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A census is c o n d u c t e d or carried out by census takers

A census.

w h o ask p e o p l e (respondents) to fill o u t a census questionnaire or blank (

) or to answer questions orally.

say,

The State Statistical Agency or Service.

the State

The

interpreter can

Statistical Agency, since the acronym alone

provides no information to an English speaker.

This c a n be r e n d e r e d as to look ahead/take a look/a
or, m o r e colloquially,

glance at the future,

,

but the

extinct,

off/disappear like

The

i n t e r p r e t e r could
the

dinosaurs!

to peek into the future.

scientific t e r m for is to become

say,

The

more

speaker's

colloquially,
laugh

in

his

So,

will we die

answer

c a n be

rendered t h r o u g h the i n t e r p r e t e r ' s i n t o n a t i o n .

, , -

In referring to social

movements

. ,

trend, n o t tendency.

. ,

exaggerate."

here is a drop or decline,

,
.

c a n be r e n d e r e d as

- 2004
2006-,
.

arc

, , .
, , ,
, ...

, .
, ?
, -.
12

be

rendered

as

" H e has a t e n d e n c y to

not a "reduction."

Since the

The trend towards a drop/decline in population...

125 children per 100 women.

reproduction.

c a n be

means

to

maintain/provide for/ensure

dropped.

aging. A literal t r a n s l a t i o n would result in a very long sentence

The aging of the population is occurring/taking place very quickly/at a very
By saying

rapid rate.

The population is aging rapidly, t h e i n t e r p r e t e r c o u l d

lave a good deal of time and p r o d u c e a m u c h m o r e idiomatic s e n t e n c e .

"politically

should

Ha ... Today for every 100 women there are 125children/there

Win

changes

One could say of an individual,

m e a n i n g is clear, does n o t need to be translated. T h e sentence

, . .

or d e m o g r a p h i c

Idl/c

the

elderly/seniors.

"Old people"

has

become

extremely

incorrect."

terms

for

discussion

of population/demographic

issues

include:

population

mortality
extremely/very high/soaring mortality rates
morbidity
{ birth rate
13

 life expectancy

T h e word c a n be d r o p p e d

of working age/able-bodied.

T h e literal t r a n s l a t i o n the near abroad will only

the census showed 145.2 million.

be u n d e r s t o o d by people knowledgeable about Russia. From the CIS would

in translating texts dealing

with social p r o b l e m s ,

make the m e a n i n g clear. Similarly, should be r e n d e r e d

impacting is often m o r e a p p r o p r i a t e t h a n influencing.

All the factors impacting on the demographic situation saves t i m e , and

as

is n o t really adding anything substantive h e r e .

T h e speaker puts special emphasis on this word. T h e i n t e r p r e t e r can

non-CIS countries,

countries other than

those

of the

CIS.

so far there/are no grounds (yet)/is no basis/reason for

say lower with a similar emphasis in English, or add a phrase such as in fact,

saying...

, T h e c o n t r a s t is between the

, 2016 According to our forecasts/As we see

loss of intellectuals and professionals the brain drain ( ) and

it/

the

We

are

predicting/

believe

that...

loss

of

able-bodied

workers

().

T h e year " 2 0 1 6 " is n o t p r o n o u n c e d clearly; this could be " 2 0 1 5 . " Since it is

42

clear, however, t h a t the date is n o t t o o far off in the future, the i n t e r p r e t e r

degrees

can

to

Russian and A m e r i c a n e d u c a t i o n a l systems. While the i n t e r p r e t e r c a n say 42

candidates of science and 11 people with doctorates, t h i s m a y be confusing to

of that/Imagine

equivalent in the US or the UK to the , 42people with

that/What/How about that? or c a n be omitted if the speaker is going very fast.

the equivalent of a Ph.D and 11 with advanced degrees w o u l d be a possibility.

,..

say

in

several years/eventually

some/approximately/about
specific

140

the population

million

will decline/drop/shrink

without

people

committing

to

date.

always

causes

problems

of the

differences

between

the

English speakers with no knowledge of the Russian system. Since there is no

can

be

rendered

...

as

Just

think

But/ great deal/a lot will hinge

on I be determined by/be decided by/depend on how...

does

the figure show/mean/What's

10 ? T h e speaker coughs

bit, which should p u t the i n t e r p r e t e r on the alert for missing or repeated

words.

residing.

Who

F i n d i n g equivalents for advanced

because

will take care of/care for or even

deal with/our elderly would be

included

c a n be translated as
in

temporarily

the figure

Then what

indicating...

located/living...

but permanently

permanent residence,

possible r e n d i t i o n s of this s e n t e n c e , since the literal t r a n s l a t i o n of ,

" t o feed," will n o t work.

work h e r e , as English speakers will n o t u n d e r s t a n d the reference to C h i n a .

If the i n t e r p r e t e r d o e s n ' t get the exact figures 58.5 and 71.9 it's b e t t e r to say

This can be r e n d e r e d as a Chinese invasion or invasion from

some 58years or about

71 years r a t h e r t h a n to get the n u m b e r s wrong.

Since

the

speaker's

speed

i n t e r p r e t e r should be c o n c e n t r a t i n g on saving t i m e .
a

simple

or

Why?

How

come?

would

be

better

is

increasing,
To

what

is

thisl

connected/linked/due?

not

China.

group/background.

Since

the

discussion

is

specifically

about

the

nationalities c a n be m a i n t a i n e d . While in o t h e r contexts c a n m e a n

component,

composition

breakdown

by

factors.

We're supposed to

of will

various e t h n i c and n a t i o n a l groups which make up the p o p u l a t i o n of Russia,

ecological

A literal t r a n s l a t i o n

does n o t have a direct equivalent in English, and is often translated as

ethnic

This can be r e d u c e d to the environment or

T h e r e are two p r o b l e m s h e r e .
the

Whafs causing that? or I

than

This,
be

too,

c a n be

shortened:

better off/Life's supposed to

That's strange/How come?/ j

be getting better/It looks as\

later/The

or

nationalities

breakdown

membership,

"We'll

here

it

have

the

is

used

to

breakdown

indicate
by

the

nationalities

by nationalities will be ready somewhat later."

While doing preparatory work/While paving

and

shorter

Variants t h a n a literal r e n d e r i n g " I n the course of the p r e p a r a t i o n s for the

Recent statistics show/According to recent statistics.

can

be

simplified

to 1

census

all b e t t e r

*the

way/In preparingfor/planning the

are

though things are improving, or simply But are all possibilities for r e n d e r i n g 1

eitmis."

I
15

 T h e s p e a k e r heavily e m p h a s i z e s ,

T h e second part of t h e s e n t e n c e c a n be s h o r t e n e d to we

a n d t h e i n t e r p r e t e r c a n stress active in English, a d d a w o r d s u c h as really or

conducted the census on

very b e f o r e

in English c a n be

or say actively trading.

active,

T h i s c o u l d be r e n d e r e d as this/serves to

rendered

create/creates/leads

c o n t e x t . H e r e a bit of rephrasing is required because of t h e structure of t h e

to/is

the

reason for this

impression.

as

a purely voluntary basis.

binding,

compulsory

or mandatory

depending

on

S i n c e t h e answer t o t h e q u e s t i o n i s given q u i t e fast, t h e i n t e r p r e t e r s h o u l d try

Russian

t o k e e p t h e t r a n s l a t i o n a s s h o r t a s possible. H e r e are possible c o n d e n s a t i o n s

citizens/everyone/is

(phrases t h a t c a n be d r o p p e d are in p a r e n t h e s e s ) :

. . . ignore/choose to ignore.

We don't have exact data/Exact data on the number of Chinese in Russia are

legal experts is b e t t e r t h a n jurists, s i n c e t h e English w o r d is

not available]
later.

information

It's probably

(While working on
situation

there).

Chinese

are

on population

low figure/There

the census) we spent time

No

invasion/whatsoever/to

actively

trading/active

think this/so/it looks/like

wrong

Chinese

no

as

question

the

breakdown

media

at

that/creates
of millions
are

(by nationality)

are probably
in

speak

the

not

very

of them.

The

census/is

conducted on

mandatory/required

mandatory

narrower i n m e a n i n g t h a n t h e Russian o n e .
T h e w o r d A d o e s n o t have to be r e n d e r e d literally. Well, So,
Do you think that or, simply, Can the results... is fine,

of

(It's just

markets,(and)

because)

that's

The

media

are

there

way

The

of/compulsory for all

basis.

the Far East (and saw the

that impression.
of Chinese/No

will come

many

sentence:

obligatory,

"Corrections"

is

not

why people

"correct" t r a n s l a t i o n h e r e ! T h e idea is t h a t of adjustments or changes to

reports

g o v e r n m e n t policy.

millions

are
of

claiming/saying/reporting.

of/things

very

serious/major/substantive/intensive/review

in/the

of certain

While t h e i n t e r p r e t e r s h o u l d always m a k e every effort to k e e p up with a

points/items

government's program.

speaker, e d i t i n g a n d c o n d e n s i n g t h e text w h e n necessary, t h e r e are t i m e s

while c a n have t h e m e a n i n g of a project or design, h e r e

( a n d h e r e t h e i n t e r p r e t e r m u s t use his o w n g o o d j u d g m e n t ! ) w h e n a d e l e g a t e

it is clearly a draft.

m a y s p e a k so fast t h a t i n t e r p r e t a t i o n is literally i m p o s s i b l e . In s u c h cases t h e

anything and everything (with stress on

i n t e r p r e t e r m a y be obliged to say),

anything at all/whatever will r e n d e r t h e force of t h i s p h r a s e , o n e w h i c h t h e

is

speaking/reading/going

too fast for

The interpreter apologizes, but the speaker

proper

interpretation,

speaker e m p h a s i z e s strongly.

Many

continue

to doubt/have doubts is m o r e i d i o m a t i c a n d s h o r t e r t h a n to be doubtful or to

express doubts. T h e m e a n i n g of t h e R u s s i a n past a n d p r e s e n t t e n s e is
s u b s u m e d by continue to.
no

Attempts

t o t r a n s l a t e t h e w h o l e p h r a s e w o u l d lead t o a very c l u m s y s e n t e n c e . T h e
e n t i r e p h r a s e c a n be r e d u c e d to accidentally or for whatever reason were left
out of/not included in/ignored by/didn't make

it into

the

census,

T h e r h e t o r i c a l flourish
does n o t add anything of substance, and t h e phrase could be rendered as
didn't make it into the census/Russian history/were left off the rolls or, if t h e
i n t e r p r e t e r w a n t s to k e e p t h e flavor of t h e p h r a s e , will be ignored by Russian
history.

t h i s word c a n be r e n d e r e d as retirees, pensioners, or those

receiving

statistical

margin

oferror.

pensions.

tin - review these plans/these plans

will come

no

"everything"),

from

under review/take
different point

new/fresh

of view/rethink

look

at

many plans.

these plans/see

these plans

Interview

with

head

of

Vladimir
the

State

Leonidovich
Statistical

Sokolin,
Agency

In our interview last year you said that the census lets us take a peek into
the future. So what can Russia expect in the next few decades? Will we die out
like the dinosaurs!
Well, first of all, we certainly w o n ' t b e c o m e extinct. But the t r e n d
t o w a r d s a decline in p o p u l a t i o n will c o n t i n u e . Today for every 100 w o m e n
t h e r e are 125 c h i l d r e n . Twice as m a n y births are n e e d e d to m a i n t a i n
r e p r o d u c t i o n of the p o p u l a t i o n . The p o p u l a t i o n is aging rapidly
U n f o r t u n a t e l y , the m o r t a l i t y rates for w o r k i n g - a g e m e n are still soaring.
Taking into a c c o u n t all the factors i m p a c t i n g on the d e m o g r a p h i c situation,
t h e r e are still no g r o u n d s for saying that a n y t h i n g is going to c h a n g e for the
better. As we see it, by 2016 the p o p u l a t i o n will have declined to s o m e 140
million p e o p l e . I m a g i n e t h a t ! But a great deal will be d e t e r m i n e d by
m i g r a t i o n p a t t e r n s . T h e c e n s u s results will allow us to define t h e
c o n t i n u a t i o n of our m i g r a t i o n policy, t a k i n g into a c c o u n t the natural
decline in p o p u l a t i o n , its r e d i s t r i b u t i o n t h r o u g h o u t the territory of the
c o u n t r y and a drop in t h e n u m b e r s of those of w o r k i n g age. Right n o w we
have low life expectancy, but w h e n it starts rising w h o ' l l be t a k i n g care of
our elderly ten years from n o w ?
Whafs

the

average

life

expectancy

Because

of the

It would be interesting to know the size of our brain drain and of the loss
of able-bodied workers to the West.
!

Well, from 1991 to 2003 1,160,000 p e o p l e left. B u t m i g r a t i o n flows

with n o n - C I S c o u n t r i e s are gradually drying u p . T h e mass m i g r a t i o n has
ended. At the end of the 90s m o r e t h a n 100,000 a year were leaving, while
hist year t h e r e were 54 t h o u s a n d . As statisticians we can see t h a t this is not
primarily a brain drain. Of t h e 54,000 p e o p l e w h o left the c o u n t r y in 2 0 0 2 ,
8,000 had higher e d u c a t i o n and those i n c l u d e d 42 p e o p l e with P h . D .
equivalents and 11 w i t h a d v a n c e d degrees.
Then who is included in the figure indicating the "number of individuals
temporarily living in
the territory of the
USSR
but permanently residing
abroad,"

249.8 thousand people!

2

Those are foreign s t u d e n t s , t r a d e r s , t o u r i s t s , seasonal w o r k e r s .

today!

U n f o r t u n a t e l y , last year it declined to 58.5 years for m e n and 71.9 for

women.
Why!

results of the census in the C I S c o u n t r i e s are indicative the only c o u n t r i e s

missing are U z b e k i s t a n and M o l d o v a . E v e r y w h e r e except Tajikistan, with
its extremely high birth r a t e , t h e total n u m b e r s of the p o p u l a t i o n are lower
than p r e s e n t statistical data. T h u s it's clear w h e r e these m i g r a t i o n flows are
c o m i n g from and w h e r e t h e y ' r e going. Incidentally, in t e r m s of the n u m b e r
of migrants w h o ' v e a p p e a r e d over t h e last 10 years 7.8 million w e ' r e in
third place after the US and G e r m a n y . But the n u m b e r of m i g r a n t s is
declining every year.

standard of living!

B o t h t h e s t a n d a r d of living and t h e e n v i r o n m e n t . T h e major

u n n a t u r a l cause of d e a t h a m o n g m e n is s u i c i d e , followed by m u r d e r and
alcohol p o i s o n i n g .
How come! The standard of living seems to be on the rise, and there are
more
suicides!
We're talking about the p o p u l a t i o n as a w h o l e , and y o u ' r e only talking
about Moscow. M o s c o w , unfortunately, isn't Russia.

And what about the Chinese! Are the rumors about a Chinese invasion

of

the Far East true!

1

O n c e again, we have no exact d a t a as to h o w m a n y C h i n e s e t h e r e are

Russia; we'll get the b r e a k d o w n by n a t i o n a l i t i e s s o m e w h a t later. But I
n't think the figure will be all t h a t high. W h i l e working on t h e census my
(leagues and I frequently spent t i m e in the Far East and we have a good
R of the situation t h e r e . Of c o u r s e , t h e r e ' s no invasion. But the C h i n e s e
active, selling their g o o d s at the m a r k e t s , and t h a t ' s creating this
ression. In any c a s e , no way are t h e r e millions of C h i n e s e as the m e d i a
elmming.

Recent statistics show that there should be 143.3 million citizens, but the
census showed 145.2 million.
Who are the nearly 2 million who are
unaccounted
for!

Many people continue to have doubts regarding your calculations. And

are indeed quite a lot ofpeople who accidentally or for whatever reason
not included in the census. What per cent of people didn't make it into
\m history! What is the statistical margin of error!

These are mostly m i g r a n t s from C I S c o u n t r i e s . The final results,

i n c l u d i n g this data, will be available in the first q u a r t e r of 2 0 0 4 . B u t the

It's hard for me to talk about errors, since we've found 1.9 million
li more t h a n the p r e s e n t estimates. We've therefore c o n c l u d e d that

18

19

those w h o never m a d e it i n t o the

individuals,

or a few d o z e n .

census a c c o u n t for only a few isolated

Even those p e r s o n s w h o refused to answer t h e

c e n s u s q u e s t i o n s were u l t i m a t e l y i n c l u d e d in the

final results.

Those,

we

t h i n k , a m o u n t to some 5 p e r c e n t . T h e largest n u m b e r s of refusals c a m e from

Moscow and

St.

Petersburg,

t h e m o s t d e m o g r a p h i c a l l y c o m p l e x cities.

w a n t to stress t h a t we c o n d u c t e d t h e census on a purely voluntary basis. T h e

relatively insignificant n u m b e r of refusals shows a r a t h e r developed sense
civic responsibility of o u r p o p u l a t i o n .

Incidentally,

of

in all civilized c o u n t r i e s

the c e n s u s is obligatory for all citizens. T h e r e are c o u n t r i e s w h i c h c h o o s e to

2003,

30-32)

ignore the V i e n n a c o n v e n t i o n and even i n c l u d e foreign d i p l o m a t s .

Are

you

planning

to

make

participation

in

the

census

in

Russia

obligatory!

Yes, we a r e .

But it's t o o early to talk a b o u t t h a t .

S o m e of o u r legal

experts believe t h a t t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n does n o t allow for a m a n d a t o r y c e n s u s .

Could the census results serve as a basis for changes to government policy
in some areas?
Yes, definitely.

I t ' s quite possible t h a t they will serve as the basis for a

substantive

review of some

i t e m s on t h e g o v e r n m e n t ' s p r o g r a m for social-

economic

d e v e l o p m e n t for 2004

and

up

to

2006,

and

the

Ministry

of

. .

What

specifically

Anything

demographic

and

could

be

everything

involving

changed?

and m i g r a t i o n policy,

. .

E c o n o m i c s is already working on a draft of t h a t .

people.

Social

policy,

and

and u r b a n p l a n n i n g and tax policy...

T h e r e ' s also t h e p r o b l e m o f labor r e s o u r c e s , retirees, e d u c a t i o n a n d h e a l t h

c a r e . And why c o n d u c t s u c h an expensive v e n t u r e w i t h o u t focusing on its :
results? Of c o u r s e , t h e c e n s u s will lead to a review of a lot of p l a n s .

. ,
, .
! . . ,

.
1

The reader misspoke: 1,600,000 instead of 1,160,000.

The English reader said "USSR" instead of "Russian F e d e r a t i o n . " An i n t e r p r e t e r ;
making such an e r r o r should immediately make the c o r r e c t i o n : " I n t e r p r e t e r ' s
c o r r e c t i o n , 'Russian F e d e r a t i o n ' , " or " t h a t is, the Russian F e d e r a t i o n , " as
o t h e r w i s e t h e listeners could assume that the t e x t is r e f e r r i n g to an earlier p e r i o d .

. .

9 .

# ().

.
,

20

21

.
,
.

. .
...
,

. .

: ,

, .
,
. ,
, . ,

, - ,

pyci

. I

'/residing

500 .
.
, 4
, , ;
,

- . ,
. :
.

ii

which would

excessively

R a t h e r t h a n made public

elevate

the

tone

and

significance

or
of

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced/There was an

announcement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs w o u l d work well h e r e .

keeping

or,

with your appointment,

more

That goes/follows

colloquially, fits

in

along/is

in

with your

appointment.
Has taken up/tackled/is facing the
We/question
phasizc

? ?

what is b e i n g said,
t

, , -

proclaimed,

. , !
.

, .

, .
,

. .

(both

the

better

than

"problem")-

on

would

living in countries outside the CIS or,

simply,

Is facing

head

difficulty of the p r o b l e m .

Here:

abroad.
This does n o t work in literal translation. Need a
chement

with

Russia/Restore

their contacts/Keep

them

in

touch

with

in/Keep lines of communication open with them/Make them feel they are
q/'Russia/Encourage close

ties with

ents to the new law.

...

Russia.

There

is

need

To formulate/draw

to

amend/modify/make

up/work

out/produce

, Would be m o r e idiomatic t h a n to form.

22

23

While

has m a n y m e a n i n g s ,

including n e a t , reliable or p u n c t u a l , what is m e a n t here is careful/cautious,

What

specifically/precisely

will you

be

working

diaspora/the

diaspora

on /dealing with/ doing...

Here:

It's all/Ifs a

closely knit/connected (communities/ entities).

matter of/depends on/up

to personnel

would be better t h a n a literal t r a n s l a t i o n . If the i n t e r p r e t e r has e n o u g h t i m e ,

he c o u l d a d d "As the Communist Party slogan of the 1930s goes/says/states."

All aspects/elements

of the

It is indeed rare, t h o u g h for an interpreter to have b o t h the luxury of time

in all of its aspects/everything to do with/involving the diaspora.

and a c h a n c e to quickly find an explanation for

quotations.

/ will be

in

charge

of/running/administering/managing the

activities...

He This is best translated by a positive r a t h e r t h a n a

example,

negative

construction:

I will also be involved/dealing/concerned with/working

on.

While this kind of "filler"

can usually be

dropped,

well, for

or you see would do as translations h e r e .

is

Representatives

a perfectly

correct

translation,

but

simply saying Most of them are from firms will do just as well. T h e same is true

T h o u g h it sounds somewhat awkward in English, space is

for the first sentence

increasingly

more idiomatic t h a n representatives of the Russian emigration in France.

frequently

used

in

such

contexts.

Geographic

space/area/

territory are also possibilities.

of the

interview: Russian

emigres in France is m u c h

. . . Here the speaker is picking up speed. T h e

slamming door and of footsteps muffles the

H e r e the noise

sound

a bit,

of a

interpreter

can

the

through an

interest in

b u t from

condense:

Many

started

the language and culture.

doing

business

in

Russia

We also need the scholars

who've

In such cases w h e n there is any kind of external interference the

interpreter

teachers,

and covers all these categories. Scientists is t o o limited in scope,

should

seek

neutral

Of course,

question.

if due

solution:
to

This problem/issue/That/The

t e c h n i c a l problems

the

speaker

c a n n o t be heard at all, the interpreter has every right to say " The interpreter
is sorry but he/she

cannot hear the speaker/The speaker cannot be heard."

better translated

as

a positive

construction.

useful/to the point/relevant/play an

Not

Your experience

will be/prove

English

speakers

will

understand

trr

speaking people
Portuguese

Best

rendered

are Francophones',

speakers

are

as

French-speaking peoples.

Russian

speakers

are

(),

scholars,

and

researchers

Russia needs them/Russia is eager to see them sounds m o r e idiomatic t h a n

And conditions must be created which...

T h e o t h e r words add n o t h i n g to the

Initiatives/plans/ideas

do you

have/are you

bringing

with

Since

you...

What
most

an

the location of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the interpreter c a n say to the

Russophones,

or,

in the

c o n t e x t of the

interview,

to your new

put/job.

of

F r o m context it is clear t h a t this is a slip of the tongue the speaker eve!

hesitated a second before uttering this s e n t e n c e ,

than

Russia is waiting for them. T h e next sentence c a n be considerably c o n d e n s e d :

Ministry of Foreign Affairs,

instead

term

'English speakers will n o t u n d e r s t a n d the reference to Smolensk Square as

Lusophones.
saying

broader

French

Here the speak

misspoke

. : ...

reference to F r a n c e . T h e i n t e r p r e t e r can simply say In France today...

is

Academics

meaning.

important role are possible v a r i a n t s .

all

They must know...

eliminating those in the h u m a n i t i e s .

H e r e is a n o t h e r negative expression which sounds

left.

easily

context it is clear t h a t the speaker is still referring to the Russian language.

language

[ Ijust hope they don't/If only they're

mf/swallowed

up

by/drowned

in

the

daily grind/the

heavy

workload/day

to

of

sudden/Suddenly/

thinking out loud am

making a mistake. T h e i n t e r p r e t e r may risk saying , since this I

clearly what was m e a n t . Or, in this kind of context when the speaker sa)l

EkXpectedly/he said/came

something t h a t is obviously wrong, the i n t e r p r e t e r c a n say: " There is d

T h e Russian word play works in

French

diaspora

(the speaker says),"

speaker's and n o t the i n t e r p r e t e r ' s .

24

thus making it clear the

error is til
I

tylleh,

since proposal has

suggestion

And

out with/Out ofthe

the

same

two

a n d proposing marriage:

all

blue

he said...

meanings

as

Fll make you

,
a

much

more
25

serious proposal than if I had proposed to you/come to you with a proposal of

w h i c h w e used t o call t h e Soviet U n i o n a n d t h e e n t i r e socialist c a m p . T h e

marriage.

d i s s e m i n a t i o n a n d p r o t e c t i o n of Russian is n o t j u s t an issue of i n t e r n a t i o n a l

absolutely way/zero possibilities.

c o m m u n i c a t i o n b u t o n e o f g e o p o l i t i c a l significance.

A literal t r a n s l a t i o n will obviously n o t work. This might

seem

too

are

high-flown/bombastic/sententious

possible

variants.

" T h a t ' s my p r i n c i p l e " does n o t sound idiomatic in English;

That's

what

or

I believe

That's

my guiding principle

would

Here
France

work

in

of other

this

context.
with

Deputy

Valentinovna
I was

announced

though your experience

minister for

Francophone

in

affairs

France

Minister

Mitrofanova,

of Foreign
Deputy

Affairs

on

my

simplification

emigres

Director,

UNESCO

in

of

way
the

France.

here

the

procedure

That fits

in

Russian

for
with

Ministry

of Foreign

Russian

entrance

issuing
your

Affairs

visas

to

appointment.

You

used

Russian-language

citizens

the

word

groups

"diaspora."

living

Is

it

in fact applicable

various

post-Soviet

states.

Another

program

deals

with

our

c o m p a t r i o t s living a b r o a d . B o t h g r o u p s n e e d a r a p p r o c h e m e n t with Russia.

should that

be

done?

O t h e r w i s e , we find t h a t t o d a y t h e r e

are R u s s i a n s living in

Russia w h o d o n ' t have c i t i z e n s h i p . And t h e r e are m o r e t h a n 2 m i l l i o n of

t h e m ! Let alone our c o m p a t r i o t s in the C I S countries and abroad. The time
h a s c o m e to f o r m u l a t e a clear a n d simple i m m i g r a t i o n policy. We n e e d to
u n d e r s t a n d w h o m we need to welcome warmly and who requires a c a u t i o u s

You're partially right. After observing t h e lives of o u r c o m p a t r i o t s in

A r m e n i a n s a n d Jews are a different story.

These

will you

d i a s p o r a are very closely

knit a n d are c o n n e c t e d b y n u m e r o u s p u b l i c o r g a n i z a t i o n s .
2

Perhaps
out

the

work

of the

Roszarubezhtsentr

you 're

heading

could

help

here?
T h a t ' s a s e p a r a t e subject, a n d a big o n e . Russian c u l t u r a l c e n t e r s n e e d

This m e a n s experts w h o d e m o n s t r a t e initiative a n d c h a r m . I t ' s all a m a t t e r

of p e r s o n n e l ! Russian c u l t u r a l c e n t e r s c a n h e l p to do great t h i n g s . All of
t h e m offer Russian language c o u r s e s . T h a t way we c a n a t t r a c t b u s i n e s s m e n
- a n d therefore i n v e s t m e n t s to Russia.
-How?
F o r e x a m p l e , t h e Paris c u l t u r a l c e n t e r n o w has 500 p e o p l e e n r o l l e d in
Russian

attitude.
What specifically

scattered

to have carefully selected p e r s o n n e l to get p e o p l e living a b r o a d to go t h e r e .

F i r s t of all t h e law on c i t i z e n s h i p w h i c h was r e c e n t l y a d o p t e d s h o u l d

be a m e n d e d .

to

abroad?

F r a n c e I d o t h i n k t h a t t h e r e i s n o Russian d i a s p o r a a s s u c h . T h e C h i n e s e ,

collapse of t h e Soviet U n i o n : t h e r e h a s b e e n a c h a n g e in the status of p e o p l e

the point.

countries.

p r o g r a m s are u n d e r c o n s i d e r a t i o n . O n e deals with p r o b l e m s linked t o t h e

How

to

a good deal of g r o u n d w o r k , t o o , a n d will c o n t i n u e working in this area.

F r o m a p o l i t i c a l a n d p r a c t i c a l p o i n t of view it's very i m p o r t a n t t h a t

in

will be

French-speaking

a b r o a d . I n this area t h e F r e n c h have b e e n hugely successful. B u t we've d o n e

Eleonora

o u r l e a d e r s h i p has t a c k l e d t h e issue of working with o u r c o m p a t r i o t s . Two

now

for

Yes, a n d the s a m e is t r u e for Russian speakers with a r i c h l i t e r a t u r e

Russian

it looks as
a

a n d c u l t u r e this is o n e of the major factors s t r e n g t h e n i n g o u r p o s i t i o n

Interview

As

has

be

working

on

in

the

Ministry

of Foreign

Affairs?

language

courses.

Most

of t h e m

are

from

firms

interested

in

working with o u r c o u n t r y . M a n y o f t h e m s t a r t e d doing business with Russia

t h e y first got i n t e r e s t e d in Russian l a n g u a g e , l i t e r a t u r e a n d c u l t u r e . We

Itced to involve a c a d e m i c s who've left Russia over t h e last t e n to fifteen

All aspects of t h e Russian d i a s p o r a . F i r s t of all t h e C I S a n d all of t h e

years.

These

talented

people

c o m p l e x issues linked to it. And n o t just t h o s e issues. O u r c o n c e r n s cover

C o n d i t i o n s m u s t also be

emigres of t h e first a n d of all successive waves of e m i g r a t i o n w h o are living

lit tractive.

must

realize

that

Russia

c r e a t e d w h i c h would m a k e

needs

them.

a r e t u r n to

Russia

a b r o a d , a n d t h e i r d e s c e n d e n t s . I'll also be in charge of the activities of t h e

Russian

C e n t e r for

International

(Roszarubezhtsentr).

I'll

also

be

Scientific

and

Cultural

dealing

with

legal

Cooperation

issues.

Another

i m p o r t a n t q u e s t i o n i s t h a t o f t h e Russian l a n g u a g e . T h a t defines t h e space

26

What

initiatives

are

you

bringing

to

the

Ministry

of

Foreign

Affairs?

I've got lots of ideas. I do h o p e t h e y d o n ' t get lost in t h e daily g r i n d .

B u t I k n o w h o w to fight b u r e a u c r a c y . . .
27

 Eleonora
post

in

the

Valentinovna? you

Russian

Ministry

are the first

of Foreign

woman

Affairs.

How

to

occupy such

did you

learn

high

of this

appointment!
In a c o n v e r s a t i o n in w i n t e r in Moscow.
business a n d to see p e o p l e I knew,

I w e n t to t h e

M i n i s t r y on

a n d t h e M i n i s t e r of F o r e i g n Affairs Igor

Ivanov asked me to c o m e see h i m . And o u t of the blue he said,

to m a k e

a p r o p o s a l to you

a m u c h more

" I ' m going

serious o n e t h a n if I were

p r o p o s i n g to y o u . " I was t o u c h e d a n d s t u n n e d . T h e r e was absolutely no way

I

c o u l d refuse.

In fact,

I was very eager for s o m e t h i n g new,

particularly

s o m e t h i n g so i n t e r e s t i n g . And anyhow, w h e n you get a p r o p o s a l from your

c o u n t r y , you c a n ' t refuse.

P e r h a p s some p e o p l e m i g h t find s u c h words high

. ,
: .

,
, ,
.

"

"!
( )
.
,

flown, b u t t h a t ' s m y guiding p r i n c i p l e .

1

, , , -

The s t r e s s in t h i s w o r d is c o m m o n l y on the s e c o n d syllable.

2 The English speaker is clearly having t r o u b l e w i t h t h i s c o m p l e x a c r o n y m ! An

i n t e r p r e t e r in such a s i t u a t i o n w o u l d be well advised to skip the a c r o n y m , since t h e
full name of the c e n t e r has j u s t been g i v e n , and to s u b s e q u e n t l y r e f e r to it as " t h e
c e n t e r " or "our c e n t e r . "
3 The M i n i s t e r ' s name is causing t r o u b l e f o r the English s p e a k e r . A s o l u t i o n
here w o u l d be to say, " M a d a m M i n i s t e r , " or s i m p l y " M a d a m . " Or to g e t all t h e
names o f t h e s p e a k e r s b e f o r e a n i n t e r v i e w o r m e e t i n g , w r i t e t h e m d o w n w i t h t h e
t o n i c accents, and memorize t h e m !

,
.

, - .

, , , , : ,

,
. . , -

,
8-9,

2003,

, , ,

,
: ,
, ..

?
. ,
( ) ,

!
,

, ,

if . -

. ,

, ,
. - .

28

,
0

!
29

, ,

, .

, , ,

somewhat with what the speaker is saying. F r o m c o n t e x t it should be clear

by now t h a t these " u n p l e a s a n t t h i n g s " are being caused by the p a r e n t . T h e

Here

the

sound

of papers being

shuffled

interferes

. ,

interpreter can condense:

, , .

most important to the child.

forget t h a t if external sounds b e c o m e excessively intrusive he has every right

!
. ?
.
, .
. ,
,
?

. ,

rudeness

and harsh

behavior comefrom

the person

T h e i n t e r p r e t e r should never

That's very tough.

to say, " T h e speaker c a n n o t be properly h e a r d . "

While in m a n y contexts c a n be r e n d e r e d as
concern or worry,

alarm,

as a psychological term it should be translated as

anxiety.
... Fear is still an issue for/continues
to

dog/follow him/Fear is still ever-present/continues

to

affect/have

an

impact

on/him.

undoubtedly/of

Literal

course/aware

translation will

of/familiar

n o t work

with/well

here.

acquainted

You

with

are
the

sound i d i o m a t i c .

. . . ,

model...

, .

speakers are familiar with the , and so repeating this word will

convey

family

despots/tyrants/dictators/autocrats.

position

of inferiority

taking out feelings of social inferiority

on

in

This is a carryover/a resul

society/This

results/comes fro

the family.

The

16th-century

interpreter

can

either

manual of strict household

give

andfamily

quick

discipline

someone who

is dependent and

But if the i n t e r p r e t e r has started with Any system... he

successfully finish t h e

Without/will

need for its

s e n t e n c e by

generation

to

the best.

ynonym

for family.

household/someone
is

handed down/passe

generation.

Someone
in

saying

will be

unable

to

develop

development....

wish/the best for their children/their children

on/transmitted from

dimple way to translate the sentence is No system, including that of the family,
Can develop without...
gun

subordinate/low-ranking.

English often uses household as a virtual

must head the

charge

household/there

of/running/responsible for

must be/a

the family

head

would

options h e r e .
. . . Here the speaker has t u r n e d away from the m i c r o p h o n e

, -

levcral words are slightly indistinct.

shows/demonstrates/proves

ortls , and are sufficient to form a

still dependent on

that

an

adult

is

still

under

his parents'

thumbs/

his parents/is still not independent of his parents.

iince:

An

adolescent won't go

Given the c o n t e x t , however, the

along with

demands made only on

him.

, ,

In this context -

U ihould be r e n d e r e d as rules, n o t laws. T h e idea is t h a t these rules must

the psychological trauma/damage/harm

by a harsh
abusive
30

English

, , . . .

This is an idiom in English All paren

information.

very few

or simply say a strict traditional code of conduct.

of/humiliation/

little

explanation

Aside from specialists in Russian history,

or

(more c o m m o n t h a n
brutal,

caused by/ imposed/ inflict

"cruel" in such contexts), mean, possib

authoritarian/dictatorial/tyrannical mother.

hi

same/applicable

to

everyone.

Legal

terms

such

as

mandatory

or

tory would be i n a p p r o p r i a t e h e r e .
31

gossiping/talking/carrying

on

window

to

another/from

His

with

mother's

sitting

around

chatting/

her girlfriends...

window

to

dashing/rushing/bouncing/running from
window/nervously

one

looking out of all

the

windows.

Tree a n d h a p p y are t r a n s m i t t e d to t h e n e x t g e n e r a t i o n .
I'd like to e m p h a s i z e t h a t t h e p s y c h o l o g i c a l t r a u m a inflicted on a child
by

harsh

demand/insist

that

the

child

abide

by/comply

with/obey

the

In this sentence

imposed/established/set up/laid down.

to

rules/the system

is best

r e n d e r e d as rules or system.

and

authoritarian

mother

is

particularly

strong:

rudeness,

h a r s h n e s s a n d unfairness c o m i n g from t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t p e r s o n i n t h e
c h i l d ' s life.

we've

d e p e n d e n t on his p a r e n t s . A lack of self-confidence a n d t h e inability to be

I t ' s very h a r d to p u t up w i t h t h a t . A girl w h o h a s suffered at t h e

h a n d s of a h a r s h m o t h e r often d e c i d e s n o t to have a child of h e r o w n .

r e m e m b e r i n g how unfair h e r m o t h e r was to her,

Or,

she h a s difficulty relating

to her own c h i l d r e n a n d is c o n s t a n t l y a n x i o u s : w h a t if she t u r n s o u t to be

i n c o m p e t e n t and c a n ' t be caring, patient, etc.

Authoritarian

Families

What happens

to

boy!

A boy's fear of his m o t h e r r e m a i n s an issue t h r o u g h o u t his a d u l t life.

Interview

with

Elena

of

Family

Where

D e s p o t s often take
are

hundreds

member of the

Consultants

There

do family

Vrono,

despots

and

Board

of the

Society

Often s u c h m e n d o n ' t trust w o m e n . T h e r e are g r o u n d s for t h i n k i n g t h a t i n

Psychotherapists

m a n y cases m a t e r n a l cruelty leads t o asocial a n d even t o c r i m i n a l b e h a v i o r

for m a n y m e n .

come from!

o u t on t h e family t h e i r h u m i l i a t i o n in society.)

of e x a m p l e s ,

including

literary

ones

just

readj

- You're probably familiar with the model of the Japanese family in which
) to a certain age the child is given total freedom!
- In t h e t r a d i t i o n a l J a p a n e s e family c h i l d r e n are raised t h a t way, a n d in

D i c k e n s of h o w a d e s p o t o u t s i d e t h e family is a d e p e n d e n t , low-ranking
i n d i v i d u a l w h o w o u l d n ' t dare t o s h o u t o r o r d e r p e o p l e a r o u n d .

fhc t r a d i t i o n a l R u s s i a n family it's t h e o t h e r way a r o u n d , based on old rules

8f family discipline like t h e

Are

those

things

closely

connected!

Of c o u r s e , we take o u r f o r m u l a for social i n t e r a c t i o n h o m e with u s |

P e o p l e have t o b e " N u m b e r o n e " s o m e w h e r e . T h a t i s b e h i n d t h e desire t c

totally possess o n e ' s c h i l d , t o b e everyone a n d everything t o h i m . P a r e n t
t h i n k t h a t t h i s is w h a t love for a child m e a n s : all p a r e n t s wish t h e i r childreij
well. Yet t h a t k i n d of love, c o m i n g from a desire for p o w e r a n d t h e wish
d o m i n a t e , c a n s o m e t i m e s stifle a c h i l d , leaving no r o o m for his own c h o i c e !
and

16th c e n t u r y D o m o s t r o i m a n u a l . But I t h i n k

H t only a family based n o t o n a u t h o r i t a r i a n i s m b u t o n a u t h o r i t y c a n c r e a t e

It b a l a n c e of p o w e r a n d f r e e d o m w h i c h is a p r e r e q u i s i t e for n o r m a l life for
I fhmily m e m b e r s . No system, i n c l u d i n g t h e family, c a n develop w i t h o u t a
Cture a n d h i e r a r c h y . S o m e o n e m u s t b e t h e h e a d o f t h e h o u s e h o l d .
-

Then

the problem

would

be

how

to

become

that

"Number one"

in

the

for the child!

T h e right t o a u t h o r i t y h a s t o b e e a r n e d . H o w s h o u l d t h a t b e d o n e ?

initiatives.
Can we say that in some families there is an

11

re's
authoritarian gene!"

T h e a u t h o r i t a r i a n type of family i n t e r a c t i o n ( p a t t e r n ) is h a n d e d dov

no

universal

answer.

But

an

a d o l e s c e n t is unlikely to

see

your

i n d s a s just i f h e ' s t h e only o n e i n t h e family o n w h o m t h e y ' r e m a d e .

In the family t h e same rules m u s t be applicable to everyone. Are you

from g e n e r a t i o n to g e n e r a t i o n . W h e n he starts a family a p e r s o n r e p r o d u c e

Ing t h a t a child c o m e h o m e on t i m e or let you k n o w in a d v a n c e w h e r e

t h e s c e n a r i o h e e x p e r i e n c e d with his p a r e n t s d u r i n g his own c h i l d h o o d .

i n d how late h e ' l l be? T h e n everyone in t h e family h a s to do t h a t if

But

that scenario

can

be

rewritten.

M a n y p e o p l e try to do j u s t t h a t , c o n v i n c i n g themselves t h a t after 1

negative e x p e r i e n c e s t h e y h a d relating t o t h e i r p a r e n t s t h e y ' l l never r e p e l
those mistakes.

But this kind of c o n t i n u a t i o n of t h e dialogue with p a r e n j

proves t h a t t h e a d u l t i s still u n d e r his p a r e n t s ' t h u m b s . I n professional ter

t h e r ' s b e e n delayed b e c a u s e o f u r g e n t business a t work o r t h e m o t h e r ' s

Chatting with h e r girlfriends... You have to find t h e t i m e to call, to let
m e m b e r s k n o w a n d n o t have t h e m anxiously r u n n i n g from w i n d o w
dow. Only t h e n will we have t h e m o r a l right to d e m a n d t h a t t h e child
by the rules we've i m p o s e d .

this is k n o w n as i n c o m p l e t e s e p a r a t i o n a p e r s o n r e m a i n s psychologica
32

33

<

, .

.:

1996)

, .

.
,

.
.

. , ,
. -

. ,

, 50 , .
(15-20 ) , 50
.

, - .

, . ,

, ,

(, , ,

, .

). ,

.
, .

, .

, ,

, ,
. ,
, .
. ,
.

. ;

34

),

'

, ,

" . , , ,
, ,

, .

20.

35

, .

, , , .

, , .

producing/Why

now

country/the situation

adds n o t h i n g .

, ,

million

. , ~

, .

. *

than

three

million

...
mid/thought

There

that/There's

are

the

,
. ,

that/Some

, ,

of family

Sexually

transmitted

people

think

...

7/ is
or,

that
The

it

word

planning

means/translates

into/entails/implies

on....

for many years/for years

on

end/for years

now.

, Children who are planned rather than

lanned or Children who are wanted rather than the result of accidents.

to make a

conscious choice.

k and affordable contraception.

t

idea

k need help

K ohcthi

. ,

36

cnscd:

- .

... T h e speaker i s speeding u p h e r e . T h e text c a n b e

14 , , af

trting/puttingpressure

Wy)

are performed every/each

does n o t have to be translated literally. There is in fact the view that the

dropped since it

several ways of rendering this:

view

abortions

yolloquially, I've heard it said that..

The verb c a n be

the country now.

, :

for
draft

engage in self-treatment/try to deal with

themselves/do not/fail to seek medical help.

, ,

reason

the/new

diseases, often referred to by the acronym S T D s .

in

abortions/more

the

the syphilis morbidity rate.

, ,

reason for

year/annually.

What's

the

there are more than three

, ,

behind/What's

, the {present) situation in the

. ,

,..

law/bill.

a/What's

This

They need information

about

The state should stay out of private life.

can

be

translated

both

as

contraception

ceptives) a n d birth control. Condoms ( ) are also k n o w n

hylactics.
Nbic affordable,

o r reasonably priced.

make use/take advantage of/have access to/

planning

services.
37

This c a n be considerably shortened: and not today's Russia with all its
If there is time the interpreter c a n say and not our country with all

problems.
its

wrenching

or

contradictions/problems,

not

Russia

suffering from/ wracked

by I a multitude ofproblems.
"Giving

delay/postpone

sounds

birth"

having

An idiomatic
awkward.

rendering is put off having

Other

possibilities

are

to

children.

called

infertility

than

"not

allowed"

treatments.

or

"forbidden."
will

tactic/technique...

It

work

uses/makes

use

of/resorts

to

an

here.

the literal t r a n s l a t i o n " c o n t r a d i c t s "

does n o t work h e r e .
face of are

infertile, infertility. Efforts to cure this c o n d i t i o n

are

here implies unacceptable r a t h e r

unacceptable

children.

T h e force of can be r e n d e r e d as in Russia, too/as well/also

has some influence in Russia.

This is contrary to/contravenes/runs counter to/flies in

all possibilities. A n o t h e r

and shorter!

o p t i o n is

the

This is

unconstitutional.
This could be translated as that's a fact of life

been working/is continuing to work with...

Our Association has

T h e r e is no need to repeat the verb

rather t h a n by a m o r e awkward r e n d e r i n g such as that's a given of nature or

that's

what nature

has provided.

since the c o n t i n u a t i o n of the a c t i o n is covered by the c o m p o u n d tense,

No getting away from that/Nothing you can

This can be translated as in the light of/

do about that/That's the way things are or, very simply,

given/taking

into

account

our specific

and that's that.

situation/conditions/circumstances.

Protection

of

Responsible

Parenthood

here the speaker is hesitating and thinking out loud. T h e i n t e r p r e t e r wi

have to wait for the speaker and restructure some sentences:
Such centers in Russia now are three in number/Such centers in Russia no
there are three of them.
... It is most often safe and very helpful
translate a phrase beginning with a p r o p o s i t i o n as a nominative subje
Genuine/Real/progress/advances/steps forward
does

not

need

to

be

translated)

state/the state's active participation.

This

in

family

require/need
is

much

planning

active participation
more

idiomatic

by
Engl

t h a n a sentence such as For real progress in family planning there is a need

active participation

of the

state.

a sense

"a sense of should be inserted before the n o u n : to inculcate/i

While this c a n be rendere

eagerness:
engage

to serious discussion,

the

idea here

is r a t h e r Ox

They are eager for serious discussion/They are eager and will

in serious discussion.

often
translation

problems.

Here

this

means

accurate,

sound

or

re

information.
the age of the onset of puberty is
c o m m o n l y used t h a n the onset of sexual maturity.
38

Ivanovna,

First of all,

whafs

the

reason for the

new

t h e p r e s e n t s i t u a t i o n in t h e

draft law!
country.

It would be no

i r n t l o n to say t h a t t o d a y p e o p l e ' s r e p r o d u c t i v e h e a l t h is in danger,

t h a n t h r e e m i l l i o n a b o r t i o n s are p e r f o r m e d a n n u a l l y i n Russia, a n d
t h e r e ' s b e e n s o m e t h i n g of a d e c l i n e

in a b o r t i o n s in g e n e r a l ,

the

of c o m p l i c a t i o n s is still high. T h e n u m b e r of a b o r t i o n s a m o n g very

I factor of 2 5 ,
STD's.
help,

of responsibility.

They are really open

Inga

rls is rising. D u r i n g t h e p e r e s t r o i k a years t h e syphilis m o r b i d i t y r a t e

T h e verb here is best r e n d e r e d as inculca

instill and

Interview by Nadezhda Azhgikhina

with Inga Ivanovna Grebesheva,
General Director of the Russian Association "Family Planning"

I'm

a n d therefore t h e r e was a rise in t h e frequency r a t e s

sure

since

t h a t the

there

are

no

majority of boys affected do n o t seek

specialized

institutions

to

provide

to a d o l e s c e n t s . T h e r e are n o t e n o u g h experts in family p l a n n i n g

ftough l i t e r a t u r e . T h e r e is no system for sexual e d u c a t i o n of y o u n g
d n lot of o t h e r t h i n g s are lacking.

iuid that the

dual, that
*i

probably

idea
it's an

of family planning
attempt to

because

for

in fact

means putting pressure

"plan" people's private

many

years

family

lives.
planning

was

II limiting t h e b i r t h r a t e . W h a t it actually m e a n s , however, is

women's health so that they can p r o d u c e wanted and healthy

39

c h i l d r e n . I n a n u t s h e l l , family p l a n n i n g m e a n s c h i l d r e n w h o are w a n t e d a n d

on y o u t h affairs,

n o t t h e result o f a c c i d e n t s . T h e new law i s n o t i n t e n d e d t o raise o r lower t h e

c e n t e r s m o r e t h a n 20 of t h e m . We've also h a d a positive r e a c t i o n from t h e

after studying

our project,

is n o w establishing its own

birth r a t e . T h e idea is to help people m a k e a conscious c h o i c e . So t h a t

Ministry of H e a l t h , we've g o t t h e s u p p o r t of t h e C o m m i s s i o n on issues of

p e o p l e c a n o b t a i n i n f o r m a t i o n o n c o n t r a c e p t i o n a n d get t h o s e w h i c h are

women,

best suited t o t h e m a n d w h i c h are

a d v a n c e s i n family p l a n n i n g r e q u i r e active p a r t i c i p a t i o n b y t h e s t a t e .

affordable.

So t h a t children in our

c o u n t r y will b e w a n t e d a n d loved. T h e state s h o u l d n o t interfere i n private

life.

B u t t h e law serves to r e i n f o r c e

the

o b l i g a t i o n s of t h e

state,

Part

which'

opponents

g u a r a n t e e s t h e r i g h t t o c h o i c e , t h e o p p o r t u n i t y for e a c h a n d every c i t i z e n t _

of the

possible.

stable

to you

society,

that a solution

rather

than

in

to such problems is more realisti

our

country

with

all

its

law

deals

opposed
will

Sexual

be

in

the

President's

with

the

this,

asserting

that

sexually

active

overly

sexual

office.

education
as

Genuine

of minors.
a

result

and

Your
of such

will forget

about

education

is

in

fact

aimed

at

inculcating

sense

Sexual a n d m o r a l e d u c a t i o n are indivisible. We've

been working w i t h a d o l e s c e n t s in o u r A s s o c i a t i o n for a long t i m e now, a n d

|*they are really eager to engage in serious d i s c u s s i o n s . All t o o often t h e y

We've s p e n t t o o m u c h t i m e waiting for t h a t r a d i a n t future. P e o p l e l r

i n t h e h e r e a n d now,

a n d t h e y have

a l i m i t e d life s p a n . T h e p e r i o d

I limply have n o o n e t o talk t o ; t h e i r p a r e n t s d o n ' t k n o w h o w t o talk a b o u t

A

difficult"

subjects.

We

provide

them

with

accurate

information,

r e p r o d u c t i v e years is even s h o r t e r . I t h i n k t h a t t h e goal of s o c i e t y is to h e l

Olisultations w i t h professionals w h o t r e a t t h e a d o l e s c e n t w i t h r e s p e c t ,

p e o p l e achieve fulfillment d u r i n g t h a t p e r i o d . M a n y p e o p l e i n c r e a s i n -

bnicone

so t o d a y p o s t p o n e having c h i l d r e n "till t h e y ' r e b e t t e r off" a n d s u d d e

tConraging

wake u p w h e n t h e y ' r e n e a r l y 50, w h e n it's t o o l a t e . M a n y families t o d

fisc'ious a n d t h e r e f o r e a p p r o p r i a t e sexual b e h a v i o r involves.

suffer from infertility (15 to 2 0 % in Russia) a n d in 50% of t h e s e cases 1

r e a s o n is m a l e infertility.

B u t female infertility often results from S T D s ,

from a b o r t i o n . I ' m c o n v i n c e d t h a t t h e p r o b l e m n e e d s t o b e t a c k l e d h
a n d n o w we n e e d to p o o l t h e efforts of all o r g a n i z a t i o n s , i n c l u d i n g pu*
ones,

to

resolve

these urgent p r o b l e m s .

As for f i n a n c i n g ,

think

r e s o u r c e s s h o u l d c o m e p r i m a r i l y from t h e b u d g e t .

there

The
was

"Family Planning" Association

no

concept

of

law.

What

started
are

up
the

a few years
major

W.

ago,

difficulties

yo'

O u r A s s o c i a t i o n is c o n t i n u i n g to work w i t h experts

doc

psychologists a n d social w o r k e r s . We p u b l i s h l i t e r a t u r e on t h i s t o p i c >

a l r e a d y got m o r e t h a n 50 titles. A n d while in t h e p a s t we were guide
western

models,

now,

following

series

of specialized

studies,

p u b l i s h i n g o r i g i n a l texts a i m e d a t t h e R u s s i a n r e a d e r w h i c h take o u r s p
c i r c u m s t a n c e s i n t o a c c o u n t . O n e o f t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t a r e a s o f work i *
of establishing

early sexual

activity.

In

fact,

we

are

* m to forget a b o u t t h e ever g r e a t e r i n c i d e n c e

teaching

of illness,

t h e m what

S o m e h o w we
the increasing

A
A
A

B IA I failure.
*ftrsal.

AB * Is
^^kiiations!
A

Like it or n o t , in t o d a y ' s world t h e age of p u b e r t y is falling

* t h c age a t m a r r i a g e i s rising; t h e p r o b l e m o f early sexuality i s b e c o m i n g

the

ongoing opponent of family planning the

H p THE major o p p o n e n t h e r e

is the

church

organization

and

religious

"Prolife," which is

f linked to t h e C a t h o l i c c h u r c h . It h a s s o m e i m p a c t in Russia as well.

Over t h e last five years t h e r e have b e e n a d v a n c e s in family p l a n n i

Russia.

as

deserving of a s s i s t a n c e . All of t h i s in no way m e a n s t h a t we are

H P U X T o f suicide a t t e m p t s b y a d o l e s c e n t s , a n d t h o s e are often linked t o

encountered!

special

centers

for family p l a n n i n g for a d o l e s c e n t s ,

A A H l t h n t i t uses a n u n a c c e p t a b l e t a c t i c o f i n t i m i d a t i n g w o m e n , instilling a
AA

B P R I P L C X in t h e m . J u s t i m a g i n e a 14-year-old girl w h o ' s b e e n s h o w n a

AA
AA

H Y L R G THAT a b o r t i o n i s t a n t a m o u n t t o m u r d e r . I t h i n k t h a t r u n s c o u n t e r
H P O N S T I T U T I O N a n d c o u l d m a k e a p e r s o n suicidal. I n o u r c o u n t r y p e o p l e

A A A . t c h o o s e w h e t h e r t h e y wish t o profess o n e o r a n o t h e r c r e e d .

AAABjfty

one final
and

question.

abroad,

NOT a feminist.

f o u n d e d t h r e e s u c h c e n t e r s i n Russia. T h e R u s s i a n g o v e r n m e n t c o m r
A A A H |

40

of

N o t o n l y for o n e ' s o w n h e a l t h , b u t for t h e h e a l t h a n d well-

bring o f o n e ' s p a r t n e r .

wrenchin

problems!

draft

adolescents

responsibility.

demography

morality.

t h e r e are as few a b o r t i o n s as possible, a n d t h a t c i t i z e n s will be as h e a l t h y a"

Doesn t it seem

and

have frequently

"education"

m a k e use of family p l a n n i n g services. T h e p o i n t of t h e law is to see to it t h a t

within

family

t h a t ' s A fact of life,

How
and
I

do

you feel

about

the

women

movement

in

about feminism!
t h i n k t h a t a w o m a n s h o u l d have

a n d raise

a n d t h e r e ' s n o g e t t i n g away from t h a t .

B u t if
41

y o u ' r e talking a b o u t t h e role of m e n in raising c h i l d r e n , a b o u t an equal a n d

. 630

r e a s o n a b l e d i s t r i b u t i o n of f u n c t i o n s , t h e n ,

300 . ,

of c o u r s e ,

I ' m all for t h a t . As I

see it, t h o u g h , t h a t ' s n o t feminism t h a t ' s just o r d i n a r y c o m m o n sense.

, . .

, : ,

. ,

2003,

40-43)

20 40 .
. .
- :

, , .

. , ,

. , "

11- 5-7

, .

80 :

- , -

, , .

1- 4-

, '
. ,
. ,
, , ~.

3-4

,
.

. 1 2006

10-11 .

170

10

6-6,5 , 2- ,

, .

. ,

, ,

2005 , ,

5- 9- .

, .. .

,
. ,

, 1 2006 .

. . ,
, .

. . ,

,
42

300 ,

100

-.

?
43

-,

-,

Ungraded classes/courses; classes with no grades.

Regardless of/No matter how much we might

want/Despite

our desire

to...

T h o u g h this h a s frequently been

rendered

, 33 .

curriculum i.e., the subjects to be taught and the n u m b e r of h o u r s for each

as

... In speaking about the school c u r r i c u l u m hours is used

rather t h a n lessons

, , :
,

say

curriculum

(study) programs/instruction/ courses.

The

the number of hours.

speaker has started picking

up speed. T h e text c a n be c o n d e n s e d to less is being taught from 5th to 9th

grade...the

Specialized

interpreter can

is

200

clear the

translation

subject.

concept

accurate

standards.

the

more

make

standards,"

, ,

To

"educational

most

difficult

science

materials

will

be

shifted

to

specialized

programs.
. . Here there is some background noise. Since the speaker

, :

has

, .

would be reasonable guesses if some of the words following . .

arc

"

been
hard

talking
to

about

hear.

...
many

and other sciences/and other subjects

situations w h e n noise

continues,

however,

the

"The speaker cannot be heard because

of noise in the room."

sciences,

interpreter should n o t hesitate to say,

In

the

high

school graduates

are going on

This c a n be r e n d e r e d as How

with/continuing their education?

or,

m o r e specifically, as ... are going (on) to get a higher education have been

accepted/admitted

Will

. .
t

this school year,

this academic year.

c a n be translated as semester or term.

While this m e a n s high school teachers and high sc.
students,

the

English w o r d student also

means

college students.

The

word pupils, m e a n i n g b o t h high school and younger students, is now

used.
This does n o t have to be translated as I want to s
c a n be better rendered as / want to stress/emphasize/make it clear or,

si

Rather...
Elementary school; is high school
44

into

universities/institutions

of

higher

education?

But we're talking about/There will be/This means/

involve...

Nf without having/not having taken (Am.), sat for (Br.). Be careful

by/gotten

...

With t he pair of verbs /: to take an exam

! r , to sit for an exam), to pass an exam.
It's time to
^/enough

of this going/running/chasing

lamas/ certificates

of higher

after/seeking

only

the

trappings/

education.

0 sentence c a n be r e n d e r e d as
(I themselves/their abilities/shown

They're all in school now and have already

what

they

can

different kinds of school desks and chairs,

do.

American

schools

and there is no need to

l l n t c literally.
" in this year's (graduating) class.
to plan (draw up plans) for admissions
45

without any basis/to come up with/produce plans out of thin air/nowhere.

s t a n d a r d s for t h e c u r r i c u l u m m u s t be c o m p l e t e d a n d a p p r o v e d by t h e e n d of

must have their education paid,

the year,

for/funded/by

the state/state

resources/receive

a free

education from

the state.

There's only one solution/possibility/way out/answer.

a n d next year t h e r e will be a c o m p e t i t i v e s e l e c t i o n of t e x t b o o k s .

Only as of S e p t e m b e r 1, 2006 will all R u s s i a n s c h o o l s shift to t h e new s c h o o l

curriculum,

i n c l u d i n g specialized p r o g r a m s in t h e

10th a n d

11th grades.

their applications documents/files/

F r o m t h e n on c h i l d r e n will start studying at t h e age of 6 to 6/2] t h e y ' l l start

with

learning

their grades/scores.

The speaker is going fairly fast, and thi

phrase c a n easily be d r o p p e d , since the answer to the question is simpl.
inadequate salaries t h a t is what is of greatest c o n c e r n to t e a c h e r s ,

many years/years

(on

end)

of discussion

debate/consideration.

have

not been

in

criticizing (coll.:

by

deal with/take

second

grade,

compulsory.

and
The

basic

funding/funds/'allocate/find/earmark
would

financially

Interview with

biology a n d

o t h e r subjects will be

T h a t is t h e

o u t l o o k for t h e

sounds

slightly

resources/we're

awkward.

ready

to

Provide f.
finance/fu

do.

V.M.

Mikhailovich,

Russian Minister of Education

what

innovations

can

we

expect

this

acade

year!

data
of

as

to

higher

how

education

many
this

high

radical

changes

But I w a n t to
in

t a u g h t in t h e
schools

as of

school graduates have

the

e m p h a s i z e t h a t this year t h e r e will be

curriculum.

There

m a y be

been

year!

But we're talking i n h u n d r e d s o f t h o u s a n d s .

of t h e

300,000 p e o p l e w h o t o o k t h e single

state

For example,
examination,

300,000 have b e e n a d m i t t e d . But it would be w r o n g to say t h a t everyone a n d

iliyone is going to universities. T h e n u m b e r s of t h o s e e n t e r i n g v o c a t i o n a l
|iul technical schools haven't declined.
\

But you

said

specialized

that

there

were

definitely

not

enough

an

easing

of so

students for

the

institutions.

I'm still waiting for t h e

capitalists to say:

t h e r e ' s no h i g h e r calling
2

w h e r e for a single

t us a lawyer t h e r e are 20 to 40 a p p l i c a t i o n s . T h e s a m e t h i n g is h a p p e n i n g
h economists.

Usually t e a c h e r s a n d s t u d e n t s are frightened of any i n n o v a t i o n s in t

s c h o o l system.

in

Other exams. T h i s year, of t h e 630,000 w h o t o o k t h e state e x a m no less t h a n

tondary

Filippov,

any

in t h a t of a worker. I've j u s t r e t u r n e d from C h u v a s h i a ,

Vladimir

courses

n u m b e r of h o u r s of

100,000 were a d m i t t e d to i n s t i t u t i o n s of h i g h e r l e a r n i n g w i t h o u t taking any

up/cover/tackle/discuss.

spend money

have

institutions

N o t yet.
lust year,

Path is an extremely weak t r a n s l a t i o n . This is

this

chemistry,

school programs.

Do you

bawling out)/goin

right I thing to do/policy to follow/way to proceed/go would be an idiomat

translation.

this/back

physics,

specialized

accepted

with

in

m a t e r i a l s t a u g h t from t h e fifth to t h e n i n t h grades. T h e m o s t difficult t o p i c s

The economy has not improved s

doubled/raised drastically.

we've been

after/unhappy

language

law a n d civics will be

S e p t e m b e r 1, 2006.

the c e n t r a l ideas r a t h e r t h a n the figures:

and taxes

foreign

physical e d u c a t i o n will be i n c r e a s e d , a n d t h e r e will be major c u t b a c k s in t h e

At this speed the i n t e r p r e t e r should be focusing

radically

economics,

T h e r e is clear o v e r p r o d u c t i o n .

ke it clear to this c o u n t r y :

S o m e h o w we've got to

I t ' s t i m e to stop chasing after d i p l o m a s . A

on n e e d s a d e c e n t salary, a n d it d o e s n ' t m a t t e r w h e r e he gets it. T h a t ' s

m o s t i m p o r t a n t t h i n g for a n i n d i v i d u a l . O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , w e k n o w

r e q u i r e m e n t s , i n p a r t i c u l a r for e l e m e n t a r y s c h o o l s t u d e n t s . T h e Ministry*

m a n y c h i l d r e n will finish e l e v e n t h grade in t h e n e x t 5 to 7 years

E d u c a t i o n h a s s e n t a l e t t e r to the s c h o o l s giving t h e s c h o o l a d m i n i s t r a t '

re all in s c h o o l now, a n d have s h o w n w h a t t h e y c a n d o . So we've d r a w n

t h e right to i n t r o d u c e u n g r a d e d classes from first to fourth g r a d e . So as

rejections for e a c h of t h e 80 e n t i t i e s of t h e F e d e r a t i o n for t h e n e x t five

to

upset

the

children

there

are

a c h i e v e m e n t s . As for m o d e r n i z a t i o n

other

ways

of evaluating

th

it's a very g r a d u a l p r o c e s s . A

regardless of o u r desire to i m p r o v e t h e quality of s c h o o l e d u c a t i o n quic

this year t h e r e will be so a n d so m a n y p e o p l e in t h e g r a d u a t i n g class,

Of t h e m are p o t e n t i a l university s t u d e n t s , o t h e r s will go to v o c a t i o n a l

Is and o t h e r s to t e c h n i c a l s c h o o l s . So n o w t h e universities, v o c a t i o n a l

this will take m a n y years. F o r e x a m p l e , a m i n i m u m of 3 to 4 years will

Chnical s c h o o l s will n o t be able to p r o d u c e p l a n s for a d m i s s i o n o u t of

n e e d e d for t h e i n t r o d u c t i o n o f t h e new s c h o o l c u r r i c u l u m s t a n d a r d s .

|r, We'll be m o n i t o r i n g t h o s e p l a n s strictly.

 Everyone

knows

that

education

involves

billions,

including shady

money.

Are we still going to have any free education?

I t ' s g u a r a n t e e d by t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n a n d by t h e Law on E d u c a t i o n ,
w h i c h stipulates t h a t no less t h a n

170

s t u d e n t s p e r every

10,000

of t h e

p o p u l a t i o n m u s t have t h e i r e d u c a t i o n paid for by t h e s t a t e . W h o will get

t h o s e free places? A m e c h a n i s m m u s t be worked o u t to allocate t h e m , o n e
w h i c h would exclude bribes o n e n t r a n c e e x a m i n a t i o n s .
solution

to

get

rid

of s e p a r a t e

E n l i g h t e n m e n t . " T h a t p r o g r a m is primarily aimed at high school students

in

entrance

T h e r e ' s only o n e

examinations

for i n d i v i d u a l

i n s t i t u t i o n s of h i g h e r l e a r n i n g . A n d as of 2005 all c h i l d r e n w h o ' v e t a k e n five

e x a m i n a t i o n s will send t h e i r files a n d grades to as m a n y i n s t i t u t i o n s as t h e y
like. T h e i n s t i t u t i o n s will get t h a t d a t a a n d t h e n will have to display it on a
special I n t e r n e t site. D u r i n g July t h e e n t i r e c o u n t r y will see this d a t a for all
t h e i n s t i t u t i o n s a n d for e a c h field of s p e c i a l i z a t i o n . A red line u n d e r a field \
will i n d i c a t e t h e n u m b e r of free s t a t e - f u n d e d p l a c e s .

Everyone will see t h e .

the

h i g h e r grades,

a t university

students in the

humanities,

and

is

designed to e x p a n d t h e i r h o r i z o n s c o n c e r n i n g l i t e r a t u r e a n d c u l t u r e as a
whole. T h a t ' s t h e right way to go. A n d we're ready to provide t h e funding
for t h a t .
1

The Russian s p e a k e r uses t h e a c r o n y m several t i m e s d u r i n g t h i s

i n t e r v i e w . S i n c e t h e a v e r a g e English l i s t e n e r i s not likely t o b e f a m i l i a r w i t h t h e
e x a m i n a t i o n , t h e i n t e r p r e t e r s h o u l d s a y , The single/uniform state examination,
rather t h a n t r y i n g t o give t h e a b b r e v i a t i o n i n Russian o r English.
2 The English s p e a k e r has a d i f f i c u l t t i m e p r o n o u n c i n g "Chuvashia" ( s t r e s s on
the s e c o n d s y l l a b l e ) . I n t e r p r e t e r s s h o u l d pay special a t t e n t i o n t o g e o g r a p h i c a l
terms and be sure to bone up on the names of c i t i e s , c o u n t r i e s , regions, mountain
ranges or rivers w h i c h are likely to o c c u r in s t a t e m e n t s at one or a n o t h e r
conference.

n a m e s of all t h o s e whose grades are above t h a t line a n d w h o falls u n d e r it.

In

discussion

the

last few

online.

weeks

What are

of August
the

there

was

an

All-Russian

teachers

teachers' greatest concerns?

In t e r m s of e c o n o m i c s , t h e t e a c h e r s are worried a b o u t i n a d e q u a t e ,

salaries. T h a t ' s o n e t h i n g . S e c o n d , t h e y ' r e c o n c e r n e d a b o u t getting m o d e m

e q u i p m e n t for t h e s c h o o l s . A n d , t h i r d , t h e y w a n t to p u t an e n d to t h e years >
of d e b a t e

on t h e

school curriculum

a n d finally have

it a d o p t e d . As for

salaries, t h e y ' l l rise by 33 p e r c e n t . T h a t ' s a major i n c r e a s e for any c o u n t r y *

w i t h i n t h e last two years t e a c h e r s ' salaries have m o r e t h a n d o u b l e d . A n d thef

Does
books

the

m a d e a clear priority.
"school

budget"

include

expenditures for

culture?

For

and programs?

e c o n o m y h a s n ' t b e e n f u n c t i o n i n g 200 p e r c e n t b e t t e r a n d taxes have n o '

b e e n d o u b l e d . All this m e a n s t h a t t o d a y e d u c a t i o n i n o u r c o u n t r y i s b e i n

548

21

2004)

You know, we've b e e n criticizing t h e m e d i a for so l o n g for writing a

showing t h e w r o n g t h i n g s , a n d we've only n o w u n d e r s t o o d t h a t we n e e d t

c o o p e r a t e with t h e m . J o u r n a l i s t s a n d TV j o u r n a l i s t s are saying give us

i n t e r e s t i n g p r o g r a m a n d we'll i n c l u d e it in o u r n e t w o r k s a n d p l a n s . At fi

t h e r e were n e i t h e r t h e funds n o r t h e p o l i t i c a l will for t h a t . N o w t h e r e ' s b e

S e p t e m b e r on R T R on Saturdays a n d will tackle t h e m o s t difficult subje<?

i n Russian e d u c a t i o n .
educational

project

The
on

Ministry of Culture

the

"Culture"

called

"Fruits

in t u r n is l a u n c h i n g

channel,

will finance t h e p r o g r a m "A M a j o r C h a n g e " w h i c h will be b r o a d c a s t starti

a decision to i n t r o d u c e e d u c a t i o n a l programs. T h e Ministry of E d u c a t i o

.
49

. :

. :

. :

. :

, ,

, ,
. , 10
, -

..

. :

548.

. :
,

, , , ,

. :

, .

A. :
. :

...

, , .

, .
, - ,

. ,
, ,

, , ,

, , , . , -

? , ,

. :

-,

2-

. :

B. :
.

, .

, , ,
!

,
- ,
, , ,

- , , . ,
,
, , -
, .

50

, ,

, ,

1 .

, , -

, , . ,

*: ,
.

, . H R - .

" , ,
.

, -

ft 9-10 , ,
51

 , , , ,

. :

. - .

, , , . .

. ,

, , .
.

*
,

-
,

, , ,
.

, .
. .
.

_"

. : ,
? :
.

have

been

many

controversial
,

There has been a lot of discussion /debate/There

arguments/on

this

subject/topic/This

has

been

highly

subject/topic.

While

the

expression c a n be

, ,

t r a n s l a t e d literally the Gordian knot has been cut it c a n be r e n d e r e d

, .

m o r e i d i o m a t i c a l l y as the problem/issue has finally been resolved.

? ,

, ,

instruction/courseload

.
.

,
,

and

? ,

3-4
.

'

the

courseload/work given

of

study/full

of

curriculum,

To ease up on/lighten the load/cut down on

our high

The maximum program

school students.

They're

drowning

in

materials/totally

confused/

completely/all mixed up/They can't make sense out of all this/They're at a total
loss.
*$

There

was an

item/line to

be filled in

on

the

ilanks/fbrms/questionnaires.

-"

jUMculum

. :

requirements/course

standards/program

an

important feature/aspect

of these

ofstudy...

not only in

terms

of the

tual) subject(matter) I subjects I material to be covered/studied.

"

, not take them for granted/as a given /not

, ,
, , , .
.

universal/basic/vital (educational)

skills.

ft them right off the bat/then and there.

fa)

succinctly/precisely

and

communicate/convey

it

{to

concisely/clearly.

, These two phrases

.
53

are extremely difficult to render, particularly in s i m u l t a n e o u s i n t e r p r e t a t i o n .

prizes or Few top honor students would be possible r e n d e r i n g s . T h e highest

T h e idea h e r e is t h a t Russia is/unique/special/has a unique way of thinking/a

grade in A m e r i c a n schools is n o t a " 5 " but an "A," with grades descending

mentality

unlike

any

other/her

own/a

unique

intellectual

and

to , C, D (barely passing) and F (failed). would

spiritual

vision/view of the world. does n o t have a direct equivalent in

c o r r e s p o n d to

English;

"A's" with no exceptions.

"spirituality" should be avoided.

this

means

there

were

different

models/

prototypes/systems.

successful

, , , Those

navigate/the

are

real

issues/That

happens/That's

natural/perfectly

normal/That

"straight A students," m e a n i n g s t u d e n t s whose grades were all

happens

"" students,

who knew/the ropes in/their way around/how to

educational/school

system...

students

who

can't

keep

up

(with)/are falling/

lagging behind/are behind the rest of the class.

everywhere I That's the norm ("civilized" is n o t necessary h e r e ) , and that's

fine/well and good ( n o n e e d to say Thank God for that, t h o u g h it c a n b .

get that child out of here/take that child out of this

school.

added).
. . .

sounds

Russian.

somewhat

odd/strange/grating/is jarring/in

That wor

?
his

Or do we gear things/the program

needs/act with/having/bearing/keeping him

in

to him/

mind?

This requires an explanatio

T h o u g h /

for t h e

do n o t necessarily m e a n literacy or literate, in this c o n t e x t and in

foreign

English speaker
borrowings/like

evidence/materials

it sounds more like a foreign

the

and

word

other such

borrowing/all thos

meaning

regard to e d u c a t i o n t h e expression is often translated as functional literacy.

compromise

It c a n also be r e n d e r e d as teach children the basics/basic skills, since to ensure

expressions.

that they are

,
this s e n t e n c e requires some rewording, as c a n n o t *
r e n d e r e d literally.
care for/sniveling
intelligently

We can't go

over

children,

on/Enough
we

need

of/sloppy,
to

slobbering/whimperin

care for

them

effectively

debate

discussion

about/concerning/regarding

the

curricul

everyone/everybody was
on

having/screaming for/

urging public

proper/intelligent/reasonable/full/knowledgeable

how

to

read.

answer

to

not

question,

"literate" o n e .

American school all of these after-school activities would be covered by the

term

meaning

extracurricular activities,

any

activities,

clubs,

sports

or

sound/strong/sturdy/robust

piself/'realize

(from the heart), (this is heartbreaking), this is best transL

rather

than

"soul"

himself/find

his

own

way/voice/fulfillment.

Anything

involving

areer" would suggest a profession and r e m u n e r a t i v e work.

, Prove

head/brains.

like so m a n y o t h e r Russian expressions with :

heart

# T h e idea is t h a t t h e child c a n
impress

debate.

to stuff/cram into his ra

using

m e a n only t h a t they know

* i c h o o l - s p o n s o r e d gatherings held after classes have e n d e d for t h e day.

standards.
for/keen

literate would

I S p e n d i n g on c o n t e x t , c a n be an appropriate/

, , , In an

I properly.

there has been

public

cry

from

the

heart.

Hl'classmates

his

potential

(within)

in

(with)/feel

that

he

has

the

respect

of/his

his social group/unit.

>

to see an overview of the wor!

front

ofyou/to

be faced

with/shown

a picture/view

of the

world/to

hav&

world unfold before you.

T h e r e is a p r o
h e r e with the t r a n s l a t i o n of , because such medals are n o t aw
in

US

schools.

Few

(outstanding)

students

receiving/awarded

top

ho
55

Meeting
K.

with

Larina, A. V o d n i a n s k y , A.

Parents:
Pentin, E.

Rachevsky

K.

Larina:
We're starting our traditional Sunday program,
"Meetings
with Parents" Today our subject is "Curriculum Standards" There has been
a lot of discussion on this subject, and the issue has finally been resolved. Now
we're going to talk about what lies ahead.
Pd like to introduce our guests on today's program. Aleksei Mironovich
Vodniansky is the Deputy Director of the Department of General and Preschool
Education
of the Ministry
of Education
and Science;
Aleksandr Iur'evich
Pentin is one of the authors of the federal component of the "state educationa
curriculum standards,
and Efim Lazarevich Rachevsky is the Director q
Tsaritsino Educational Center No 548.
Perhaps Aleksei Mironovich would like to say a few words to explain th
curriculum standards to make it clear what the general curriculu
standards are the absolute and mandatory minimum which must...
A. Vodniansky: These are the n o r m s and r e q u i r e m e n t s defining th
m a n d a t o r y m i n i m u m of m a t e r i a l s covered in basic e d u c a t i o n a l p r o g r a m
it's w h a t the school m u s t offer to every s t u d e n t , it's also t h e m a x i m u
c o u r s e l o a d and r e q u i r e m e n t s for g r a d u a t i o n .
K.

Larina:

K.
freedom,

Larina:
Efim

Don't the
Lazarevich?

standards

limit

the

teacher's

or

instructor's

E. Rachevsky: The o p p o n e n t s of t h e s t a n d a r d s , in my o p i n i o n , d o n ' t

u n d e r s t a n d the m e a n i n g of this word. Usually these are p e o p l e in the
h u m a n i t i e s w h o say that we d o n ' t need any c u r r i c u l u m s t a n d a r d s , that
Russia has a u n i q u e mentality, a u n i q u e intellectual and spiritual view of the
world. I r e m e m b e r h o w o n c e 10 years ago people were buying used J a p a n e s e
cars and c o u l d n ' t find t h e right s p a n n e r s for t h e m , b e c a u s e the systems were
d i f f e r e n t . Or w h e n we'd go to a n o t h e r c o u n t r y and c o u l d n ' t plug in an
electric shaver, because the system was different. The s t a n d a r d s , first of all,
g u a r a n t e e a c a d e m i c freedom and e d u c a t i o n a l m o b i l i t y T h e r e are often
situations w h e n a child w h o moves from the n o r t h to the south of M o s c o w
doesn't fit in because t h e r e are different so-called school s t a n d a r d s . That
h a p p e n s , t h a t ' s n a t u r a l , and well and good. P e r h a p s that word s o u n d s
N o m e w h a t j a r r i n g in Russian well, it's not very C h e k h o v i a n , p e r h a p s it
H o u n d s m o r e like kompromat and all t h o s e foreign b o r r o w i n g s . But
nevertheless, e n o u g h of sloppy, slobbering care for c h i l d r e n , we need to care
t o r t h e m effectively and intelligently.

Thinking about the purposes and goals here I was at th

meeting when Vladimir Filippov said that the most important goal is to light
the load of our school children, because there are endless complaints that t'
program is too heavy, that the kids can't get anything done, that they're tota*
confused.
The second thing I noted was the need to step up foreign langu
instruction in ordinary secondary schools, and to start the study of languages
second grade. As Vladimir Filippov said, our graduates need to be able to spe
those languages, and not, as in the Soviet period, have that item on t.
questionnaires / read, write, and can speak using a dictionary. Forget t
dictionary, they need to be able to speak. Perhaps Aleksandr Iur'evich wo
like to join in.
A. Pentin: I t h i n k t h a t an i m p o r t a n t feature of t h e curricul
s t a n d a r d s , or at least w h a t t h e y ' r e trying to d o , is to describe the c o n t e n t s
school e d u c a t i o n not only in t e r m s of the various subjects to be covered
but that the s t a n d a r d s also e m p h a s i z e some basic universal e d u c a t i o
skills. T h a t i n c l u d e s t h e ability to speak properly, express o n e ' s t h o u g h
put forward an a r g u m e n t , c h e c k up on the facts rather t h a n take t h e m
g r a n t e d . Finally, t h e r e ' s work with i n f o r m a t i o n an extremely i m p o r t
e l e m e n t of the c u r r i c u l u m s t a n d a r d s , t h a t is, h o w to get informati
56

structure it, highlight i m p o r t a n t ideas and c o m m u n i c a t e t h e m to o t h e r s

succinctly and clearly.

K. Larina: Do I understand you to mean that these standards are

bringing us closer to accepted global standards of education, or so-called global
Itandards?
E. Rachevsky: Yes, I think so.

at

K. Larina: And what are those opposed to this saying, aside from the fact
they don't like the word "standards?"
What other arguments are they

$lng?

E, Rachevsky: T h e o t h e r day I was r e a d i n g about h o w t h e r e had been

0 public d e b a t e on the s t a n d a r d s . After all, v e r y few p e o p l e are going to be
ting on the subway reading a file entitled " C u r r i c u l u m s t a n d a r d s for
neral e d u c a t i o n . " A n d so everyone was s c r e a m i n g for p u b l i c d e b a t e , o n c e
ey heard, for e x a m p l e , that a c o u p l e of h o u r s of S h o l o k h o v had been cut.
hat was like salt on w o u n d s t h e r e and e l s e w h e r e . T h e m a t h e m a t i c i a n s
rting yelling t h a t they w o u l d n ' t give up a single h o u r of m a t h . The
emists were repeating the same t h i n g , forgetting that the victim here is
c h i l d . T h e r e ' s a great d o c t o r w h o says that you c a n ' t cook an omelet on
Cold frying pan. A n d our a r c h a i c p o s t - S o v i e t schools were trying in
m e n t a r y s c h o o l , w h e n a child is 9 to 10 years old, to c r a m into his rather
57

sturdy h e a d w h i c h isn't yet ready for t h a t k n o w l e d g e , knowledge a n d .<;

T h a t ' s where the child c a n find his own voice. In t h e hall I have a b o a r d with

m o r e k n o w l e d g e , believing t h a t h e ' d absorb it.

a n " h o n o r r o l l , " n o t o f t o p s t u d e n t s , b u t o f those w h o scored t h e highest

So I agree with my colleague Mr.

T h e frying p a n is still cold.

P e n t i n t h a t t h e r e m u s t be basic general

skills a c q u i r e d t h e ability to hear, to listen, to speak.

program said in
someone

in

You know, I keep remembering what one of our guests on this

answer to

my question

first taught? And he gave me a

Doesn't it seem

these standards which

people

the humanities need physics in

the world.
might

if

cry from

that there's a

extent simplify

someone

the heart
which

very simple answer

to you

to some

well,

5th grade,

chooses

the

that in

acquisition

humanities

introducing

of knowledge,

or,

on

Larina:

and Aleksandr

Who

said

t h a t the

picture

of t h e

top

honor

students

or

straight

"A"

students.

contrary

world h a s to
Usually

these

wer

a n d selected w h a t t h e y n e e d e d . And w h a t ' s t h e result? I n e l e m e n t a r y s c h o

integrated picture,

then

everything

is f r a g m e n t e d ,

and

the

d i s s e r t a t i o n s are w r i t t e n a b o u t how to p u t it all back t o g e t h e r .

K.

Larina:

So in

up

with

the

beginning of the program

in

elementary

Rachevsky,

Aleksei

Vodniansky

23

2003,

54-58)

- . ,
,

elementary school should the teacher be focused on

students who can't keep up ? Say that there are three or four of them,
keep

be

successful " C " s t u d e n t s , w h o knew how t o navigate t h e e d u c a t i o n a l syste

t h e y get an

thank Efim
now.

the

m o s a i c ? Just look at o u r elites, o u r business a n d political elites. T h e r e wer

few

We

Good-bye for

that

distorted?

Rachevsky:

Thank you.

Pentin.

a picture 0

to show you

danger here,

the

why does

is when physics is

technical fields or math, don't you think that this picture of the world might b
somewhat

I t ' s i m p o r t a n t for a child to prove himself with

can do t h a t with a topflight m o d e l car or a lovely d a n c e p e r f o r m a n c e .

Larina:

K.

n u m b e r of goals last season.

his peers in his social u n i t , a n d n o t necessarily t h r o u g h an "A" in m a t h . He

th

who can

school,

even

f.

, , -
,

. ,

misses ou

, :

What's

- ,

supposed to do? Do you then say, well, dear parents, get that child out of here

send him

, .

simplest kind of program.

doesn't

learn
to

even

The child can't read or write that quickly,

the

simplest

another school,

we're

equations

or

moving at a

math

problems.

different pace

here? Or do

, ,

gear things to him ?

A.
where

Vodniansky:
the

issue

That

should

never be

of c o n t i n u i t y b e t w e e n t h e

tremendous problem.

Children come

to

done
school

in
and

elementary schoo
kindergarten

is

e l e m e n t a r y s c h o o l with differe

levels of p r e p a r a t i o n . C h i l d r e n n e e d to be t a u g h t t h e basic skills, to be su

t h a t t h e y really k n o w how t o r e a d , write a n d c o m m u n i c a t e .
K.
we

Larina:

haven't
E.

clubs,

58

By the way,

talked about

Rachevsky:

sections,

etc.

activities

as

a place

what about what's going on

that at all
Well,
My

that's

called

colleagues

for t h e

about clubs

intensive

or whatever you

understand.

development

, .
, , .

outside of school
call

e x t r a c u r r i c u l a r activities,

will

, .

themf
grou'

consider

of g e n e r a l

the

educatio

.
,
, . ,
,
, .
59

- - ,

.
,

.
. - ,

, . ,

, ,

, , ,

. ,

, .

, .
, ,
,
. ,
.
,

, .
, ,

2004

, ,

, ,

, . , ,

. ,

.
,

, .

, , .
,

, -

, .

, ,
,

...

. -
. ,
.

| , , , , .
,
,

- .

.
.

, .
?
60

,
,

?
. 1 2004

, -

. , .

,
,

40 , ,
. ,
, , .
61

2004 . ,

continuing/growing

need/demand

there

will

be/we

will see

for...

While this can be translated as I know of cases when... , a

, .

useful s y n o n y m for cases is instances.

You

can't find qualified/skilled machine operators for love or money/try

specialist such as machine operator or lathe turner he

category

...

into

. ,

which

they

fall:

You

can't find

can use

skilled

the b r o a d e r

technical personnel/

experts/specialists...

, .

as

you might. If the i n t e r p r e t e r does n o t know the specific n a m e s for a t e c h n i c a l

nobody/

one/was

haven't

training/turning out/producing.

maintained/kept

up/have

lost

their

skills.

, - ,

, , .

is very hard to find/a find indeed/a real rarity/good sommeliers are few andfar
and the

speaker is n o t very clear here he could generalize and resolve the problem

, , .

by saying there are many fields lacking qualified specialists.

If pressed for t i m e , the i n t e r p r e t e r c a n

Cinematography;

The All- Union State Institute

say professional training,

To

Students/Young people continue to compete for places/want to study at J

Russian

Academy

of

Theater Arts.

Few

English-speaking

listeners

recognize these a c r o n y m s , and the n a m e s c a n be c o n d e n s e d to the Centn

Cinematography and

Theater Institutes.

The

speaker is going fairly fast,

an

an

English

technical

fields which would be

covered by the

training/teach

institutes,
places/slots
entrance

and

a possible

translation

in popular institutes/There

exams"

c a n be

is

is:

Students

intense/terrible

continue

to

competition

m e a n training

for

"the

term professional vocational

the

provide

professional/vocational

necessary/required skills.

compete f{
("on

convey the speaker's i n t e n t .

training.

immediately recognize the acronyms, since it is clear from the rest of t

l

but this does n o t quite

speaker Professional training could

professions" m e d i c i n e , law, business. T h e speaker, however, is referring to

saying the full n a m e s will take up t o o m u c h t i m e . If the interpreter does n

sentence t h a t the speaker is referring to intense c o m p e t i t i o n for places

tl

losing

out

German

dropped)for...

to/lagging

and

(the

the skills of Russian

behind/falling

word

and has

below
to

be

the

level

added

workers have started

of those

here!)

of American,

Japanese

workers.

T h e r e is a difference in h e r e . In t"

Ir the i n t e r p r e t e r did n o t c a t c h all the nationalities and the speaker is

US students study law at law school, which requires three years of study aft

going fast he c o u l d say below the level of many foreign workers.

g r a d u a t i o n from a college or university. This could be r e n d e r e d as Men

competition/for places/slots

behind/we're

very far

economics.

, This c a n be translated either as Bell

A literal t r a n s l a t i o n

me, as an expert in the labor market in the next few years, or by Believe

skills/qualifications does n o t work in English.

as

an

expert in

the

in

law

school/to

study

law

labor market I know/believe/think that...

and

internation

here

we've

gotten/fallen/started

lagging

very far

behind.

creative

ideas/designs/concepts.
a sharp rise in

expresses the n o t i o n

that the process has taken place within a fairly short period of time and is
striking;

62

A good sommelier (wine steward)

If the i n t e r p r e t e r fails to recognize the word sommelier

between.
:

both

of these

meanings

are

covered

by

the

word

striking.
63

 is b e t t e r r e n d e r e d as improvement t h a n as growth so as to c o l l o c a t e w i t h
skills.

more

The market has been

active/expanded/come

to

improving/growing/gotten

much

life.

. . . While this type of clause c a n be translated as If in the

past

then now... it c a n also be r e n d e r e d as While in the past.... now....

whatever

any

(old)

kind of milk/milk

of whatever sort/by

name.

to design/conceive of/produce plans/designs for/invent.

he's in demand/his services are needed/people are after
him.

, Ofcourse, there's no
reason

The

that child has to be a garbage collector/deal with garbage/trash.

speaker is getting excited h e r e t h e i n t e r p r e t e r c a n convey t h e e m o t i o n

t h r o u g h emphasis and i n t o n a t i o n .
This is the language of
advertising

to create a product targeted/aimed at a specific user/consumer/

audience.
T h i s c a n be t r a n s l a t e d
as The law on alternative civilian service. In t h e U S , however, p e o p l e w h o
request

alternative

conscientious

forms

o f service

to

m i l i t a r y service

are

called

objectors.

we 're imploring/begging/trying to convince parents.

is literally a draftee, t h o u g h recruit is also often u s e d in E n g l i s h . T h o u g h

to be more careful/

t h e R u s s i a n system o f m i l i t a r y service i s different from t h a t o f t h e U S , t h i s

cautious/circumspect in the choice of a career. Cautious i m p l i e s t h a t t h e r e ma

p h r a s e c o u l d be r e n d e r e d as A draftee/recruit will go not to the military

b e negative c o n s e q u e n c e s i f t h e w r o n g d e c i s i o n i s m a d e ; circumspect, w h i c h

service/draft/district officer,

suggests t h a t there is a need to take all c i r c u m s t a n c e s and c o n s e q u e n c e s i n t o

The speaker is slowing down h e r e . In

a c c o u n t in m a k i n g a c a u t i o u s d e c i s i o n , w o u l d work very well h e r e . Career is

a case like t h i s it is a l m o s t always safer to t u r n a p r e p o s i t i o n a l p h r a s e i n t o a

m u c h m o r e i d i o m a t i c t h a n t h e literal r e n d e r i n g , choice of a profession.

n o m i n a t i v e subject: The commission, a n d n o t In the commission, since it is

but to

the

draft call-up

board.

to look/think ahead/keep an eye on the future

n o t c l e a r w h a t will follow. T h e s e n t e n c e c a n t h e n c o n t i n u e a s The

think in the long-term.

commission

will include...

Possibilities here include ar

commission

there will be...

treated

more/receiv

Since

A unique specialist d o e s n o t work h e r e . Th

representative of s o u n d s as t h o u g h t h i s is an e l e c t e d r e p r e s e n t a t i v e . Ifhe is

with

greater respect/more

better treatment than...

as well

respectfully/are

looked

up

to

as enjoys greater respect.

i d e a i s t h a t t h e i n d i v i d u a l will b e c o m e s o m e o n e w i t h u n i q u e a n d n e e d e

instead

of t h e

awkward c o n s t r u c t i o n In

the

is n o t adding anything a n d may cause confusion, it should be d r o p p e d . A

from/comes from/is

member

of/belongs

to

small

indigenous people

are

skills, i.e. an outstanding specialist.

possible o p t i o n s . Indigenous is the c o r r e c t t e r m for , and native

T h e w o r d s s h o u l d be d r o p p e d i

will s o u n d c o n d e s c e n d i n g .

the i n t e r p r e t a t i o n .

about his religion/creed/faith/system of beliefs.

He T h i s n e e d s to be r e w o r k e d : Not necessarily/1 wouldn'ts

, , , that religion which he

so 11 don't agree I think so.

says he professes/practices/in

T h e a n t o n y m i c t r a n s l a t i o n earn/make good mone\

40 the speaker has picked up

w o u l d do n i c e l y h e r e . A n o t h e r possibility is do very well for themselves.

speed.

, . . .

misses 40,000 he c a n say thousands and thousands of.

T h e s p e a k e r is g o i n g q u i t e fast a n d t h i s c a n be s h o r t e n e d : In som

prior to/before that time or, simply, by then.

communities (all)

the garbage

is (simply)

tossed across/dumped over the fence

, - A literal translation of doe

n o t work h e r e .

"

which

he says he

believes.

There are more than/some 40,000 applications...

unappealing"/"unwanted"

if t h e i n t e r p r e t e r

these

are

"unpopular"/

jobs/positions.

Would love/be delighted to have someone pick it up w o u l d b

possible o p t i o n s .
65

Interview

with

Aleksandr

the

Minister

Petrovich

milk, a n y old c a n d y o r beer, n o w p e o p l e are c o m i n g t o stores a n d selecting

of Labor

goods based o n quality c o n s i d e r a t i o n s . T h a t m e a n s t h a t t h e role o f t e c h n i c a l

Pochinok

specialists
There

are

huge

labor market.

Is

the

number of lawyers,

supply

exceeding

economists

and managers

on

the

demand?

level

Young p e o p l e c o n t i n u e to c o m p e t e for p l a c e s at t h e A l l - U n i o n State

Institute

of C i n e m a t o g r a p h y and the Russian A c a d e m y of T h e a t e r Arts;

need

for

and

technical

specialists

m a n y o t h e r highly

instances when

defense

such

skilled

enterprises had

as

design

technical
to

engineers,

experts.

reject profitable

civil

know

orders

of

only

b e c a u s e t h e y c o u l d n ' t realize t h a t G o o d L o r d ! T h e r e are n o l a t h e t u r n e r s ,

you c a n ' t find qualified m a c h i n e o p e r a t o r s for love o r m o n e y ! F o r m a n y
years n o

o n e was t u r n i n g

d e m a n d for t h e m .

o u t qualified

specialists b e c a u s e

N o w we've got a s i t u a t i o n w h e r e

are

no

new

which people

in o u r c o u n t r y were

never t r a i n e d at all.

R i g h t now,

for

e x a m p l e , a g o o d s o m m e l i e r is very h a r d to find.
And what are you planning to

do

M i n i s t r y of E d u c a t i o n
Th

r e t r a i n i n g a n d u p g r a d i n g of skills to d e a l w i t h new t e c h n o l o g y . I ' m a p a t r i o t

b u t I m u s t say w i t h r e g r e t t h a t on t h e w h o l e t h e skills of R u s s i a n worke
losing

out to

those

of A m e r i c a n ,

German

and

Japanes

workers.

new

is

also

higher.

And

the

with

the

number

of available

specialists

is

what should be

done

"overproduced"

specialists?

example

of A m e r i c a

a garbage

collector there

is often t r e a t e d m o r e

respectfully t h a n a professor. All professions are i m p o r t a n t ,

a n d you c a n

b e c o m e an o u t s t a n d i n g expert in any of t h e m .
But you must agree that it's one thing to be an expert in nuclear physics
and another

in

garbage

collection...

N o t necessarily.

G a r b a g e c o l l e c t o r s in N e w York are very well p a i d

itnd well r e s p e c t e d i n d i v i d u a l s . A n d i n Russia,

e a r n e d c o l l e c t i n g garbage.

t o o , good m o n e y can be

F o r e x a m p l e , i n s o m e c o m m u n i t i e s all o f t h e
a n d p e o p l e would

o t h e r ecologically h a z a r d o u s wastes i s also p o o r l y d e s i g n e d . T h e r e are real

O p p o r t u n i t i e s h e r e for m a k i n g m o n e y .
So
has

no

you're

taking

it

on

yourself to

need for higher education

because

explain

to parents

there's garbage

that

their

lying all

offspring

around?

Of c o u r s e , t h e r e ' s no r e a s o n t h a t child h a s to be a garbage c o l l e c t o r .

| l i t why is it absolutely essential for h i m to b e c o m e a n u c l e a r physicist or a
lg M a c h e ' l l be set for life. T h e future of all m a n k i n d lies in t h e p r o d u c t i o n

Yes, in q u i t e a few. A l t h o u g h in a n y a r e a t h e r e are t a l e n t e d p e o p l e

even i n t h e a u t o m o t i v e industry. O r take a v i a t i o n . E v e r y o n e u n d e r s t a n d
t h a t d u r i n g r e c e n t years we've fallen very far b e h i n d , b u t n e v e r t h e l e s s t h e r
are b r i l l i a n t designs. A n d s o m e t h i n g u n u s u a l for Russia t h e r e h a s b e e n a
striking i m p r o v e m e n t of skills in t h e

food i n d u s t r y a n d in a n u m b e r

b r a n c h e s of light industry.

f individualized

goods

and

services.We've

tensification o f t h a t global m o v e

somehow

failed

to

toward individualization.

see

the

In the past

eryone was glad t o use t h e s a m e p r o d u c t s , b u t n o w g o o d s are b e c o m i n g

greasingly varied.
ed

for

nsiimer.

A n d t h a t p r o c e s s will gain m o m e n t u m , w h i c h m e a n s a

specialists
That

who

can

m e a n s we

create

need

product

creative

targeted

individuals,

at

specific

not

endless

become

effective,

and

m b e r s of g r a d u a t e s w i t h lovely d i p l o m a s .

T h e m a r k e t h a s c o m e t o life,

In
a n d we've

started d e m a n d i n g high

q u a l i t y g o o d s . While in t h e p a s t p e o p l e were satisfied w i t h a n y old k i n d

66

design

iwyer? If t h a t offspring i n v e n t s a n e w k i n d of C o c a C o l a or o u r answer to a

Are we losing out in many fields?

can

system o f t r a d i t i o n a l p r e f e r e n c e s i s r e c e d i n g i n t o t h e p a s t . G o b a c k t o t h e

i d e a is n o t o n l y to p r o v i d e t h e r e q u i r e d skills b u t also to p r o v i d e o n g o i n

started

who

love to have s o m e o n e p i c k it u p . T h e system for recycling glass, plastic a n d

h o w to revive t h e t e a c h i n g of professional v o c a t i o n a l skills in Russia.

have

specialist

garbage from h o u s e s is simply tossed across t h e f e n c e ,

We're now holding discussions with the

T h e y ' l l have to be r e t r a i n e d . W e ' r e a l r e a d y begging p a r e n t s a n d future

p e o p l e , a n d t h e old o n e s have e i t h e r lost t h e i r skills o r c a n n o l o n g e r work.

A n d t h e r e ' s also going to be a d e m a n d for specialists in c e r t a i n rare fields for

importance.

students to be m o r e circumspect in their career choices, to think ahead. The

t h e r e was n o

there

of skills

So

e x p e r t on t h e l a b o r m a r k e t I believe t h a t in t h e n e x t few years we will see a

engineers

greater

insufficient.

t h e r e ' s i n t e n s e c o m p e t i t i o n t o study law a n d i n t e r n a t i o n a l e c o n o m i c s . A s a n

growing

has

t e c h n o l o g y is p a i d e x t r e m e l y well a n d is in g r e a t d e m a n d . N a t u r a l l y , t h e

2004

the

Law

on

Alternative

t's talk a bit about how it will work.

Civilian

Service

will

How will the draftee prove to

the military

Ice district officer that he has grounds for not taking up arms?
67

 T h e draftee will be going n o t to the m i l i t a r y service district officer b u t

t o t h e draft c a l l - u p b o a r d , w h e r e t h e military are n o t i n t h e majority. T h e

c o m m i s s i o n will i n c l u d e p e o p l e from t h e e d u c a t i o n a l system, h e a l t h c a r e ,
e m p l o y m e n t services a n d l o c a l a u t h o r i t i e s .
a n d w h a t for.

The

II

draftee will tell t h e m why

If h e ' s from a small i n d i g e n o u s p e o p l e from t h e N o r t h

t h a t ' s an easy case.

If he d o e s n ' t w a n t to serve for religious r e a s o n s a great

deal d e p e n d s on w h a t faith he professes.

Let's say that the recruit is a Buddhist.

Will he be taken

at his word?

If h e ' s a B u d d h i s t he m u s t at least be able to talk a b o u t his system

So simply going to
and saying that he

the

wants

to

military

do

district officer without citing any ground,

alternative

civilian

service won't work?

What

that someone

has

demonstrated

his

right

to

alternative

We have a clear s c h e d u l e for t h a t . P r i o r to F e b r u a r y 1, 2004 i n t e r e s t e

send

in

requests

if t h e y

need

individuals

2003)

.
.

can

. , ,
service.

then?

organizations

N o . T h e r e ' s t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n w h i c h s t i p u l a t e s a " s a c r e d duty."

Suppose

, -

beliefs. No o n e will m a k e h i m take an e x a m in theology, b u t he m u s t be abl

to d e m o n s t r a t e t h a t he is a p a r t y to t h a t religion w h i c h he c l a i m s to profess;

wishing

. ,

p e r f o r m alternative service. T h e r e are now s o m e 40,000 s u c h r e q u e s t s , an

I t h i n k t h a t by F e b r u a r y t h e r e will be m o r e . T h e r e q u e s t c a n ' t be vague

we're insisting t h a t it i n d i c a t e t h e salary, c o n d i t i o n s , e t c . A c c e p t a n c e f

alternative

service

will

start with

the

fall

call-up

for

2004.

By t h e n

o r g a n i z a t i o n s w h i c h have s e n t in r e q u e s t s will have to c o n f i r m t h a t t h e y ' r

ready

to

accept

the

dormitory housing,

individual

food,

etc.

and

to

provide

everything

required

By t h e fall c a l l - u p we will be

Where

will

According to

the

lists for jobs

at

There
Usually

these

the

data

vacancies for

of your ministry

employment

are
are

always

,
XX ,

the

conscientious

objectors

come fron

today some 2 million people

are on f.

centers.

. ,

', . -

new v a c a n c i e s w h i c h

"unpopular"

sending

those requests to the call-up boards.

positions

are

with

gradually being
low

salary

and

fille
fe

a p p l i c a n t s . But if i n s t e a d of serving in t h e a r m e d forces s o m e o n e is given

o p p o r t u n i t y to be useful to his c o u n t r y a n d be paid s o m e t h i n g for t h a t ,

. , -

t h i n k t h e r e will b e a p p l i c a n t s .

1995
. , .

1 These t w o s e n t e n c e s w e r e o m i t t e d b y t h e English reader o f t h e t e x t .

I
68

,
1954

.
69

. ,

, ,

. ,

,

,

. ,
,
,
.

?
?

- -

, , , ,

, , .

" . . .

,
, -

, ,

, X

1 , ,
.

70

71


, ,
,
.

(Protopresbyter),

(Senior Deacon)

, , ,

?'

(Hieromonk

?
,

(Father

(priest),

Superior),

(Archdeacon),

Reverend Father w h e n

priest-monk),

addressing

(Hierodeacon

same

form

( )

of address may be

used for a

(Father Alexander)

Catholic

priest.

Minister is addressed as Reverend.

same t e r m s of address are used as for the O r t h o d o x clergy.

Deacon-monk),

(deacon).

an

(Archpriest),

A Russian O r t h o d o x priest of the secular clergy ( ) may be

addressed as

? .

Very Reverend Father, w h e n addressing an

(Archimandrite),

and the

A Protestant

F o r C a t h o l i c and Episcopal bishops the

Speakers on religious t h e m e s may quote the Old () and New (

, ,

Gospels.

, .

alphabetical index of Biblical words and phrases indicating the place in the

...

Testaments ( ) .
The

interpreter

in English is in the plural the

should

own

(),

Concordance

an

Bible in which the phrase occurs.

complex/complicated.

word m e a n i n g

the

secular authorities.

"social" as in ,

is

a polysemantic

"sophisticated" as in

, "

. W h e n used to describe power or authority secular is opposed

to religious, church or clerical, a n d lay is o p p o s e d to clergy, e.g.

contains articles by both

This text includes many t e r m s relating to t h e rich vocabulary of religi

and of t h e Russian Orthodox Church. Some related t e r m s which do n o t app
in t h e text are included here for reference.

n o t be used. While t h e i n t e r p r e t e r ' s voice and i n t o n a t i o n should c o m m u n i c

gravity

of t h e

idiomatic

tone

and

of synonyms and

serious

nature

restructuring

of t h e

subject

matter,

of clauses is n e e d e d to

so

produ;

Your Holiness is the

correct form for addressing

Patriarch or the P o p e . O t h e r forms for addressing the clergy i n c l u d e :

This volume

(Metropolitan)

or

Your eminence, w h e n addressing a M

(Archbishop).

This

is

also

Your Grace or

Your Excellency w h e n addres"

Be careful to avoid the very c o m m o n error of

"Thanks God."

even t h o u g h missionaries

These include...
n o t service,

"serve" in a specific place.

are prompting us to be/making us/causing us

be/primarily

concerned regarding/focus

force/torn

our concerns

(tending to/fulfilling)

on...

the spiritual needs...

forcibly

cut

off/separated

by

God.
we

are seeking/focus

away from

audience for/people

correct form for addressing a C a r d i n a l .

an (Bishop).

Thank God.

speakers,

in E n g l i s h t h i s is missionary work,

to

English s e n t e n c e s .

Russian

The t o n e here is very formal; c o n t r a c t i o n s such as " I t ' s " or "We're" sho

elimination

and laymen

, ).

the

clergymen

are parishioners.

extremely/very

important/major/intended

of...

dioceses,

monasteries

and parishes.

is a parochial school.

72
73

 priests (Orthodox, Catholic). Minister (Protestant).

clergyman (cleric). A clergyman is also

clergy,

referred to as a man of the cloth.

hundred

this should be rendered as serve in...

pastoral/care/tending to

the needs of/attention,

to...

supporting/maintaining
congregation

and

strengthening/reinforcing

/parishioners/flock

the

spiritual

ties

badly/much

of the

How

great

is

the

need

Military servic
risks

to

life/mortal

danger/risk.

flashpoints/hotbeds

of tension.

of . Such things w o u l d w o r k well h e r e .

part

(the)

attention

as

evidence/proof of/showin

(being paid

by) from/on

tl

of...

devotion/fidelity

to

the

things

of great

concern/worrisome/'distressing/

(man's)

animal/base/bestial

instincts/the

arousing/exciting/

base/animal

instinct

in

norms/standards

of

Christian

give free rein play to/expose/reveal/unleash

human

and

idealize

the dark/base sides of

nature.
of these

deliberate

actions

are

truly

The

horrendous/

horrible/appalling.

In English "facts" is often n o t the optimal translatio

demonstrating/proving/indicating

man.

in general/in principle/in theory.

phenomena.

results/consequences/fruits

a drastic/acute/shortage/lack of clergy.

alarming

army chaplains, or clergy for the military.

repaid/compensated/rewarded/justified

to

is this needed?

involves/entails/is fraught/with

be

life/the life of the spirit.

inflaming
here/Ho

will

feel called/attracted to/a spiritual

with...

fold.

in t h e US t h e s e are military chaplains.

...

we believe/are convinced that/as we see it/in our

view.

belief in/dedicatio

morality.

in people's minds/as people see/understand it.

"a religious c h o i c e " s o u n d s awkward; a religio
motivated choice w o u l d be m u c h b e t t e r ,
daily routine is m u c h m o r e idiomat
t h a n "dailypractical life." W h i l e daily life w o u l d also work h e r e , "practic
should be d r o p p e d .
,
The idea here is of individual a
family life. d o e s n o t work in literal t r a n s l a t i o n . "Factor" d
n o t work well h e r e .
a real driving force in the professional sphere is an i d i o m a

for whom

at such

cost/with

what

...difficulty...
we find ourselves lacking/falling short of/missing.
? died at an early/young
age/suffered an untimely death ?
As is often the
case, a Russian negative c o n s t r u c t i o n s o u n d s b e t t e r in English as a positive
o n e : One can think of that only with fear and great concern. Great e m p h a s i z e s
t h e degree of intensity, as concern a l o n e s o u n d s r a t h e r flat,

the link between

eras/ages/epochs/times/when

the chain

of

eras is broken.
is constantly being renewed/renewing itself/is/in a
constant state

of renewal

the translation should use the

terminology,

bringing/announcing/spreading

the

glad

tidings/the

Biblical

Word

of

God.
the attempt/effort to
bend/to force the Church to adapt to/to make the Church submit/to subject the
Church to the spirit of this century.

rendering.
gives rise to/evokes/prompts/calls forth.
75

What

speak

of a

about

the

is your
gradual

western

assessment
turning

trends

of the

of society
towards

state

of Russian

towards

the

"modernization"

society

Church?
of the

today?
How

do

Can

we

you feel

Church?

T h e state of c o n t e m p o r a r y society evokes mixed feelings.

t o d a y have g o t t e n n o t i c e a b l y younger, a n d t h a t is m o s t gratifying, for in o u r

view t o d a y ' s work b y t h e C h u r c h o n t h e spiritual a n d m o r a l e d u c a t i o n o f
rewarded

a hundred

m a r v e l o u s fruit for Russia a n d the

fold,

yielding

structure

ancj

designed t

inflame m a n ' s base i n s t i n c t s , c r e a t e m o r a l relativism, give free r e i n to an

mas

m e d i a are all i n c u l c a t i n g in t h e m i n d s of o u r y o u n g c o m p a t r i o t s the ide

" c o n s u m e r , " the hedonist and cynic,

t h e spread of a l c o h o l i s m , drug abuse a n d a b o r t i o n s o u r c o u n t r y is a n n u a l l

losing h u n d r e d s of t h o u s a n d s , if n o t m i l l i o n s ,

of its c i t i z e n s .

For whom

s u c h cost is t h e future e c o n o m i c welfare of Russia being c r e a t e d ? W h o wi

be able to enjoy t h e results of t h e efforts of t h o s e g e n e r a t i o n s alive t o d a y

()
10

2003)

?
,

a d m i n i s t e r Russia's r i c h c u l t u r a l a n d spiritu

h e r i t a g e ? T h a t t h o u g h t is a s o u r c e of great fear a n d i n t e n s e c o n c e r n .
The Russian O r t h o d o x C h u r c h as a C h u r c h with an a n c i e n t Christi
t r a d i t i o n is paying great a t t e n t i o n to t h e c o n t i n u a t i o n a n d p r e s e r v a t i o n fi
of t h a t great spiritual c o n t i n u u m w h i c h links us t h r o u g h

. -,
. ,
, ,
. - ,
, .

a n n u a l l y find ourselves falling s h o r t

n e a r l y o n e m i l l i o n p e o p l e w h o were e i t h e r n o t b o r n o r died a n u n t i m e

future

. -

T h e results of these d e l i b e r a t e a c t i o n s are truly a p p a l l i n g . As a result

the

. -

irresponsible slave to his o w n desires.

d e a t h ? W h o will be left to

T h e r e are also, however, some e x t r e m e l y w o r r i s o m e p h e n o m e n a . T h e s

films a n d t h e

are t u r n i n g . Y o u t h is t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t p e r i o d for t h e life of t h e spirit.

as t h e d e m o g r a p h e r s e s t i m a t e , we

of all g e n e r a t i o n s ,

A p a r t i c u l a r role in t h e m i s s i o n to t h e y o u n g falls to t h e p a r i s h priests,

a n d m o d e l for i m i t a t i o n o f t h e

for believers

3 American pronunciation stress on the f i r s t syllable.

Church.

dark sides of h u m a n n a t u r e . Advertising,

existed

American pronunciation " S y n o d " w i t h a short " i . "

for it is to t h e m t h a t boys a n d girls w h o feel a t t r a c t e d to the life of t h e spirit

idealize t h e

has

2 Standard p r o n u n c i a t i o n : " P a t r i a r c h a t e " w i t h " c h " p r o n o u n c e d as "k."

abundant

i n c l u d e t h e c r e a t i o n in t h e last d e c a d e of an i n d u s t r y of vice,

which

On t h e o n e

is recovering t h e g e n u i n e r o o t s of its h i s t o r i c e x i s t e n c e . O r t h o d o x p a r i s h e s

will be

structure,

merely as a result of t h e p a s s i o n for m o d e r n i z i n g everything a n d a n y t h i n g .

h a n d , we are seeing right before o u r eyes a spiritual r e b i r t h of Russia, w h i c h

young people

b e n d the C h u r c h to the spirit of this century, to forcibly " m o d e r n i z e " its

, ,
.
, . ,
, .

, -

. , ,

m i l l e n n i a to the closest disciples a n d followers of t h e Savior. W h e n t h e

, . , .

b e t w e e n ages is b r o k e n

a n d we k n o w t h a t from h i s t o r i c a l e x a m p l e s

tragic conflicts o c c u r , b r u t a l divisions a m o n g G o d ' s p e o p l e ,

cutting it

At t h e s a m e t i m e t h e life of the C h u r c h is in a state of c o n s t a n t renev

for t h e C h u r c h i s being c o n t i n u a l l y called u p o n t o m e e t new challenge
succeed

each

other,

bringing

the

glad

tidings

of G o d ' s Word

c h a n g i n g world a n d m a n . But t h a t h a s n o t h i n g t o d o with t h e a t t e m p t

78

from G o d .

eras

300 -,

?
79

 .
,
. - ,

--

, , , .

-,

. ,

,
.

250 .

, .

,
.
,

.
,
- , .
,
,

. ,
. , , ,
.
, ,
, .

80

. , , . ,
.

,
.

,
,

?
,
- . - ! ,
- .

. ,
: -
,
.

?
.

, .

.
:
While in some contexts c a n m e a n advantageous or

. , ,

, .

, .

beneficial,
is

the m e a n i n g here

is clearly profitable.

A n o t h e r possible rendering

"Does it make economic sense/Is it a good idea to build..."

-
transliteration)

Since town house (no h y p h e n ) is a clear borrowing (in fact

from

English,

this is the

obvious translation.

The

type
81

of h o u s e , t h o u g h , may be quite different from t h a t sold in the U S .

is b e t t e r r e n d e r e d as within the Moscow city limits a n d n o t

T h o u g h t h e verb
c a n m e a n to evaluate or to assess, t h e i d e a is of "appreciating"

literally as "on the territory of Moscow."

can

t h o u g h i n s o m e c o n t e x t s t h i s w o r d m e a n s research, h e r e

s h o u l d n o t b e t r a n s l a t e d .

appreciate

what it means to

live

in

a separate/their own/individual house.

t h a t w o u l d o n l y be t h e case in t h e c o n t e x t of market research. A s i m p l e r

t r a n s l a t i o n is studies.

maintenance

T h i s is n o t a c o m m o n e x p r e s s i o n in

T h e s e e m i n g l y s i m p l e w o r d c a n be q u i t e tricky, for

or

maintenance

In this context the t e r m m e a n s the

fees.

E n g l i s h , b u t low-rise buildings (as o p p o s e d to high-rise )

it c a n m e a n forecast/prediction/projection. R e p h r a s i n g t h e s e n t e n c e : How do

would be a reasonable t r a n s l a t i o n . T h e r e are two words for , however,

you

floor a n d story. He lives on the second floor, b u t He lives in a two-story house.

see/envision

the

(future)

development

of the

low-rise

housing market?

w o u l d work well.

As is so often t h e " c a s e ,

does n o t n e e d to be t r a n s l a t e d . T h e idea h e r e c a n be r e n d e r e d as is still

c a n m e a n to assess, t h e s e n t e n c e c a n also be r e n d e r e d as There is a need to

developing/growing/coming

into

Moscow

being/undefined.

While

take a hard look at the market (situation d o e s n o t have to be t r a n s l a t e d ) but

is filled/studded/covered/bursting

with...

we have to be realistic/about/in

assessing the market.

T h i s refers to t h e e n t i r e s e t t i n g in w h i c h t h e

T h e w o r d s specific a n d sector do n o t work

buildings

setting/configuration/

h e r e . It is a highly specialized (corner of the) market w o u l d s o u n d i d i o m a t i c .

does not upset th

H e r e t h e w o r d literate c a n n o t be u s e d for

are

architectural

located:

sentence

background.The

can

the
also be

architectural
reworded

as

balance.

Not very good/poor/poorly

W h i l e t h e E n g l i s h i d i o m , worth its weight in gol

meaning.

w o u l d w o r k h e r e , equally i d i o m a t i c is costs a fortune.

than

"make

rephrased

as

the

construction

of individual

hamper/complicate/get in

the

houses

difficult,"

way of the

this

done/ratherflawed/copies will

render the

towns filled/built up with/consisting/made up of.

Rath*

T h e i d e a is of p r i v a t e l y o w n e d p r o p e r t y

can

the

construction

of ne~

houses.

concept/notion/idea

of

private

house/private

property/ownership.

, T h i s s e n t e n c e
n e e d s s o m e r e p h r a s i n g . d o e s n o t work as "culture." People are not

T h i s s h o u l d n o t be t r a n s l a t e d as "cottages," w h i c h in E n g l i s

yet

m e a n s a c o u n t r y h o u s e ; t h e s e are detached houses small h o u s e s w h i c

still not the norm (tradition c a n be d r o p p e d , as all t h e s e w o r d s cover t h i s

used

to

that/That's

not yet

accepted/customary/common/widely

accepted/

stand alone and are n o t p a r t of a row of houses (row houses).

c o n c e p t ) and is not part of their mindset/way of thinking/mentality.

Yet a n o t h e r c o n t e x t for . H e r e it m e a n s

needs no explanation/is clear to everyone/is obvious.

is

making

enormous

efforts/doi

everything possible/going all out to ( c o l l o q u i a l ) .

done properly/well.

The range of buyers/purchasers gets t h e

idea a e r o '

"Circle" d o e s n o t work.

what's
out

copying/copying lock stock

Russian situation
don't consider/view/'regard them

as...

in t h i s c o n t e x t t h e w o r d c a n be t r a n s l a t e d as practical, w h i c

is m u c h m o r e i d i o m a t i c t h a n the awkward "daily life."

allowed/was

into

and

barrel/

copying blindly/out and

without/taking the

specifics

account/making allowances for the situation

in

of the

Russia,

state/stipulate/indicate.

forbidden/by

was

illegal/was

against the

law/was

not

law.

, , A s e c o n d verb

while t h e l i t e r a l t r a n s l a t i o n of t h i s w o r d is "price

n o t n e c e s s a r y in E n g l i s h buy/purchase them for/to house their children

Jbrmation," a b e t t e r r e n d i t i o n w o u l d be prices/the range of/system ofprices,

( w i t h a d a s h i n d i c a t i n g a slight verbal p a u s e also d o e s n o t ne

system

of housing

to be t r a n s l a t e d ) their parents.
83

categories is only now starting up/The creation of a system of categories of types

will

of housing is still in progress/underway.

satisfy DIPS.

translated

as

Forget

about

"principally"

a fundamentally/totally/radically

garage/a garage

is

always

included/town

This

can

different/kind/type
there

houses

always

be

of housing.

is/always/by

definition/a

have/come

be

with

300 town

houses,

Who

the

level of demand for low-rise

is buying these

housing seems

to

houses?

T h e n u m b e r of p u r c h a s e r s so far is quite l i m i t e d . As sales in some

m i c r o r e g i o n s of K u r k i n o have s h o w n ,

t h e buyers of t o w n h o u s e s d o n ' t see

t h e m as t h e i r sole a n d p e r m a n e n t r e s i d e n c e s . A t o w n h o u s e is being b o u g h t
as a c o u n t r y h o u s e to w h i c h o n e c a n "flee" from t h e i n c o n v e n i e n c e s of life

garage.

in t h e city c e n t e r while k e e p i n g all of t h e p r a c t i c a l a n d social a d v a n t a g e s of

T h e s e are high-rises/high-rise buildings.

l i f e in Moscow.

Yet a n o t h e r e n c o u n t e r w i t h rpa

c h i l d r e n or t h e i r p a r e n t s . In t e r m s of s t a t u s , t h e t o w n h o u s e p u r c h a s e r s

The

preliminary

reference

is

to

careful/thorough/properly

conducte

a r e clearly m i d d l e class. T h e s e are p e o p l e w h o fully a p p r e c i a t e living in a

s e p a r a t e h o u s e , l o c a t e d n o t far from t h e business c e n t e r of t h e city. T h e y

analysis.

Engage

in

any

kind of construction "

c a n afford t h e m o n t h l y m a i n t e n a n c e of 250 dollars.

build I undertake to build any kind/type of housing.

Interview
Head

of

with

the

In principle,

city

Leonid

Department
for

Moscow

of

Construction

How do you see the future development of the low-rise housing market?
Sales have s h o w n t h a t t h e r e is a d e m a n d for low-rise h o u s i n g , a n d

Krasnyansky,
Investment

therefore this s e c t o r of h o u s i n g c o n s t r u c t i o n will c o n t i n u e to develop. But

Programs

we

(DIPS)

does it make economic sense to

build town

houses within

t.

have

shown

that

Moscow

isn't

yet

ready

for

low-ri

and there

e c o n o m i c a n d h i s t o r i c a l r e a s o n s for t h a t .

F i r s t of a

M o s c o w is filled with high-rise a p a r t m e n t buildings from the c e n t e r to t"

outskirts.

The

only

remaining

houses

with

few

stories

buildings, private h o m e s a n d estates with o u t b u i l d i n g s .

new i n t h e
balance,

city c e n t e r ,

is quite

It's
America."

c o n s t r u c t i o n . T h e t o w n h o u s e m a r k e t is still u n d e f i n e d ,
i m p o r t a n t social,

have

Land there

are

o1

the

Building s o m e t h i

something t h a t doesn't upset the

difficult.

to be

realistic in assessing t h e

market,

a n d r e m e m b e r t h a t in

Moscow so far t h i s is a highly specialized c o r n e r of t h e m a r k e t .

limits?

Studies

M a n y p e o p l e are a c q u i r i n g t o w n h o u s e s t o h o u s e t h e i r

costs a f o r t u n e ;

architectu

t h e lack of spa

b e t w e e n t h e buildings a n d t h e p o o r ecological e n v i r o n m e n t are h a m p e r i

t h e c o n s t r u c t i o n of i n d i v i d u a l h o u s e s . R a t h e r , t h i s would seem to be t
future of t h e outlying M o s c o w regions if t h e r e is a d e q u a t e d e v e l o p m e
of t h e t r a n s p o r t a t i o n i n f r a s t r u c t u r e . T h e majority of o w n e r s of t o w n n o u s

said

that

Do you

our

town

houses

are

rather flawed

copies

of "two-story

agree?

G i v e n t h e density of c o n s t r u c t i o n it's q u i t e n a t u r a l to build d e t a c h e d

h o u s e s a n d t o w n h o u s e s . O f c o u r s e , i t m a k e s n o sense t o build t h e m n e a r
high-rises.

And,

anyhow,

insolation

standards

wouldn't

allow

for t h a t .

I n c i d e n t a l l y , n e i g h b o r h o o d s with low-rise buildings are n o t s o c o m m o n all

vcr A m e r i c a .
Russia.

In t h e

c e n t e r of N e w York t h a t ' s j u s t as impossible

as in

But t h e r e are a lot of small A m e r i c a n t o w n s consisting of these

'two-story" h o u s e s .

D o n ' t forget t h a t t h e c o n c e p t of a private h o u s e also

eludes the c o n c e p t of private o w n e r s h i p .

In Russia it only r e c e n t l y o n c e

nin b e c a m e possible to be a h o m e o w n e r . T h a t ' s n o t yet widely a c c e p t e d .

0 you c o u l d argue for quite s o m e t i m e as to w h a t ' s d o n e well or badly,
lissians d o n ' t share t h e A m e r i c a n m e n t a l i t y , a n d therefore copying blindly
t h o u t m a k i n g a l l o w a n c e s for t h e s i t u a t i o n in Russia is,

a n d d e t a c h e d h o u s e s also own cars. W h a t is taking place on t h e r o a d s ne

of c o u r s e ,

the

ng thing to d o .

no e x p l a n a t i o n . T h e r e are traffic j a m s in t h e m o r n i n g , traffic j a m s in f

evening.

The

Moscow

city

government

is

making

enormous

efforts

Changes in

resolve t h i s p r o b l e m , b u t so far t h i s is insufficient for t h e d e v e l o p m e n t

mass m a r k e t i n low-rise c o n s t r u c t i o n .

ses at no cost.

Judging

Department
84

of

by

the fact

Investment

that

Programs

similar
for

construction
Construction

is
in

being
Bratsevo,

done
where

by
th

the

the law on

inhabitants

of town

land use and on

houses

cannot

construction

acquire

Isn't this going to change given

the

in Moscow stipulate
land surrounding

the

the prices for such housing?

U n t i l r e c e n t l y l a n d was p r o v i d e d to users only on a r e n t a l basis, since

ale of l a n d was against t h e law. N o w t h e r e are o p p o r t u n i t i e s to p u r c h a s e
land s u r r o u n d i n g t h e h o u s e . T h a t , of c o u r s e , is a good t h i n g . I t h i n k t h a t

t h e possibility of owning t h e land a r o u n d o n e ' s h o u s e will serve to a t t r a c t

p o t e n t i a l clients.

10

But it will h a r d l y have an i m p a c t on the range of p r i c e s ,

unless sellers offer t h e h o u s e a n d land as a single p a c k a g e .

In

Russia

the

creation

of a

system

of categories

underway,

and so far there's no specific slot for town

what

of housing

kind

N e i t h e r in

classification
and

is

Russia

moves

is

still
(

In your opinion,

n o r anywhere

Any kind

designed

to

else

in

the

of classification

world

is

a m o u n t s to

successfully place

and

there

any

advertising

sell h o u s i n g .

If

to clearly define t o w n h o u s e s as a category.

h o u s i n g . A n d a l t h o u g h these
construction

24

2004)

of these

buildings

, ,

,

differences:

, .

a n d the r e s i d e n t i a l q u a r t e r s are

reveals

t o w n h o u s e s always c o m e with a garage,

l o c a t e d right on t o p of it.

I t ' s a radically different type of

are built using generally a c c e p t e d s t a n d a r d s ,

we're talking a b o u t t h e classification w h i c h now exists, t h e n t h e r e ' s no way

the

this?

of h o u s i n g .

marketing

of housing

houses.

some

significant

In an o r d i n a r y h o u s e , the parking area is alway

s e p a r a t e d from t h e r e s i d e n t i a l q u a r t e r s by a n o n - r e s i d e n t i a l floor.
m a t t e r w h a t t h e m a r k e t specialists call an u r b a n private h o u s e ,

But n
it will

, , . , ,
. ,

c o n s i d e r e d as luxury h o u s i n g .

. ,
Won t the high prices for land in Moscow impact on the future oflow-ri
construction?
I d o n ' t t h i n k so. T h e c o n s t r u c t i o n of low-rise h o u s i n g h a s e c o n o n v
advantages.
standards

. , ,

High-rises
for

have

residential

to

housing.

be

built

in

J ow-rise

compliance
buildings,

with

however,

can

closer t o g e t h e r a n d c o n t a i n sufficient living s p a c e . As everywhere, t h o r o u

p r e l i m i n a r y analysis is n e e d e d of future

construction

and

of t h e

mar

s i t u a t i o n as a w h o l e . T h e n it will be e c o n o m i c a l l y profitable to u n d e r t
any kind of c o n s t r u c t i o n .

, .

lighti

.
5,5 5,7 .
, , 1 0 . : 7,5 , .
,
. . 7-8 ,
, .

5,5-5,7 ,
.

86

 ,
, .

,
, ,

2010

80 ,

. , , 9 0
,

,
.
. , ~
30
. ,

,

,

: , ,
2 0 .
9 ,
.

- 7-8

, 2005

2006 , .

, , .
:

. , ,

.,.

this country or in

In

Russia

or just here

,
sound

much more

idiomatic t h a n in our country. While c a n m e a n a loan or credit, in this

case a l o a n for housing is a mortgage. the verb c a n be r e n d e r e d

, , .

.

as

intimidated/put

- -

, .

apprehensions

about...

here:

the

sentence

c a n be

rendered

as how profitable/advantageous

an a p a r t m e n t or a h o u s e .

common/a

common/widely

accepted phenomenon.

funds which are n o t c o m m i t t e d , or allocated or "tied

u p " elsewhere

available or uncommitted funds/liquid assets.

, ,

1987

76 ,

by/have

mortgage, m e a n s exclusively a l o a n for the purchase of property,

-.

off/frightened/'scared

T h e word c a n and should be d r o p p e d

2003-

This

sentence

contains

some

useful

economic

3 6 ,:

terminology.

Circulation

ieveral m e a n i n g s guarantee, deposit, earnest b u t in t h e c o n t e x t of a

0,25

The law regulates/governs the system/rules for the issuance and

of such

securities,

their collateral,

redemption,

etc.

has

mortgage it is the collateral for the l o a n .

89

 T h e s p e a k e r is going m u c h faster h e r e . It

w o u l d be logical to e x p e c t t h a t figures will be f o r t h c o m i n g in a t e x t on

market really start moving/take off/show real signs of developing?

h o u s i n g , a n d t h e i n t e r p r e t e r s h o u l d b e r e a d y w i t h a p e n c i l a n d p a p e r .
c a n be c o n d e n s e d to Remember that...
t h e E n g l i s h i d i o m for t h i s is under the mattress.
work

as

to

change

people's

minds/work

on

changing people^

minds/making them see this.

10

approximately/on

the

rubles a month.

When

will the

Russian

order of/some

10,00

t h e verb d o e s n o t n e e d to be t r a n s l a t e d .
I t i s obvious t h a t t h e working g r o u p s are f u n c t i o n i n g . T h e s e n t e n c e c a n b e
to t r a n s l a t e .)

longer-term

credit/loans.

mandatory/compulsory

notarization of mortgage contracts. T h e s p e a k e r is h e s i t a t i n g , i n s e r t i n g " u h "

i n t o t h e s e n t e n c e s . B e careful t o k e e p y o u r delivery s m o o t h a n d avoid

T h e r e is a s o u n d he

u n c o n s c i o u s l y i m i t a t i n g the speaker's jerky t o n e .

o f c r u m p l e d o r shuffled p a p e r s . A n d s u c h i n t e r f e r e n c e a t c o n f e r e n c e s a n

d u r i n g m e e t i n g s is, u n f o r t u n a t e l y , all t o o c o m m o n ! I f t h e noise were l o u d

a n d the i n t e r p r e t e r could n o t m a k e out the n u m b e r of years, he coul

decline/drop/fall/come

approximate:

made available/put on the market.

the

average family for a few years...

or

a family for seve

tax breaks/benefits/advantages.

as a p p l i e d to p r i c e s ,

t h e verb c a n b e t r a n s l a t e d a s

down.

S i n c e t h i s is s a r c a s t i c , it c a n be r e n d e r e d as impressive/

years...

huge/enormous.

to pay off/repay the loan.

by living very frugally/on a very ti

budget/by

mortgage

c o n s i d e r a b l y c o n d e n s e d : working groups will be submitting... ( t h e r e is no n e e d

R a t h e r t h a n a n y t h i n g involving "convincing" t h i
would

-?

tightening

tumbledown

their belts.

shady payment

systems/under

the

ta

,
old houses

being torn

the

dilapidated/decrepit/

down/razed/demolished.

to make available/put on the market/create.

for s u c h a g e n e r a l i z a t i o n experts is a m u c h b e t t e r

payments.

T h e verb s h o u l d n o t

t r a n s l a t i o n t h a n t h e r a t h e r a w k w a r d - s o u n d i n g specialists.

t r a n s l a t e d literally; can take out/get a mortgage w o u l d be i d i o m a t i c E n g l i

. S i n c e in t h e US a p a r t m e n t s are m e a s u r e d in squ

luxury/expensive housing w o u l d

elite

doesn't

work

here.

Aside from

do.

feet, t a l k i n g a b o u t m e t e r s will n o t be helpful. Want more space/room/a la

T h e s p e a k e r is slowing d o w n

apartment w o u l d be clear.

considerably, a n d p a u s e s after . T h e i n t e r p r e t e r c a n say For the entire

overlook/fail

to

take

into/getting saddled

into

account

the fear

with/taking on

to

igno

of/potential for getting/sin

country...
million

debt.

a n d t h e n a d d there are/remain some

he c a n start w i t h a n o m i n a t i v e :
square

7-8 million square meters,

or

The entire country... is left with some 7-8

meters...

90 D

t h i s n e e d s to be s h o r t e n e d to The

forget t h e i m p o r t a n c e o f t h e c o n t i n u o u s p r e s e n t t e n s e t o describe

solution/way out (here)

o n g o i n g p r o c e s s . 90 per cent of the people/population are using/living ok

loans is b e t t e r t h a n " u s e . "

"participate." T h i s c a n be t r a n s l a t e d as with the use offederal budget funds.

is...

In

English

budget

cannot

. . . In t h i s s e n t e n c e s h o u l
r e n d e r e d in two different ways:
credit,

and

first

and foremost/above

make use of/live on/off different kin

all/primarily

mortgages/housing

lo

T h e first use of credit i n c l u d e s b o t h t h e w i d e s p r e a d use of c r e d i t c a r d s as

as o t h e r kinds of loans.
91

Interview

Vladimir AnatoVevich,

out a
those

with

mortgage,
be

but they're

Deputy
a

lot

Chairman
of people

intimidated by

in
the

Vladimir
this

country

high

Yakovlev
would

like

interest rates.

to

take

How

can

lowered!

When

will the

mortgage

market in

Russia

really

take

off?

If t h e basic laws are passed this year, t h e n by n e x t year we'll be able to

talk a b o u t real a d v a n c e s w i t h m o r t g a g e s h e r e . All t h e bases have b e e n laid.
Working g r o u p s will be s u b m i t t i n g m o r e t h a n 30 draft bills to t h e spring a n d
fall sessions of t h e D u m a . We n e e d to k n o w h o w to get l o n g - t e r m l o a n s from

T h e b a n k i n g c o m m u n i t y h a s t o u n d e r s t a n d h o w profitable m o r t g a g e s

the b a n k s a n d h o w to lower t h e i n t e r e s t r a t e . T h e r e is a n e e d for a range of

a r e , a n d t h a t these c a n develop only w h e n t h e y are widely a c c e p t e d . A n d t h e

legislative

b a n k s have to have liquid assets available

n o t a r i z a t i o n of m o r t g a g e c o n t r a c t s , to lower t h e cost of r e g i s t r a t i o n of rights

w h i c h t h e y d o n ' t have now.

initiatives to lower t r a n s a c t i o n costs,

H e l p i n o b t a i n i n g s u c h funds should c o m e from t h e law a d o p t e d a t t h e e n d *

on

of last year on m o r t g a g e securities.

mortgages. T h e r e ' s also a n e e d for tax b r e a k s .

It regulates t h e system for t h e i s s u a n c e !

the

housing

market and

to

improve

the

to get rid
insurance
True,

of c o m p u l s o r y
m e c h a n i s m for

m o r t g a g e s h e r e are

a n d c i r c u l a t i o n o f s u c h securities, t h e i r c o l l a t e r a l , r e d e r f t p t i o n , e t c . R i g h t

already in u s e , b u t so far t h e y are m o r e p u b l i c - s o c i a l in n a t u r e t h a t is, t h e

n o w a m e n d m e n t s t o this law are being c o n s i d e r e d , a m e n d m e n t s from t h e

loans

M i n i s t r y o f F i n a n c e s , t h e State C o n s t r u c t i o n Agency a n d o t h e r i n t e r e s t e d ;

There are s u c h p r o g r a m s n o w i n M o r d o v i a , C h u v a s h i a , I r k u t s k a n d o t h e r

agencies. I h o p e t h a t already this year t h e law will be in effect. But we have

regions.

are

processed

t h r o u g h s u p p o r t from federal

and

regional budgets.

t o r e m e m b e r t h a t p e o p l e h e r e are n o t used t o trusting t h e b a n k s a n d prefe

to k e e p t h e i r m o n e y " u n d e r t h e m a t t r e s s . " A n d , of c o u r s e , for t h e m o r t g a g *
m a r k e t to start developing we n e e d to m a k e p e o p l e c h a n g e t h e i r m i n d s .

Moscow is the most attractive city in the country for purchasing housing.
Hut prices
apartment.

to

What, as you see it, should be the income of a family that would allow i

take out a

mortgage?

rising
the

so fast

prices

for

here

that

the

housing

in

Moscow

average family
come

can't

buy

an

down?

I c a n ' t m a k e p r e d i c t i o n s or try to suggest a n y t h i n g to a n y o n e . So I'll

put it a n o t h e r way. T o d a y t h e r e is a shortage of h o u s i n g on t h e m a r k e t , a n d

T h e r e ' s a formula for c a l c u l a t i n g w h e t h e r s o m e o n e c a n afford to bu

an a p a r t m e n t .

are
Will

Officially o u r average

salary c o m e s to

5.5 to

5.7 t h o u s a n

not only in M o s c o w . In 1987 for t h e e n t i r e c o u n t r y 76 m i l l i o n square m e t e r s

of h o u s i n g were m a d e available, a n d in 2003 t h e " h u g e " figure of 36 m i l l i o n

rubles p e r p e r s o n . A family of two, t h e r e f o r e , m a k e s s o m e t h i n g on t h e o r d e

square

of 10,000 rubles a m o n t h . H o u s i n g t o d a y costs a m i n i m u m of 7.5 t h o u s a n

today only a b o u t 0.25 m e t e r p e r p e r s o n are being b u i l t a n n u a l l y , b u t t h e r e ' s

p e r square m e t e r , d e p e n d i n g on l o c a t i o n .

a n e e d of a m i n i m u m of a m e t e r p e r year to c r e a t e t h e m a r k e t a n d to

If t h a t average family over a five

m e t e r s was r e a c h e d .

T h a t ' s n o t e n o u g h for a full-fledged m a r k e t :

year p e r i o d d o e s n ' t s p e n d on a n y t h i n g else it c a n pay off t h e m o r t g a g e .

C o m p e n s a t e for t h e d i l a p i d a t e d h o u s e s being r a z e d .

there

reaching a level of 80 m i l l i o n square m e t e r s available annually, b u t t h e r e will

are

other expenditures.

In p r i n c i p l e ,

w i t h an i n c o m e

of 7 to

t h o u s a n d rubles p e r p e r s o n , a family c a n already get a m o r t g a g e , b u t on

by

living

very

frugally

Today,

though,

it's

hard

to

estimate

the

t h o u s a n d rubles a m o n t h p e r p e r s o n c a n ' t b e c o n s i d e r e d a s a n objectf

given

the

widespread

system

of " u n d e r the

table"

be a n e e d for m o r e .

re

possibility for p e o p l e to p u r c h a s e an a p a r t m e n t . T h a t statistic of 5.5 to 5.

figure,

payments

Russia.

Many

M a n y families t o d a y have h o u s i n g a n d simply wa

that

because
and

that's one

the

banks

of the

don't particularly

lack

engineering

of free

land

want

lots

to give

with

the

loans
needed

infrastructure.

of t h e basic p r o b l e m s for c o n s t r u c t i o n .

Judge

for

yourself: in o n e year, for t h e e n t i r e c o u n t r y , aside from luxury h o u s i n g , s o m e

'0 m i l l i o n square m e t e r s of m a s s h o u s i n g are being built. A b o u t 9 m i l l i o n
uare

the impossibility of i n d i c a t i n g t h e

tersburg.

of t h e funds they'll be using

think

communications facilities

m o r e r o o m . T h e y c o u l d get b a n k l o a n s with t h e a p a r t m e n t a s c o l l a t e r a l , b
source

experts

r housing construction

~ Yes,

So t h e s e c t o r of t h e p o p u l a t i o n w h i c h in fact c o u l d take o u t a m o r t g
t o d a y is p r e t t y large.

By 2010 we s h o u l d be

meters

are

available

in

Moscow,

the

Moscow

region

and

St.

F o r t h e rest of t h e e n t i r e c o u n t r y t h e r e are s o m e 7-8 m i l l i o n

aside from t h e b a n k l o a n is an obstacle for m a n y of t h e m . N o r s h o u l d

uare m e t e r s for i n d i v i d u a l s w i t h average a n d below-average i n c o m e s . A n d

fail to take i n t o a c c o u n t the fear of taking on d e b t . In t h e U S , t h o u g h , toe

e m a r k e t c o n s u l t a n t s are saying t h a t by 2005-2006 we c a n e x p e c t these

s o m e 90 p e r c e n t of t h e p o p u l a t i o n are using various types of c r e d i t , first a

foremost
92

mortgages.

ii res to d e c l i n e even lower. T h e s o l u t i o n h e r e is t h e use of federal b u d g e t

fids for o r d i n a r y c o n s t r u c t i o n sites naturally, t h o s e funds will be r e p a i d .
93

 11

, .

23

2003)

-<

, ?

. , ,
, ,
2 3 . :
, , ,

. , ,
,
, .

. :

. ,

? -.

. ,

. , 1999 ,

, .

, "
, , , ,
.

3163,1;

. ,

806,3;

887,7

: 754,7 ,
-

()

. , -

1385,5; 2019,4;

- 9206,7.

25 .

?
, 3-5 .

, , ,

, ,

1 8 ,

18

, !
, .

, , ~
,

11

10,8

, .

. 7 -

. , ,

94

95

. .

1 3 ,

.
1,3. ,

when you're within

the year is coming to an

,

end!drawing to a close,

the power system /embedded within

the system

ofpower/in

the thick of things/right within the system?

: , , ,

to/falls

within/is part of the

competences/is

within

is within/part of/subject

the purview

of the

executive

branch.
?

T h e literal t r a n s l a t i o n

34 ,
.

sound i d i o m a t i c .
-

another way

"with responsibility" does

n o t work. lean state with full authority /1 have the full authority to state w o u l d

1989 36 ,

. 3 , 1 0 , ,

can you be objective {arbiter does n o t n e e d to be t r a n s l a t e d ) / A effective judge

50

15-?

, ,

, .

, 2006 ,

200 .

2,13 .

, . , -

, 400
.

10-15 ,

, , .

"Let's do

it/Do it differently/another way/let's find

out."

( )

GDP (gross domestic product)

( ) GNP (gross national product)

, , ,

( )

, .

W h e n working on an e c o n o m i c s text be sure always to have a pencil and

, ,

15

more

t h a n successful).

::

. :
, .

96

// is not backed/reinforced.

rise in the share of/increase in the importance/role

of the service sector.

, ,

adjectives are

sustainable.

; 58 .

this was a good/positive year (both of these

sciences and of d e v e l o p m e n t is increasingly frequently r e n d e r e d as

idiomatic

While usually translated as stable, in the language of the social

GNI (gross national income)

paper to write down the figures.

. . .
,

particularly

important role

in...

are

particularly

important for/play

a wrong comparison/not be the right

comparison...
97


need to

think

about/give

thought

There's

Interview with Vladimir Leonidovich Sokolin,

head of the State Statistical Agency

to/bother about...

( ) purchasing powerparity

Vladimir Leonidovich,

(PPP).

the shady or shadow econc my.

Shady has an

has

this

remained

unchanged/the

same/has

this

changed?

gardens"

is now rarely used.

personal

The

(land) plots.

term

"kitchen

the year is

activity
whole.

drawing to

Goskomstat
Is

is

it possible

in fact

to

be

close,

and in

assessing

objective

the

taking stock

work

when you 're

of the

embedded

the system of power?

overwhelming

majority of UN

m e m b e r states statistics

are

h a n d l e d by t h e executive b r a n c h . A n d t h e r e are very strict laws in p l a c e

w h i c h e n s u r e t h e statistical service a h i g h degree of i n d e p e n d e n c e . I c a n say

there's

nothing

illegal/criminal

about/wrong

with a u t h o r i t y t h a t t o d a y t h e r e i s n o p r e s s u r e being e x e r t e d o n us. Well,

t h e r e are i n d i v i d u a l a t t e m p t s , w h e n p e o p l e w h o ' r e n o t very familiar w i t h

with...

Consumer

price

frequently

index,

statistics say,

" W h y do it like this? L e t ' s do it s o m e o t h e r way." To t h a t we

r e s p o n d , " N o , we've got a m e t h o d o l o g y . " A n d o u r m e t h o d o l o g y i s t h e s a m e

abbreviated as CPI.
has included/takes note of/refers to a category

as t h a t of o u r colleagues in A m e r i c a , in G e r m a n y and in o t h e r c o u n t r i e s .

individuals/people.

There

serious

nature

changes

are.

of

the

accepted

Do n o t translate

primary source of income.

this as

these

changes/how

phrase

here

"basic" or
the

is

major/

"fundamental/

important/significant,

important/significant/serious

thes

marriages/who

are

not

legally

married/who

have

living in

common

la'

not gotten/obtained/take

/ (would) urge/ask (
on

is t o o formal for this c o n t e x t )

the

"Calm" does n o t work h e r e .

population

everyone to take a rational/hard look

How

is m u c h m o r e

age and gender breakdown

i d i o m a t i c t h a n structure.

oft

In such c o n t e x t s fi

reasons of political c o r r e c t n e s s gender is nearly always used instead of sex.

age

of eligibility for pensions/pensionable

age/age

retirement. Try to convey the speaker's a m a z e m e n t and shock t h r o u g h yo

intonation.
, '
person/You can t let yourself go/get sloppy,

he has/you have to keep in shap

keep going.

current population

level/level

did the

It was

the

economy

do

a g o o d year.

this year?

But the

g r o w t h we

It is n o t r e i n f o r c e d by all t h e

observed

is n o t yet fully

factors involved in a positive

d y n a m i c p r o c e s s . P e r h a p s I ' m being s o m e w h a t p e s s i m i s t i c , b u t it's h a r d t o

m y w h a t t h e e c o n o m y will d o w h e n t h e e c o n o m i c s i t u a t i o n a b r o a d b e c o m e s
less favorable. I ' m n o t sure t h a t t h e o t h e r b r a n c h e s o f t h e e c o n o m y will
be able to p r o v i d e for a similar g r o w t h of t h e G D P .
What

studied outside

= - b o t h for o u r raw m a t e r i a l s a n d for o u r ferrous a n d n o n f e r r o u s m e t a l l u r g y

out a marriage license.

specific n a t i o n a l p r o b l e m s w h i c h c a n b e

labor m a r k e t , t h e p r i c e i n d e x a n d i n d u s t r i a l p r o d u c t i o n .

are

framework o f i n t e r n a t i o n a l s t a n d a r d s , b u t n o t issues s u c h a s t h e G D P , t h e

sustainable.

for lengthy/meritorious service.

98

within

as

In t h e

country's

authorities

i m p l i c a t i o n of w r o n g d o i n g .

of the

merely to maintain/keep up theprese'

of the population.

changes

are

taking

place

within

the

structure

of

the

GDP?

T h e s a m e as in o t h e r c o u n t r i e s . T h e r e ' s a c o n s t a n t rise in t h e level of

he service s e c t o r a n d a d e c l i n e in t h e so-called real sector, by w h i c h we
can industry, c o n s t r u c t i o n a n d a g r i c u l t u r e . But c o m p a r e d t o d e v e l o p e d
Oimtries t h e share of t h e r e a l s e c t o r is still r a t h e r h i g h . W i t h 7 p e r c e n t
fowth

of i n d u s t r y t h e

service

sphere

s h o u l d be

growing

even faster.

In

' stern societies services have t h e m a j o r s h a r e o f t h e G D P . H e n c e t h e h i g h

igree of stability of t h e e c o n o m y . Even if t h e r e are p r o b l e m s w i t h i n d u s t r i a l
o d u c t i o n t h e r e w o n ' t be a disaster.
If you calculate the GDP in dollars, with whom could we be compared on
global

scale?

the rural census/the census of rural areas.

99

 T h a t would be t h e wrong k i n d of c o m p a r i s o n . T h e m a r k e t rate of

e n t r e p r e n e u r i a l activities. T h e s e figures show h o w significant these c h a n g e s

e x c h a n g e d o e s n o t reflect t h e real value of t h e e c o n o m y . If, for e x a m p l e , t h e

a r e , c h a n g e s w h i c h have o c c u r r e d over t h e last 13 years since t h e p r e v i o u s

A m e r i c a n G D P is recalculated in euros, it looks as t h o u g h the A m e r i c a n

c e n s u s . T h e r e are also r e a s o n s for c o n c e r n n e a r l y 50 m i l l i o n citizens

e c o n o m y h a s p l u n g e d 2 3 % d u r i n g t h e year. B u t t h a t ' s n o t t h e case: p e o p l e

indicated

are paid t h e i r salaries in dollars, all t h e p r i c e s are in dollars n o t h i n g h a s

r e t i r e m e n t p e n s i o n s , p e n s i o n s for m e r i t o r i o u s service, for disability, for loss

c h a n g e d . I f w e start c a l c u l a t i n g o u r G D P i n dollars t h e n , given t h e p r e s e n t

of b r e a d w i n n e r .

t r e n d s o n t h e c u r r e n c y m a r k e t , w e c a n " d o u b l e " i t well before t e n yearsii

A n d h e r e o n e d o e s n ' t have t o t h i n k a b o u t t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h e e c o n o m y *

p u r c h a s i n g p o w e r p a r i t y of n a t i o n a l c u r r e n c i e s .
1999,

Russia's

GDP,

calculated

So a c c o r d i n g to d a t a fr

in t e r m s of pAp,

a c c o u n t e d for 887.

m i l l i o n dollars. F o r c o m p a r a t i v e p u r p o s e s : S p a i n ' s G D P i n P P P t e r m s w ~
754.7 billion d o l l a r s ,

C a n a d a ' s 806.3,

the

United

Kingdom's

1,385. ,

source

of i n c o m e

various

kinds

of g o v e r n m e n t benefits:

What does the family look like in Russia?

We have

To resolve t h e p r o b l e m of t h e c o m p a r i s o n of m a c r o e c o n o m i c i n d i c a t o r s
various c o u n t r i e s t h e r e i s t h e U N P r o g r a m o n P a y m e n t s , based o n t h

as

34 m i l l i o n m a r r i e d c o u p l e s ,

a n d in

1989 t h e r e were

36

million. Of t h e s e 3 m i l l i o n , slightly u n d e r 10 p e r c e n t , are i n d i v i d u a l s in

c o m m o n law m a r r i a g e s . I t ' s clear t h a t c o h a b i t a t i o n o u t s i d e o f m a r r i a g e h a s
b e c o m e e c o n o m i c a l l y m o r e a d v a n t a g e o u s t h a n d u r i n g t h e Soviet era. T h e r e
has b e e n a rise in t h e n u m b e r of i n d i v i d u a l s stating t h a t t h e y have n e v e r
been m a r r i e d , a n d i n t h e n u m b e r s o f divorced p e r s o n s . F o r these i n d i c a t o r s
w e look b e t t e r t h a n t h e c o u n t r i e s o f W e s t e r n E u r o p e b u t , j u d g i n g b y the

G e r m a n y ' s 2,019.4, J a p a n ' s 3,163.1, a n d for t h e US 9,206.7

t r e n d s , we're quickly c a t c h i n g u p w i t h t h e m .
In
economy

one

of our past

accounts

for

25%.

discussions

you

Has

proportion

that

said

that

the

remained

shady
the

sector

of th

same!

I urge everyone to take a r a t i o n a l l o o k at t h e results of t h e c e n s u s . We do

have m a n y p r o b l e m s . . . if you look at t h e age a n d g e n d e r b r e a k d o w n of t h e

I t h i n k t h a t for t h e n e x t 3-5 years it w o n ' t c h a n g e . D u r i n g t h e c e n s

p o p u l a t i o n , you'll see t h a t " c h i l d r e n u n d e r 15" form t h e n a r r o w e n d o f t h e

18 m i l l i o n p e o p l e said t h a t t h e i r vital s o u r c e of i n c o m e was t h e i r l a n d plo

c o n e . T h e r e are less y o u n g p e o p l e a n d m o r e elderly o n e s .

Moreover, we

It's primarily those

have

two

1 8 m i l l i o n w h o m a k e u p t h e shady, u n o b s e r v e d sector

yield

o f h e r strawberry b e d s !

I'm

tired

of repeating t h a t there

n o t h i n g illegal a b o u t o u r shady e c o n o m y .

agrees

prices

with

the government's forecast.

for

example,

11 months rose by
But

does

real

that

take

estate

like

it,

principles.

but
The

m e t h o d o l o g y are

in

keeping

elements

with

of the

universally

index

accepted

of inflation

fully in k e e p i n g w i t h t h o s e

You

referred
did the

to

the
census

regarding

or

male

life

then the average man has virtually

retirement.

jsed t h e r e t i r e m e n t age a n d life e x p e c t a n c y rose. A p e r s o n c a n ' t let go; he

donl

tts t o k e e p i n s h a p e . N o w t h e y ' r e raising t h e r e t i r e m e n t age o n c e again,

methodologi
use

in

European

Russians' sources

of incO

opposite

effect.

T h a t ' s a l r e a d y h a p p e n e d in E u r o p e ;

id w h a t are we going to do in

10 to

they

15 years, w h e n t h e b r u n t of t h e

o n o m i c b u r d e n falls on t h o s e w h o will t h e n be

15? T h e r e ' l l be few of

e m , a n d lots of r e t i r e e s . M a i n t a i n i n g t h e c u r r e n t level of t h e p o p u l a t i o n
quires 2.13 c h i l d r e n p e r w o m a n . We have slightly m o r e t h a n 1.3. So t h e r e
a

huge

n u m b e r of issues to be

resolved.

B u t after t h e

rural census

in ned for 2006 we'll have answers to a lot of q u e s t i o n s .

reveal?

F o r t h e first t i m e it i n c l u d e d a category of i n d i v i d u a l s for w h o m

p r i m a r y s o u r c e s of i n c o m e

year

I d o n ' t k n o w a b o u t t h a t a lot of psychologists are asserting t h a t it

Will have t h e

situation

last

prices?

O t h e r w i s e we'd have t o t a l c h a o s .

the

accou

A m e r i c a n statistical services. T h a t ' s why these i n d i c a t o r s are c o m p a r a b

What changes

Over

into

t h a t we

used by t h e

age.

But if the retirement age is increased,

10.8 per ce

N o , it d o e s n ' t i n c l u d e real estate p r i c e s . N o t b e c a u s e we j u s t

feel

retirement

Ho possibility of making it to

The index of consumer prices for the last

which

lowest

e x p e c t a n c y h a s even d e c l i n e d s o m e w h a t n o w it's 58.

t h e e c o n o m y . Well, e a c h a n d every g r a n n y is n o t going to be r e p o r t i n g to

on the

the

are

savings a n d

securities

The English reader in error said " m i l l i o n " instead of " b i l l i o n . "

400,000 p e o

200,000 live off r e n t i n g o u t p r o p e r t y . We have a b o u t a m i l l i o n e m p l o y

and
100

nearly

million

individuals

stated

that

they

are

involved
101

12

25

2003

5-6 .

2004)

20 .

, . , ,

, .

- , 29 .
. , ,

, , ,

(>

27,5 .

20,5 . ;
,

, .

. ,

7-8 .

, ,

. , , .

, .

, 30

?,

, , ,

? . .

. .

.
?

?

: ,
,

2004 ?

25-

, , .

, , . "

, , -

. - , -

. , ,

102

. . .

103

*
2

12-14 . ,
, .
. ,

. !

- .

. - , .
*
, ,

.
:

. -, ,

- .

(better

. Tt
, .
.

, .
.
.
,

than

credit/monetary-loan

referring/that you

,
.

(outflow of capital is also known

assumed/According

to

don't

that you're

here)

state

The

citing/quoting/to

our conservative

are

inflow/influx

which you're

or outflow

of capital

there

Our conservative

estimates/forecasts

estimates/forecasts...

debates/discussions/arguments/differences

of

?
. . . T h e speaker is getting excited, and is speeding u p , so the
interpreter will want to condense the text as m u c h as possible: One reason is
the low interest rates...Ox the fall of interest rates...

. .

, c a n be d r o p p e d .

were quick to/rushed/moved in to borrow/wasted no

, , .

time

: ,

(funds).

some Mr.

Ivanov/Mr.

Ivanov somewhere.

The

English e q u i v a l e n t w o u l d be If John Jones somewhere or other... T h e s p e a k e r

, .

borrowing

. .

. ,

here

is getting involved

as he warms to his subject.

Try and convey his

Emotion and interest through your i n t o n a t i o n .

5-6billion

5 - 6

to

the

tune

of (some)

dollars...

. - .

...has a right to a mistake or two/can be a

bit off the

, .
.

an

monetary-

as capital flight).

, ,

work

mentioned.

opinion...

which

be careful to distinguish between

{billion) and (million).
the growth of gold-value reserves/gold reserves.

united,

policy.

.
.

or

single

mark/can

err a

little.

This

is

said

somewhat

tongue

in

cheek

(humorously). Try to get t h a t across in your i n t e r p r e t a t i o n .

l in current/day to day policy.

104
105


forecast/projections
realized/are

for

certain

external

or

domestic

// the

conditions

What's the solution./What's to

aren't

this sentence is u t t e r e d with a g o o

don't think Russia

deal of irony which should be conveyed t h r o u g h the t r a n s l a t i o n and through

syntax,

intonation.

any/suffered from

"credit"

was shared/divided up

equally.

an

outrageous/horrendous

try:

budg

to

the

state/financial/budget

Th

workers/staff/people.

as for major

Oleg

losses

I don't

avoid

think

changing

Russia

has

the

incurred

any.
with

Deputy

Russian word is n o t limited solely to those individuals wh

To

has suffered/incurred major losses.

But

Interview

deficit.

here?

, , - But I

off/don t work out.

The

be done

When calculated in euros/In euros...

Oleg

Chairman

Vyacheslavovich,

Vyacheslavovich
of

"The

the

Central

Basic

ludin,
Bank

Areas for

an

Integrated

State

actually work on the b u d g e t , but includes a m u c h b r o a d e r category

monetary-credit policy for 2003" provided for only

workers paid by the state. See . ,

gold-value reserves. By the end of the year the reserves had increased by more

( : . , 2003, . 21).

than 20 billion. Why did the forecast differ so sharply from what happened?

seven

billion

growth

of the

Fact is m u c h less frequently used and is oft

In my o p i n i o n , t h e reserves in fact i n c r e a s e d by 29 billion. T h e r e are

sounds m u c h less i d i o m a t i c in English t h a n does the Russian . H e r e ,

several r e a s o n s for t h i s . T h e figure t h a t y o u ' r e citing is t a k e n from t h e so-

in m a n y o t h e r cases, it should n o t be translated literally. 7/ is well kno'

called m o d e r a t e s c e n a r i o , in w h i c h t h e average a n n u a l price for oil as set o u t

that I It is a commonplace that will d o , or the phrase c a n be d r o p p e d as it ad

in

n o t h i n g and the speaker is going fairly fast.

barrel. B u t t h e p r i c e was actually 27.5 dollars p e r b a r r e l . I n a d d i t i o n , w h e n

with

balance

t h e b u d g e t a c c o r d i n g t o t h e g o v e r n m e n t ' s p l a n s was 20.5 dollars p e r

c a l c u l a t i o n s were d o n e , a n a s s u m p t i o n was m a d e regarding t h e inflow a n d

of payments

a p p r o p r i a t e verb is upset the balance of payments is upset.

outflow of c a p i t a l .

no p a r t i c u l a r influx of c a p i t a l r a t h e r , t h e r e would only be an outflow. T h a t

the rate

(of exchange)/the costi

MacDonald's hamburgers. T h e s e are n o t in any sense

figure a m o u n t e d to some 7-8 billion dollars. In fact, however, m o r e c a p i t a l

"cutlets?'

The movement of the

of

exchange

is

driven/determined/depends

on

two

forces/things/factors.

Do

be afraid of using things or factors they b o t h work quite well h e r e , a n '

does

llowed i n t o Russia t h a n w e h a d a s s u m e d , i n c l u d i n g s h o r t - t e r m c a p i t a l t h a t
we bought u p . We

"forces." Market forces can be used in the next s e n t e n c e ,

When
leadership

American /

suggestions?

US presidential

after/ their own

elections.

Are

out for/safeguarding/protect

(narrow does n o t n e e d to be t r a n s l a t e d ; specific would

this should simply be r e n d e r e d as the stock mar.

stock indexes plunged would be an idiorr
O t h e r translations could be fell drastically/dropped sharply.

lowered all the (bank is n o t neces

here)

interest rates.

European

significant/large

share

of Russian

imports

go

important decisions
Central

Bank

are

or does

taken
everyone

are

there

agree

arguments within
with

the

the

Chairman's

Yes, t h e r e are a r g u m e n t s , b e c a u s e if y o u ' r e going to talk a b o u t t h e

accurately?

to/are purchased

The

government maintained

a conservative

policy.

Why was

there s u c h a significant influx of c a p i t a l ? O n e r e a s o n was t h e low i n t e r e s t

rotes o n t h e i n t e r n a t i o n a l financial m a r k e t s : two p e r c e n t i n E u r o p e a n d o n e
per c e n t in A m e r i c a .
Or,

Naturally,

Russian firms wasted no t i m e b o r r o w i n g .

for e x a m p l e , t h e fall of t h e dollar on t h e world m a r k e t . T h a t was also

Xtremely

such

of the

reserves.

balance of t r a d e t h e issue of oil prices c o m e s u p . And w h o c a n p r e d i c t t h a t

h e r e ) interests. Or y o u c a n say narrow range of interests.

rendering.

d e c i d e d t o buy t h a t c u r r e n c y a n d t h e result was t h a t

growth of n e a r l y 30 billion in gold-value

the m o s t idiomatic t r a n s l a t i o n here is

O u r conservative forecasts a s s u m e d t h a t t h e r e would be

difficult

to

foresee,

particularly

on

the

curred. A n d t h a t h a s a major i m p a c t on the

scale

on

which

Russian e c o n o m y .

that
Here

ople have savings in dollars. If s o m e M r . Ivanov c h a n g e s dollars to rubles

countries.
107

and deposits t h e m , t h a t ' s also an inflow of capital. T h a t ' s b e c a u s e h e ' s no

longer financing the A m e r i c a n e c o n o m y and has started financing the
R u s s i a n e c o n o m y . Last year people sold cash c u r r e n c y to the t u n e of some
5-6 billion dollars.
You're saying that it's hard to foresee this,
that you couldn't have
foreseen it, but if a sapper as we know errs only once, then how many
times can a banker be wrong?
Well, it d e p e n d s on the m i s t a k e . F o r a sapper, a mistake is generally;
fatal. The C e n t r a l B a n k can be a bit off the mark in the sense that it can'
show a certain kind of flexibility in c u r r e n t policy if the forecasts for,
external or d o m e s t i c c o n d i t i o n s are off. In fact, our mistakes are t h o s e
inflation. I ' m not talking of other kinds of m i s t a k e s , w h e n t h e r e ' s
financial crisis.
Then

whose mistake was the default?

In t h a t case t h e " c r e d i t " was shared equally, since this was the res
of the activities of b o t h t h e g o v e n m e n t and the C e n t r a l B a n k . To t
"credit" of the g o v e r n m e n t goes the o u t r a g e o u s budget deficit, w h i c h w
financed t h r o u g h s h o r t - t e r m loans. A n d they d o n ' t only b o r r o w fro
R u s s i a n s they b o r r o w e d first of all from foreigners. But to get forei,
funds o n t o the state securities m a r k e t the Central B a n k u n d e r t o o k
s u p p o r t the so-called corridor. For practical p u r p o s e s the State Ba
g u a r a n t e e d the future ruble rate of e x c h a n g e .
So now no

one's playing games

any more?

N o w we have a b a l a n c e d budget. After all, w h a t is a b u d g e t deficit a~

its financing t h r o u g h C e n t r a l B a n k credits? It's deceptive. It m e a n s it
m o n e y with no backing is first issued and t h e n paid out to the state finan
and b u d g e t staff. Right n o w that kind of thing isn't h a p p e n i n g . A n d has
h a p p e n e d for five years now.
How strong can the ruble rate of exchange to the dollar be in 2
Some experts are predicting 25 rubles to a dollar by the end of the year,
there "natural limits" to the increase in the rate of exchange of the natio
currency?
" N a t u r a l l i m i t s , " of c o u r s e , do exist. If the n a t i o n a l c u r r e n c y
overvalued, p r o b l e m s arise in the industrial sector. F o r e i g n c o m p e t i t o r s t
a d v a n t a g e of the fact that their p r o d u c t i o n costs are significantly lower
start exerting pressure on n a t i o n a l p r o d u c t i o n and stepping up e x p o r t s ,
result is an upset in the b a l a n c e of t r a d e , a slowdown in the g r o w t h of
108

e c o n o m y and d e v a l u a t i o n . Russia n o w is far from such a situation. T h a t can

be m e a s u r e d t h r o u g h various assessments of p u r c h a s i n g p o w e r parity. Take
the rate of e x c h a n g e for M a c D o n a l d ' s h a m b u r g e r s . T h e r e are also m o r e
serious r e s e a r c h studies. T h e m o v e m e n t of the rate is driven by two factors.
First, t h e r e are m a r k e t forces. T h e n t h e r e is the d e m a n d for n a t i o n a l
c u r r e n c y from the private and state sector and supply from e x p o r t e r s , t h e
p o p u l a t i o n , foreign investors and b a n k s . S e c o n d , t h e r e is d e m a n d from the
Central B a n k , guided by c o n s i d e r a t i o n s of m o n e t a r y - c r e d i t policy. We
u n d e r s t a n d perfectly well that the F e d e r a l Reserve system will keep interest
rates low, at least until the US presidential e l e c t i o n s . T h a t way t h e y ' r e trying
to stimulate d o m e s t i c d e m a n d and m a i n t a i n the level of e m p l o y m e n t .
There's a view that America has declared a
World to reduce its foreign trade deficit. Are
assertion?

"currency war" on the Old

there grounds for such an

This is clearly a political move by t h e U S . But this move is not

designed to h a r m E u r o p e . The A m e r i c a n s are simply p u r s u i n g their own
narrow range of interests. T h e r e was a "financial b u b b l e " in the US on the
stock m a r k e t w h e n A m e r i c a n housewives spent a significant part of their
savings on p u r c h a s i n g stocks. T h e n the " b u b b l e " burst, and the stock
indexes p l u n g e d . A m e r i c a was faced w i t h a serious t h r e a t . H a v i n g lost their
savings t h r o u g h buying various stocks, A m e r i c a n s were t e n d i n g to r e d u c e
their e x p e n d i t u r e s . T h a t is a n o r m a l psychological r e a c t i o n . But for the U S ,
where 2/3 of the G D P c o m e s from c o n s u m p t i o n , this is the road to
stagnation. A n d t h e n u n e m p l o y m e n t starts u p . T h a t ' s why the U S f i n a n c i a l
authorities lowered all t h e interest rates d o w n to one per cent. They gave
everyone, and first of all their c i t i z e n s , u n l i m i t e d credit, saying, y o u ' v e lost
money, n o w take it practically for free. A n d m o s t i m p o r t a n t l y just keep
on buying.
Our primary exports are sold for dollars. At the same time a significant
art of Russian imports come from European countries and are bought in euros,
^suiting in losses.
What's the solution?
T h a t ' s a n o r m a l e x c h a n g e p r o c e s s . L e t ' s say that the major export
II is sold for dollars. But t h e prices are still high. T h o u g h t h e dollar is
lling, the dollar prices for raw m a t e r i a l s gold, p l a t i n u m and others
re rising, and rather sharply. C a l c u l a t e d in e u r o s , t h e cost of raw materials
not all t h a t bad. Last year t h e v o l u m e of R u s s i a n exports rose by 1 2 - 1 4
r cent. Yes, we are buying a lot of g o o d s in E u r o p e , and those prices are
Ing. N o m i n a l l y t h e ruble to euro rate declined last year. A n d t h a t ' s bad,
109

b e c a u s e it's a sign of inflation. B u t as I see it,

major

losses.

High

export

dollar

prices

Russia has n o t i n c u r r e d any

are

in

one

or

another

way

1 0 ,

11,9,

17,4.

c o m p e n s a t i n g for t h e losses from t h e rise in e u r o i m p o r t p r i c e s .

13

. ,

60 .

24

.
-,

2003)

, ;

.
, *

,
. 10

,

. ]
.

,
,

.
,

.
,

15-20 ; ,

,
;
, ,

, ,
. - ,
, 2000

.
,

, .

, .

,
, ,

8 .
ii I

150
.
-

. , , ,

. , ,
, 5 0
.
:

- , .
:
In some places in this text t h e speaker speaks softly, mumbles or stumbles

over words. Try to m a i n t a i n a s m o o t h delivery despite these problems.

, . *

real-life s i t u a t i o n , if t h e i n t e r p r e t e r simply could n o t hear w h a t was said he

50

, . ,
, .

.
- ,
. ,
- , .
1 0 , ;

could ask t h e speaker to r e p e a t a few words. With this text, however, try to fill
in t h e blanks as best you can given t h e p o i n t s he is making and t h e logic of
the s e n t e n c e s . Try to guess what t h e speaker has said, and t h e n check yourself
against t h e

In a

text.

The

speaker

is

going

fairly

slowly

and

it

would

be

awkward to wait until the end of the sentence for the verb before beginning
to interpret.

O n e way of dealing with the

expressed

the

in

ones/things

Presidential message

you

support/The

initiatives

that you

syntax here

the

Presidential

is to say,

economic
message

initiatives

What's

contains

are

economic

support.

That's

the

biggest/most

important/significant

problem.
,

1998 , .
,

,
,
,

.

Try to

the right/correct objectives/goals.

Puts forward/proposes/sets

out/lays

avoid t r a n s l a t i n g as

"tasks," which suggests something less i m p o r t a n t t h a n major goals,

These goals/objectives

cannot

be

achieved/attained/implemented.
In this context the word is best r e n d e r e d as researchers r a t h e r t h a n
scholars/scientists

or

academics

(which

sounds

as

though

they

are

all

engaged in university t e a c h i n g ) .

,

authorized/gave
implement

mandate

this program,

implemented/this
/

down

, ,
,

was
can

but

to/mandated

the

government

nevertheless

this

was

not successful.
be

rendered

Depending
as

on

not

The President

to

carry

done/it

context,

was

authorized/sanctioned/gave

out/
not

mandate

to/ordered.

113

112


out the problem

has formulated/articulated/set

as a political one/has posed this objective

this objective in

in political terms/put

a political context.

This word is n o t p r o n o u n c e d clearly. However, since

it is followed by 1998 crash/collapse are logical choices,

among those in

the know/the inner circle/those at the top.

undertakes

to provide

provides/commits

to

providing/

basic guarantees.

the spiraling/rise

T h e idea is t h a t there will be " m o r e "

in (the exploitation

investments

of) tariffs on natural monopolies.

60
The profitability of the gas industry is at/amounts/runs to 60 per cent.

c a n be translated by through or by by

experience

lowering

/proves/shows/is

taxes.

through

tax

exemptions/exemptions from

taxes.

out/point to.

won't be

able

to

withstand/keep

up/cope/deal with the competition.

rendering

will

(not

"practice")
evidence

of the

developed countries

attests

the

to/demonstrates

of...

financing/providing/taking

on

half/fifty

per

cent

of expenditures for/of the

cost

of...

triple/considerably/greatly increase/raise

50 the state is

In Russia among such fields I would

single

// will be possible to

the volume of investment...

work

here

the potential/opportunity/possibility

a
to

literal

-
should be d r o p p e d here in a favorable
information

harnes

and

Interview

cutting
with

edge/innovative/up-to-date
the

economist

Sergei

investment
lurevich

climate.

Glaz'ev

this new wave of technology.

This

be s h o r t e n e d to what will be the impact on society?

gotten/raised (social)

benefits/allowances

to...

does

We could hav

not

need

to

to

be

used/slotted/go for

budgetary/needs

This is not because we're

nice I kind I such nice people. T h e speaker is getting quite involved in

subject; try and show this t h r o u g h your i n t o n a t i o n ,

been

Such

investments in

exceeding those/investments

...

money/Trying

to

economize

madness/insanity/crazy/sense

on

in

no

the

developed countri

equipment and real estate.

human

less/makes

work/labor.

judging

in

the

by

your

recent

Presidential message

criticizing what the government is

doing.

statements,

are

the

things you

economic

support,

but

Why?

T h a t ' s t h e m o s t i m p o r t a n t p r o b l e m : t h e P r e s i d e n t i a l message sets o u t

achieving h i g h r a t e s of e c o n o m i c g r o w t h , b u t

within t h e framework of t h e policy t h e g o v e r n m e n t is p u r s u i n g , these goals

Cutting

beings/people....

corners/Savi;
is

she

sense.

any other talk.

Is

"Remaining" or

doubling the

GDP realistic?

Absolutely. Two years ago we n o t only p r o p o s e d b u t p u t t h r o u g h t h e

C o u n c i l a p r o g r a m of s o c i o - e c o n o m i c

c a d e m y of S c i e n c e s a n d s u p p o r t e d by congresses of i n d u s t r i a l p r o d u c e r s ,
is still n o t b e e n d o n e . R a t e s of g r o w t h of 10 p e r c e n t a n n u a l l y are possible
with

ehnology
"conversation

structural
and

an

reorganization
intensification

ehnological potential

of the

o b l e m in p o l i t i c a l t e r m s .

for

(doing)

exactly/precisely/the

same

d e v e l o p m e n t with the very

| l i n e i n d i c a t o r s , based o n r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s o f r e s e a r c h e r s a t t h e R u s s i a n
h e P r e s i d e n t a u t h o r i z e d t h e g o v e r n m e n t t o carry o u t this p r o g r a m , b u t this

will n o t work h e r e .

you're

State

are/have

lur'evich,

cannot be implemented.

allocations.

Sergei

the right goals, for e x a m p l e ,

translated).

initiatives putforward

kind

of the
of the

country.

While

The

earlier he

economy
investment,

" i n n e r circle,"

on

new

scientific

and

P r e s i d e n t finally p o s e d

the

had

the

simply said,

* e r n m e n t is n o t working on raising r a t e s of g r o w t h
liments within the

based

look,

a n d those were

i t i s n o w clear t h a t t h e

cabinet of

Inisters c a n n o t resolve this p r o b l e m .

114

115

 Let's suppose there were changes to the government and that you were
asked to work there.
What at least interim results could the cabinet
achieve
before the parliamentary elections!
I can state w h a t could have b e e n achieved if our r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s
had b e e n i m p l e m e n t e d starting earlier this year. First of all, m a i n t e n a n c e of
t h e rates of g r o w t h of t h r e e years ago in 2 0 0 0 ; growth of t h e G D P ,
a b o u t 10 per cent, a v o l u m e of industrial p r o d u c t i o n at 11.9 per cent and
i n v e s t m e n t s at 17.4. But that would have required stopping the spiraling rise
of tariffs on servicing n a t u r a l m o n o p o l i e s , and freezing t h e m for a year.
T h e r e are certainly g r o u n d s for t h a t , since the level of tariffs in, say
electrical energy t o d a y is d o u b l e the cost p r i c e , and* profits in the gindustry are r u n n i n g to 60 per cent. T h e leaders of the m o n o p o l i e s a
simply e n r i c h i n g t h e m s e l v e s t h r o u g h the i m p o v e r i s h m e n t of everyone else,;
S e c o n d , the tax and b u d g e t reform m u s t be carried out by lowering taxe
on labor and p r o d u c t i o n , and by tax e x e m p t i o n s for profits going t
i n v e s t m e n t ; excess profits from the use of natural resources should b e c o m
revenue for the state. T h a t would m a k e it possible b o t h to step up e c o n o m i
activity and also to increase b u d g e t revenues by 50 per cent.
What areas,
materials'"

growth

in your view,
of the

Russian

could become driving forces for the

economy

and

its

breakthrough

"non-ra

into forey

markets!

The major driving forces for g r o w t h , a c c o r d i n g to e c o n o m i c t h e o

and forecast p r o j e c t i o n s , are areas involving intensive r e s e a r c h whi
p r o d u c e goods with high added value, c o m b i n i n g the c o m p e t i t
advantages of R u s s i a n p r o d u c e r s w i t h sales to the entire global m a r k e t .
Russia I would p o i n t to such fields as the a v i a t i o n - s p a c e c o m p l e x , w h i c h
developing globally at a rate of 15 to 20 per cent a year; b i o t e c h n o l o g y , as
a p p l i c a t i o n s are d o u b l i n g yearly and w i t h o u t t h e m our agriculture will n
be able to w i t h s t a n d c o m p e t i t i o n in the foreseeable future; n u c l e a r ene~
w h e r e we have absolute c o m p e t i t i v e a d v a n t a g e s in key t e c h n o l o g i c a l links
t h e fuel cycle; a n u m b e r of areas of i n s t r u m e n t and m a c h i n e buildi
t r a n s p o r t c o n s t r u c t i o n , i n f o r m a t i o n services a n d , o f c o u r s e , t h e
processing industry and the oil refining industry, w h i c h must be develo
As long as there is still the possibility of h a r n e s s i n g the new w a v e
t e c h n o l o g y w h i c h t o d a y is gaining m o m e n t u m in the global e c o n o m y ,
have a c h a n c e to forge ahead.
1

The mechanism is clear, but one wonders what the impact on society
be! Will new jobs emerge, will there be a growth or drop in income levels
the middle class grow or shrink!
116

This year we could have reached an average salary level of 8,000 rubles
a m o n t h . We could have raised social benefits to 1000 rubles a m o n t h ,
including a l l o w a n c e s for children and s t u d e n t s c h o l a r s h i p s ; we could have
fulfilled all the r e q u i r e m e n t s of the federal laws for financing e d u c a t i o n ,
health c a r e , culture and science. A n d we'd still have had 150 billion rubles
r e m a i n i n g , slotted for d e v e l o p m e n t and stimulating i n v e s t m e n t s .
O n e of the key areas of the p r o g r a m of the P e o p l e ' s Patriotic F o r c e s is a
c o m b i n a t i o n of social j u s t i c e and e c o n o m i c g r o w t h . This is not b e c a u s e
we're such nice p e o p l e , but because the bases for m o d e r n e c o n o m i c
d e v e l o p m e n t are h u m a n beings and the intellectual p o t e n t i a l of society. F o r
some 50 years such i n v e s t m e n t s in developed c o u n t r i e s have exceeded
investments in e q u i p m e n t and real estate. C u t t i n g c o r n e r s on h u m a n
beings, as the g o v e r n m e n t is doing today, is sheer m a d n e s s .
T h e s e are not p o p u l i s t d e m a n d s o f o u r s , b u t r a t h e r s h o w our
u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h a t w i t h o u t increasing salaries any talk of e c o n o m i c growth
is merely e m p t y w o r d s . F o r precisely the same kind of work the pay in our
country is t h r e e to four t i m e s less t h a n in E u r o p e or the U S . In o t h e r w o r d s ,
lor a ruble of salary a R u s s i a n p r o d u c e s three to four t i m e s m o r e goods t h a n
in A m e r i c a . So if our rates of g r o w t h are to be 10 per cent a year, the rate of
salary g r o w t h should be higher at a m i n i m u m they must double during
the next t h r e e years.
From what you're saying it still looks as though the major player and
virtually the only investor in the economy must be the state but what's
happening to the "middle class" isn't clear. Is it growing or dying off.
For several years now, in p a r t i c u l a r after the financial crisis of 1998, it
has hardly b e e n growing at all. The f o u n d a t i o n of the i n v e s t m e n t c l i m a t e
One way or a n o t h e r is i n c o m e , and p e o p l e ' s personal savings. These are
the real sources of i n v e s t m e n t and p r o d u c t i o n . If the state u n d e r t a k e s to
rovide basic g u a r a n t e e s for bank ruble d e p o s i t s , t h r o u g h the existing
vings potential it will be possible to triple the v o l u m e of i n v e s t m e n t s in the
e v e l o p m e n t of p r o d u c t i o n .
Both e c o n o m i c t h e o r y and the e x p e r i e n c e of the developed c o u n t r i e s
test to the leading role of the state in providing for the d e v e l o p m e n t of
lence and e d u c a t i o n , in stimulating scientific and t e c h n i c a l progress and
novation. In the A m e r i c a n and E u r o p e a n e c o n o m i e s , for e x a m p l e , the
te finances fifty p e r cent of the cost of s c i e n c e . A n d that forms the basis
m o d e r n e c o n o m i c g r o w t h : private initiative can provide for an increase
p r o d u c t i o n and raise living s t a n d a r d s only w i t h i n a positive i n f o r m a t i o n
d u p - t o - d a t e i n v e s t m e n t climate created by the state.
117

14

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.
.

, . , .

1996,

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22 25)

, . .

. ,
.
. :

. , ,
, , .

. . . ,

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.
,

30 , i

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10

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,

.
, , , .

, , .

, -

, ,

, ,

, . , . :

, . ,

, . .

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. , - .

118

, , . . ,
,
,
. - , -,
- ,
,

1915 .

,
.

went to Leningrad to
apply to/get into/study at/take the exams for the university.

with problems/tough/difficult cases/characters.

In English does n o t translate as "scandal," which

implies

the

discovery

of a h i t h e r t o

There was an
possible

. ,
, .

event

involving

something

incident/a scene/it blew

up/there

was a

blow-up w o u l d be

translations.

unknown

illegal or i m m o r a l t h a t b e c o m e s a subject of public talk and investigation.

Here character is n o t the best translation. I showed

my teeth/who I was/what I was made of/stood up for myself.

not only/just as well as/on an equal footing with...

, - .

, , : -

translated as a desk job t h a n as doing paperwork,

, .

greater contrast to being out in the streets, what Mavliutova wants to d o .

, xotj

This is better

since the phrase provides

c a n be r e n d e r e d as crime prevention.

. ,

. .

construction

. , , . '

/was

,
, , .

-,

- . .
. . .
,

outstanding/superb/excellent

teachers.

I did not hesitate

eager/glad/happy

to/had no

qualms about/wasn't shy about or

to...

he literally puts himself in the

criminal's

shoes/place.

that/get

to

that

level/That's

/ could never/be able to do

beyond me.

- .

I/have to be /can't be someone

else/have to be true to myself

.
,

This c a n be translated by either a negative or a positive

Do

n o t translate
would

experience/work/professionally

this

as practice.

In your career/

do.

. . ,

started getting upset/were indignant.

, ,

It was a mess/There was quite a stir/a lot of

. , .
:
become a policewoman /sign up with the police/join'
police

force.

I'd always wanted/My dream/goal was to

historian.
Mavliutova is speaking quite fast and in a slightly breathy t o n e . Try to
your delivery s m o o t h , and try n o t to imitate her somewhat rushed and
cadences in the i n t e r p r e t a t i o n .
120

commotion.
on the other side (of the barrier should
not be translated)///

was

opponent/in

the other camp.

making eyes

at/coming on

to/flirting with

me

(the

prepositional phrase m u s t be i n c l u d e d ) .

to

disarm/neutralize

the

criminal/offender.

The
criminal/offender/attacker
authorities/brought

must/has

to

be

(duly)

handed

over

to

the judicial

to justice.

121

during an

attack.

panic/lose

their heads/while

{being)

b e t t e r r e n d e r e d as one night when...

attacked/

t h a n as once at

night...

is

Someone jumped me

a better translation

criminal attacked me, since h e r e jump h a s t h e

than

sense of to attack violently.

, !
1whacked/hit him/beat him

up so hard with my umbrella that he w

Interview with Major Galina Mavliutova

When

did you

decide

to

become

a policewoman!

I ' d always w a n t e d to be a h i s t o r i a n . I grew up in t h e T o m s k r e g i o n ,

w e n t to L e n i n g r a d to t a k e t h e e x a m s for t h e university. B u t I d i d n ' t p a s s . I
got a j o b in c o n s t r u c t i o n . It was a sad story always spilled t h e p a i n t all
over myself.... G o t i n t o t h e I n s t i t u t e of C u l t u r e , was assigned to work in a
v o c a t i o n a l s c h o o l . J u s t t h i n k 3 0 p e o p l e m y age a n d older, a n d n e a r l y all
o f t h e m p r e t t y t o u g h cases. I r e m e m b e r a n i n c i d e n t w h e n s o m e o n e spit o n

off like a shot/sailed away as fast as his legs could carry him/ran for dear life;

m y skirt. T r u e , t h a t n e v e r h a p p e n e d a g a i n . A n d t h e n I was a c c e p t e d a t t h e

, , No,

Leningrad Police School.

not like /not really/they're different from me.

an equivalent in A m e r i c a n English would be to li

Not a very typical thing for a pretty young girl to

on corn flakes a p o p u l a r a n d c h e a p c e r e a l .

Since

there

is no

real A m e r i c

equivalent for , this c o u l d be r e n d e r e d as go to a reception in

cocktail dress/go

out for the evening all dressed up/go

out to

a fancy recepti

t h e m e n in t h e c a f e t e r i a . I refused to do t h a t , t h e r e was a s c e n e , a p a r t y
m e e t i n g a n d all t h a t . T h a t ' s w h e n I s h o w e d m y t e e t h for t h e first t i m e .

in an evening dress.

You mean

/ was raised/grew up with no realfamily,

Of c o u r s e n o t . To be a l l o w e d to do t h a t I first h a d to s h o w t h a t I d i d n ' t

didn't grow

up

family as a

with

a family/As

child I had no family

life/1 didn't havJ

child.

it's not so easy for a woman

to work in

criminal investigation!

j u s t work a s well a s m e n , b u t t e n t i m e s b e t t e r . I s t a r t e d , a s i s u s u a l l y d o n e ,
b y reviewing cases involving m i n o r s . W o m e n i n t h e p o l i c e force u s u a l l y d o

, jiei

desk j o b s or work in c r i m e p r e v e n t i o n ; a few are successful in t h e i r c a r e e r s .

But I w a n t e d to b e c o m e a real d e t e c t i v e .

that's/that explains

demands

on people

everyone

can

that

them

hard for

I'm

so

anyone

demanding/I make
to

meet/live

up

such

hi

to

them/

into

leavi'

meet them.

seduce

it's

why

make

them

leave/talk them

away from/their families.

Even

if I could get

the

time

person/go

off

on

my

own

(not

"lonely").

just like /we 're just the same/we

like

two peas

in

an

with

ideal/ideal

standard(s)/yardstick for

greeting)

quick/brusque

woman.

everyone/say(ing)

hell

a tricky word to t r a n s l a t e . In this c o n t e x t t h e p h r a s e c a n be r e n d e r e

matronly

who

ideal!

I h a d s u p e r b t e a c h e r s , a n d I h a d n o q u a l m s a b o u t g o i n g t o t h e m for
a d v i c e , a n d I ' m very grateful t o t h e m . A n i d e a l d e t e c t i v e , I t h i n k , i s o n e w h o

t o t h i n k a h e a d . I k n o w o n e m a n h e literally p u t s h i m s e l f i n t h e c r i m i n a l ' s
s h o e s , s t u d i e s h i m for a l o n g t i m e , t h i n k s a b o u t t h a t a n d t h e n p r e d i c t s his
a c t i o n s . I w o u l d n ' t like to be like t h a t even t h o u g h I realize t h a t ' s b e y o n d
m e . O n t h e o t h e r h a n d , I'd like t o b e t r u e t o myself.

comes

middle-aged

across
lady.

as)

serious/an

What

was

the funniest

thing

that

ever happened

to

you professionally!

O n c e we were inside t h e e n t r a n c e to a h o u s e . We set up an a m b u s h ,

right o n t h e l a n d i n g o f t h e stairs, all four o f u s , a n d t h e n s u d d e n l y w e h e a r d

nod.

is
(someone

an

a pod/ identical twins/she's my spitting image,

everyone/people

have

hello t o h i m . H e h a s t o work i n t h e s a m e p l a c e for a l o n g t i m e , h a s t o b e able

, / tend to/be a loner'*

independent

Did you

like t h e o n e in W e s t e r n films goes d o w n t h e s t r e e t a n d a c r i m i n a l says

off/get

from I get away/from work.

122

do.

T h e r e was a w o m e n ' s p l a t o o n a t t h e s c h o o l w h i c h t r a d i t i o n a l l y served

impressive/respectable/st,

a g r o u p o f n i n e p e o p l e t a l k i n g o n e floor below. T h e y k n e w w h o w e w e r e . S o
o n e o f t h e d e t e c t i v e s a n d I s t a r t e d kissing, a n d h e g o t s o c a r r i e d away t h a t
the o t h e r s got u p s e t all in all, it was q u i t e a m e s s . T h e p e o p l e d o w n s t a i r s
believed w h a t w e d o i n g a n d w e n t u p s t a i r s i n t o t h e a p a r t m e n t . A n d w e w e n t
fight in after t h e m .
123

 So
way

tell me,

Natalya

could you fall in

Vorontsova

N a t a l y a ' s j u s t a fool.
work,

d o e s n ' t take

love with

someone

under investigation,

the

did!

O n e of t h o s e h o n e s t fools, w h o ' s never late for

bribes,

And

b u t a fool anyhow.

She

disgraced

all h o n e s t

why

haven't you

demands

on

people

very d e m a n d i n g p e r s o n .

And if I c o u l d have

get along w i t h o u t you.

s o m e t h i n g like t h a t I'd have

chosen another

not

Maybe

everyone

can

t h a t ' s why I

meet

them.

make
could

such
never

Plus I ' m a leader, a

If t h i n g s a r e n ' t going my way well, g o o d - b y e ,

I'll

M e n are afraid of t h a t , t h e y w a n t w o m e n to p i n e for

t h e m , wait for t h e m , feel sorry for t h e m , a n d even to talk t h e m i n t o leaving

profession.
Were

married!

real family.

u n d e r s t a n d why p e o p l e split up over m u n d a n e trifles.

investigators. N o , I c o u l d n ' t d o t h a t . F o r m e a c r i m i n a l i s o n t h e o t h e r side.

done

gotten

I was raised with no

there

attempts

to

their families. I've s t o p p e d u n d e r s t a n d i n g t h e m . I t h i n k I'd be h a r d to deal

seduce you!

with if I have a date a n d t h e n get called i n t o work, I'll go to work. E v e n if

T h e r e was o n e case, a long t i m e ago, w h e n a drug a d d i c t m a d e eyes

I c o u l d get t h e t i m e off. N o t everyone would p u t up with t h a t . I ' m p r o b a b l y

at m e . He was so h a n d s o m e I've forgotten his n a m e . We were a l o n e a n d ,

a l o n e r I ' m i n d e p e n d e n t . By t h e way, n a t u r e a b h o r s a v a c u u m my n i e c e

of c o u r s e , he w a n t e d to e s c a p e .

who lives in Siberia is j u s t like m e , t h e s a m e gestures, same h a b i t s .

B u t I just p u t t h e handcuffs on h i m .

t h o u g h t of w h a t a disgrace t h a t would b e , if he m a n a g e d to get away!

Have you had to kill someone!
I've never s h o t to kill.

Of c o u r s e , if s o m e o n e were t h r e a t e n i n g my life,

I w o u l d n ' t miss I s h o o t p r e t t y well. B u t my j o b is to d i s a r m t h e c r i m i n a l

with m i n i m a l losses, so t h a t n o n e of my p e o p l e get h u r t a n d so t h a t t h e
c r i m i n a l is h a n d e d over to j u s t i c e . My j o b is to t h i n k t h r o u g h all of t h a t , to,

Well,

anyhow,

t h e y behave

That

what's the
like

most important thing for you

real

men.

Keep

in

men!

their word.

Fulfill

their

c o m m i t m e n t s . I n Russia t h a t ' s r a r e . U n f o r t u n a t e l y .
Do you

have

an

ideal standard for a

woman!

T h a t h a s n ' t c h a n g e d . F r o m c h i l d h o o d o n I've always w a n t e d t o strut

p r e p a r e a n d o r g a n i z e it. T h e offender h a s to be arrested at j u s t t h e righ

along in a classical E n g l i s h suit, greeting everyone w i t h a b r u s q u e n o d , t h e

m o m e n t , w h e n the printing m a c h i n e is churning out the counterfeit money,

way t h e British d o . Like M a r g a r e t T h a t c h e r . But I ' m afraid I'll never be able

w h e n t h e secret lab is f u n c t i o n i n g , a n d so o n .

to do t h a t I w a n t to hug everyone, to talk to e v e r y o n e ,

emotion.

Do you always have your pistol with you!

N o t any m o r e now. T h a t ' s b a d ,

I ' m losing my sense of fear,

p o l i c e m a n , like a n y o n e else, h a s t o have t h a t sense.

who

and

15

Incidentally, wome

are victims of v i o l e n t i n c i d e n t s get h u r t w h e n t h e y p a n i c

during a

a t t a c k . I r e m e m b e r h o w o n e n i g h t I was c o m i n g b a c k from a review of case

involving

minors,

coming h o m e

from work a n d

I ' m t o o full of

I ' m afraid I'll never b e c o m e a serious m i d d l e - a g e d lady

someone jumped me.

w h a c k e d h i m so h a r d with my u m b r e l l a t h a t he t o o k off as fast as his h e e

16

2003,

16-30)

c o u l d carry h i m , a n d m e a n w h i l e I was d e c i d i n g w h e t h e r to chase after hi

My r e a c t i o n s are i n s t a n t a n e o u s , like t h o s e of a cat; I never t o o k k a r a t e , b

And are there women

like you

in

the

I k n o w t h a t in t h e n i c k of t i m e I'll r e s p o n d t h e right way.

West!

for two m o n t h s , t h e n h o l d a n i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o n f e r e n c e , n a b drug a d d i c t s

...

N o t like m e , u n f o r t u n a t e l y . N o t t h e k i n d w h o c o u l d eat c o r n flak

, , ,

n i g h t a n d after t h a t go off to a r e c e p t i o n in a fancy evening dress. B u t t h e

are

. ,

lot

of p o l i c e w o m e n ,

and

the

International

Association

P o l i c e w o m e n , w h i c h elected me to life m e m b e r s h i p this year, h a s exist

, . -

since

1915.

Membership,

as s t i p u l a t e d in its c h a r t e r ,

is o p e n to active

working p o l i c e w o m e n w h o have t h e r i g h t t o m a k e arrests.

124

.
125

, ,

, ,
.

"

. ,
, .

,
,

,
.

:
- .

. :

, . ~

126

...

2003

, .

.
,

. ?

,
Ice.

- ?

. , ~
.

, , .

, . ,

, .

. ,

, ~

: , ,

"

. , , , pe(j
,

'

, .

, ,

. , ,
-.

-
.

. , ,

?
127

would be

military

, . ,
,
.
:

a good

rendering.

and security

know with

The

, ,

courses

of

range/series

say

with full confidence/

criminals

have

many

ways

of acting/

this

sentence.

Do n o t try to use

This

involves

Another

of objectives/issues/problems.

"complex" or "tasks" in

wide/considerable/large/entire
possible

translation

is
This

covers/involves quite a number of things.

Evil (you could say "crime" h e r e , since
that

confident/can

a word used m u c h m o r e widely in Russian t h a n in English:

things,

I am

translating

or

action/possibilities.

, - ,

m e a n security forces

their lives.

. , -

also

often /risking their lives/putting their lives at

. , , .

can

certainty that...

risk/at risk to

, .

word

officials.

is

what

is

meant)

small things/moves

in

an

always

works/moves from

upward spiral/expands

the ground

up/starts

with

upwards.

a little rephrasing and a few extra words

p r o d u c e an idiomatic English s e n t e n c e : There are many/quite a few/a lot of/

, , , .

elements/factors/involved/at play/at

so far/up to/as of now/today have/not been able to/up

2003

, "
-

, , .

to/incapable

of preventing/been

penetrated/wormed its

here.

insufficient/proved

way/burrowed into

inadequate/to

our state.

prevent...

Corruption

does

not

the heart of/the fabric of our state w o u l d d o . Our state has been thoroughly
corrupted/corrupted through and through w o u l d also be a g o o d t r a n s l a t i o n ,

economic

outbreaks/bursts/waves

interpreter,

since

This sentence

unless the

audience

presents

a problem for the

for this interview

is

a group

historians,

reforms are about. T h e explanation should be kept as short as possible:

. ,

(far-reaching)

the

reforms

of (Petr)

Stolypin,

(Nicholas

IPs prime

using as m a n y of the explanatory phrases as time p e r m i t s .

as suggested by Pavel P a l a z c h e n k o in '

( :
128

along/draws/hauls

., 2002, .

of

English-speaking audience will have no idea of what these

, .

of

crimes.

. "

, ,

has
need

to be translated, and the English word " o r g a n i s m " will n o t work h e r e . Into

work

in/the

criminal
your

infrastructure

(as

also

The

minister)...
brings/drags

well)...

ideas/plans/tactics/proposals/strategy for...

we

will review/summarize/go

over/take

104-105), security offld

129

The

stock of our proposals...

speaker is b e g i n n i n g to pick up

speed,

an

t h a n is

to

Russian speakers.

The

i n t e r p r e t e r c a n e i t h e r say

stopping in m i d - s e n t e n c e . Try n o t to p r o d u c e jerky clauses. It is b e t t e r t

"Themis" a n d h o p e the a u d i e n c e u n d e r s t a n d s ; go from t h e specific to the

pause after r a t h e r t h a n after so as n o t ti

general "our goddess of justice" r a t h e r t h a n using the goddess's n a m e ; or

leave the adjective h a n g i n g w i t h o u t the n o u n it modifies.

generalize on the abstract level:

e x p l a n a t i o n w i t h i n the i n t e r p r e t a t i o n :

certainty/full

knowledge

of the facts/with

But I/can say wi

authority/am

positive that...Do n o t try to translate this by

absolutely

certav

"responsible" or "responsibility;

w h i c h do n o t work h e r e .

"our system of justice." Or he c a n provide an

The

unfounded conjectures/assumptions.

"our goddess of justice, our Themis."

Those are absolutely/utterly/totally/ blatantly

speaker is again getting excited a n d

i n d i g n a n t ; d o n ' t overdo t h e i n t o n a t i o n i n English t o avoid s o u n d i n g

? Are the figures too low/low estimates/on the low sid\

sarcastic r a t h e r t h a n faithful to the speaker's t o n e ,

cover-up/process

an

ongoing/continuous/const

of concealing/hiding.

convincing/well-founded/solid/arguments/reasons,

successful strikes/goals scored/targets

hit/ eliminated.

T h e speaker is getting excited h e r e a

there hasn't been an

is going faster. Try to express his i n d i g n a t i o n t h r o u g h your i n t o n a t i o n .

annual

, .

annually hasn't fallen/the

Certainly

not/Nothing

journalists/something

of the
you

sort/Thafs

journalists

preposterous/an
have

Absolu

invention

decline/drop/reduction

T h e r e is an English equi

to count your chickens before they are hatched.

However,

sin

speaker or his interviewer m i g h t well r e t u r n to the image of the bea

i n t e r p r e t e r c o u l d say,
bear"

and,

chickens

before

"Why divide up the bearskin before you've

if t h e r e is t i m e ,
they're

add:

"English

equivalent: don't count

done/bring those who are guilty/the perpetrators to justice.

He

You're not really asking tl

isn't quite right (coll. You're

barking up

the wro

;
But

unfounded/wholesale/groundless/indiscriminate
them/are

attacks

onju

name-calling/pinning

labels/on

counterproductive.

Interview

with

the

Public

We'll end up in an impasse/a dead end/we'll get

This

Vladimir

ssetia,

Tosecutor's

been

shown/demonstrated by

known/widely publicized/notorious

VasiTevich,

Krasnodar,

committed

of

the

Russian

Federation

Ustinov

office

there's

Stavropol',
have

been

now

questions

for

one

again
their

terrorist act after another

in

Moscow.

colleagues

in

the

Does
security

the

in

Public

agencies?

I c a n say w i t h full c o n f i d e n c e r e g a r d i n g t h e i n v e s t i g a t i o n of cases

ked t o t e r r o r i s m t h a t t h e law e n f o r c e m e n t o r g a n s are working w i t h g r e a t

the staffs of t h e M i n i s t r y of I n t e r n a l Affairs, t h e F e d e r a l S e c u r i t y Service,
o t h e r special services a n d o u r staff. A n o t h e r issue is t h a t c r i m i n a l s have
c o u r s e s of a c t i o n , while investigators have o n l y o n e t h e one laid
n by t h e law. We are d o i n g everything p o s s i b l e , b u t n o t all of t h e s e
es c a n be solved.
/

the

extradition

outcome/results

mean

.
in

se

cases,

but

questions
also

not

only

concerning

about

their

the

investigation

of terrorist

acts

prevention.

T h a t involves a w h o l e r a n g e o f p r o b l e m s . P r e v e n t i n g c r i m e i n g e n e r a l
me

has

Prosecutor

Vladimir

itted,

stuck.

of crimes

declining from year to year.

i n s i t y a n d selflessness, often risking t h e i r lives. T h a t is t r u e for all of t h e m

hatched."

We'll see that ju

person/Your question

number

not been

possibly a h a n d t a p p i n g on t h e table for e m p h a s

?
for t h i s :

crime/the
has

of

invented/fabricated/coo'

dreamed up. T h e speaker is getting increasingly i n d i g n a n t . Try to i g n o r

b a c k g r o u n d noise

in

crime rate

extent m e a n s preventing this kind of c r i m e .

I f we're

speaking

flcally of t e r r o r i s t a c t s , t h e n I t h i n k first a n d f o r e m o s t t h e r e is a n e e d
til with cases involving e x t r e m i s m .

Evil always m o v e s in an u p w a r d

! first p e o p l e are i n c i t e d to engage in e x t r e m i s t a c t s , a n d l a t e r t h e s e

T h i s is tricky for t r a n s l a t i o n . T h e n a m e of th

goddess of j u s t i c e , Themis, is far less well k n o w n to m o s t Engli

llity issues,

acts

of t e r r o r i s m .

There

a n d religious

are

a l o t of factors

at work h e r e

ones,

and unresolved

social p r o b l e m s ,

unately, t h e m e a s u r e s b e i n g t a k e n t o d a y i n t h e N o r t h e r n C a u c a s u s
130

131

a n d t h r o u g h o u t t h e c o u n t r y have so far n o t b e e n sufficient to p r e v e n t sue

T h a t ' s a p r o p o s a l from t h e p r o s e c u t o r ' s office.

Why are b o t h o u r

c r i m e s . T h e r e is a n e e d for a carefully b a l a n c e d a p p r o a c h h e r e . I'd call it

p o p u l a t i o n a n d the v o l u m e

gradual

services, a n d only c r i m e s by t h e M i n i s t r y of I n t e r n a l Affairs? T h a t ' s why

offensive

approach.

By presidential decree
combat corruption,
is

currently

and you

the problem

new

have

to

in

body

has been

report to

established,

it annually.

the

What,

Council t

in your view

combating that evil?

U n f o r t u n a t e l y , c o r r u p t i o n h a s w o r m e d i t s way i n t o t h e fabric of ou
s t a t e . T h i s year t h e r e were some
I n c i d e n t a l l y , we q u i t e

10,000 cases

t h a t fell i n t o this c a t e g o

r e c e n t l y a t t e m p t e d to

analyze

at w h i c h stages i

R u s s i a n history t h e r e were waves of e c o n o m i c c r i m e s . It t u r n e d o u t t h a t , fr

example,

the

Stolypin

reforms,

while

moving

the

economy

forward

b r o u g h t i n t h e i r wake a n e n o r m o u s trail o f c r i m e s linked t o c o r r u p t i o n ,

was t h e n t h a t c r i m i n a l payoffs b e c a m e s o h u g e l y w i d e s p r e a d : t h e p e a s a n '

of fish c a u g h t c o u n t e d up by t h e

statistical

we have these d i s t o r t e d figures. We w o n ' t b r e a k o u t of this vicious circle if

c r i m e s are

still r e c o r d e d by t h e

M i n i s t r y of I n t e r n a l Affairs. After all,

p e r s o n c a n ' t b e a n objective " a c c o u n t a n t " i n evaluating his o w n activity!

One

of the

different kinds
Prosecutor's
innocent

most

notorious

of reactions

office for

here

privatization

is

in

cases

society.

"selective

application

concerning payment
concerned

of 2003
Those

of the

of taxes,

only

one

the

opposed

"Yukos

to

it

affair"

blame

law." Allegedly,

and

even

company

more

got

no
so

caught

evoked

the

Public
one

is

as far

as

with

these

"handouts"
N o t h i n g o f t h e sort, t h a t ' s s o m e t h i n g you j o u r n a l i s t s c o o k e d u p . A n d

w h o h a d b e e n resettled paid large s u m s t o the b u r e a u c r a t s . I n o t h e r w o r '

I d o n ' t really w a n t to discuss t h e Yukos case today. To talk a b o u t it objectively

everything is l i n k e d : a step forward in e c o n o m i c d e v e l o p m e n t drags along

we'd have to have a c o n v i c t i o n or an a c q u i t t a l . Why c o u n t your c h i c k e n s

c r i m i n a l i n f r a s t r u c t u r e as well. N o w we are a g a i n m o v i n g forward p o l i t i c a l

before t h e y ' r e h a t c h e d

a n d e c o n o m i c a l l y , a n d we've also got a s t r e a m of e c o n o m i c c r i m e s in

bear? If we find t h a t t h e law h a s b e e n b r o k e n , w h e n we get t h a t kind of

wake.

The

criminologists p u t

it

clearly:

this

naturally

comes with f

Will you

be

proposing your strategy for

be

it

through

media

reports,

requests

from

deputies

or

s t a t e m e n t s by c i t i z e n s , we c h e c k up on all of t h e m . If t h e facts are c o n f i r m e d

s i t u a t i o n , a n d n o t h i n g else c o u l d have b e e n e x p e c t e d .

information,

divide up t h e b e a r s k i n before you've c a u g h t t h e

combating

w e bring t h e guilty t o j u s t i c e . And t h a t ' s t h a t . W h e n new requests c o m e i n

corruption?

there are new investigations. T h a t ' s o u r j o b . W h a t ' s selective a b o u t t h a t ?

Yes, we're working on t h a t now. And n o t only on t h e fight agai

corruption.

We

have

major p r o b l e m s w i t h d r u g

abuse

and with crin

A

c o m m i t t e d against individuals these are no

less d a n g e r o u s for t h e s

liberty.

t h a n c o r r u p t i o n . At t h e e n d of t h e year we'll r e v i e w o u r p r o p o s a l s a n d se
t h e m t o t h e Security C o u n c i l a n d t o t h e new a n t i - c o r r u p t i o n body. H o w e
to draw up an effective policy to c o m b a t crime we first n e e d to k n o w t h e
state

of affairs.

B u t I ' m absolutely positive

c r i m e s are being c o m m i t t e d on the

t h a t no

one knows how m

territory of Russia.

getting from t h e M i n i s t r y of I n t e r n a l Affairs are

The

figures we

extremely a p p r o x i m a t e .

Are the figures too low?

How

advisable

Investigation

is

Are

is

it

underway?

to

detain

Sometimes

there

some

not

really

individuals for economic

even

criteria for

people

accused

determining

what

crimes

of murder
is

while

an

remain

at

lawful for

arrest

procedures?

You're

asking

the

right p e r s o n :

today

arrests

are

the

responsibility n o t of t h e P r o s e c u t o r ' s office b u t of t h e c o u r t . I t h i n k t h a t in

ench specific case t h e j u d g e

objectively a n d c o m p r e h e n s i v e l y analyzes t h e

available m a t e r i a l s . A n d in t h e light of all t h o s e c i r c u m s t a n c e s he m a k e s a

decision: w h e t h e r or n o t an arrest s h o u l d be m a d e while t h e investigation is

I ' m sure t h a t t h e y ' r e t o o low. T h e p r o s e c u t o r s ' verification i n

onducted. Therefore,

excuse m e ,

I c a n n o t answer for t h e c o u r t .

If we

o n s i d e r t h a t t h e c o u r t is w r o n g , we have a legal right to a p p e a l its d e c i s i o n

r e g i o n s , c o u n t i e s a n d cities are showing t h a t t h e r e ' s a n o n g o i n g c o v e r - u p

0 a higher court.

c r i m e s . D e s p i t e t h e i n s t r u c t i o n s from t h e d i s t i n g u i s h e d M i n i s t e r o f I n t e

" e m are c o u n t e r p r o d u c t i v e .

Affairs, w h o o r d e r e d t h a t all c r i m e s be e n t e r e d in t h e registry... I o n c e as

rid, s e c o n d , we m u s t r e s p e c t t h e c o u r t a n d its d e c i s i o n s . If i n s t e a d of t h a t

h i m , jokingly,

"Boris

Vladimirovich

weLl,

did

you

order

all

subordinates to be h o n e s t ? "
In
crimes
132

with

some

regions

there

the participation

of the

State

be

an

Statistical

experiment on

regist

B e c a u s e , first, t h a t will p r o d u c e n o results,

foster distrust in t h e j u d i c i a l system we'll get n o w h e r e .

The

is supposed to

But g r o u n d l e s s a t t a c k s on j u d g e s a n d p i n n i n g labels on

assessment

be desired.

of the

Russian

This has been shown

system

of justice

in

the

West

leaves

much

by the outcome in several widely publicized

Service...
1954

133

extradition
goddess

cases.

So

the

West

doesn't

trust

the

impartiality

of

our

Themis,

our

16

of justice?

T h o s e are b l a t a n t l y u n f o u n d e d a s s u m p t i o n s a s s u m p t i o n s of t h o s e

w h o w a n t to show t h e ineffectiveness of o u r j u d i c i a l a n d legal system. So far

n o o n e h a s p u t forward c o n v i n c i n g a r g u m e n t s t h a t o u r system o f justice i s

13

2004)

any less d e m o c r a t i c t h a n , say, t h e British system. I w o u l d n ' t like to go i n t o

detail h e r e .

The

2003" for

the

Russian
category

institute

of biography

"Strengthening

named you

legality

and

law

"Man
and

of the
order."

Year

What'

your view was last year a successful one for the Prosecutor's office?
F o r t h e P r o s e c u t o r ' s office t h e c o n c e p t of " s u c c e s s " is n o t a p p l i c a b l e ;
T h e work o f p e a s a n t farmers i s m e a s u r e d i n t e r m s o f t h e harvest r e a p e d , a n
t h a t of pilots by t h e n u m b e r of targets s h o t d o w n a n d h o u r s flown. B u t fo;

but you

also

have

"targets hit?"

Sorry, b u t t h a t ' s n o t t h e a c t u a l goal of o u r work. T h a t w o u l d be

a s s e s s m e n t of t h e work of an artisan w h o forged h o w m a n y p i e c e s
m e t a l . H e r e we're talking a b o u t s o m e t h i n g c o m p l e t e l y different: t h e state
t h e war on lawbreakers in o u r s t a t e . A n d t h e less t h e laws are b r o k e n , f
g r e a t e r t h e effectiveness of t h e P r o s e c u t o r ' s office a n d of t h e system of 1
a n d o r d e r as a w h o l e . A n d h e r e I w o u l d n ' t say t h e r e have b e e n mo
victories t h a n defeats. U n f o r t u n a t e l y , t h e c r i m e r a t e h a s n o t b e e n f a F
from year to year.

: ,

?
,
, , . ,
.

p r o s e c u t o r s w h a t c a n be t h e c r i t e r i a for success or failure?

Well,

, , ,
,
. ,
, ,
.
,
. : 2003 -

" The English speaker, who is unfamiliar w i t h Russian geographical and pr

names, has misplaced the stress the c o r r e c t pronunciation is "Caucasus,"
the stress on the f i r s t syllable. The i n t e r p r e t e r w o r k i n g from English into Rus
is frequently faced w i t h problems regarding the pronunciation of Russian nam
2 Here, t o o the speaker appears to have misplaced the s t r e s s
V l a d i ' m i r o v i c h . There is a fine d i s t i n c t i o n , however, between si
mispronunciation of Russian names and the accepted pronunciation in Engli
such names. In English "Vladi'mir" is commonly pronounced "Vladimir."

| . .
,

: ,
I/ ?

? .
| , , .

.
134

135

-'

, ,
. :
, .
,
.

...

2002

...

10

, "
, , ;

"

, , 70 .
. ,
- . ,

, . , ,
, ,
? ? ,
, , ,

1|,

,
,

:
, , T h e v o c a b u l a r y of

, .
,

. ,

. ,

, .

.
,

, ,

300

, , ,

.
, ,

, *

'

the courts and the judicial system, which is extremely i m p o r t a n t , can cause
difficulty since the

Russian and US judicial and court systems are different.

is b o t h t h e judicial system a n d t h e court system

m e a n s t h e system of justice a n d the courts in g e n e r a l

136

137

is t h e g e n e r a l t e r m c o v e r i n g legal proceedings

judicial,

legislative

to

testify/give

testimony/evidence.

evidence/proof.

on the same side as/acting in concert with/(co\\.)

evidence/

in cahoots with.

prosecutor

plaintiff, suit, action, claim

,

petitions/requests for

defendant,

the accused

punishment

suspect

t e x t . Russian justice w o u l d cover t h i s w i t h o u t referring to

"the godde

(coll.

no

easing

measure

of pretrial

the penalties)

not overnight/quickly.

policy for

Themis."

the preventive

on

detention,

many

mitigating

counts/charges/for

many

offenses under articles of the code.

H e r e we have t h e s a m e p r o b l e m as in t h e p r e v i o u

something

extraordinary/out

ofth

ordinary/unbelievable.

determining

The time(s)

is (are)

to

review/take stock of the

penalties/punishments.
We're longer living in (the) time(s) when/

long gone when/These are no longer the times when...

t h i s is best r e n d e r e d as t h e executive bran

rather

T h i s s e n t e n c e n e e d s a n o m i n a t i v e subject. Thisresults/followsfrom something

than

as

executive

authority

or

power.

-\

cases m u s t be c o n s i d e r e d in accordan
with/under the

law.

these

loud/vocal/outspoken

critics.

insinuatingly/ingratiatingly/on

the

preventive

sly/stealthily.
terms

remand {in

of...

premeditated murder.

aggravating circumstances

mitigating/attenuating

circumstances

suspended sentence

law

enforcement agencies/bodies/organs.

custody)/pretrial detention

the accused/persons charged with

prosecutor has

an offense,

no W h i l e refer to t h e a r t i c l e
t h e c o d e , t h e w o r d c a n also m e a n charges on charges of purely econo
crimes/offenses/of a purely

by/flouting the principle

trial court, court of first instance.

restriction.

comply/abide

homicide.

measures/custody,

to

aggravated

appeals/appeals of decisions.

impunity, failure

illegal/unlawful/illegitimate ( d e p e n d i n g on c o n t e x t )

else:
...

legal/lawful/legitimate ( d e p e n d i n g on c o n t e x t )

economic

immediate/direct impact/this

impacts

nature.

directly on...

Impacts

is

this

has

stronger t

t h e passive c o n s t r u c t i o n is reflected in/on.

will/may flee from/attempt
138

h e r e it refers to t h e prosecution.

judicial errors

judge

witness,

W h i l e t h i s w o r d c a n m e a n charge, accusation or indictment,

executive

witness I attest (to);

extrajudicial

b o t h court a n d trial, d e p e n d i n g on c o n t e x t
,

to

evade

investigative

bodies/the

the

the

right to

appellate proceedings/to

appeal in

The

cassational court.

cannot overturn

the sentence

because of leniency ofpunishment. T h e s p e a k e r is slowing d o w n to stress t h e

i m p o r t a n c e o f w h a t h e i s saying. Try t o p r o v i d e t h e s a m e e m p h a s i s i n y o u r
interpretation.

involvement/participation

in/(legal)
death

responsibility

penalty/capital

There
for/a

are

various degrees of

crime,

punishment.

court.
139

Interview

with

the

Chairman

Vyacheslav

of the

Supreme

Mikhailovich

believing t h a t t h e a c c u s e d will flee from investigative b o d i e s or t h e c o u r t or

Court

c o n t i n u e engaging i n c r i m i n a l activity,

Lebedev

t h r e a t e n i n g witnesses,

destroying

evidence

Vyacheslav

Mikhailovich,^

criteriafor assessments:
there are records.

The

in

How can

greater

professionalism,

every

area

of human

economics, for examples,

activity

there's

the

has

different

GDP, for sports

the effectiveness of the judicial system be measured?.

the

degree

of

objectivity,

impartiality

t h e less t h e n u m b e r o f j u d i c i a l e r r o r s .

and

T h a t ' s w h a t we're

trying to a c h i e v e .

of Russian justice.

independent

courts

in

Only

to

change

branch

to

differ radically for

Is

this

something

lazy people

Russia.

happen
branch.

Something

situation.

like

are

For

one

or

loath

really

to

out

say

that

of the

example, for

another reason from

that

of the

executive

as you've right!

1,500

appeals

of d e c i s i o n s

must admit that there

of t h e

executive

and

were

cases when you

we're

urging you

were

measures

there

called and asked

Some

lot

of questions

decided on

by

the

courts.

"notorious"
economic

cases,
crimes

has
which

been

today

regarding

Pretrial detention,

ordered,

don't represent a

to

crimes u n d e r m i n e

the

social

fabric

and

the

h u n d r e d s of t h o u s a n d s of p e o p l e .

In a d d i t i o n ,

c r i t e r i a for c h o o s i n g this p r e v e n t a t i v e

method:

the

th
!

he

initiated

offenses.

talking about a

new

on

changes^

There
draft

the changes in

are

of the

in

so

the
many

criminal code.

crime in

the country!

T h e p r e s i d e n t ' s d e c i s i o n is absolutely c o r r e c t . A n d he d i d n ' t take it

of determining penalties and to make our proposals.

On the whole our

proposals c o r r e s p o n d t o t h e a m e n d m e n t s a d o p t e d . Excessive h a r s h n e s s h a s

Moscow

a c c o u n t e d for m o r e

t h a n 70 p e r c e n t of all

s e n t e n c e s . H o o l i g a n i s m t h e n got no less t h a n a t h r e e to five year s e n t e n c e .

What is

of concern

to

every

citizen

is

whether crime

will increase

as

No,

I'm convinced that a reasonable

a p p r o a c h to

determining

p e n a l t i e s will n o t lead to a rise in c r i m e . I t ' s s o m e t h i n g else t h a t will lead to

that:

impunity,

failure

to

c o m p l y with t h e p r i n c i p l e

of t h e

inevitability

tho*

of p u n i s h m e n t . In a d d i t i o n , the crime rate d e p e n d s on the resolution of

society,

m a n y social p r o b l e m s . I s n ' t u n e m p l o y m e n t , for e x a m p l e , o n e o f t h e causes

econoir

law lays d o w n s t '

if t h e r e

are

law
many

result of these innovations will the streets become more dangerous!

aswe'?

inter alia, for

danger

that some jurists

But are those changes commensurate with

s i t u a t i o n so seriously t h a t this h a s a d i r e c t i m p a c t on t h e lives of d o z e n s a

140

amendments

the president signed

mitigating penalties for

T h a t was w r o n g a n d h a r m f u l , b o t h for t h e system of j u s t i c e a n d for society.

to pay particular attention

are

code

the offense. We're no l o n g e r living in t h e t i m e s w h e n i m p r i s o n m e n t in

I t h i n k it's w r o n g to disparage t h e d a n g e r to society of e c o n o m

crimes.

Recently
criminal

Nevertheless,

of purely

10 p e r c e n t of all p e t i t i o n s for t h e p r e v e n t a t i v e

today by t h e c o u r t s as c o m p a r e d to h o w m a n y arrests were c a r r i e d o u t by t h e

cities s u c h as

starting u p t h a t did h a p p e n .

accused

T h e c o u r t s reject a b o u t

never h e l p e d i n t h e war o n c r i m e , a n d p u n i s h m e n t m u s t b e a p p r o p r i a t e t o

legislate

issue!"

recent

We've h e a r d s u c h r e b u k e s from b o t h sides. W h e n d e t e n t i o n is d e n i e d

the p r o s e c u t i o n c o n s i d e r s t h a t t h e j u d g e s ' d e c i s i o n is, i n fact, t o o liberal.

overnight. M o r e t h a n a year ago he asked us a n d o t h e r s to review the policy

Why on t h e sly? T h a t was said q u i t e bluntly. W h e n o u r d e m o c r a c y w

seen from

the

of arrests h a s fallen by 25 p e r c e n t .

that possible!

" Vladimir Mikhailovich,

preventative^

with

to

b r a n c h e s of e n t i t i e s of t h e F e d e r a t i o n . O n e t h i r d of t h e appeals were g r a n t e

cahoots"

has

of the judicia

positive d e c i s i o n s are being t a k e n . I'll cite an e x a m p l e : In 2003 t h e r e we

or that

"in

ordinary

c o n s i d e r a t i o n of cases in a c c o r d a n c e with t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n a n d t h e law, th

this

acting

p r o s e c u t o r s w h e n t h e y h a d t h e c o m p e t e n c e t o d o so, w e see t h a t t h e n u m b e r

upsets a lot of p e o p l e . A n d t h o s e vocal critics s h o u l d be n o t i n g how m a n

the sly,

the judges for

no

w h e n the c o u r t s work for t h e stabilization of society a n d engage in n o r m

You

blame

are

n o t e d , w a n t t h e j u d i c i a l b r a n c h t o clash with t h e executive b r a n c h . A n

than

often

there

the position

T h e c o u r t s are p r i m a r i l y criticized by those w h o ,

more

Lawyers

m e a s u r e of p r e t r i a l d e t e n t i o n . If we c o m p a r e h o w m a n y p e o p l e are arrested

Despite the judicial and legal reform there are serious problems with the
image

prosecutors....

are g r o u n d s

of c r i m e ?
A

number of harsh

rvcently
judges,

made
in

suspended

by

the

particular,

statements

regarding

administration
are

accused

sentences for people

of the
of having

convicted

corruption
Ministry
handed

of premeditated

in

the

courts

were

of Internal Affairs.

The

down

300

more

murder.

than

Moreover,

as
141

the

Ministry

lower

than

criminals

who

affirms,
the

virtually

minimum

have

all

of those

suspended sentences

sentence for premeditated

financial

murder

and sentences

were

given

to

k i n d s of s t a t e m e n t s are being m a d e ,

but

17

backing.

d o n ' t know why t h o s e

s o m e o n e working in t h e law e n f o r c e m e n t agencies m u s t be familiar with t h e

(

p r o s e c u t o r h a s t h e right t o a p p e l l a t e p r o c e e d i n g s . A h i g h e r c o u r t c a n n o t
overturn

an

excessively

light

sentence

on

its

own

fact t h a t n o t all t h o s e

initiaive.

And

s e n t e n c e d to life i m p r i s o n m e n t b e t t e r take a look at c r i m i n a l law. T h e r '

are various degrees of i n v o l v e m e n t in a c r i m e : t h e p e r p e t r a t o r , p a r t n e r i
crime,

organizer,

instigator,

accomplice.

Should

the

person

with

s e c o n d a r y role be given t h e same k i n d of p u n i s h m e n t as t h e o r g a n i z e r

p e r p e t r a t o r of t h e c r i m e ? Is t h a t the p o i n t of t h e system of justice? And th
m o t i v a t i o n for c o m m i t t i n g

a m u r d e r may be

it's

of

interest

that

the

presidential

And you

didn't make

any proposals

to

abolish

package

of

amendmen

that?

I am c o n f i d e n t t h a t since Russia h a s b e c o m e a p a r t of t h e E u r o p e a n le

2 Here and elsewhere in the t e x t : "preventive" is increasingly being replac

"preventative." Both forms are c o r r e c t .

The speaker misspoke (); he should have said "changes" and

"charges."

system we will be c o m p l y i n g with E u r o p e a n r e g u l a t i o n s .

Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Many native speakers of English have d i f f i c i i

with the pronunciation of Russian proper names. While for some names there is
standard English pronunciation I'van, Vladimir others are determined by t"
1
pronunciation of the individual English speaker.

. ,

. 1 8

It would have b e e n w r o n g for t h e c o u r t s to m a k e any s u c h p r o p o s a l

by

..

.//2004/12n/nl2n-s23.shtml)

. .

to the criminal code introduced a large number of changes but left in the deal
penalty.

cruel t r e a t m e n t or m e n t

cruelty or unlawful or a m o r a l b e h a v i o r by t h e v i c t i m .
Nevertheless,

beforo

a c c u s e d of m u r d e r are

law: if a p u n i s h m e n t h a n d e d d o w n by t h e trial c o u r t is unjust a n d illegal t h e ,

getting i n d i g n a n t over t h e

,
.

, .
,

, .
, 4 0

? .
. , -

35

II .
.
142

143

* ,

, .

120...

,
,

, , ,

, , . .

? . , .

, -j,

, , .

.
,

. ,
.

, .

,
. . , ,
. . .
.

...

. ~

, , .
,

. -

( , RC

. ,

, . ,

. , ,

-.

. . ,

144

, .
, .

.
145

of water being p o u r e d or of a glass being p u t down on a table. Try to r e n d e r

. , ,

the key words of the sentence

. , .

screening.

, .

O t h e r types

(nuclear)

the e x a m i n a t i o n s ,

costs,

and types of

--

of tests

include

magnetic

resonance

imaging

(MRI),

, . -

(CATscan), a n d / ( )

ultrasonic

, , . ,
,

(ultrasound)

has

been

()

, , .

expectancy/the

significant rise in

. .

visible/evident/noticeable/substantive/rise

life span/in

that country/That country

life expectancy.

These

has

There

in

life

experienced/seen

"in that country..." Since the speaker is referring to J a p a n , n o t Russia,

is clearer t h a n "in

that country"

. -*
,
,

r e n d i t i o n s m a k e it possible to start

the sentence with a nominative subject instead of with the m o r e awkward

. - , ,

imaging.

"in

this country."

spread to/attacked the entire organism/the whole

body.
primitive c a n be u s e d i n s t e a d of
barbaric

the primitive

way people

take

care

of themselves/deal with

their

health.
those who are long-lived/live a long life/reach a ripe old age.

People

c a n m e a n treatment, a course of treatment

their

seventies

are

those

septuagenarians,

cure or healing process. In this sentence the phrase m e a n s in treating tumoi

are

centenarians.

benign

frequently i n c l u d e s chemotherapy .

malignant

a program/course

of treatment.

eighties

Treatment

for c a n c e r

genetic forecasting/prediction.

prognosis,

Do

during the first two stages. T h e first stage is al

course and o u t c o m e of an illness.

called t h e initial stage.

gene sequencing.

But the general picture/outlook in

I f y o u do n o t get t h e

country

names,

bleak/poor/grim

one.

incredible/amazing progress/advances.

to detect and catch/find/zero in on/pinpoint cane

try to

our institute/a

say

t h i s c a n be r e n d e r e d

monoclone antibodies.

at the {very) recent joint session... T h e r e is no p o i n t in trying to translate t

as

surgeon

is

"justheld."

word preventive

is

now

preventative

examinations/testing.

routinely being replaced by preventative,

particula

in regard to medical or o t h e r measures to be t a k e n .

T h e speaker is speeding up and there is the sou

something

descriptive:

distinguished colleague

who

"my

distinguished colleagues from

to

molecular probes,

cloning.

this word is always difficult to r e n d e r in

referring

of the

is an Academician."

physician's p r e d i c t i o n

not

confuse

not encouraging/promising/is

the

are

T h e spread of c a n c e r is called metastasis,

is

this with

in their

and those over a h u n d r e d

T h e r e are two kinds of t u m o r s :

146

in

octogenarians, those over ninety nonagenarians,

English.

Here

the

supple/flowing/fluid movements/agility.

O n c e a g a i n , if y o u d o n ' t get t h e n a m e ,
you c a n say s o m e t h i n g like,
who

was

"an outstanding Russian surgeon/a teacher I had

superb/excellent surgeon..."

or

"and another outstanding surgeon

who taught at a hospital where I worked as a young surgeon."

147

crude/rough

everything

well-deserved
...

bloody/ragged

mess,

Interview

Or c a n be r e n d e r e d as a positive

work.

expression:

was

done/performed

relax with

elegantly/skillfully.

?
antidote/an

antidote

to

or...

is there a

preserve peace

of mind

nevertheless,'

There

are so

after saying . If t h e i n t e r p r e t e r h a s a l r e a d y said "we" a n d he c a n n o t say "We a n d A c a d e m i c i a n A k c h u r i n " h e c a n save t h e s e n t e n c e b y saying

during

the first

in fact,

the

do

Ivanovich

Davydov,

Russian

Oncological

Blokhin

Russian

Academy

of

Medical

Sciences

many new
two

agree

that

there's

ways of treating tumors.

stages, patients

can

the

If therapy

live for ten

real paradox
is started in

or fifteen

mortality rate from

years.

But

here.
time,
the

cancer isn't falling

it's even rising.

R e c e n t l y a p a t i e n t c a m e to see m e . I o p e r a t e d on h i m e i g h t e e n years
were t e l l i n g e v e r y o n e t h a t t h e r e h a v e b e e n i n c r e d i b l e a d v a n c e s : r e a l
b r e a k t h r o u g h s i n t r e a t i n g c a n c e r d u r i n g t h e first t w o s t a g e s . S o h e l p u s
d e t e c t and c a t c h c a n c e r d u r i n g t h a t p e r i o d !

"We that is, Academician Akchurin and I... "

tried to

Mikhail

NN.

ago for c a n c e r o f t h e e s o p h a g u s . H e ' s feeling a b s o l u t e l y f i n e . A n d s o w e

the scales/at risk.

T h e s p e a k e r stops for a m i n u t e ;

heroic

of

the

general picture is rather bleak

it is always a human life and death/the life and death of a human being which:

possible/We

Center

Scientific

produced? D o n o t try t o t r a n s l a t e literally h e r e ,

of

Mikhail Ivanovich/1 think you'll

self-protecting/self-preserving

Academician

Director

clear conscience/really take it easy/take a

break.

is at stake/on

with

General

the

impossible/We

At
We

tried to

did everything humanly

work miracles/We

mai

efforts.

the

recent joint session

was stated that there

designed for early

t h i s c a n be t r a n s l a t e

and

simply as a high-risk operation, b u t if t h e r e is t i m e t h e i n t e r p r e t e r c a n say a

helped to

operation with a high risk of a fatal outcome/the death of the patient/losing th

bothered by

patient.

of the

Russian

Academy

of Sciences

and

the

Russian Academy of Medical Sciences there was a round table on oncology. It

regular.

that had been

cancer detection,

Those

detect some

examinations

an

which

tumors specifically

end to

the preventative

for many years had

simple

as

they

were

examinations

been

mandatory

had frequently

during that early stage.

So

who

was

that?

T h a t ' s t r u e , t h o u g h t h e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n is a bit simplistic. Today t h e r e ' s

, Try to c o n v e y t h e e m o t i o

a need

i n t h e s p e a k e r ' s v o i c e , b u t w i t h o u t excessive p a t h o s o r s e n t i m e n t a l i t y

m e t h o d s available. A n d t h o u g h t h e s e e x a m s , w h i c h were b r o u g h t u p a t t h e

metaphorically/figuratively

speaking/speakin

to

c o n d u c t those

e x a m i n a t i o n s using

the

new

early d e t e c t i o n

r o u n d t a b l e , also c a m e a t a c o s t , t o d a y ' s s c r e e n i n g p r o c e d u r e s , i n c l u d i n g

metaphorically/figuratively.

u l t r a s o u n d , x-rays a n d b i o l o g i c a l t e s t s a r e m u c h m o r e e x p e n s i v e . D o y o u

T h e i n t e r p r e t e r c a n use the English a c r o n y m , which is identical

know t h a t in J a p a n t h e r e are s o m e 40 successful g o v e r n m e n t p r o g r a m s for

EKG

early d e t e c t i o n a n d p r o p e r t r e a t m e n t o f c a n c e r d u r i n g t h e first stages? T h e

or say

"an

electrocardiogram"

nearly sent to

the intensive ca

wardi for resuscitation procedures. T h e English for noMOi

is to call for an ambulance.

state p a y s all t h e c o s t s . A n d t h a t h a s h a d a n i m m e d i a t e effect. S t o m a c h

cancer, w h i c h h a d b e e n t h e n u m b e r o n e p r o b l e m for t h a t c o u n t r y t o d a y
3 5 p e r c e n t o f p a t i e n t s ' c a n c e r s a r e d e t e c t e d d u r i n g t h e first s t a g e . T h e
c o u n t r y h a s s e e n a d i s t i n c t i n c r e a s e i n life e x p e c t a n c y . B u t i n o u r c o u n t r y ,
given t h e t o t a l l a c k o f p r e v e n t a t i v e m e a s u r e s p e o p l e g o t o t h e d o c t o r w h e n
t h e y are a l r e a d y i n t h e t h i r d o r f o u r t h stage o f c a n c e r a n d die fairly s o o n
because t h e p r o c e s s h a s b e c o m e irreversible a n d a t t a c k e d t h e e n t i r e
Organism.
Our great physiologist
living conditions and the

Ivan

Petrovich

Pavlov

said

absolutely primitive way people

long

take

ago

care

that poor

of themselves

Cre reducing a life expectancy of individuals that could extend to 120...

10-1954

149

 T o d a y t h e r e are quite a few civilized c o u n t r i e s in w h i c h t h e n a t i o n ' s

To b e c o m e a s u r g e o n , of c o u r s e , r e q u i r e s a p a r t i c u l a r set of t a l e n t s ,

h e a l t h h a s b e c o m e t h e h i g h e s t priority, c o u n t r i e s t h a t c a n b o a s t o f a rise i n

a n d p e r s o n a l i t y t r a i t s a strong will, g o o d r e a c t i o n s , agility, c o o r d i n a t i o n ,

g e n e r a l life e x p e c t a n c y a n d in t h e n u m b e r of p e o p l e living to a ripe old age.

c e r t a i n kind

of psychology a n d

character.

But the

kind

of a c a d e m i c

An e x a m p l e of t h e effectiveness of c a n c e r t r e a t m e n t d u r i n g early stages

t r a i n i n g p r o v i d e d is also i m p o r t a n t . After all, h o w do s u r g e o n s l e a r n ? By

also exists h e r e . W h e n t h e a c c i d e n t a t t h e C h e r n o b y l n u c l e a r p o w e r s t a t i o n

using t h e i r eyes. B y c o m m i t t i n g t o m e m o r y h o w t h e i r t e a c h e r s work. A n d

o c c u r r e d , w i t h t h e h e l p of an e n o r m o u s o u t p o u r i n g of aid from all over t h e

world o u r d o c t o r s c o n d u c t e d t h o r o u g h s c r e e n i n g s t o d e t e c t t h y r o i d c a n c e r .

only

will

our

country

set

up

through

their

talents

their innate

potential

s u r g e o n N i k o l a i N i k o l a e v i c h B l o k h i n . A n d G r i g o r i i Rafailovich Oife from

able to u n d e r g o a t i m e l y p r o g r a m of t r e a t m e n t .
When

developing

I was lucky with my t e a c h e r s . I r e m e m b e r with g r a t i t u d e o u r o u t s t a n d i n g

As a result t h e p r o c e s s was d e t e c t e d early in m a n y p e o p l e , a n d t h e y were

then

intellectual, m o r a l , purely t e c h n i c a l .

modern

system

of preventative"

examinations!

t h e P o d o l ' s k h o s p i t a l , w h e r e I w o r k e d as a y o u n g d o c t o r . He was a b r i l l i a n t
s u r g e o n . W a t c h i n g h i m work I saw e x a m p l e s of b r i l l i a n t t e c h n i c a l
of b r i l l i a n t a e s t h e t i c

W h e n t h e p e o p l e r u n n i n g t h e c o u n t r y finally u n d e r s t a n d t h a t t h

operating technique.

and

T h e r e was no b l o o d y m e s s

t h e r e , no c r u d e work. T h a t was e l e g a n t , I would say artistic surgery. I s t u d i e d

h e a l t h of t h e n a t i o n is its g r e a t e s t a n d r i c h e s t r e s o u r c e . T h e n t h e funds w

with these p e o p l e a n d t h a n k s to t h e m was able to do a lot of t h i n g s l a t e r

be f o u n d for everything r e q u i r e d for t i m e l y d e t e c t i o n . B u t t h a t ' s no longe

o n my o w n .

a m e d i c a l issue it's a social o n e .

What

are

the prospects for gene

therapy?

That's

now

being

written

man

We heard your conversation

because

and talked about a lot... and there are all kinds of wild things in the press. Wh

conscience,

is

relax for

the

real situation

regarding genetic forecasting?

T h e r e h a s b e e n a real b r e a k t h r o u g h in t h e last few years, p r i m a r i l y d

at t h e e n d of t h e last c e n t u r y t h e g e n o m e was successfully studied g e n
sequencing.
Kiselev,

I'd like first a n d f o r e m o s t to n o t e t h e work of Lev a n d Fe

in o u r i n s t i t u t e

A c a d e m i c i a n G a r r y Abelev.

t h e work of Professor A l e k s a n d r T a t o s i a n
D o z e n s of g e n e s were discovered (in p a r t i c u

with

someone

antidote

to m o l e c u l a r biology. T h e s e a c h i e v e m e n t s are closely linked to t h e fact t

after an

somehow

operation

sense
in

of

having

with
in

a young girl who said,

the

done

your profession?

morning you
your

Or

duty."

over

the

can

But

is

years

" You're
relax
it
is

with

really
a

lucky

clear

possible

to

self-protecting

produced?

T h e r e is no such a n t i d o t e . Because no m a t t e r how a u t o m a t i c the

reflexes or t h e artistry of t h e i n d i v i d u a l ' s skills, n e v e r t h e l e s s w h a t is at stake
is always t h e life a n d d e a t h of a h u m a n b e i n g . R e c e n t l y A c a d e m i c i a n R e n a t
A k c h u r i n a n d I were terribly u p s e t over t h e o u t c o m e of an o p e r a t i o n we did
together. I t was e x t r e m e l y c o m p l i c a t e d i n t e r m s o f b o t h t h e o n c o l o g y a n d

t h e a n d R C A genes) w h i c h are responsible for specific t u m o r s of

cardiology involved. We

t h y r o i d g l a n d , m a m m a r y g l a n d s , w o m e n ' s ovaries. G e n e s are also k n o "

p a t i e n t died o n t h e o p e r a t i n g t a b l e . A n d w e two s u r g e o n s w h o h a d several

w h i c h suppress t h e d e v e l o p m e n t of t u m o r s s u p p r e s s o r g e n e s .
There

are

also

quite

these are all e x t r e m e l y expensive m e t h o d s .

being u s e d . D e t e c t i o n of flaws in t h e g e n e system is d o n e w i t h m o l e c ~
monoclone

antibodies.

This

kind

o f sensitivity

a n d yet t h e

of o p e r a t i o n s , were really d e p r e s s e d .
N o , you c a n ' t get used t o d e a t h . T h e m o r a l e l e m e n t o f responsibility for
a h u m a n life takes p r e c e d e n c e over everything else.

T o c o n d u c t t h e a p p r o p r i a t e tests t h e latest a n d newest t e c h n o l o g y ,

and

d e c a d e s o f e x p e r i e n c e o p e r a t i n g , a n d h a d b e e n t h r o u g h all i m a g i n a b l e k i n d s

a few o p p o r t u n i t i e s for g e n e t i c forecasting

m o n i t o r i n g . G e n e t h e r a p y i s also b e c o m i n g a reality. I t ' s t r u e , t h o u g h ,

probes

did everything h u m a n l y possible

cannot

P a r t i c u l a r l y w h e n you

tackle a high-risk o p e r a t i o n . A n d I usually have to do o p e r a t i o n s like t h a t .

What o r d i n a r y o p e r a t i o n s are like I've already forgotten t h a t . I c a n ' t say
t h a t I get so u p s e t I lose c o n t r o l . I do my work h o n e s t l y a n d precisely. B u t

p r o v i d e d b y any o f t h e previously k n o w n m e t h o d s . T h e s e a r c h for s e t s

you still always have to be r e a d y for u n e x p e c t e d c o m p l i c a t i o n s a n d creative

o n c o g e n e s p r e s e n t i n p a r t i c u l a r forms o f c a n c e r i s c o n t i n u i n g .

solutions.

talent,
around
150

What,

as you see it

what comes from

him?

during a surgeon's training

nature, from

genetics, from

must be a God-gi

his parents, from

the pe

A s u r g e o n w h o ' s indifferent to his o p e r a t i o n s t h a t ' s s o m e t h i n g I've

never seen. Yes, of c o u r s e , w h e n s o m e o n e w h o ' s b e e n saved leaves t h e c l i n i c
telling you, " T h a n k y o u , " you u n d e r s t a n d h o w wonderful a n d h u m a n e y o u r
10*

151

profession is.

T h e great successes are

quickly forgotten.

s o m e t h i n g every s ur g e o n r e m e m b e r s forever

B u t his losses are

e a c h of t h e m is an i n c i s i o n

in your heart.

,
-,

Metaphorically

. , .

speaking?
1

Why m e t a p h o r i c a l l y ? Several years ago I h a d an E K G

d o n e , and I

: ,

nearly w o u n d up in t h e intensive care ward. B e c a u s e of t h o s e " i n c i s i o n s "

, ,

they found so m a n y c h a n g e s in t h e r e . If you e x a m i n e any surgeo n a n d look

, .

at his e l e c t r o c a r d i o g r a m t h e h e a r t is scarred t h r o u g h a n d t h r o u g h . T h o s e

, , ,

are

, - .

the

i m p r i n t s of his failures,

even if these were

few c o m p a r e d to

successes.

his

>
.

The speaker slips here, saying "EKJ" instead of "EKG" a common type of
error for an English speaker and then apologizes and c o r r e c t s the mistake.
f:

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155

-: , , , ,

t h e E n g l i s h t e r m "drug runners" is a g o o d e q u i v a l e n t .

, , , .

And so the

. , , ,

young people of that city fell for/got hooked on freebies/getting stuff for free.

. . .

for/got

.
.

considered/Many people

that some

characterized

human

by

think/If s

vices/flaws

incredible

There's a

commonly
,

are

unbelievable/People

are

unbelievably

are,

flawed.

t h e speaker.

set

of emotions/change/restructure
a

one's

total psychological

intellect
and

and

emotional

they have

their own

kinds of/d)

a n d u n e v e n delivery; try t o avoid t h i s i n t h e i n t e r p r e t a t i o n .

r e n d e r e d as b o t h drug addiction a n d drug abuse.

Being unique

is all very nice/That's

to call that unique/being unique is well and good...

weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

To , t h e s p e a k e r is ag~
r u s h i n g , t r y i n g t o say a s m u c h a s possible before s o m e o n e else t a k e s
floor. T o d o e s n o t have t o b e t r a n s l a t e d .
?
conducted/carried

uncertain/unclear/in

addiction/abuse

involves psychological

treating the psyche/the

emotions/the

as

well

heart and

as physical
the

mind/the

T h e s p e a k e r is n o w g o i n g very slowly
while r e a d i n g t h e t e x t off t h e pager. Try t o k e e p t h e delivery s m o o t h .

a ban on hard drugs as is the case in Holland/as Holland is doing.

English

speakers use

the

colloquial

Many

(though grammatically incorrect)

T h e word

"geography" d o e s

out?

it paves the way/sets the stage

for/leads

to

hard drugs.

Its

(immediate) futu."

soft drugs don't cause/bring

Marijuana ( p o p u l a r l y k n o w n as "pot") is a soft drug; m a r i j u a n a c i g a r e t t e s are

"joints," a n d t h e butts ()

are

"roaches." is hash;

cocaine (coke). C o n c e n t r a t e d c o c a i n e is crack. is a high in E n g l i s h .

to get high.

that you're raving/'crazy/mad/nuts/off the wall.

what one wants/intriguing/the best.

forbidden fruit is

always

attractive/

literally is "sweet," b u t t h i s is n o t

c o m m o n usage i n English.

on/lead to addiction. D r u g s s u c h as h e r o i n or c o c a i n e are c a l l e d hard drugs.

n e e d to be t r a n s l a t e d . T h e q u e s t i o n is Where/In what regions were

drug

c o n s t r u c t i o n "like" like in Holland.

problems I problems which could be called drug abuse. T h e s p e a k e r h a s a jer

156

new

and feelings/undergoing

brain.

convey t h e m a i n c o n c e p t s , the i n t e r p r e t e r m u s t avoid sounding as rushed

hooked/hit you hard.

change.

treatment/means

thought that...

absolutely

vices/People

cure for

widely held view/It is

trying to say as m u c h as he c a n in a limited period of t i m e . While trying t

studies

overhaul/see

, ... T h i s s p e a k e r is g o i n g fast, t r i p p i n g over h i s w o r d s

very nice,

to/turn your head/get you

, A real

And

and

emotions/thinking

often

went (out)

how to rethink things/take on a new

mindset

young people/teenagers/kids

Try and m a k e this sound as s m o o t h as possible.

alcohol/drinking.

T h e s p e a k e r is s e a r c h i n g for w o r d s to c o m p l e t e his s e n t e n c e s .

on

To , ,

, , , .
.

go

. , , ,

into/got hooked

The

s p e a k e r is g e t t i n g

excited h e r e . Be sure to convey this t h r o u g h your i n t o n a t i o n .

doubt/shaky.
157

TV. Boltyanskaya: So much for Kimry. What then!

D. Sokolov-Mitrich: T h e next piece was called "Lullaby for an A n t h i l l . "
It's about h o w drugs before they get into the b o d y hit you hard. I
m e a n , t h e r e ' s an a t t e m p t to glorify d r u g s , to r o m a n t i c i z e t h e m . A n d t h e r e ' s
the f o r m a t i o n of a psychological t y p e , t h a t of a p e r s o n w h o ' s all set to use
d r u g s : t h a t ' s d o n e t h r o u g h m u s i c , m o v i e s , l i t e r a t u r e , fashions, and i n
general t h r o u g h a sort of a d o l e s c e n t lifestyle.
2

TV.

Boltyanskaya: And then?

D.
Sokolov-Mitrich:
The
n e x t p i e c e was
called
" C l e a n i n g up
the A n t h i l l . " It's about u n d e r g o i n g a total psychological and e m o t i o n a l
overhaul. B e c a u s e drug t r e a t m e n t s that simply clean out the o r g a n i s m are
not a cure.
TV.

Boltyanskaya:

That's a

still t h e r e . Two t h i n g s must be fought here supply and d e m a n d . If you

only fight d e m a n d , t h e supply will still be t h e r e and as in any area of
c o m m e r c e will do a n y t h i n g , start up a m a r k e t i n g c a m p a i g n to attract as
m a n y people as possible.
TV.

Boltyanskaya: Our listener is on

the phone.

Listener Loki: T h a t ' s m e , I ' m L o k i . In fact, I d u m p e d all that stuff on my

own. It's a rather long story. I looked a r o u n d at the p e o p l e w h o were doing
drugs with m e , u n d e r s t o o d t h a t living from dose to dose really sucked, got
t u r n e d on to s o m e t h i n g else: m u s i c , c o m p u t e r s , bicycling. G r a d u a l l y I was
doing this less and less often, and t h e n I found my better half.
N.

Boltyanskaya:

Loki, frankly,

honestly,

do you stillfeel the urge for a fix?

Listener Loki: Well, I do r e m e m b e r some t h i n g s . . . But I d o n ' t feel like

that a n y m o r e .

temporary measure.

D. Sokolov-Mitrich: Yes, drug addicts are usually very fond of those

kinds of t r e a t m e n t , because they u n d e r s t a n d t h a t it's merely a r e d u c t i o n of
the dose. A real cure for drug a d d i c t i o n m e a n s treating t h e h e a r t and the
m i n d , not t h e o r g a n i s m .
N. Boltyanskaya: Let's see what's on the pager. "Do you think there is a
justification for allowing soft drugs, with strict control over their use, and a ban
on hard drugs like Holland is doing?"
D. Sokolov-Mitrich: First of all, the D u t c h e x p e r i e n c e shows t h a t w h e
soft drugs are allowed, t h a t paves the way for hard drugs. S e c o n d , it's a myt
that soft drugs d o n ' t cause a d d i c t i o n . T h e y lead to it, and act on t h e brai
the same way as o t h e r drugs. T h a t ' s a psychological springboard for taki
h a r d e r drugs. Seventy per cent of p e o p l e w h o are heavily a d d i c t e d to heroi
started with m a r i j u a n a .
N. Boltyanskaya: Here's a message from someone who gave his name
Loki. He thinks you're raving. He's been through all that, but "now I'm not
drug addict. It's been five years since I dropped all thatfor good. As for s
drugs,
they aren't any kind of springboard.
The forbidden fruit is alwa
attractive.
Hence the cravings."
What's your response?
D. Sokolov-Mitrich: T h a t ' s all well and good for an adult w h o ' s be
a r o u n d and has some e x p e r i e n c e . A 13 or 14 year old kid is psychologic
i m m o r t a l . Trying to prove to h i m that drugs can kill h i m is h o p e l e s s .

N.

Boltyanskaya:

Good luck! Hang in

there,

Loki!

Listener Loki: T h a n k you. E x c u s e m e , but I'd like to explain a little bit

about that "forbidden fruit" idea. M a y I?
N

Boltyanskaya:

Go

ahead.

Listener Loki: As I see it, w a t c h i n g o t h e r p e o p l e I used to shoot up w i t h ,

m a n y of t h e m believed t h a t if it's b a n n e d , well, if it's forbidden, it's great.
T h a t ' s an absolutely childish n o t i o n , but I t h i n k it explains the a c t i o n s of a
lot of p e o p l e . If it w e r e n ' t forbidden, t h e n , well, possibly, the a t t r a c t i o n
would be m u c h less strong for, at least, y o u n g e r kids.
D. Sokolov-Mitrich: I t h i n k that L o k i is probably one of t h o s e p e o p l e
w h o d i d n ' t do drugs for very l o n g , and p r o b a b l y w a s n ' t on hard drugs. It
s o u n d e d like t h a t to m e . B e c a u s e , in my e x p e r i e n c e , if p e o p l e w h o ' v e b e e n
on hard drugs for m o r e t h a n t h r e e years are able to at least get into a period
of stable r e m i s s i o n for p e o p l e like t h a t t h e r e ' s already no c o n c e p t of
"recovery," t h e r e ' s a m e d i c a l t e r m for t h e m , "a period of stable r e m i s s i o n . "
It can last for a year, t w o , t h r e e , t e n , twenty, forty, it can last until the end of
their lives. But they will always be on the brink. A n d drug a d d i c t s have a
saying, " H e r o i n k n o w s h o w to w a i t . " T h a t m e a n s that they'll have to fight
that their w h o l e life long.
TV. Boltyanskaya: With that we've come to the end of our program. I'd like
to thank all the guests for their participation in our program.
1

N.

Boltyanskaya:

"Ijust wanted to

try it."

D. Sokolov-Mitrich: Yes. In p r i n c i p l e , right n o w t h a t ' s w i d e s p r e a d

w i d e s p r e a d t h a t in m a n y places buying drugs is no p r o b l e m . B u t t h e risk
160

The speaker's p r o n u n c i a t i o n of the w o r d nuclear, phonetically "niT-cu-lar"

is shared by many American speakers, though the standard p r o n u n c i a t i o n is
W
-kleer."
2 This answer and Boltyanskaya's next question were o m i t t e d by the English
reader.
161

19

20-30% .

12

-!

.
2003)

70

, , -
, - .

- .

. 2003

- ?

1992-, 2002-,

. ,

-.

- ;

. , 40-50 .

. ,

. ,

, . ,

, , -

,
, . ,

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.

: , '

. : ,

, .

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162

- '

. .
,
163

 , .

, ?

. ,

, 8 3 %

. .
. .
. ,
, .
,

off/dump

their wastes.

Terms
(

regarding

the

and

environment

environmental

are

becoming

off/pour

protection

increasingly

pollutant

dump
, dumping

greenhouse effect

, ,

drought

8 0 .

flooding

desertification
deforestation

, . if

reforestation, planting,

, "

depletion, exhaustion {of resources)

, .

that drain

/ emissions

, ,

waste(s)

. , !

...

pollution

i m p o r t a n t for i n t e r p r e t e r s and t r a n s l a t o r s . T h e s e i n c l u d e :

360 . - ,
.

9 0 % .

, , ~

164

. ,

, , .

.
,

"greening"

11 - 1954

and

they

were

absolutely

horrified/stunned/

appalled. T h e speaker's colloquial t o n e in this text should be reflected in the

register and vocabulary of the English t r a n s l a t i o n .

suspended

They got/were given/handed a

one-year

increasingly frequently i n t e r r u p t e d by the ringing of delegates' cell p h o n e s .

guy/individual

(or other)

Try to ignore the p h o n e , a n d keep going with the i n t e r p r e t a t i o n .

Absolutely nothing/Zero/Not a thing.

convey the sarcasm b o t h t h r o u g h your voice and t h r o u g h the c h o i c e of

sentence.

M e e t i n g s a n d c o n f e r e n c e s are

words:

,
pollutants

that

exceeded/are

way

to

perk

up/improve

(busy)

their

building a

health/by

Someone/Some

Georgian

restaurant.

Be s u r e to

nonstop/uncontrolled

downing/

guzzling of alcohol.

over/acceptable/traditional/standards/

, , From our

norms.

point

I d i o m a t i c equivalents woul4 be Moscow's no

of view/As

we

see

S i n c e E n g l i s h d o e s n o t

m a k e the d i s t i n c t i o n b e t w e e n and , this c a n n o t be translated literally.

Sometimes

equivalent

would

toast with you with

be

personally

wouldn't

risk

clinking

glasses/sharing

job/hack

there's

work

on

an

open /out and

the part of/by

course,

bad slop

builders/engineers.

could insert an explanatory f o o t n o t e ) . A reasonable

convey this t h r o u g h your c a d e n c e s and i n t o n a t i o n .

aggressive/boisterous/energetic.

the

out/miserable/blatant/glaringly

This

Soviet-era

""

is

equivalent

would be Boy Scout work.

h e s i t a n t as he t h i n k s of t h e reasons why the trees are being cut down. Try to

alarming/worrisome/'cause for

i n t e r p r e t e r is n o t going to have e n o u g h t i m e to explain (a translator, of

standards.

T h e s p e a k e r is s o u n d i n g slightly

rather

unfamiliar with the P i o n e e r s and with w h a t these c h i l d r e n did, and the

- but the water is up

sanitation

is

T h e E n g l i s h - s p e a k i n g l i s t e n e r m a y well be

that water.

to/meets/acceptable

it/their state

concern.

picnic/not a piece of cake. A literal t r a n s l a t i o n of does n o t work.

An

there/was

m o s t probably,

this

people

be pretty

this is

use/make use of w i t h o u t any i m p l i c a t i o n of "disposing of or "scrapping,,

a

lot

of discussion

about

that/That

is

the

subject

extrabudgetary

to

Exploitation

the key word here is t

s e n t e n c e c a n be built a r o u n d t h a t .
that way/like

that forever/has got to

with

What's

(the

stop.

indefinite

reference

is to

after

the

introduction/

British c u r r e n c y ) fine/a fine

British pounds...
Leonid

of

Bochin,

Natural

happening

the
to

head

Resources
Moscow
the

Moscow

of
and

the

Department
Environmental

City

Government

river?

Recently

there

of

the

Protection

has

been

more

S i n c e t h e Soviet p e r i o d t h e r e have b e e n m o r e t h a n 7 0 i n d u s t r i a l z o n e s
in

M o s c o w a n d h u n d r e d s o f e n t e r p r i s e s d u m p i n g t h e i r wastes i n t o t h e

M o s c o w river a n d t h e Yauza.

But that can't go on

of the fumes/

and more talk about how the state of the river is a threat to the safety of the city.

speaker has either briefly t u r n e d away from the m i c r o p h o n e or sligh

In any case,

five

of

funds/funding/resources.

amounting

there must be so

- "
lowered his voice.

of a five-pound

Interview

of heate

debate/arguments.

imposition

/In Russ
having

most

cities.

t r e a c h e r o u s since in E n g l i s h utilization m e a

we're

can

s o m e t h i n g on the o r d e r of planted during Saturday urban volunteer work,

the regulations for disposin

to

...

here

emissions come from trucks/most of the polluting is done by trucks from other

context:

Be very careful with

in

familiar to the English-speaking listener. A descriptive t r a n s l a t i o n is n e e d e d ,

of/scrapping/recycling old cars.

t a k e n u p t h i s issue.

U n t i l n o w n o t a single federal m i n i s t r y h a s

S u d d e n l y i n 2003 t h e M i n i s t r y o f N a t u r a l R e s o u r c e s

s o u n d e d t h e a l a r m w h a t ' s h a p p e n i n g t o t h e M o s c o w river? N o t h i n g was

167

done in 1992 or in 2 0 0 2 , and t h e n suddenly now the Ministry woke up and

decided to c o n d u c t a test check. They got some kind of large stick, tied some
sort of a cup to it, and started drawing water. A n d they were absolutely
appalled by the state of the M o s c o w river. U n d e r the Water C o d e of the
Russian F e d e r a t i o n the M o s c o w river is exclusively federal property, and t h e
Ministry of N a t u r a l R e s o u r c e s m a n a g e s and is responsible for that property.
W h a t did the Ministry of N a t u r a l R e s o u r c e s do to remove even a milligram
of heavy metals or t r a c e s of oil? Z e r o . The distinguished inspectors from t h e
Ministry, w h o are drawing water from t h e river with that cup of t h e i r s , should
at least study their subject. They d o n ' t k n o w that water samples vary
d e p e n d i n g on the t i m e of day they are t a k e n , on the mass of the water, the
c u r r e n t , and a d o z e n m o r e i n d i c a t o r s . You'd like to ask t h e m : Listen, guys,
were you found t h r o u g h an ad in the n e w s p a p e r or w h a t ' s going on h e r e ?
You could at least study the thing for w h i c h y o u ' r e responsible!
How
sign

do you

water

assess

basin

the prospects for regions

neighboring on

agreement and demand compensation from

Moscow

the

to

municipal

authorities for pollution of the lower stream of the Moscow river!

Well, good luck to those w h o w a n t to sue M o s c o w they m i g h t well
go b a n k r u p t . B e c a u s e , a c c o r d i n g to the latest and m o s t reliable a s s e s s m e n t s , i
w e ' r e getting a "gift" from the Tver', M o s c o w and o t h e r oblasts on w h o s e
territory the M o s c o w river flows a gift of p o l l u t a n t s t h a t are way over
permissible n o r m s . M o s c o w also is no p i c n i c , but our p o l l u t a n t s a c c o u n t for

bad, but trees in M o s c o w live only for 40 to 50 years. Trees are cut d o w n for
several reasons. T h e residents d o n ' t always u n d e r s t a n d t h a t t h e trees are
actually getting in their way. S o m e are i n d i g n a n t that t h e trees they p l a n t e d
in a burst of e n t h u s i a s m during S a t u r d a y u r b a n v o l u n t e e r work are being
c h o p p e d d o w n , while their n e i g h b o r s on the o t h e r h a n d are delighted,
b e c a u s e the old tree b r a n c h e s were b l o c k i n g t h e light. S o m e t i m e s trees are
located in the so-called five-meter sanitary z o n e next to h o u s e s , and so they
have to be g o t t e n rid of u n d e r both city and federal laws.
Will there soon be changes in the regulations for scrapping old cars!
I h o p e so. A l t h o u g h the rules for scrapping and recycling cars fall
u n d e r federal legislation and federal failure to act. All civilized c o u n t r i e s
have a d o p t e d n a t i o n a l legislation stipulating t h a t t h e firms w h i c h sell cars
pay t h e tax on t h e future scrapping of t h o s e cars. T h o s e funds are kept in
special a c c o u n t s called " F u n d s for r e c y c l i n g . " H e r e t h a t is t h e subject of
heated d e b a t e . T h e M i n i s t r y of F i n a n c e simply c a n ' t agree to having s o m e
e x t r a b u d g e t a r y funds w h i c h would keep those r e s o u r c e s . H o w could all that
be extrabudgetary, not subject to their c o n t r o l or m o n i t o r i n g ? But if a
n a t i o n a l law is a d o p t e d on a u t o m o b i l e recycling, t h a n a n y o n e in Russia will
find it very difficult to deal w i t h t h e e n t i r e s y s t e m of c o l l e c t i o n ,
t r a n s p o r t a t i o n and disposal of j u n k e d cars. T h r o u g h our a d m i n i s t r a t i v e t e c h n i c a l i n s p e c t i o n system w e ' r e hauling away a t h o u s a n d a b a n d o n e d cars
a m o n t h , and w e ' r e recycling t h e m . But t h a t c a n ' t go on indefinitely.

about 2 0 - 3 0 % o f the total.

So right where it first flows into the city the river's already dirty!
Go try it. I w o u l d n ' t clink glasses with you with t h a t water.
But it's in the upper stream of the Moscow river that all the city beach
are located Strogino,

Serebrianyi Bor.

Is it all right to swim there!

Yes, it's all right to swim e v e r y w h e r e , b e c a u s e a l t h o u g h t h e water '

the M o s c o w river is b e l o w a c c e p t a b l e s t a n d a r d s for fish cultivation, it
certainly up to the s a n i t a r y - h e a l t h s t a n d a r d s .
A

question from

the Southern

the planting of courtyards are

lawns.

district.

chopping down

Your subordinates

who

deal wi

old trees and replacing them

Why is this happening and who is to blame the local administra

or the firms

doing the greening!

All of t h e m . P e r m i s s i o n to cut d o w n any kind of p l a n t i n g

c o u r t y a r d s is given only w h e n a c o m m i s s i o n confirms t h a t a tree has d
u p , and in e x c h a n g e for cutting it d o w n n e w p l a n t i n g must be d o n e . It's

Have
the persons
been found who're responsible for having chopped
down the trees under the windows of Moscow's department of natural resources
last month! And if so, how were they punished!
T h e guilty parties were found. They got a o n e - y e a r s u s p e n d e d
s e n t e n c e . A n d they had to pay c o m p e n s a t i o n for the full cost of t h e d a m a g e .
Voluntarily. S o m e guy t h e r e was building a G e o r g i a n r e s t a u r a n t . Of c o u r s e ,
he d i d n ' t w a n t to be t h e culprit, so he sent one of his hired workers to court.
Well, that's how it goes.
The entire beautiful and environmentally sound
region of Strogino each year after holidays and weekends turns into a filthy
cesspool. What can be done to stop that!
T h a t ' s very simple. T h e r e ' s an o n - d u t y unit of the e n v i r o n m e n t a l
police force, and it's up to t h e m to keep up with all those " k i d s " w h o go out
to the river b a n k and perk up by d o w n i n g alcohol n o n - s t o p . The police
inspectors have w e a p o n s , cars and t h e m e a n s to k n o c k some sense into
those w h o leave b e h i n d t h a t kind of pigsty.

168
169

What is

small

the

state

of the

Moscow

reservoirs

in particular ponds

and

rivers?

We have 360 reservoirs in t h e city.

20

S o m e of t h e m are n a t u r a l , some

artificial. As we see it, t h e i r state is r a t h e r w o r r i s o m e . T h a t ' s the fault of t h e

p e o p l e w h o live a r o u n d t h e r e a n d t h r o w a n y t h i n g a n d everything i n t o the
ponds.

Sometimes there's blatant hackwork on the part of the builders, who

24

2004)

d o n ' t b o t h e r to c u t d o w n t h e trees w h e n t h e y lay t h e f o u n d a t i o n s for a new

pond.

Through

the

reservoir

a b o u t 8 0 m i l l i o n rubles.

restoration

program

we've

already

gotten

E a c h prefecture has cleaned up the p o n d s and

lakes. F o r the M o s c o w city holiday we did o u r " B o y S c o u t " work c l e a n e d

500 -

u p a n d r e s t o r e d t h e M o n a s t e r y p o n d s i n Sviblovo a n d released i n t o t h e m

u n i q u e k i n d s of d u c k s , geese a n d swans. B u t I ' m already starting to worry

- .

p e o p l e h e r e are p r e t t y aggressive, a n d t h e r e ' s n o t m u c h h o p e for r o u n d - t h e clock guards... We'll now be t h i n k i n g a b o u t w h a t m e a s u r e s should be t a k e n

to k e e p t h e birds safe from v a n d a l i s m .
That's very
other

world

interesting.

How ecologically safe

is Moscow

as compared to

15

18-

,
,

-!

capitals?

t h a t in t e r m s of greenery we're n u m b e r o n e for t h e e n t i r e world, a t h i r d of

M o s c o w is seeded a n d p l a n t e d territory.

Moscow annually emits about a

m i l l i o n t o n s of p o l l u t a n t s i n t o t h e a t m o s p h e r e , a n d 8 3 % of t h a t is from cars.
All M o s c o w cars m e e t e n v i r o n m e n t a l s t a n d a r d s ;

it's mostly o u t o f t o w n

trucks t h a t are e m i t t i n g t h e fumes, a n d cars m a d e in Russia. We have an

i n f o r m a l club of four m a y o r s

t h e m a y o r s of Berlin,

London,

Paris an

M o s c o w . F r o m t i m e t o t i m e w e get t o g e t h e r t o share o u r e x p e r i e n c e s . T h r e
capitals have already s u c c e e d e d in i m p o s i n g artificial r e s t r i c t i o n s on a c c e "
city c e n t e r .

15.

T h e s e p r o b l e m s are i d e n t i c a l for cities worldwide. I t ' s t r u e , t h o u g h ,

to t h e

Moreover,

i m p o s i t i o n of a five-pound fee

the

m a y o r of L o n d o n

for access to t h e

said t h a t after th

city c e n t e r he

wouldn

stand a c h a n c e of being r e e l e c t e d by t h e city voters. A n d yet, a c c o r d i n g t

public o p i n i o n polls, 90%

of L o n d o n e r s approve of t h a t m e a s u r e .

, , .

, ,

, ,
. , , S a n t a P o n s a
. , , .
,
,

25 . 12 ,
-

. 500 ,
300 . , ,
, .
, 500 .

- .
- .

170

171

 - , .

, , ,

18 -.
,
20 .

107

-, .

, 2003

British O p e n

. :

20-50

30 , 18, ,

, .

, .
, ,
- . ,
.

, ,
, ,
,
.

. ,
. , *
.

Masters

"

,
.

. , ~
.
172

- ,

,

90

- .
.
,
.
-

2007

. ,

. .

500 . - . , 200

Golf Time^

, ,

. ,

2002 50 , 2003

,
.

, .

, , .
,

, 2003
, , , .
.

Santa

Ponsa.

,
173

 , ,
.
.

As is often t h e c a s e , s u c h a R u s s i a n negative c o n s t r u c t i o n
sounds b e t t e r in English w h e n t r a n s l a t e d as a positive c o n s t r u c t i o n : Thafs
pretty I rather I quite good. It c a n also be r e n d e r e d as Thafs not bad at all/
Thafs certainly not bad.
-

Golf Times,

"Time."

in

the forefront

and

economics/get sports

you

and economics

want to

merge/wed/sports

together.

The point isn't/Ifs not a matter of/Tm not talking about...

We

understand perfectly

well/we're

well/quite

aware...

six months

{of the year)

at most/no

more

You can only play golf for

than six months/You

can t play golf

for more than six months a year/There are only six months each year when you
can play golf.

winning

that

scratch/square

move

one.

"tens" or "dozens of

of golf tourism.

We'll

longer be

that/"black

map.

In

Spain golf is considered to

proposition/'(coll.)
,

way

sure

be

virtually

thing.

...

"bureaucrats"
all this.

a modern recreation

center/

long

time

ago /have

long

Economically
understood/have

known for a long time/got the point a long time ago.

-
T h e r e is no n e e d to t r a n s l a t e . T h e
i d e a is c l e a r w i t h o u t "availability" or a n o t h e r n o u n s u c h as existence o%
presence: {The availability/existence/presence of) Golf courses are on the list

of relieving/reducing

stress/releasing

t e e a ball

indicators.

that will/be/mean progress/a

map

t e e off

economic

starting from

, -

global

space"/gap/missing from

p u t t i n g g r e e n

understood

somewhere,

missing from/is off/is not on/the

a modern center with recreationalfacilities/a center for leisure time. Do n o t try

174

excellent

countries

going

- Russia is
simply

, p u t t

the

The

speaker

is

in the i n t e r p r e t a t i o n .

to t r a n s l a t e as "rest."

in

countries

r e n d e r e d as billions and billions. T h e verb d o e s n o t n e e d to be t r a n s l a t e d .

a s t r o k e

developed

those

h e s i t a t i n g a b i t h e r e a n d his c a d e n c e s are slightly jerky. Try n o t to reflect t h i s

a h o l e on a golf c o u r s e

Ireland/in

billions" d o n o t s o u n d s i d i o m a t i c i n E n g l i s h . F o r e m p h a s i s , t h i s c a n b e

a golf c l u b

and

E x p r e s s i o n s s u c h as

-lose/a

In golf:

we're

Scotland

of golf Scotland and Ireland.

forward/that

sophisticated/advanced golf "powers"

react/the

of those

laurels/'We'll/keep
,

responses

great/superb/an

Everything depends on/how the

in

charge/attitude

We

going/go/much farther/make
odd/{co\\.)

won't stop
more

honest/unbelievable/incredible/rather

tension/letting go/relaxing.
of those

running

there/rest on

It/That sounds, frankly/to

weird.

our

progress.
"Fantastic"

is

be
not

t h e b e s t c h o i c e h e r e b e c a u s e o f t h e w o r d ' s m u l t i p l e m e a n i n g s : fantastic
"wonderful"

and

fantastic

"a

product

offantasy."

/
deliberately/really
flag

don't want to

any promising/up

demonstrated

and

name

any

names

of/single

out/point

to/out/

coming/talented/gifted players.

...

without havingfulfilled/shown/

their potential/promise...
175

Interview

- The

with

the

ability to I hit the ball with one single precisely focused swing/land one perfect
stroke/whack the ball with

one precise swing.

"Hand" a n d

"arm" do n o t work

well in this s e n t e n c e . A possible ( t h o u g h lengthy!) r e n d e r i n g is a player who

held his arm

steady as he swung at the

foresee/predict/know/tell
comes

into

his

in

advance

own/suddenly

ball and produced a perfect stroke.

when

blossoms/turns

a player
into

bursts
star

It's

onto

scene/

mean/There

are

other

ways

of

relaxing/There's

isn't limited to/a

more

restaurant or a

to

leisure/free

bath

house.

time

than

T h e s p e a k e r is n o t
very clear h e r e , speaking in a slightly rambling m o n o t o n e . T h e key words/
c o n c e p t s are
the

"foreign"

sentence

(economic)

"publication"

around

that:

and

"scores"
A

Try to build

"managers."

(major/important/well-known)

publication/journal/magazine/published

of/many/numerous

top/leading/outstanding

Konstantin
and

the

scores

of

economics

of golf only
this

performer.

Free time doesn't necessarily

going to/Recreation

of the

Gennadievich,
and

you

that you

Golf Association

of Russia,

Kozhevnikov
said recently

intend

that you

to propose

want to

plan for

merge

building

sports

500 golf

courses in the next 15 years. For Russia, where in 15 years of the development

hard to

the

President
Konstantin

idea

one full-fledged

sounds

18-hole

golf course

downright revolutionary.

Why

has

do

been

we

built

need so

in

Nakhabino,

many golf courses?

T h e p o i n t i s n ' t t h e golf c o u r s e s t h e m s e l v e s we're r e a d y to h e l p

build t h e m b u t t h e facilities s u r r o u n d i n g t h e m . A golf c o u r s e is t h e c e n t e r
o f i n t e r e s t a r o u n d w h i c h h o t e l s , private h o u s e s ,

stores a n d o t h e r t h i n g s

d e v e l o p . We u n d e r s t a n d perfectly well t h a t in Russia given t h e c o n d i t i o n s

h e r e you c a n o n l y play golf for six m o n t h s of t h e year at m o s t . B u t all t h e
rest of t h e t i m e we c a n have skiing, sledding a n d skating. F o r e x a m p l e , we
can create a comfortable, m o d e r n r e c r e a t i o n c e n t e r attractive to tourists

foreign

a n d t o R u s s i a n s . I m a g i n e , for e x a m p l e , w h a t would h a p p e n i f t h e r e were n o

hundreds

golf c o u r s e s i n S a n t a P o n s a . T h a t would i m m e d i a t e l y m a r k t h e e n d o f t h e

managers.

stores,

the

restaurants

and

the

real

estate.

E c o n o m i c a l l y developed

to keep up with the speaker, who is going quite

c o u n t r i e s have long u n d e r s t o o d t h a t it's profitable to invest in golf,

fast,

"Rostropovich,

t h a t ' s why b a n k s are e n t h u s i a s t i c a l l y investing in b u i l d i n g golf clubs. S t u d i e s

, In trying to

golf c o u r s e s are on t h e list of global e c o n o m i c i n d i c a t o r s . If a c o u n t r y h a s

the

interpreter

Vishnevskaya
achieve

and

it/In

so

can

drop

the

first

names

or

say

o f t h e oldest R o y a l G o l f C l u b i n S a i n t A n d r e w s , i n t h e U K , have s h o w n t h a t

others."

doing,

we

want to

raise/qualitatively

improve

the

level ofgolf

in golffor a

long time now/for quite some

The princess has been involved/

time.

Golf means not only/isn't just about/a

matter of/is more

o n e golf c o u r s e for every twenty-five t h o u s a n d p e o p l e in t h e p o p u l a t i o n

t h a t ' s p r e t t y g o o d . O n e c o u r s e for 12,000 p e o p l e a s i n t h e s o p h i s t i c a t e d

here in Russia.
active

and

than

mere

economics...

These two words should n o t be translated literally.

"golf p o w e r s " S c o t l a n d a n d I r e l a n d t h a t ' s a g o o d level. If we have 500

golf c o u r s e s in Russia t h a t will m e a n o n e c o u r s e for every 300,000 p e o p l e .
T h e n , a c c o r d i n g t o p r e l i m i n a r y c a l c u l a t i o n s , half a m i l l i o n p e o p l e will start
playing

golf,

and

t h a t will

m e a n progress

since

we're

starting

from

s c r a t c h . I n c i d e n t a l l y , i n S w e d e n , w h e r e t h e c l i m a t e i s similar t o o u r s , t h e r e
are

500 golf c o u r s e s .

covers a wide range of m e a n i n g s , a n d therefore t e n d s to be

used far m o r e frequently in Russian t h a n in English. This phrase could be
rendered

as

meeting

contacts/lively/interesting

(new

and)

interesting people/making

conversations.

interesting

(new)

So

you

think

that golf could

attract foreign

capital

to

Russia?

T h e r e are billions a n d billions of dollars in golf t o u r i s m . A n d Russia

simply i s n ' t on t h e m a p of golf t o u r i s m .

O n c e t h e first two or t h r e e golf

c o u r s e s are b u i l t we'll n o l o n g e r b e t h a t " b l a n k s p a c e " o n t h e m a p . T h o s e

billions are going, for e x a m p l e , to S p a i n , w h e r e on t h e B a l e a r i c I s l a n d s
alone

there

are

18

clubs.

My p r o g r a m

consists

of a p r o j e c t involving

i n f r a s t r u c t u r e w h i c h will a t t r a c t s o m e 20 billion dollars to Russia. T h e first

107 m i l l i o n we a l r e a d y have t h a t ' s t h e v o l u m e of t h e m a r k e t p r o v i d e d by
golf services as based on last y e a r ' s r e s u l t s .

176

177

 Many Spanish golf clubs work this way: a company buys shares for
20,000 to 50,000 euros and then sells the stock shares to their employees. Is
that kind of plan possible in Russia?
In Spain golf is c o n s i d e r e d to be a n o - l o s e p r o p o s i t i o n . T h a t ' s
possible in Russia, t o o , but first t h e legal aspects of land o w n e r s h i p have to
be defined and only t h e n can decisions be m a d e on h o w to attract financing.
W h e t h e r to sell m e m b e r s h i p s , seek i n v e s t m e n t s , take out loans or a d m i t
s h a r e h o l d e r s . T h e s e are e c o n o m i c d e c i s i o n s w h i c h d e p e n d o n t h e
m u n i c i p a l and city a u t h o r i t i e s . C l u b s can be p r i v a t e , mixed w h e r e
outside clients are invited as well as m e m b e r s ; m u n i c i p a l built by t h e city;
there are even military clubs after all, golf is an excellent way of relieving
stress. At the initial stage of a c c u m u l a t i o n of c a p i t a l , private and m i x e d
clubs are the m o s t rational solution. E v e r y t h i n g d e p e n d s on h o w t h e
" b u r e a u c r a t s " are going to react. I t h i n k t h a t five years from n o w we'll be
seeing all kinds of clubs in Russia. But first the p o t e n t i a l gain i n h e r e n t in
k n o w i n g h o w to play golf has to be clearly d e m o n s t r a t e d .
What's

the

budget of the

Golf Association?

In 2002 it was about $ 5 0 , 0 0 0 , and in 2003 already about $ 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 .

T h a t d y n a m i c rise shows s o m e t h i n g ! I t h i n k t h a t in 2004 we'll go m u c h
farther.
In an interview in the magazine Golf Times you said that the winner of
the prestigious Masters championship in Augusta will soon be a Russian.
That
sounds, frankly,
unbelievable.

It's said that golf is already popular among top Russian managers.
A m o n g the players at the R u s s i a n W i n t e r C u p t h e r e were leading
executives of major c o m p a n i e s . T h a t ' s not surprising. The majority of the
t o p m i d d l e - a g e d m a n a g e r s have u n d e r s t o o d t h a t free t i m e d o e s n ' t
necessarily m e a n going to a r e s t a u r a n t or a b a t h h o u s e . As for m a n a g e r s of
major Western firms a b o u t 9 0 % of t h e m spend their free t i m e on a golf
c o u r s e . O n e w e l l - k n o w n Western e c o n o m i c j o u r n a l published the scores
of h u n d r e d s of t o p m a n a g e r s . Just take a look at t h e m you could invite
t h o s e golfers to a R u s s i a n c h a m p i o n s h i p m a t c h and t h e y ' d walk away
with the prizes.
But golf is nevertheless a game for the rich. Can it become popular in a
relatively poor
country?
We need to get over t h a t s t e r e o t y p e , that golf is a sport for lazy rich
people. Our honorary m e m b e r s Mstislav Rostropovich, Galina
Vishnevskaya, S h a m i r T a r p i s h c h e v and Evgeny Kafel'nikov are helping us
do that. In 2007 we'll be able to hold t h e E u r o p e a n w o m e n ' s c h a m p i o n s h i p
in Russia. I h o p e that several clubs will c o m p e t e for t h e rights to host those
g a m e s . G o l f is a s y n o n y m for quality. In R u s s i a we've n o w b e e n t h i n k i n g
about quality and in w o r k i n g to achieve it we want to qualitatively improve
the level of golf h e r e .
One final question: why was the patron of the Russian Winter Cup the
Swedish
Princess Birgitta?

We d o n ' t n o w have a golfer w h o could w i n in a professional

c h a m p i o n s h i p m a t c h , t h e way E v g e n y K a f e l ' n i k o v w o n at t e n n i s . I
deliberately d o n ' t w a n t to n a m e any n a m e s of p r o m i s i n g players. We started
h a n d i n g out p r e m i u m s t o o early on and ruined m a n y of the first t o p g r o u p
of t a l e n t e d R u s s i a n golfers. T h o s e w h o showed their skill at the g a m e w e n t
off to b e c o m e c o a c h e s w i t h o u t h a v i n g fulfilled t h e i r p o t e n t i a l in
t o u r n a m e n t s . The M a l l o r c a c h a m p i o n s h i p g a m e s with the S p a n i s h players
showed w h o ' s w h o in golf. The big thing in golf is often t h e ability to hit the
ball w i t h one single precisely focused stroke. T h e r e are good g r o u n d s for
saying t h a t it's a g a m e of t h e m i n d .

P r i n c e s s Birgitta was one of the first to b e c o m e an h o n o r a r y m e m b e r

o f our A s s o c i a t i o n , w h e n she c a m e t o the R u s s i a n c h a m p i o n s h i p i n 2 0 0 3
and t h a t , of c o u r s e , gave us m o r a l support. T h e P r i n c e s s has b e e n involved
with golf for a long t i m e . S o m e forty years ago she even t r a d e d in her royal
p a l a c e for a villa on M a l l o r c a and b e g a n playing regularly at Santa P o n s a .
G o l f is not j u s t e c o n o m i c s , business and charitable e v e n t s ; it also i n c l u d e s
the active i n v o l v e m e n t of well k n o w n individuals and m e e t i n g interesting
p e o p l e . All of this is s o m e t i m e s even m o r e i m p o r t a n t t h a n the results of the
actual g a m e s .

At what age should a young golfer be showing good results if he's going

While Americans tend to say "Two thousand three," B r i t i s h native speftktri

sometimes insert "and" in such dates: "Two thousand and three."

to

attract sponsors?

You may r e m e m b e r t h a t in 2003 the British O p e n was w o n by a

virtually u n k n o w n golfer. In this sport everything is highly i n d i v i d u a l : you
can win y o u r first t o u r n a m e n t at 30, or at 18, so w h e n a player will "burst
o n t o the s c e n e " is hard to predict.
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