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Korney Chukovsky – Alive as Life Itself: On the Russian Language
This is a book by one of Russia’s most beloved writers and critics, Korney Chukovsky, who spent a lifetime thinking about language. Whether as a literary critic analyzing the language of fiction or as a children’s author listening closely to how children speak, Chukovsky always had his ear tuned to the living word.
In Alive as Life Itself, he examines what he saw as genuine and imagined illnesses of the Russian language. His main concern was the creeping dominance of bureaucratic, official turns of phrase in everyday speech. For this ailment, Chukovsky coined the term “канцелярит” (kantselyarit), a word that has since entered the language. His playful yet insightful coinages also include beloved characters like “Aibolit” and “Moidodyr.”
The book addresses a wide audience—anyone who reflects on the development of the Russian language and its health. It remains a classic work of linguistic observation, written with Chukovsky’s characteristic wit and clarity.