After the collapse of the USSR, many representatives of various nationalities remained on the territory of Russia, who, despite the emerging interethnic contradictions, had to re-learn how to get along with each other on the territory of a huge country that until recently united 15 states. Many different characters, cultures and customs have united under a single state symbolism of our country. Do you know what the inhabitants of Russia are called? You will find the answer to this question in this article.
One well-known Internet portal conducted a survey among the inhabitants of Russia on the topic: “How should the citizens of Russia be called so that this contributes to their awareness of themselves as a single community, but does not provoke the division of people along national lines?” The majority of respondents chose the answer “citizen of Russia”, the second place went to “Russian”, and the third place was given to the answer “Russian”.
Hence the question arose: I wonder what the inhabitants of Russia are called in different countries? It is probably very difficult to pick up any one nickname that would unite people so different in their origin, but today living inone land of Russian citizens.
Oddly enough, but there is even a special section of science that can give a scientifically sound answer to the question of how the inhabitants of Russia are called in different countries. This science deals exclusively with national nicknames. It is known that scientifically neutral national nicknames are called "exonyms", and offensive nicknames that carry a negative meaning are called "ethnopholisms". Therefore, knowing the origin of certain national nicknames, everyone can learn a lot not only about themselves and their people, but also about their neighbors, who are representatives of a different nationality.
What is the name of the inhabitants of Russia in the countries of the Near Abroad?
From their brothers "Khokhlov" the Russians got the playful nickname "Katsap". Scholars are still debating what that means. According to one version, it means "goat" (a bearded Russian strongly reminded Ukrainians of a goat), according to another version, this word is a derivative of the word "robber, butcher". Ukrainians called immigrants from Moscow "moskal" (from the words "cheat", "cheat").
What is the name of the inhabitants of Russia in the countries of the Far Abroad?
It is known that after the Grand Duke Alexei Alexandrovich, at the head of a group of Russian aristocrats, visited the United States in 1871, the Indians of many tribes began to call the Russians "bear people" due to the fact that many boyars were dressed in fur coats, made from bearskins.
In the US andIn Germany, after the Great Patriotic War, a Russian person began to be called "Ivan" (one of the most common names in our country). The Soviet Koreans gave the Russians the nickname "mauje". This word of Chinese origin means "bearded man", as the Chinese liked to call Russians.
Some Russians take offense at various derisive or playful nicknames. However, a person with a good sense of humor will not care what the inhabitants of Russia are called in one or another country. Do not forget that we live in a country that is the birthplace of many outstanding figures of science, literature and art, who have had a huge impact on the whole world.
