{"id":558,"date":"2010-03-22T10:00:33","date_gmt":"2010-03-22T10:00:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/?p=558"},"modified":"2014-07-16T19:49:22","modified_gmt":"2014-07-16T19:49:22","slug":"russian-word-of-the-week-cloning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/russian\/russian-word-of-the-week-cloning\/","title":{"rendered":"Russian Word of the Week: \u041a\u043b\u043e\u043d\u0438\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0435 (Cloning)"},"content":{"rendered":"

After writing my first few posts poking fun at \u00ab<\/strong>\u0431\u0430<\/span>\u0431\u0443\u0448\u043a\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [old ladies] and \u00ab<\/strong>\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0430\u043b\u044c\u0433\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c\u00bb<\/strong> [feeling nostalgic] about my \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u043e\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0435 <\/strong>\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u0441\u0442\u0432\u043e\u00bb<\/strong> [Soviet childhood], I decided it was time to tackle some \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u0435\u0440\u044c\u0451<\/span>\u0437\u043d\u044b\u0435 <\/strong>\u0432\u043e\u043f\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0441\u044b, <\/strong>\u0432\u044b\u0437\u044b\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u044e\u0449\u0438\u0435 <\/strong>\u0436\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u043a\u0443\u044e <\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u043c\u0438\u043a\u0443\u00bb<\/strong> [serious issues that draw heated arguments].<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00ab\u041a\u043b\u043e\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [cloning] is a controversial subject. \u00ab<\/strong>\u0416\u0430<\/span>\u0440\u043a\u0438\u0435 <\/strong>\u0441\u043f\u043e\u0440\u044b <\/strong>\u0440\u0430\u0437\u0433\u043e\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u044e\u0442\u0441\u044f\u00bb<\/strong> [hot debates arise] around any mentions of animal cloning, let alone the still-hypothetical \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u043b\u043e\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0435 <\/strong>\u043b\u044e\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u0439\u00bb<\/strong> [human cloning].<\/p>\n

\u00a0Another almost equally controversial subject is \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0443\u043d\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [clowns]. And to be honest, to some clowns appear to be more of an issue than cloning. After all, there is still no word to describe pathological fear of cloning. But coulrophobia<\/em> is real (even though my spell check doesn\u2019t recognize it).<\/p>\n

\u00a0So I figure, if cloning is controversial and clowns are controversial AND scary, then clown cloning is sure to be one of the most contentious issues we are faced with. The only problem was to find material for my \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0441\u0442 <\/strong>\u043e <\/strong>\u043a\u043b\u043e\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0438 <\/strong>\u043a\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0443\u043d\u043e\u0432\u00bb<\/strong> [clown cloning post].<\/p>\n

\u00a0Luckily, the opportunity presented itself right away in the form of a \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0442\u043a\u0430\u044f <\/strong>\u0437\u0430\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u043a\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [short article] with a title \u00ab<\/strong>\u0416\u0438\u0440\u0438\u043d\u043e\u0432\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0439 \u0445\u043e\u0447\u0435\u0442 \u043f\u043e\u0432\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0438\u0442\u044c \u0441\u0443\u0434\u044c\u0431\u0443 \u043e\u0432\u0435\u0447\u043a\u0438 \u0414\u043e\u043b\u043b\u0438<\/a>\u00bb<\/strong> [Zhirinovsky Wants to Repeat the Fate of Dolly the Sheep].<\/p>\n

\u00a0Let me tell you, this headline immediately grabbed my attention. I just couldn\u2019t believe that Mr. V.V. Zhirinovksy, founder and leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia,\u00a0 (see full profile<\/a>) wanted to be euthanized (see Dolly\u2019s full profile<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\u00a0Turns out, the \u00ab<\/strong>\u043f\u043e\u0432\u0442\u043e\u0440\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 <\/strong>\u0441\u0443\u0434\u044c\u0431\u044b<\/span>\u00bb<\/strong> [repeating the fate] referred more to the \u00ab<\/strong>\u041d\u0430\u0441\u043b\u0435<\/span>\u0434\u0438\u0435\u00bb<\/strong> [Legacy] part of Dolly\u2019s Wikipedia profile. \u00ab<\/strong>\u0412\u0412\u0416\u00bb<\/strong> [VVZh, the initials of Zhirinovsky\u2019s name] is on a mission to repeal Russia\u2019s ban on human cloning. He sees cloning as a way to \u00ab<\/strong>\u0441\u043f\u0430\u0441\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u0435 <\/strong>\u0447\u0435\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0430\u00bb<\/strong> [saving humankind]. More precisely, Zhirinovsky was quoted\u00a0 saying that<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00ab\u041a\u043b\u043e\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c \u043d\u0430\u0434\u043e \u0443<\/span>\u043c\u043d\u044b\u0445 \u043b\u044e\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u0439, \u0442\u0430\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0442\u043b\u0438\u0432\u044b\u0445, \u0434\u043e\u043b\u0436\u043d\u0430<\/span> \u0431\u044b\u0442\u044c \u0431\u0430<\/span>\u0437\u0430 \u0434\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0445 \u043a\u043b\u043e\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u043d\u044b\u0445 \u043b\u044e\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u0439. \u041c\u044b \u0434\u043e\u043b\u0436\u043d\u044b<\/span> \u0438\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u043d\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u044b\u0445 \u042d\u0439\u043d\u0448\u0442\u0435<\/span>\u0439\u043d\u043e\u0432, \u041a\u0443\u0440\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u0432\u044b\u0445, \u0426\u0438\u043e\u043b\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u0441\u043a\u0438\u0445, \u0415\u0441\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u043d\u044b\u0445, \u041f\u0443<\/span>\u0448\u043a\u0438\u043d\u044b\u0445.\u00bb<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0[Smart, talented people ought to be cloned; there must be a database of human clones. We ought to have new Einsteins, Kurchatovs, Tziolkovskys, Yesenins, Pushkins]<\/p>\n

\u00a0If anything, the intention seems noble (although \u00ab<\/strong>\u0448\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u0438\u043a\u0438 <\/strong>\u0431\u0443<\/span>\u0434\u0443\u0449\u0435\u0433\u043e\u00bb<\/strong> [schoolchildren of the future] might object to memorizing any more poems by cloned \u00ab<\/strong>\u0415\u0441\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0438\u043d\u044b <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u041f\u0443<\/span>\u0448\u043a\u0438\u043d\u044b\u00bb<\/strong> [Yesenins and Pushkins].<\/p>\n

\u00a0But to counterbalance all this \u00ab<\/strong>\u0438\u0437\u0431\u044b<\/span>\u0442\u043e\u043a <\/strong>\u0433\u0435\u043d\u0438\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [abundance of genius] Zhirinovksy adds, \u00ab<\/strong>\u0431\u0435\u0437 <\/strong>\u043b\u0438<\/span>\u0448\u043d\u0435\u0439 <\/strong>\u0441\u043a\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u043c\u043d\u043e\u0441\u0442\u0438\u00bb<\/strong> [without excessive modesty]<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00ab\u042f \u0431\u0443<\/span>\u0434\u0443 \u0440\u0430\u0434, \u0435<\/span>\u0441\u043b\u0438 \u0441\u043c\u043e\u0433\u0443<\/span> \u043a\u043b\u043e\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u0442\u044c \u0441\u0430\u043c\u043e\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u0441\u0435\u0431\u044f<\/span>, \u0447\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0431\u044b \u043f\u043e\u044f\u0432\u0438<\/span>\u043b\u0441\u044f \u0432\u0442\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u0439 \u0442\u0430\u043a\u043e<\/span>\u0439 \u0447\u0435\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u043a, \u043a\u0430\u043a \u044f. \u042d<\/span>\u0442\u043e \u0431\u0443<\/span>\u0434\u0435\u0442 \u0445\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0448\u043e<\/span>, \u044d<\/span>\u0442\u043e \u0431\u0443<\/span>\u0434\u0435\u0442 \u043f\u043e<\/span>\u043b\u044c\u0437\u0430 \u0434\u043b\u044f \u043d\u0430<\/span>\u0446\u0438\u0438.\u00bb<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u00a0[I will be happy if I can clone myself so that there is another person such as me. It will be good; it will be beneficial to the nation.]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u00a0Of course, it comes from a genius who\u2019s known for statements<\/a> such as<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00ab\u042f \u0441\u0442\u043e\u0440\u043e<\/span>\u043d\u043d\u0438\u043a \u0440\u0435\u0430\u0431\u0438\u043b\u0438\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u0446\u0438\u0438 \u041a\u043e\u0449\u0435<\/span>\u044f \u0411\u0435\u0441\u0441\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0442\u043d\u043e\u0433\u043e.\u00bb<\/strong> [I\u2019m in favor of rehabilitating of Koshey the Immortal. Koshey the Immortal is an infamous evil warlock of Russian fairytales.]<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00ab<\/strong>\u0416\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0449\u0438\u043d\u0430 \u0434\u043e\u043b\u0436\u043d\u0430<\/span> \u0441\u0438\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u0442\u044c \u0434\u043e<\/span>\u043c\u0430, \u043f\u043b\u0430<\/span>\u043a\u0430\u0442\u044c, \u0448\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u043f\u0430\u0442\u044c \u0438 \u0433\u043e\u0442\u043e<\/span>\u0432\u0438\u0442\u044c.\u00bb<\/strong> [A woman must stay home crying, mending and cooking.]<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00ab\u0412\u0441\u0435 \u0445\u0432\u0430<\/span>\u043b\u044f\u0442 \u041b\u0414\u041f\u0420 \u0438 \u043c\u0435\u043d\u044f<\/span>. \u042d\u0442\u043e <\/strong>\u0438 <\/strong>\u0435\u0441\u0442\u044c <\/strong>\u0434\u0435\u043c\u043e\u043a\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u044f.\u00bb<\/strong> [Everyone praises LDPR and me. That\u2019s what\u2019s called the democracy.]<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00ab\u041e\u0442 \u0447\u0435\u0433\u043e<\/span> \u043a\u043e\u0440\u043e\u0432\u044b \u0441 \u0443\u043c\u0430<\/span> \u0441\u0445\u043e<\/span>\u0434\u044f\u0442? \u041e\u0442 \u0431\u0440\u0438\u0442\u0430<\/span>\u043d\u0441\u043a\u043e\u0439 \u0434\u0435\u043c\u043e\u043a\u0440\u0430<\/span>\u0442\u0438\u0438.\u00bb<\/strong> [Why cows go mad? Because of the British democracy.]<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00ab\u041d\u0435 \u043c\u043d\u0435 [\u043d\u0435 \u043f\u043e\u0432\u0435\u0437\u043b\u043e<\/span> \u0441 \u0436\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0449\u0438\u043d\u0430\u043c\u0438], \u0430 \u0432\u0441\u0435\u043c\u0443<\/span> \u043c\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u0443, \u0432\u0441\u0435\u043c\u0443<\/span> \u0447\u0435\u043b\u043e\u0432\u0435<\/span>\u0447\u0435\u0441\u0442\u0432\u0443!\u00bb<\/strong> [It\u2019s not that I [had no luck with women], but the entire world, the entire mankind!]<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00ab\u042f \u0434\u0443<\/span>\u043c\u0430\u044e [\u0441 \u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0431\u043e\u0440\u0430\u043c\u0438 \u0411\u0430\u0440\u0430\u043a\u0430 \u041e\u0431\u0430<\/span>\u043c\u044b \u0432 \u043f\u0440\u0435\u0437\u0438\u0434\u0435<\/span>\u043d\u0442\u044b \u0421\u0428\u0410], \u0410\u043c\u0435<\/span>\u0440\u0438\u043a\u0430 \u043c\u043e<\/span>\u0436\u0435\u0442 \u0438 \u0438\u0437 \u041d\u0410<\/span>\u0422\u041e \u0432\u044b<\/span>\u0439\u0442\u0438.\u00bb<\/strong> [I\u2019m thinking that [with Barak Obama\u2019s election to the post of the President] the US might leave NATO\u2026]<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0And here\u2019s the final one, about geniuses:<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00ab\u041f\u0443<\/span>\u0448\u043a\u0438\u043d \u043d\u0435\u0441\u0447\u0430<\/span>\u0441\u0442\u043d\u044b\u0439 \u0431\u044b\u043b. \u041b\u0443<\/span>\u0447\u0448\u0435 \u0431\u044b \u0435\u0433\u043e \u043d\u0435 \u0431\u044b\u043b\u043e \u0441\u043e\u0432\u0441\u0435<\/span>\u043c.\u00bb<\/strong> [Pushkin was unhappy. It would\u2019ve been better if he weren\u2019t born.]<\/p>\n

\u00a0And that brings the discussion back to the controversial idea itself – \u00ab<\/strong>\u043a\u043b\u043e\u043d\u0438<\/span>\u0440\u043e\u0432\u0430\u043d\u0438\u0435 <\/strong>\u043a\u043b\u043e<\/span>\u0443\u043d\u043e\u0432\u00bb<\/strong> [clown cloning].<\/p>\n

P.S.<\/strong> The video below is quite old, but it’s one of the best English-language videos I found on YouTube about VVZh. Plus it has reactions from regular Russians as well as from the Russian officials. Enjoy!<\/p>\n