Whatever it is, we're against it

If you believe the papers, Russia is in the grips of протестное настроение, which literally means a mood for protest, but which might be better translated as “loaded for bear.” All over the country, and especially in Moscow, there have been weekly санкционированные и несанкционированные демонстрации (lawful and unlawful demonstrations), пикеты (picketing); шествия (processions), and even гуляния (strolls) to protest something or everything.

In Russian the word протест (protest) is both the emotion and the act. So there are, for example, знак протеста (sign of protest) and акт or акция протеста (act of protest). Angry citizens proclaim: Мы готовы принять участие в беспорядках, акциях протеста! (We’re ready to take part in unrest and acts of protest!) Протест can also be the demonstration itself, although the guilty party these days is often not the протестующие (protesters) but their purported financial supporters: Полиция уверена, что протесты организовали враги России (The police are certain that the protests were organized by Russia’s enemies).

Another way of expressing your disagreement is the verb возражать (to object to). This can be very mild, as it is used in the common phrase: Ты не возражаешь, если я (You don’t mind if I…). This is usually followed by some form of annoying behavior:… тут поработаю, покурю, позвоню (… work here, smoke, make a phone call). In most cases you respond Пожалуйста! (Go right ahead, I don’t mind). But in other cases you can say, Возражаю! (I do mind!).

Возражать can also be rather rude, especially when used to describe children disagreeing with adults in positions of authority: Мой внук имел дурную привычку возражать преподавателям (My grandson had the unpleasant habit of challenging teachers).

When accused of some wrongdoing, there are two verbs that you can use. Отрицать is to deny it — or not deny it, as the case may be. Cудили женщину за убийство мужа. Она ничего не отрицала. (They were trying a woman for murdering her husband. She didn’t deny a thing.) Опровергать is to refute it, disprove it, or rebut it. Сообщили, что эвакуировали всех жителей, но местные жители опровергли это утверждение. (They reported that they evacuated all the residents, but locals refuted that assertion.)

Опровергать is, on paper at least, supposed to provide evidence to debunk an accusation or statement. But sloppy journalists and sneaky public relations departments like to say debunk when they really mean deny. You might read something like this:  Представители Минобороны эту информацию опровергают (Ministry of Defense officials refute the information), when they really should say: Представители Минобороны эту информацию отрицают (Ministry of Defense officials deny the information). These reports should have a “reader beware” warning attached.

But Russian being Russian, even the simple act of disagreement has nuances. This seems clear: Я против! (I’m against it!). But if someone says: Я в принципе не против (I’m not against it in principle), it might be followed by: но я против в этом случае (but I’m against it in this particular case). Even what seems like a positive response — я ничего не имею против (I don’t have anything against it) — is often followed by: но я бы не советовал (but I wouldn’t recommend it). Sometimes Russian double negatives aren’t as positive as you’d expect.

But don’t despair! There are very short and easy ways to protest. Do you want that landfill site in your community? Никак нет! (No, sir!) Ни за что! (No way!)  Ни в какую! (Under no circumstances!)  Как бы не так! (Not if I can help it!) Хоть убей! (Over my dead body!) Боже упаси! (God forbid!)

We read you loud and clear.