Alan J
On Thu, 14 Nov 2002 18:21:39 +0300 "ChrisD(RJ)" <chrisd at russiajournal.com> wrote:
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----
> I've been studing a little bit on Russian
> socio-cultural traits for a class,
> specifically on language and communication.
> Isn't Putin's comments an
> example
> of (in Russian) "mat" or a kind of general
> colloquialism that is often
> sexual
> in nature?
>
>
> Kind of like if a reporter asked Bush a
> question and Bush replied "go piss
> up
> a rope."
>
>
> I'm not sayin', I'm askin'...
>
>
> Alan Jacobson
>
> ----
> Not "mat." "Mat" is a really vulgar set of
> vocabulary most people will say
> only in whispers, if at all. People don't write
> mat; they will maybe use the
> first letter, followed by dots. When you hear
> it, it turns your ears red.
>
> Russia is a very conservative country. Mayor
> Luzhkov banned the ska band
> Leningrad from playing in Moscow because they
> use mat in their songs.
>
> It's comparable I think to your "piss up a
> rope" example. That's boorish
> language, but not mat. If Putin had used mat,
> boy, that would have been a
> scandal. Blyad! Yob tvoyu mat'!
>