isn’t there a play on words afoot here–The по колено поколение? Of course, in the West, we’ve had this self-centeredness gathering momentum for quite a while. But I imagine it’s a shock to the traditional Russian sense of the collective.
John Baker:
J,
I continue to enjoy your blog, as I garner a view point from another non-Russian with an intense interest in Russia and Russians. For me, it is because my Fiancee is “Russkaya ot Volgograda.”
In the spirit of your PS, I must tell you that “improval” is not an English word. The word you want to use is “improvement.” If, however, the form “impoval” comes into standard useage, you should get the credit for coining this word.
Do not hold your breath until this happens, since it would require general “AP-proval.” Until then keep up the good work!
John Baker:
J,
Here in America I do not read Time, Newsweek or any of the other Left-biased Media Mags. But I find it interesting that the Russian version of Newsweek reports that this younger generation of Russians continues to look more and more Western, even American in their appearance and ideas.
While the Russian Road to Economic Liberty through Economic Solutions to Economic Problems has been very rocky, I see that the in-bred corruption of the last 1000 years will eventually disappear or become the exception rather than the Rule.
Again, keep up the good work.
peggy:
I think your English is excellent – but am not sure whether you have coined the word ‘improval’; I think it is a ‘portmanteau ‘ word, combining approval with improvement. Humpty Dumpty,aka Lewis Carroll would be pleased with it, but to be strictly correct you probably want improvement!
Anyse Joslin:
Your blog is a breath of fresh air every time I read it! I feel that you have an “innate” sense or feeling for the Russian people as well as for their social and political difficulties or triumphs. Should I ever see something really “out of whack” in your translation, I will definitely let you know. By the way, can you let me and others know how you learned Russian and what textbooks you used? Also, would you give your “humble” opinion as to the “most useful” book on Russian that you have ever had and keep with you even now in Russia?
Thank you so much. I would love to have you as a guest here in America. I would set up the fireplace, make tea or lattes, and we could just sit around and “chat” for as long as we please. I feel that comfortable with you!
Anyse
A Woman in California
Stas:
Hi there again.
It looks like I am going to spend the whole day reading your blog. It’s such a pleasent reading.
As for your PS, работа мечты caught my eye. It’s grammaticaly correct but native Russian speakers will never say it without притяжательного местоимения [sorry, I forget English term and even if I manage to remember I will mess up the spelling.] It should be работа их мечты. As in woman of my dream (женщина моей мечты) or man of her dream (мужчина её мечты). I don’t know why it is this way but it is.