Translingualism: Communicative Bridge or “Cultural Bomb”?

Abstract

The generating of translingual discourse in modern meta-socium suggests that it is a "measure" of intercultural cooperation of the highest level, when cultures do not displace each other, but interact effectively. Such text is always multidimensional both in terms of form and content. But can we qualify this phenomenon as totally positive? There are different opinions on that question in modern science. Few of them are represented in this discussion. We've talked to Jeannete King about translingual literature, its complicated "essence" and points of view of translingual writers. The original discussion is available at https://latllab.wordpress.com/2016/12/10/translanguaging-in-russia-russian-as-acommunicative-bridge-for-minority-languages-and-cultures/comment-page-1/#comment-11Key words: Transculturation, Translingual practices, Intercultural cooperation, Bilingualism ON THE PROBLEM OF TRANSLANGUAGE PRACTICES IN RUSSIA: THESISAccording to 2010 Census, 97% of Russia's multicultural speakers prefer Russian language to their native in usual communication and in professional and creative activities. At the same time a high variety of minority languages are endangered. In this situation translingual practices of non-Russian writers, who create their text in Russian, become a transmission mechanism for saving cultures.A shortlist of their names, which continues to grow even today, proves that this is a significant cultural phenomenon in the entire post-Soviet space: Kyrgyzstan (Chingiz Aitmatov, Sherboto Tokombaeva), Kazakhs (Olzhas Suleimenov, Askar Suleimenov, Anuar Alimjanov, Murat Auezov, Auezkhan Kodar, Aslan Zhaksylykov), Belarus (Vasil Bykov and Ales Adamovich), Georgia (Chabua Amirejibi, Alexander Ebanoidze), Moldova (Ion Drutseh), Bashkortostan (Anatoly Genatullin), Ossetia (Ezethan Uraymagova, Gaito Gazdanov, Ruslan Totrov), Lakia (Efendi Kapiev), Chuvashia (Gennady Aygi), Uzbekistan (Timur Pulatov, Uchkun Nazarov), Azerbaijan (Chingiz Huseynov, Maqsud and Rustam Ibragimbekov), Ukraine (Vitali Korotych), Chechnya (Elbrus Minkailov, Issa and Timur Kodzoev), Ingushetia (Idris Bazorkin, Bagaudin Zyazikov), Karachay-Cherkessia (Isa Kapaev), Tajikistan (Timur Zulfikarov), Chukotka (Yuri Retheu), Khanty-Mansi (Uvan Shestalov), Nivkh (Vladimir Sangi), Tatarstan (Guzel Yakhina), and many others.The problem of minority languages transmission and even survival is very significant for Russia. Its Linguistic landscape is represented by more than 275 languages. At the same time only one language dominates -Russian is preferable for 97 percent of speakers.Meanwhile many languages are in a vulnerable status. So, only one dialect of Karaim language has survived, and even serious measures as the educational program by UNESCO Spoken Karaim to strengthen its position doesn't help in this case. Archi, Bashkir, Kumandin, Chulym, Shor, Tofalar, Tuvan, Chelkan, Teleut languages listed as endangered; Soyot language died out.

Translingual poetry by Rupi Kaur

“…Поэтесса называет себя апологетом «равноправия букв» и отмечает, что такой стиль выражает ее мировоззрение [8]. По мнению Каур, ее связь с культурой Южной Азии настолько непреложна, что полное ее понимание западными читателями становится для нее неважным 4 .…”

“…Так, некоторые из них воспринимают его как знак не изжившей себя колониальности, язык-поработитель, который замалчивает их этническую самость. В некоторых случаях, как справедливо подчеркивают ученые [4], язык становится «культурным мостом» к более широкому перцептивному полю и способствует ревитализации первичной культуры [5].…”