Letters to the Editor

To the Editors:

I have a couple of comments about your Jan/Feb 2001 issue of Russian Life.

Amalia Mordvinova is very obviously an “actress,” not an “actor,” as you say on page 29. I hope this is a “typo.” Maybe it is a natural mistake of Russian speakers when, I think, in Russian, one word serves for actor/actress regardless of sex. Please tell me if this is, rather “political correctness” creeping into your magazine. When I told a Russian woman who is living here in this country that some people think using male words to describe females (such as “actor” when one means “actress”) imputes more respect to women, she looked at me with a look of utter incomprehension. Let me say that this woman is incredibly bright and well read. And I agree with her.

I did not appreciate the comment by Professor Brumfield on page 37 that, “Sadly, the birch groves are in many cases the result of irresponsible logging...” There is nothing “sad” about one species of tree or another growing anywhere. Has … Brumfield heard of “succession”? Now the murder of Admiral Kolchak, THAT was sad.

Lastly, I would be delighted if you proved to me that Voroshilov helped to form Budyonny’s Cavalry Army. (See page 17). Maybe he did, but I’d like to see the references. And I certainly don’t think anyone can claim he was a “great cavalry leader.” He was the tool and stooge of the greatest monster of all time, “Stalin.”

I would, however, like to see much more about the Civil War in your magazine.

Sincerely,

Bob Schnelle,

Sultan, WA

Mr. Schnelle:

Political correctness has never been one of our aspirations. But we do strive to journalistic and literary consistency insofar as our personal limitations allow.

We have chosen not to underline gender in our statement of occupations, because it is a more straightforward and consistent manner of talking about professions: to say “actress” is to say “female actor,” but we don’t say “female historian” or “male ballet dancer.” We want to plainly and clearly state these remarkable individuals’ professions without underlining their gender. Similarly, we want to “reduce” the classifications we use to as few as possible: thus, Marat Safin is an “athlete,” not a tennis player, and entrepreneurs are called simply that, without making reference to their area of business, nationality, gender or any other personal characteristic.

The statement regarding Voroshilov’s role in founding the cavalry is referenced in Who’s Who in Russia Since 1900, by Martin McCauley (Routledge, 1997).

— The Editors

To the Editors:

A Harry Schulte asked what was the meaning behind “Putin” and “Rasputin,” and you said “Rasputin” meant crossroads. I beg to differ. The word “rasput’e” means debauchery, which name he took for himself in order to shock the Russian people. He certainly deserved his fate. If there is indeed a connection with him and the word “path” I would suggest that he was completely “off the beaten path.” The only disturbing thing to me is that history connects him to the Empress Alexandra, whose sole reason for his friendship was her intense religious fervor in the hope that he would cure her hemophiliac son.

Signed,

Sonia A. Boyar

Dearborn, MI

To the Editors:

In your Nov/Dec issue you responded to an etymological query posed by Mr. Harry C. Schulte regarding the roots of Mr. Putin’s name and its possible connection to the name Rasputin. You replied that the root of Mr. Putin’s name probably comes from the Russian word “put,” meaning path or way. You further stated that the name Rasputin derives from the Russian word “rasput’e” meaning a crossroads. I would like to take exception to the latter. Rasputin, whose real name was Grigori Efimovich Novykh, derived his name from the word “rasputniy” meaning dissolute or debauched, referring to his voracious sexual appetites. Hope this is of help.

Sincerely,

Oleg G. Marinich

South Plainfield, NJ

To the Editors:

…I have studied certain aspects of Russian culture, including literary history, and Sasha Chyorny [Russian Life, Sept/Oct 2000] was unknown to me until this instructive, inviting article.

… I hope that someone has done, or will do, a similar article on P.P. Yershov, the author of the ever-fresh, ever-delicious “Konyok-Gorbunok,” and correlate this with the two major ballet creations done after the poetic fable, the 1864 production and the one in the latter 1900s with music by Rodion Shchedrin. …

Cordially,

Donald Sidney-Fryer

Los Angeles, CA

Russian Life encourages Letters to the Editors from all readers. Please send us your comments, corrections, suggestions and beefs. While we cannot print all letters we receive, and we can only respond to letters in this column, we will read all letters sent to us at our address (including email) on the page facing. Letters may be edited to fit the space available.