Apie rusiškus keiksmažodžius latvių kalbos vadovėlyje

348 LANGUAGE CULTURE | 82 ABOUT THE RUSSIAN WORDS LATVIAN LANGUAGE TEACHER'S BOOK In the Latvian press (Latvijas avīze, No. 29 (3955), 2010 01 29, www.la.lv) was published an article by Artis Drēziņš about Russian curses in the Latvian language textbook – Krievu lamuvārdi latviešu valodas mācibu grāmatā. Perhaps it will be interesting and even useful for Lithuanian linguists and the general public, will encourage discussion and share their thoughts on topical issues of public usage. The author of the article claims that the first part of the Latvian language textbook for secondary schools, written by Iluta Dalbiņa and Inese Lāčauniece and published by RaKa publishing house, became the most famous textbook of the week. The book gained such popularity not in schools, but among journalists – first it was noticed by TV5, then by internet portals and Russian newspapers. What is so special about this book? On page 87, the most gross Russian curses are printed. The authors used the presentation “Low-style vocabulary on the Internet” by the linguist Inta Urbanoviča, read at the conference “Mother tongue in the public space”. Students are asked to read a fragment of the linguist’s text and discuss it in class. The textbook explains vulgarisms, colloquial words, barbarisms, as well as critically evaluates their use. It is quoted: “On the Internet there are frequent vulgarisms of other languages, which function as words of expressive expression: bļ*n, bļ*ģ, pi***ts, h**ņa, po**j, etc.” (The newspaper’s editorial staff adds that in the book these words are printed in full, without the asterisks, which are used in such cases. By the way, the article is illustrated with a page of the textbook in question, which, when viewed through a magnifying glass, highlights the aforementioned curses in “all their beauty”). Drėzinis writes further: "What was good for our fathers is no longer good for us." The authors used this quote from Oscar Wilde as the motto for the chapter “Do we speak Latvian?” of the book. I am addressing one of the authors, for whom the language used by our fathers and mothers is probably no longer suitable... Teacher Iluta Dalbinia of Riga’s Pliavniekai Gymnasium invites me in her conversation About Russian curses in Latvian textbook 349, not just to read that one page, page 87, but to read the whole book or at least a chapter to understand why the rude words are mentioned, rather than taking them out of context and causing a stir: “The book has its own methodology, each chapter begins with the problem we are examining, the students are asked to think together and analyze the language. It must be understood that we are talking to 10th grade students, not to young children. We do not tell you to write these words on the board or memorize them. On the contrary, we want to curb the use of such words and want students to express a negative opinion about them. Do you think it is easy to teach attitude to language? In addition, various educational materials can be found on the Internet where uncensored words are mentioned. SCHOOLS CAN USE EVERYTHING Kristina Ilgaža, a public relations specialist at the State Educational Content Centre, explains that anyone can purchase textbooks and that there is no legal requirement for teachers to use books or other resources in their classes, but the most important thing is that students acquire the amount of scientific knowledge set by the teaching standard. Another thing is that in practice teachers try to use books accredited by the Educational Content Center, because they can get a state subsidy for them. K. Ilgaža points out an interesting thing: on the title page of the book, where it is usually written that the book is accredited, it is written that it was prepared according to (excepted by A. Drēzinis – D. M.) the standard of the general secondary education subject “Latvian language”. Such an entry, if not carefully counted, may mislead book buyers. The new standard was introduced recently, and RaKa publishing house is the first to publish such a book. However, representatives of the State Educational Content Center, negatively evaluating the inclusion of Russian profanities in the Latvian language textbook, emphasize that vulgarisms should be interpreted in other ways. LETA also quotes Ilgažos statement that the centre has no right to ban the use of such a book in classes, because it is not a censorship body. Vilnis Purēns, editor-in-chief of RaKa publishing house, says that the accreditation of the textbook is still ahead of us. So far, only the initial edition has been published, and this is a trial period of the book. V. Purėnas did not want to say how many books have been published and sold so far, but he confirmed that the teachers 350 LANGUAGE CULTURE | 82 uses. Now you just have to wait for feedback. After about a year the book would be improved and reprinted, possibly, and then the Russian curses would be removed, if they caused great dissatisfaction. But will that mean that they are used less? – asks V. Purėnas. He feels that the noise about these words was artificially created: “It was caused by Russian journalists who could not speak to me in the state language, Latvian, and I read more uncensored profanity in the comments about this book than in the book itself… I agree with the authors of the book that we often do not think about what we say, and that is bad. This book is intended for young people of a conscious age, it shows them: this is what is being said, and it is not good.” LET'S SAY "PIG"! Anita Vanaga, Latvian language teacher at Agenskalns State Gymnasium and president of the Latvian Language and Literature Teachers Association, commented: “Russian curses are well known and are included in the slang dictionary, but this is a special publication and the only one where they can appear in full and explained. Professional linguists describe the taboo, rude curses, but do not name them. The authors of the book play with the feelings of young people, but this can cause the opposite effect: words are used because they are written in the book… I do not see any pedagogical educational effect in the use of these words.” Valentina Skujiņa, head researcher of the Latvian Language Institute, commented: “As an older linguist (I. Dalbiņa and I. Lačauniece are 40 years old), I find it unacceptable that garbage is being distributed in the language – on stage, on screen, in books. Three-level Russian curses were spread in Latvia after World War II by declassified elements. By mentioning these words in the book, the fight against their use is merely declaratory, their use will be adopted even more. Russian curses should not be used and mentioned at all – after all, we have our own curses, for example, “pig”! DAIVA MURMULAITYTĖ Institute of Lithuanian Language P. Vileišio g. 5, LT-10308 Vilnius, Lithuania [email protected]