Steven and X: On Russians, White Russians, etc.
Just happened on this discussion, and since we are talking my bailiwick here, let me presume to set you all straight. :-))
Ethnic Russians (otherwise known as Great Russians) comprised 49% of the total population of the Soviet Union, according to the last census (1989).
White Russians are either: 1) a political category -- i.e., those who fought against the "Reds" in the Russian Civil War; or 2) an ethnic category -- the Belorussians, who speak a language very close to, but not identical to, Russian. ("Bely" means "White".)
In any event, "White Russian" (Belorus) can never be used as a synonym for "Great Russian" (Velikorus). There is also the term "Little Russian" (Malorus), which Russians used to apply to Ukrainians.
In Russian, the word for "Russian" is "russkiy"; the word for a citizen of Russia is "rossiyanin". You can be a "rossiyanin" without being "russkiy" (and vice versa, too, of course). About 12% of the population of the Russian Federation is non-Russian (Tatars, Komi, Chechens, Avars, Balkars, Chuvash, etc., etc., etc.); hence they are considered "rossiyane," but not "russkiye". This is important, because in Russia one's nationality, as well as one's citizenship, is always noted in one's passport.
Pity we have not translated that distinction into English. It would eliminate a lot of confusion.
Thank you for your attention. :-))
jbe
|
