The author of the language reform was not a philologist or a historian, but a deputy. With what letter – decide for yourself.

I still remember my shock when I heard my then-future husband call his grandmother with “you”.

“Hello, Baba Lena,” – ten years have passed, but to be honest, I am still worried about it.

“We, too, addressed my grandmother only with ‘you’,” my friend calmly shrugs when I share my surprise with her. – And my mother and aunt to their grandmother, too. My grandfather thought it was right. Children should get used to respecting their mother. “

Okay, let’s say these are the characteristics of individual families. Yes, there are many of them, although it is difficult for me to imagine how I would address my grandmother in a neutral and polite manner. For me, “you” is still a sign of distance between people. And what is the distance between family members?

A minute of history: the reference to “you” to parents was introduced by Peter I, imitating the Dutch. This was considered a manifestation of deference, respect for the older generation. Heartiness? Soulfulness? And to hell with them, not those times now.

Now, of course, everything is more sincere, but, as it seems to the deputy of the State Duma Vladimir Sysoev, much less respectful. The parliamentarian believes that respect for parents can be restored only by changing the rules of the Russian language. Bring them in line with pre-revolutionary speech etiquette.

“He was distinguished by strict rules and had his own grammar,” Sysoev said in an interview. RT… – For example, “mom” and “dad” were written with a capital letter. The main etiquette genres are greeting, farewell, apology, gratitude, congratulation, request, consolation, refusal, objection. “

The deputy has already sent a corresponding request to Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets, who oversees the education sector. He asks to consider the return of speech etiquette to the school curriculum.

“This will raise the moral character of the society,” the deputy is sure.

We, of course, will not argue with the people’s choice. And they even appreciated the new meaning of the phrase “Do you respect me?”

But we dare to suggest: the moral character is brought up not in letters and words, but in the heads. There is a suspicion that the Pope (with a capital “P”) will not be imbued with the moment and will not stop yelling at Mom with a child (with a capital “M”). And their son or daughter in the prime of puberty will still shout that the Ancestors (of course, only respectfully) got it. But now they will be Parents with a capital letter. Whatever it means in their understanding.

Interview

How do you address your family?

  • To all of you, what a question, not strangers.

  • To parents on you, and to grandparents, aunts and uncles – on you.

  • To all of you, even to the children, we have it that way.

  • On you only to the parents.

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