Article published in journaux La Croix et La Presse les 29 et 31 juillet.
Translated into Russian by Inosmi.ru: Russians in no hurry to put points on the "e"
Moscou, Russie - Mikhaïl Gorbatchev n'a jamais dirigé l'URSS et Alex Kovalev n'a jamais joué pour le Canadien de Montréal. Il s'agissait plutôt de ... Gorbatchëv et Kovalëv (prononcés "Gorbatchyov" et "Kovalyov"). For 15 years, a pensioner is fighting to put points on the "e" date optional in Russian texts. A singular crusade that could save thousands of an administrative nightmare, "says our contributor.
In the apartment Soviet Viktor Chumakov, the ö ("yo") is located in idol. On walls, on the sheets in the library. Even hamsters, and Erik Ëchka, honor the seventh letter of the Cyrillic alphabet. "This is a very delicate political issue," joked a grave Viktor Chumakov, 77, author, historian and "ëficateur Chief "proclaimed Russian." patriot I am, and language preservation should be a top priority for state, just after the territorial integrity and sovereignty. "
In 1995, newly retired electrical engineer, Mr. Chumakov makes the manuscript of his first book on the great leaders of Russian history. It is so shocked by the proposal of his publisher to remove all of the final ë. Because, according to official rules spelling, the umlaut over the e is optional, although the seventh letter of the alphabet and pronunciation are quite distinct from the sixth, e, ("Ye"), more widespread.
"I realized that I had to take care of that." For Mr. Chumakov, it's all a matter of respect of Russian, a language that is written as it is pronounced. The aim is also to avoid confusion, although the Russian speakers can recognize without the umlaut ë, except in rare occasions.
Four books on ë and dozens of letters to editors and publishers later, Viktor Chumakov accumulating victories. Several newspapers have given to print the letter borrowed from French in 1783. The Parliamentary Committee on the Russian language, to which he belongs, has published a decree three years ago that mandates the use of ë in passports.
The last two culture ministers argue, the president and began to write "e" in his speeches and his official website. In Ulyanovsk, Lenin's birthplace, a monument in honor of e was even erected in 2005!
But some still resist. This is true of newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta official. "When they publish the laws, they remove ë automatically using a program!" enraged Mr. Chumakov. He thought the publication continue to justice, but costs that would have driven have slipped.
Proving its existence
Anti-ë are mainly for the sake of aesthetics and laziness, "says Marina Koroleva, host of the show Talking Russian language on radio Echo of Moscow. "On the Russian keyboards of typewriters and computers, e has always been at the periphery in the upper left," which promotes her ostracism.
Even if it is part of the 4% of Russians who have the letter in their name, admits Ms. Koroleva prefer literary and journalistic without umlaut.
For official documents, however, is another story. During the programming it has spent on ë, listeners told him he had to fight with the authorities to prove their identity and recognition of their assets. On some documents, their names were registered with an E, on others, with an e.
"In Soviet times, there were fewer problems because there was no private property," notes Ms. Korolev. But since then, officials are dishonest people sing for two small points. Some Russians even had to ask for a name change to correct a name administratively without ë.
"There must be a law avoid confusion, whether to require the use of E or make it optional, argues Ms. Korolev. When leaving a blur, it leaves room for corruption. "
STORY OF Ë
> Some Russian authors like Alexander Solzhenitsyn (The Gulag Archipelago), have always insisted that their texts are printed with the dots on ë. > The E has had its heyday between 1942 and 1953, reflecting a strong proponent of two issues: the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. "During the war, Pravda s is set to use the E because Stalin wanted to avoid military errors, Viktor Chumakov said. For example, not a quiet town called Berezovka be bombed instead of Berezovka! > The Russian Constitution has 103 "mistakes" in spelling. All points omissions on ë.
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