Medina called the false argument around the words “Russian” and “Russian” – RBK

Minister of culture Vladimir Medinsky

Photo: Gleb Schelkunov/Kommersant

Vladimir Medinsky called spurious dispute about the use of the words “Russian” and “Russian”. Earlier, the head of the Duma Committee on culture Stanislav Govorukhin called disgusting sounding words “Russian” and “Russian woman.”

Minister of culture Vladimir Medinsky considers that the debate around the use of the words “Russian” and “Russian” is unfounded. This opinion he expressed in the “Right to know” on TVC channel aired on Saturday evening, November 19.

“it seems to Me that the debate around the concepts “Russian” and “Russian” to a considerable degree contrived, it is rather philological in nature”, – said the Minister. The word “Russia” “has arisen not yesterday, not under Boris Yeltsin” and operated them more “in the times of Peter the great, Ivan the terrible,” said Medina.

“the Concept of “Russian” as a consolidating, not only as ethnic but as a consolidating concept that describes the entire population of our country. We’re more “rashns” [russians],” said Medina, noting that the word “Russian” also appeared for a long time.

According to him, it is easier to speak about Russian as a cultural phenomenon. “Because that’s what Russian culture is the space in which formed and developed and unique multinational culture of Russia. It’s a historical fact but on a matter of taste preferences,” said the Minister.

Talk about a dispute around the concepts of “Russian” and “Russian” came after the host asked Medina to comment on statements of the head of the Duma Committee on culture, film Director Stanislav Govorukhin, who called the words “Russian” and “Russian woman” “linguistically disgusting” in the context of ideas about the introduction of the law about the Russian nation. Earlier the President of Russia Vladimir Putin supported this initiative, noting that such a law will create the strategy for development of relations between nationalities in Russia.

“We for many centuries was the Russian people. And now we Russian people after the fact. We were the life of the Russian people,” — said Govorukhin, commenting on the initiative on the introduction of the law on the Russian nation. Govorukhin has noticed that in Soviet times, citizens called themselves the Soviet people, using appropriate adjective. “Now there is no Soviet government. Who are we? I don’t understand,” said the Director.