First, a disclaimer is in order – this is NOT a post about politics, but about how to talk about politics.<\/p>\n
Of course, as the saying goes, \u043f\u0440\u0438\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u043b\u044e<\/span>\u0434\u0438 \u043e \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0435 \u043d\u0435 \u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u044f<\/span>\u0442<\/strong> (well-mannered people do not discuss politics). Then again, rules change. It used to be that \u0440\u0430\u0437\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u044b \u043e \u0441\u0435<\/span>\u043a\u0441\u0435<\/strong> (conversations about sex) were also off-limits in a polite company. Well, 50 \u043e\u0442\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u043a\u043e\u0432 \u0441\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0433\u043e<\/strong> (50 Shades of Gray) has changed that, it seems.<\/p>\n Some people say that \u0443<\/span>\u043c\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u043b\u044e<\/span>\u0434\u0438 \u043e \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0435 \u043d\u0435 \u0434\u0443<\/span>\u043c\u0430\u044e\u0442<\/strong> (smart people do not think about politics). \u042d<\/span>\u0442\u043e \u0443\u0442\u0432\u0435\u0440\u0436\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u0441\u043f\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u043d\u043e<\/strong> (This statement is debatable). And speaking of debatable, one of the most interesting things to watch during \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0431\u043e\u0440\u043d\u0430\u044f \u0433\u043e<\/span>\u043d\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (election race) is, of course, \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0437\u0438\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0442\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0435 \u0434\u0435\u0431\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044b<\/strong> (presidential debates). Other words for \u0434\u0435\u0431\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044b<\/strong> (debates) are \u0434\u0438\u0441\u043a\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u0441\u0438\u044f<\/strong> (discussion, usually in a forum or panel format), \u043f\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f<\/strong> (debate) and \u043e\u0431\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u043d \u043c\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f\u043c\u0438<\/strong> (exchange of opinions).<\/p>\n With so many nouns to choose from, what options do we have for a verb with a meaning \u201cto debate\u201d? Sure, there is a verb \u0434\u0435\u0431\u0430\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/strong> (to debate), not to be confused with \u0434\u0435\u0431\u044e\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/strong> (to debut). Interestingly, while \u0434\u0435\u0431\u044e\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/strong> is used quite often as in<\/p>\n \u041f\u0435\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0446 \u0434\u0435\u0431\u044e\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043b \u0432 \u043c\u0443<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u0442\u0438-\u043c\u0438\u043b\u043b\u0438\u043e<\/span>\u043d\u043d\u043e\u043c \u0440\u0435\u043a\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u043d\u043e\u043c \u0440\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u0438\u043a\u0435<\/strong> (A singer debuted in a multi-million dollar commercial)<\/p>\n \u0434\u0435\u0431\u0430\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/strong> (to debate) is used a whole lot less often and practically never when talking about politics.<\/p>\n \u0414\u0438\u0441\u043a\u0443\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c<\/strong> (to dispute, to discuss), from \u0434\u0438\u0441\u043a\u0443<\/span>\u0441\u0441\u0438\u044f<\/strong>, aren\u2019t all that popular either. It seems that the word is reserved to describe disputes that drag on and on and do not result in significant or positive actions as in<\/p>\n \u0427\u0438\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0438 \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0434\u043e\u043b\u0436\u0430<\/span>\u044e\u0442 \u0434\u0438\u0441\u043a\u0443\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c \u043e \u043d\u0435\u043e\u0431\u0445\u043e\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u043c\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438 \u0437\u0430\u0449\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044b \u043e\u043a\u0440\u0443\u0436\u0430<\/span>\u044e\u0449\u0435\u0439 \u0441\u0440\u0435\u0434\u044b<\/span><\/strong> (Bureaucrats continue to discuss the need to protect the environment).<\/p>\n The verb \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0442\u044c<\/strong> doesn\u2019t even mean \u201cto debate\u201d, but instead means \u201cto perspire\u201d. This, of course, makes sense for some of the longer or more intense \u043f\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f<\/strong> (discussions, debates).<\/p>\n Certainly, political opponents might \u043e\u0431\u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f \u043c\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f\u043c\u0438<\/strong> (to exchange opinions) during a debate. Unless they \u043e\u0431\u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f \u043c\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f\u043c\u0438 \u0434\u0440\u0443\u0433 \u043e \u0434\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0433\u0435<\/strong> (to exchange opinions about each other), \u043e\u0431\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u043d \u043c\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f\u043c\u0438<\/strong> usually implies a spirit of \u0441\u043e\u0442\u0440\u0443<\/span>\u0434\u043d\u0438\u0447\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e<\/strong> (cooperation) and \u043a\u043e\u043d\u0441\u0442\u0440\u0443\u043a\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0434\u0438\u0430\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0433<\/strong> (constructive dialogue). As such, it\u2019s rarely applicable to presidential debates in which \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0438<\/strong> (opponents) tend to \u0441\u0445\u043b\u0451<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u044b\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f<\/strong> (here: to argue) with each other over every issue.<\/p>\n So when talking about debates, we use the phrase \u043e\u0431\u0441\u0443\u0436\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u0432\u043e\u043f\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u044b<\/strong> (to discuss issues), such as \u0432\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0448\u043d\u044f\u044f \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (foreign policy) and \u0432\u043d\u0443<\/span>\u0442\u0440\u0435\u043d\u043d\u044f\u044f \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (domestic policy). \u0412\u043d\u0443<\/span>\u0442\u0440\u0438\u043f\u043e\u043b\u0438\u0442\u0438<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0435 \u0432\u043e\u043f\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u044b<\/strong> (domestic policy issues) include \u044d\u043a\u043e\u043d\u043e<\/span>\u043c\u0438\u043a\u0430<\/strong> (the economy), \u043d\u0430\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0433\u043e\u043e\u0431\u043b\u043e\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435<\/strong> (tax policies), \u0432\u043e\u043f\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u044b \u0437\u0434\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u043e\u043e\u0445\u0440\u0430\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f<\/strong> (health care policies), \u0440\u0430\u0437\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u0440 \u0433\u043e\u0441\u0443\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0435\u043d\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e \u0434\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u0433\u0430<\/strong> (the size of government debt), \u0431\u0435\u0437\u0440\u0430\u0431\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u0446\u0430<\/strong> (unemployment), \u0440\u0435\u0444\u043e<\/span>\u0440\u043c\u0430 \u043e\u0431\u0440\u0430\u0437\u043e\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u044f<\/strong> (education reform), \u0438 \u0442\u0430\u043a \u0434\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0435\u0435 \u0438 \u0442\u043e\u043c\u0443<\/span> \u043f\u043e\u0434\u043e<\/span>\u0431\u043d\u043e\u0435<\/strong> (and so on and so forth).<\/p>\n Of course, \u0440\u0435\u0441\u043f\u0443\u0431\u043b\u0438\u043a\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0446\u044b<\/strong> (Republicans), \u0434\u0435\u043c\u043e\u043a\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044b<\/strong> (Democrats) and those \u043d\u0435\u0437\u0430\u0432\u0438<\/span>\u0441\u0438\u043c\u044b\u0435 \u0438\u0437\u0431\u0438\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u0438<\/strong> (swing voters) who have made their choice, already know where their \u043a\u0430\u043d\u0434\u0438\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0442 \u0432 \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0437\u0438\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0442\u044b<\/strong> (presidential candidate) stands on these issues. These \u0438\u0437\u0431\u0438\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u0438<\/strong> (voters) watch debates primarily to \u0443\u0431\u0435\u0434\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u044c\u0441\u044f \u0432 \u043f\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0432\u0438\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438 \u0441\u0432\u043e\u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0431\u043e\u0440\u0430<\/strong> (to confirm they are making the right choice).<\/p>\n So it seems that the debates aim at \u043d\u0435\u043e\u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u0435\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u0448\u0438\u0435\u0441\u044f \u0438\u0437\u0431\u0438\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0435\u043b\u0438<\/strong> (undecided voters) who have not made up their minds as to \u0437\u0430 \u043a\u043e\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0441\u043e\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u043d\u0430 \u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0431\u043e\u0440\u0430\u0445<\/strong> (who to vote for in the elections). It\u2019s either that, or the debates are primarily to keep various \u043a\u043e\u043c\u043c\u0435\u043d\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u0440\u044b<\/strong> (commentators) and \u044d\u043a\u0441\u043f\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0442\u044b<\/strong> (experts) busy dissecting and analyzing every word and every detail, from \u043f\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u043a\u0430 \u0444\u0430<\/span>\u043a\u0442\u043e\u0432<\/strong> (fact-checking) to \u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0431\u043e\u0440 \u0433\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u0441\u0442\u0443\u043a\u043e\u0432<\/strong> (choice of neckties) and \u0432\u044b\u0440\u0430\u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 \u043b\u0438\u0446 \u043a\u0430\u043d\u0434\u0438\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u0432<\/strong> (candidates\u2019 facial expressions).<\/p>\n Now, if you watched the most recent presidential debates, you might have found them \u043d\u0430\u043f\u0440\u044f\u0436\u0451<\/span>\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0435<\/strong> (tense), \u0430\u0433\u0440\u0435\u0441\u0441\u0438<\/span>\u0432\u043d\u044b\u0435<\/strong> (aggressive), and \u044d\u043c\u043e\u0446\u0438\u043e\u043d\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u044b\u0435<\/strong> (emotional). Undoubtedly, they were. Yet, if you are craving even more excitement and emotions, not to mention a fantastic opportunity to practice real-life Russian, try watching 2012 Russian presidential debates on YouTube.<\/p>\n And here are some phrases you might hear from your Russian friends during this presidential campaign:<\/p>\n \u0411\u0443<\/span>\u0434\u0435\u0442\u0435 \u043b\u0438 \u0412\u044b \u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0441\u043e\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u043d\u0430 \u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0431\u043e\u0440\u0430\u0445 \u0432 \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0437\u0438\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0442\u044b?<\/strong> – Will you be voting in the Presidential election?<\/p>\n \u0417\u0430 \u043a\u043e\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u0412\u044b \u0431\u0443<\/span>\u0434\u0435\u0442\u0435 \u0433\u043e\u043b\u043e\u0441\u043e\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u044c?<\/strong> – Who are you going to vote for?<\/p>\n \u041a\u0430\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0439 \u0434\u043b\u044f \u0412\u0430\u0441 \u0441\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u044b\u0439 \u0432\u0430<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0432\u043e\u043f\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0441 \u0432\u043d\u0435<\/span>\u0448\u043d\u0435\u0439\/\u0432\u043d\u0443<\/span>\u0442\u0440\u0435\u043d\u043d\u0435\u0439 \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0438?<\/strong> – What’s the most important foreign\/domestic policy issue for you?<\/p>\n \u0427\u0442\u043e \u0412\u044b \u0434\u0443<\/span>\u043c\u0430\u0435\u0442\u0435 \u043e (\u0438<\/span>\u043c\u044f \u043a\u0430\u043d\u0434\u0438\u0434\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0430 \u0432 \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0434\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u043d\u043e\u043c \u043f\u0430\u0434\u0435\u0436\u0435<\/span>)?<\/strong> – What do you think about (candidate’s name in prepositional case)?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" First, a disclaimer is in order – this is NOT a post about politics, but about how to talk about politics. Of course, as the saying goes, \u043f\u0440\u0438\u043b\u0438\u0447\u043d\u044b\u0435 \u043b\u044e\u0434\u0438 \u043e \u043f\u043e\u043b\u0438\u0442\u0438\u043a\u0435 \u043d\u0435 \u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u044f\u0442 (well-mannered people do not discuss politics). Then again, rules change. It used to be that \u0440\u0430\u0437\u0433\u043e\u0432\u043e\u0440\u044b \u043e \u0441\u0435\u043a\u0441\u0435 (conversations about sex) were…<\/p>\n