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Benjamin Nathans' 'To the Success of Our Hopeless Cause' Shortlisted for Pushkin House Book Prize 2025

A fascinating, sensitive and ultimately instructive history of the individuals that made up the "dissident movement" in the Soviet Union.

Pushkin House Announces Short List for 2025 Book Prize

The short list for the annual award has become the collection of the season's must-read books.

Vera Krichevskaya's 'Connected' Premieres at Artdocfest in Riga

The story of a connection between two men, young and old, American and Russian, and the fate of doing business in post-Soviet Russia.

Word of the Year 2024

How could we miss the Russian Word of the Year?!

19 Years in Prison Did Not Break Uzbek Journalist Yusuf Ruzimurodov

Ruzimurodov's sentence for his criticism of the authorities was the longest prison term for a journalist in the CIS and one of the longest in the world...

Dmitry Krymov's Mad, Mad World

Maxim Sukhanov and Chulpan Khamatova star in the premiere of Krymov's new play, "Notes of the Mad."

Author Elena Kostyuchenko Speaks About the Pushkin House Book Prize

MT spoke with Elena Kostyuchenko about awards, book titles, translators and the future.

2024 Pushkin House Book Prize Awarded to Elena Kostyuchenko for 'I Love Russia: Reporting From a Lost Country'

This is the 11th prize awarded to the year's best non-fiction book about or from Russia in English.

Julie A. Cassiday's 'Russian Style: Performing Gender, Power and Putinism' Shortlisted for Pushkin House Book Prize

A ground-breaking exploration of the rule of Vladimir Putin and the nature of Putinism.

Always Say До Свидания, Never Прощайте

Twenty-two years is a long time to write a column

Riga's Zuzeum Art Centre Celebrates Non-Conformist Art the Latvian Way

Most studies of the non-conformist art movements of the Soviet era have focused on Moscow artists.

Fake News and Other Fallacies

There are so many words for fakes in Russian, you'd think it was a national past time.

Artdocfest and the Power of Documentary Film

The 2024 Artdocfest in Riga is an annual festival of the very best documentaries from the CIS, East and Central Europe.

When It's Time to Call the Junk Man

Russian has a very rich vocabulary for old stuff and people they wish weren't around anymore.

Hello, Goodbye and Other Expressions De Jour

Language has changed so quickly that old stand-by phrases of greeting and parting are out of date.

'Judge Righteously; Show Mercy to One Another'

The language of funerals in Russia.

Thank the Persians for the Bazaar

Some words borrowed by Russian from Persian might surprise you.

The Kopek, the Poker and the Candle

To express yourself fully in Russian, you need some candles.

Burst a Pipe and Bust a Gut

Pipes burst, as do dreams, schemes and balloons.

How Can You Tell if a Russian Judge is a Man?

You have to check the verb endings, because the job title is feminine.

What's On in London: Ukrainian and Russian Arts and Culture

This weekend in London there is plenty to see for anyone interested in Russian and Ukrainian arts.

'Twas the Night Before Christmas 2023

With apologies to the real author, once again I come up with my own version of a Christmas dream.

Vladimir Putin's Rhetorical Tricks

Vladimir Putin's "Conversation" was a good example of the art of persuasion - but we don't know if it works.

Words of the Year 2023

In 2023 the words of the year are mostly grim, but there are a few surprises.

The Myth of the Untranslatable

Nothing makes me crankier than those lists of so-called "untranslatable" words.

How to Be Obnoxious in One Easy Word

Лезть should be taught in Russian 101. It's essential for suriving in the world.

Are You Liberated or Independent?

Ever wonder about the difference between освобождение and независимость? I did.

A Short Guide to Russian Spokesperson-Speak

They announce, promise, react and refute. But what do they really mean?

Secretly, Silently and Sneakily Yours

What's the difference between silently and secretly in Russian? In a lot of cases - not much.

A Curly Healthy Biting Hello

Slang for "that's great" in Russian is not so great to understand right away.

Hate Speech Part Two: Russian Leaders Speak

What ever happened to decent public discourse?

Let Me Introduce You to New Creatures in the World

It's interesting that almost all the Russian words for "people who leave the country" are politically loaded.

Hate Speech, Part One

Here is part of a grim and offensive collection of Russian hate speech.

The Unsinkable, Unbending, Long-Lasting Rules of Translation

How to make people burst out laughing without even trying.

Let It Be and Let It Go

Keep пусть in your pocket. It will come in handy.

In 'Memory Makers' Author Jade McGlynn Investigates the Politics of the Russian Past

A new book examines how the past is used, misused and recreated in Russia to forge a new future.

Artists Komar and Melamid Give Lessons in History

Vitaly Komar and Alexander Melamid talk about history, war, art and shoes that are not Russian.

Tricia Starks Takes On 'Cigarettes and Soviets: Smoking in the U.S.S.R.'

"Cigarettes and Soviets: Smoking in the U.S.S.R." has been shortlisted for the 2023 Pushkin House Book Prize.

opinion Michele A. Berdy

A Family History of Not Looking Back

Reflecting on the year since I left Russia — and a century since my grandparents emigrated from the Russian Empire.

In Latvia, Putin’s War on Russian Media Plays Out on the Big Screen

Viewers in Latvia’s capital of Riga came out last week to see a screening of "F@ck This Job," a documentary about independent Russian broadcaster...

'Not One Inch: America, Russia, and the Making of Post-Cold War Stalemate'

Who is responsible for the present crisis in East-West relations? There is plenty of blame to go around.

Lucy Ward Investigates 'The Empress and the English Doctor'

A fascinating part of the story of how smallpox would eventually be eliminated from earth.

‘The Dots Were All There. We Just Couldn’t Connect Them.’

One of the last American journalists in Moscow recounts how she — and her dog — escaped Russia as Putin’s new iron curtain fell.

Sochi Winter Arts Festival Kicks Off with Mozart, Shō and a Nyckelharpa

The gala concert that opened the international festival was a mix of traditional and untraditional.

'Don't Leave Your Planet' Launches Sochi Winter Arts Festival

The fantasy based on "The Little Prince" was performed by one man in 25 roles - some at the same time.

In Moscow Xenia Hausner Tells 'True Lies'

Visitors to the show found something familiar in the story-telling, but not the stories told.

Nadia Ragozhina Brings Together Her Family in 'Worlds Apart'

The captivating story of a Jewish family divided and then united by the events of 20th century Europe.

The First Anatoly Zverev Art Prizes Awarded in Moscow

Moscow's AZ Museum honored artist Anatoly Zverev with shows, prizes, and celebrations.

Moscow's GES-2 House of Culture Opens a New Era in Art

The mission of the new House of Culture is to liquidate today's "cultural illiteracy."

opinion Michele A. Berdy

The Short History of a Nasty Word

Everyone hates a жлоб. But what is he? And where did he come from?

opinion Michele A. Berdy

When a Russian Stretch is Not an English Stretch

Oh, the pitfalls of borrowed words! Just because they sound alike doesn't mean that they are alike.

Victoria Lomasko is 'The Last Soviet Artist'

A short film about change, society, families, violence, love and the work of artist Victoria Lomasko.

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Three Holidays and a Fall Primer

A walk down memory lane on this holiday Friday.

Archie Brown Is Awarded the Pushkin House Book Prize

"The Human Factor: Gorbachev, Reagan and Thatcher and the End of the Cold War" receives the prestigious prize.

Andrei Zorin's Biography 'Leo Tolstoy' is Essential Reading

"Leo Tolstoy" is one of six books nominated for the Pushkin House Book Prize.

What Happened on Dyatlov Pass? 'Dead Mountain' Reveals All

This award-winning feature series is being released with English subtitles this week.

Muscovites Square Off Over City's New Shapeless Statue

Urs Fischer's massive sculpture will welcome a center of contemporary art in an old power plant.

Discover the Art of Portraiture at Moscow's AZ Museum

Masks, icons, faces, mugs - all ways that artists have portrayed their fellow humans.

Photographer Victoria Ivleva Exhibits Her African Diaries

From the inside of a Chernobyl reactor to wars in Africa, Ivleva is there with her camera and a hand.

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Russian Bravery and Bravado

What's the difference between true courage and reckless swagger? Lots! Read on.

'Memories of Moscow' Brings the Late Soviet Era to Life

Lipman's memoir of the Soviet Union in the 1980s is an invaluable and fascinating resource.

Mandelshtam Street Opens at the Moscow Literature Museum

The speakers joked, darkly, that this was the best apartment the Mandelshtams had ever had.

Olga Grushin's 'The Charmed Wife' Breaks Literary Conventions

Do you wish you had a fairy godmother to wave a magic wand? Think again.

Sergei Lebedev Spins a Dark Thriller in 'Untraceable'

Lebedev's novel is both a gripping thriller and an unflinching examination of Russia's past.

Moscow Arts Scene in 2021: A Spectacular Year Ahead

Cultural life came to a standstill last year, but this year arts lovers may get a double dose of culture.

'Of Politics and Pandemics: Songs of a Russian Immigrant'

A poetic reflection that is comical, lyrical, satirical and heart-breaking.

opinion Michele A. Berdy

What the Pundits Say: Following the U.S. Elections in Russian Media

Coverage is a strange mix of hard facts, informed commentary and biased reporting.

Sergei Medvedev's "The Return of the Russian Leviathan" Wins 2020 Pushkin House Book Prize

Sergei Medvedev is the first author based in Russia to win the prestigious award.

Viсtoria Lomasko Reports on Belarus and Russian Vote

Victoria Lomasko shares her art and her response to events in Russia and Belarus.

'Costakis' Choice' at Moscow's AZ Museum

The AZ Museum is celebrating the life and work of the man who saved Russian 20th century art.

Russia Takes on ALS With a Marathon

Russia's only group to help patients with ALS is getting a jump on the ice bucket challenge.

Night in the (Online) Museum and (Online) Movie Night

Celebrate night in the museum 2020 at home, and be sure to watch a remarkable film free online.

Pushkin House Announces 2020 Book Prize Short List

The Pushkin House short list is made of some of the very best books about Russia published in English.

Watch a Prophetic Film

A disease from China ravages a country headed by a nationalist, militaristic leader...

Remembering Writer Eduard Limonov

Russians argue about the man, the writer, and the political activist Eduard Limonov.

'Sekretiki' at the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art

A show of underground art secrets and a talk with the senior curator on what unites four exhibitions.

Monika Sosnowska Shares 'Exercises in Construction, Bending'

This week we highlight four extraordinary new exhibitions at the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art.

opinion Michele A. Berdy

I'm All For It!

What do you say to a bit of grammar? A preposition, say? Вы - за?

From Wales to Dzerzhinsk 'In the Footsteps of Ghosts'

A hauntingly beautiful short film about the past of a country, an industry, a family and the scars left behind.

'The Experiment: Georgia's Forgotten Revolution 1918-1921'

Eric Lee's fascinating book in English about Georgian history is avidly read in Tbilisi and Moscow.

Miniature Miracles: Russian Painted Lacquer Boxes

Everything you need to know about those iconic — literally! — lacquer boxes.

Notable Deaths in Russia in 2019

We mark the passing of many beloved public figures.

Austrian Embassy Unveils Vadim Kosmatschof Sculpture

This renowned Russian-Austrian artist sees his first outdoor work unveiled in Moscow.

'The Compatriots' by Andrei Soldatov and Irina Borogan

This highly compelling and deeply disturbing book is a must-read.

'The Frenchman' Premieres in Moscow

Brilliant acting, pitch-perfect casting, and visual authenticity make "The Frenchman" a must-see film.

'The Worker and Kolkhoz Woman' Dance Off Their Pedestal

Pavel Kaplevich's funny, nutty, snarky opera buffa played the Zaryadye Concert hall Saturday night.

Moscow On Stage in October and November

We've already got our tickets.

When the 'Forest' Came to the Fringe

Can Russian physical theater based on Aristotle and Bibikhin be appreciated by Western audiences?

Dziga Vertov’s ‘Anniversary of a Revolution’ Has its Second Moscow Premiere

100 years after it was made and lost, a restored version of the documentary was shown at the Oktyabr Theater.

Dmitri Shostakovich, Football Fanatic

Inside this composer with an orderly mind beat the heart of a football fanatic.

Markus Martinovich and the Art of Play

A solo exhibition of works by an award-winning artist who is still in grade school.

That Russian Bad Guy? He's English

He is the quintessential Russian hit-man. Except that he's really a middle-class English dad.

'Dead Souls': Gogol, Chagall, Zverev and Kosmatschof

If you love Russian literature, run, don't walk, to see interpretations of "Dead Souls" by three brilliant artists.

The City That Doesn't Slow Down for Summer

Ballet premieres and art openings - what you could have seen over the weekend in Moscow.

'Chernobyl: History of a Tragedy' Wins Pushkin House Prize

Serghi Plokhy was awarded the Pushkin House Book Prize this week, the only author to be honored twice.

The Tale of 'The Spy and the Traitor'

This in-depth Cold War history that reads like a thriller is nominated for the Pushkin House Book Prize.

'To See Paris and Die: The Soviet Lives of Western Culture'

This Pushkin House Book Prize nomination is a radically different view of the Thaw period.

Discover Nikolai Meshcherin

What you could you see if you were in Moscow this weekend.

Sergei Dorenko Dead at 59

Victory Day in Moscow ended with news of a prominent Russian journalist's death.

Moscow's Russian Romani Theater

If you want to see something you'll never see anywhere else, head "out of town" to see "Grushenka" at the Romen Theater.

Pushkin House Book Prize Short List

Pushkin House has announced their short list of the best non-fiction about Russia published last year.

Rock Opera to the Rescue

When Moscow's historic Anglican church is at risk, Russian rock musicians come to help save it.

Director Marlen Khutsiev Has Died

One of the country's most beloved film directors passed away in Moscow.

'DAU': A Preview

Russia's most genre-breaking, revolutionary film project may never be shown in Russia.

A Daring Theft in a Moscow Museum

A man walked into the Tretyakov Gallery and walked out with a million-dollar painting.

David Burliuk Comes Back to Moscow

If you haven't seen this amazing show of avant-garde Russian art, poetry and culture, run and see it before it closes on Sunday.

Pushkin House Book Prize: Let the Reading Begin

If you want to read the very best new books about Russia, keep your eye on this space.

Hopes and Fears in the Arts

Before last year ended, we asked a variety of people in Russian culture and the arts about the year ahead. Are they nervous or excited? Or both?

The Women's Century: Five Russian Writers to Watch

Today, Russia has no dearth of successful, celebrated women writers.

The Russia Buzz

Is it a movie, a critique of Russia, or a code for living?

The Russian Path: Through Impressionism to the Avant-Garde

See this fascinating show at the Museum of Russian Impressionism to prepare for their upcoming David Burliuk exhibition, or just because it's gorgeous...

Come See the Biggest Battle of 1812

This weekend get out of town - in fact, get out of this century - to see the biggest battle reenactment in Europe.

Celebrate Life and Art with Anatoly Zverev

The AZ (Anatoly Zverev) Museum is celebrating its third anniversary with a gift for us: three floors of Zverev's joyful, playful, masterful works. Don't...

Vadim Kosmatschof’s Revolution in Art

The solo exhibition of works by Vadim Kosmatschof at the New Tretyakov Gallery will change your understanding of sculpture if you let it.

Pushkin House Celebrates Russia on the Page

This year the Pushkin House Prize was awarded to books that are witnesses to Russian history, past and present.

Get Some Moscow Flower Power

The best way to get into a spring mood is to visit a blooming garden! Here are our top five faves.

What's On in Moscow May 9

Get ready for Russia's non-stop celebration of Victory in 1945.

On Your Marks, Get Set, Go!

The sun is shining, the leaves are green, the streets are clean... perfect weather for a run.

Get a Jump on Summer: How to Rent a Dacha

Do you experience dacha-envy? Are your dacha-owning friends sick of you sleeping on their porch couch? Do it right this year!

Pushkin House Announces Book Prize Short List

On Friday executive director Clementine Cecil of the Pushkin House came to Moscow and announced the shortlist for their annual Book Prize.

Bergman in Moscow

One of the special programs of the Moscow International Film Festival is a festival of 21 Ingmar Bergman films.

Ancient Church Reborn in Vladimir

And now for some good news: the most beautiful medieval church in Russia is now even more glorious.

Old New Year's Eve in Moscow

The great thing about the holidays in Russia is that you get to celebrate all of them twice. Up next: Old New Year's.

ArtDocFest Under Fire Over Ukraine Films

In its tenth year, the popular Russian festival of documentary films continues to attract controversy

Moscow Gets a New Museum

The Museum of Moscow opens a new exhibition space named after Moscow's most famous chronicler, Vladimir Gilyarovsky.

Derk Sauer on Journalism, Russia and Being a Black Sheep

The founder of The Moscow Times looks back

opinion Michele A. Berdy

25 Russian Words For 25 Years: Part One

To celebrate The Moscow Times' 25th anniversary, I'm walking down a linguistic memory lane...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

That's a Russian Laugh and a Half

A funny thing happened on the way to work this morning…

opinion Michele A. Berdy

The Sweet Smell of Russian Money

It's not always proper to discuss money in Russia and in Russian, but sometimes you have to. And if you have to, you might as well do it right.

The Russian Shame Game

It's fascinating how many words there are in Russian to describe inappropriate behavior.

Russian Grammar Friday

Okay, since it’s the start of a new school year, this is Grammar Friday. Hey, come on! Where are you guys going?

Russian Artist Pavel Kaplevich's Dialog with a Russian Masterpiece

In the courtyard of the Tretyakov Gallery is a pavilion that shelters a new work of art by Pavel Kaplevich. But before you enter, go into the museum to...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Being Knowledgeable in Russian Is Harder Than You Think

September 1 is a big deal in Russia and the other countries that once made up the Soviet Union.

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Shawurma? Shawerma? What Do You Call the Scent of Russian Summer?

You suddenly have a craving for a gyro. What do you ask for in Russian? (This is a trick question.)

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Russian Fun Fact Friday

I’ve been so caught up in false friends and politics that I’d forgotten some of the finer pleasures of language acquisition: fun facts.

Moscow Traffic Havoc

If you come to Moscow this summer, 15 minutes after you leave the customs area at the airport you will hear talk of моя улица (my street).

opinion Michele A. Berdy

The Secret Life of Russian Words

An English word in Russian is like a long-time expat who, after a few years in Moscow, makes everyone wear slippers in his apartment and doesn’t consider...

Russian Theater Goes Abroad

A decade ago Eddie Aronoff came to Russia to teach English and ended up becoming a film and theater producer.

opinion Michele A. Berdy

How Do You Collude in Russian? You Don’t!

With all this talk in the U.S. about collusion and Russians, I wondered: How do you collude in Russian? You never know when you may want to.

opinion Michele A. Berdy

50 Shades of Russian Flirtation

In a shop I saw a charming guy sweet-talking the saleswoman. He looked pleased with himself, she smiled in spite of herself, and I understood everything...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Lavrov, Donbass and the Duties of Translation

A couple of weeks ago Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made a statement about the war in Donbass. Did he admit Russia's military involvement or not?

Moscow Exhibition Breaks Through Traditions

This multimedia show of works by visual artist Dmitry Plavinsky and filmmaker Andrei Tarkovsky takes you back 50 years to a time when these artists were...

Ilya Glazunov, Controversial Painter Favored by Kremlin, Dies Aged 87

For the ideological crime of depicting Solzhenitsyn, the Central Committee of the Communist Party exiled Glazunov to Siberia to paint portraits of the...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Stormy Weather, Russian Style

While it is true that Eskimos do not have 50 words for snow, in the past month I have learned at least 50 ways of saying “Can you believe this weather...

Zverev's Game: The Art of Breaking Rules

A new exhibition at the Anatoly Zverev Museum pits four artists across time and genres.

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Time To Get Out of Here

The other day I heard the saddest thing: "Осень начинается через три месяца!” (Autumn begins in three months.) Just let...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Happy Russian Anniversary To Me

When you begin to study a foreign language, at first you are struck by all the differences. But then slowly but surely something really strange happens...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Mastering a Polite 'No' in Russian

You know what to call your back-pedaling, postponing, shirking, and reneging. Then we come to the really tricky bit: what do you say? The art of what Russians...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Just Between Us, the Russian Way

In my file drawer of doctoral dissertations I will never write is one entitled: “Choice and Frequency of Parasitical Word Use Among Non-Native Speakers...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Cheat Sheet for Говорить

The other day I tried to trot out an expression using the words говорить (to speak), так (so) and не (not), and got completely balled up....

opinion Michele A. Berdy

How to Talk Like a Russian Diplomat

Not every diplomat can become an overnight “хит интернета” (Internet hit) after just one speech at the United Nations. That honor goes...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

A Russian All-Righty

Лад is a nice little word. No one seems to know its origins, but it contains notions of order, harmony, and accord - all those good emotions and behaviors...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

An Earful of Russian

When I grow up — or retire, whichever comes first — I want to get a Ph.D. in linguistics by writing a dissertation on The Role of Body Parts in Russian...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Trouble Translating Trump

Translating Donald Trump has not been smooth sailing for my Russian colleagues. They are sometimes clearly befuddled by Trumpese and make wild guesses...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Meester Trump Tweets in Russian

For the last couple of months I’ve put myself in translation jail: I’ve been reading Donald Trump’s tweets in the original English and in their Russian...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

You Gotta Russian Problem With Me?

When I worked at a gas station, I liked to listen to the mechanics talk shop about rusted nut that wouldn’t budge. Translators talk shop, too. Only for...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

I Got Plenty of Russian Nothing

What do a mangy sheep, a one-eyed man, and a beetle have in common? No guesses? Well, oddly enough, they all figure in expressions that have to do with...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Beware the Russian Furies of March

You know the compliments for International Women's Day. But what do you call the women in your life who are not kind, pretty, brilliant, warm, and loving...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Taking It Slow, Russian-Style

You’d think I’d be used to Moscow winters by now, but by mid-February I’m like a big balloon with a slow leak, deflating and falling behind in everything...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Take a Load Off, Russian-Style

Отдыхать. Simple word, right? But think for a minute: how many meanings does it have? So far I’ve counted eight. Take a load off — отдыхайте...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Beyond the Russian Pale

When the world was marking the Holocaust Remembrance Day last week, it turned out that a lot of people didn’t know what черта оседлости...

Hans Christian Andersen Comes to Moscow

What do a tall, lanky, quiet and rather ascetic 19th century Danish writer of fairy tales and a short, pudgy, expansive 20th century Russian artist have...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Moderation, Russian-Style

I think it’s fair to say that умеренность doesn’t come easy to Russians, who tend to value big and generous emotions, personalities, appetites...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Kompromat By Any Other Name

Since the whole world is talking about kompromat, we might as well talk about it, too.

opinion Michele A. Berdy

"I'm Shocked, Just Shocked!" in Three Russian Letters

Today we’re going to master how to blurt out surprise in Russian. First up: Опа! — almost always printed with an exclamation mark.

opinion Michele A. Berdy

From Brekzit to Dopingovy Skandal: The Year in Words

Every year folks around the world choose the word of the year — that one word that encapsulates the spirit and meaning of the year gone by.

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Russian Man-Hating Plants and Other Wonderful Creatures

If misogyny is hatred or prejudice against women, what’s hatred or prejudice against men? This word is much less common in English: misandry. And how...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

He Hates Me, He Hates Me Not: Translating Misogyny Into Russian

It’s hard enough to talk about some varieties of discrimination and hate crimes in English without setting off a verbal war, but it becomes particularly...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

What Exactly Do You Mean?

Именно (exactly) is a word I love and hate. I love hearing it and reading it, and I really love to say it. It’s a very satisfying word to spit...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

A Prince By Any Other Name

Foreign readers of Russian literature always have trouble with the names and titles. Russian nobility is slightly confusing, but mostly because it changed...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Frankly, My Dear, I Don't Give a Russian Damn

Russians are pretty good spitters. They aren’t world-class spitters, like in some countries. But you do more spitting, literally and figuratively, in...

In Memoriam: Raymond Stults

Raymond Stults, The Moscow Times’ classical music, dance and opera critic since 1994, has died at the age of 82.

opinion Michele A. Berdy

"Take My President - Please!"

It turns out that this whole election business is kind of tricky. You think that after 240 years you have it down pat, but then one day you wake up and...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

A Russian Holiday By Any Other Name

Almost 100 years ago on October 25 there was a coup d’etat in Russia that went down in history as Великая Октябрьская Революция...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Dreaming of Russian Courtyards

Thank heavens that the Russian language isn’t just made up of words that are impossible to understand and translate like жупелизация (bogeymanization)...

Prominent Russian Artists Start Culture War, Accuse Government of Censorship

On Monday Oct. 24 Konstantin Raikin, director of the Satirikon Theater and one of Russia’s most celebrated actors, gave a short, fiery speech at the...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

What's Big, Bad and Scary in Russian - But Made of Straw?

If десталинизация is deStalinization, ФСБ-изация is FSB-ization, and фейсбукизация is the much lamented Facebookization...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

The Extraordinary Tale of the Ordinary in Russian

The Russian language is full of surprises. The other day I was puzzled by the name of a church: Храм Илии Пророка Обыденного,...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

A Fish Story in Russian That's True

A phrase caught my eye as I was reading the paper the other day and made me wonder how it morphed in meaning from malice to topical?

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Catching Up With Russian Caviar

Do Russians produce and eat lots of caviar? They do. How many words do they have for it? Ешь — не хочу (Loads of them.)

opinion Michele A. Berdy

To Rig or Not to Rig, That Is the Russian Question

It’s probably not a good sign that the sole electoral excitement in Russia’s parliamentary elections was guessing where the next hidden camera evidence...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

'Ew, That’s Disgusting!' and More Untranslatable Russian

I love lists of “untranslatable” words. Just once I’d like to hand in a translation with blank spaces in every paragraph and, when questioned by...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Listen to a Moscow Street Near You

In honor of Moscow’s City Day, here’s a little primer on place names. With just a few rules, you’ll be able to tell what national or professional...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Russian Linguists Get Ready to Play the Blame Game

Every December Russian linguists vote on their favorite word of the year — one that sums up the previous 12 months. This year I’m anticipating a slew...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Getting Wet the Russian Way

This is not one of Moscow’s really wet summers — the ones when your umbrella never really dries out and you live in your wellies — but we’ve had...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Rain, Rain, Go Away, Come Again Another Day

It started out with a couple of drops. На голову капнуло. Это что, дождь что ли собирается? (A few drops fell...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Stocking Up on Character, or a Multi-Purpose Russian Word

In my never-ending search for the most confusing aspects of the Russian language, I’ve stumbled across this: one word that means both a warehouse and...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Human or Humane? More Fun with Russian Paronyms

Judging by the huge batch of reader letters in my inbox, paronyms — words with the same root but different meanings — are one of the toughest parts...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

A Little Bit of Fazil Iskander

How to steal a little something on the side and explain it to clueless and literal-minded Americans, courtesy of the enormously popular Abkhaz writer Fazil...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Close But No Cigar: The Joy of Russian Paronyms

Ну, я бы сказал — не эффективный, а эффектный. (Well, I’d say not so much effective as… effective?) My favorite...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

The Word’s Worth: Fussing With Russian

Щепетильный: meticulous.
There’s nothing like a Russian word to keep you up at night, force you to pull out a 12-pound thesaurus and a pile...

Wrapping It Up: Russian Style

One of the tricky places in Russian is the cognate zone: that place where English and Russian words that sound alike and have the same root hang out and...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

What's a Гаврик? Can I Have One? Russian Slang 101

Time for a pop quiz! What is гаврик? a) a nickname for Gavriil; b) a sleeping mat for dogs, a conflation of гав (bark) and коврик (small...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Slipping the Russian Mind

You're standing in the entryway of your apartment building, glancing at the utility bills you've just taken out of your mailbox. You see your neighbor...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Russians to World: Gimme Some Elbow Room

In the world of linguistics, the notion that perception is shaped by language and language is shaped by environment is not entirely well-regarded...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

One Russian Adjective, Many Crowning Moments

I am going to close my mind to the horrors of the past few days and cast my gaze on the far more benign sphere of Russian adjectives.

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Lies, Damn Lies and Translation: Mucking With Quotes in Russian

Normal people have normal hobbies. They garden. They hike through the woods. They collect stamps. I am not a normal person.

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Hands Off the Merchandise: Don't Be Chummy With Your Russian Honey

While I was walking in the park the other day, I saw a particularly attractive little dog, whose wiggling, tail wagging and walking toward me seemed...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

A Fixer-Upper The Russian Way

Russia and Russians have a reputation for doing things big: big land, big hearts, big feats — the biggest, tallest, largest, longest whatever, from aquariums...

opinion Michele A. Berdy

Soviet-Era 'Parasites' Return to Today's Russian

I like a stroll down memory lane as much as the next guy, but lately a spate of possible "new" laws seems a bit too close to the "old" laws for comfort...