New Ethnographic Dictionary of Terms Russian Soldiers in Ukraine Use Highlights Tension between Their Reality and What Moscow Says, Compilers Say

Paul Goble

            Staunton, June 1 – A Russian anthropologist and a Russian psychologist have analyzed the language Russian soldiers use when they appeal to the Russian human rights ombudsman to call attention to the tension between what soldier actually experience and what they feel they can say to Russian officials.

            The two, Aleksandr Arkhipova, who now works in Paris, and Yury Lapshin, who writes for the SHKRAB telegram channel, examined 9476 soldiers’ letters they gained access to and have now released a dictionary of 77 of the most common and revelatory terms (echofm.online/opinions/chto-takoe-etnograficheskij-slovar-vojny-i-kak-on-ustroen).

            In presenting these terms and their definitions, they stress that they are aware of both the tension between the official version of reality and that of the soldiers’ experiences and the way that the compromises the soldiers make in writing to officials nonetheless provides a window into their world.

            The dictionary which is soon to be published in hard copy is already available online at slovar-svo.online/. Among some of the most intriguing and suggestive terms are the following:

·       The word “enemy” isn’t found and there is almost no mention of Ukrainians.

·       “Contract” refers to “the new social contract: ‘Take money and be ready to die for the motherland.’”

·       “Liquidate” is used in place of “kill” or “destroy.”

·       “Musician” is used for Wagner Group members because of the association of the name of their units with Richard Wagner.

·       “Negative lists” refer to lists of those killed in combat.

·       “Bird” is a drone.

·       “Write-Off” refers to those discharged from the military for health reasons.

·       “Black widow” refers to women who enter into marriages, often fictitious, with war veterans as a way to make money.