The word "comrade" is one of the most frequently used nouns in the Russian language. However, in the last hundred years, several additional ones have been added to its main meaning. What are they and what is the difference between the words "comrade", "friend" and "citizen"?
Origin of the word
In the vast expanses of Ancient Russia, the noun "comrade" appeared quite a long time ago. This name originated from the Turkic word tavar, which translates as "goods" (sometimes livestock or other property).
It is believed that merchants specializing in the trade of one type of goods were originally called comrades. However, why the etymology subsequently underwent such drastic changes is unknown.
There is also a female form of the word "comrade" - this is "comrade". In the 19th century it was actively used in speech. However, this noun is practically not used in modern language.
Traditional meaning of "comrade"
Long before the revolution of 1917, comrades were people who were united by some commonoccupation or working on one thing.
This word was also applicable to people studying together, traveling or fighting. In this regard, the ironic idiom "comrade in misfortune" is quite common.
Despite the fact that in connection with the events of 1917 this word acquired a slightly different meaning, today it is again used in its traditional meaning.
Friend and comrade: what's the difference
Both of these nouns are synonyms, but there is a very noticeable difference between them.
Friends are people connected by close relationships built on sympathy, mutual understanding, disinterestedness and trust. Often they live nearby or study, sometimes they work. However, these factors are not fundamental, because sometimes true friends live not just in different cities, but also on separate continents.
Friendship does not require any physical or social community, while the concept of fellowship provides for it. Even the best workmate can often not be a friend. And not because he has some bad qualities, but because of the lack of spiritual closeness, despite the common cause.
In fact, the causes of friendship, like love, are inexplicable. Moreover, people of completely different social strata often become friends (the Bible, for example, describes the friendship between the son of King Saul and the shepherd David).
It is not uncommon when, working with a person, you get close to him,and he becomes like a friend-comrade. Whether a relationship has reached this level can be determined by simply going on vacation. If during the period of “separation” people continue to call up, correspond and even spend time together, it means that they are united not only by friendly relations. By the way, Pushkin's expression "there is nothing to do friends" refers more to the concept of partnership.
Another indicator of the difference between these concepts is that the noun "friend" has its own synonyms that are not applicable to the term "comrade". This is "brother" and "familiar". In addition, in the early nineties, the name "bromance" (from the English brother romance) was coined to refer to close friendships of a non-sexual nature.
Who were called comrades in Soviet times?
With the coming to power of the Communists and the change of the political structure in the Russian Empire, such appeals as “sir / madam”, “sir / madam”, “your honor”, “your excellency” and others were abolished.
In order to emphasize universal equality not only in terms of social status, but also in terms of gender, the treatment “comrade” was introduced for everyone.
The history of this value
The tradition of using this word as an address arose after the French Revolution. After the overthrow of the monarchy and the conversion of France to a republic, it became necessary to use a general appeal to all citizens in order to emphasize their equality. Originally, this word was "citizen" (citoyen), butthis did not seem "revolutionary" enough and was changed to camarade (comrade) in 1790.
With the light hand of the French, the word became popular in anti-monarchist circles. Thus, most anarchist, communist, socialist and even social democratic organizations of the 19th century. began to use it as an address between its members.
After the Communists came to power in the Russian Empire, it acquired an official status. By the way, in Nazi Germany there was a similar appeal Parteigenosse (party comrade).
After the collapse of the USSR in the CIS countries, the address "comrade" was gradually abolished. In the Russian Federation today, "citizen" or "master" is used instead; and in Ukraine - "hulk", "pan".
Citizen, comrade: what is the difference
Although after the French and October revolutions in France and Russia, the terms "citizen" and "comrade" became almost synonymous, there is a significant difference between them. So, every citizen can be a comrade, but not every comrade is a citizen.
The fact is that citizens are persons permanently residing in the territory of a certain state, having the right to enjoy all its benefits and are obliged to fulfill all the functions assigned to them by law. A comrade does not have any such privileges, since he may be a citizen of another country.
These meanings became close to each other at the beginning of the 20th century. due to the fact that they were in use as an official address inTHE USSR. At the same time, "comrade" was a universal appeal to both men and women, while the noun "citizen" had a feminine gender - "citizen".
Who is the "comrade" of the military
As a vestige, this word has been preserved by the military of many CIS countries. So, in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, the noun "comrade" is used as a mandatory official address between military personnel of all ranks. According to the charter, it is always added before the military rank - "comrade major".
Who else are called comrades
In addition to the two main meanings, this term had many others.
In the Russian Empire, before the revolution, deputies or assistants to officials were called comrades. Also, this was the name of the participants of some commercial enterprise - a partnership.
Ukrainian Cossacks in the XVII-XVIII centuries. used the title of "military comrade", which was akin to the rank of "cornet". There was also another title - "bunchuk comrade", with which the hetmans honored the sons of foremen and colonels. By the way, after the destruction of the Zaporizhzhya Sich, the descendants of the bunchuk comrades received the title of nobility in the Russian Empire.
In Poland, in the old days, comrades were called we althy gentry, who bought uniforms for their retinue, consisting of impoverished nobles, with their money. Also, this word was the name of the rank (ensign).
Along with common nouns, there are also several proper nouns with this name. For example, the four-masted barque Lauriston,renamed under the USSR to "Comrade". This ship was destroyed in 1943. Later, the German three-masted barque Gorch Fock, inherited from the USSR after the war, was named after it.
Tovarich is a 1935 play by American playwright Robert Sherwood. It was made into a movie two years after its publication.
In 1970, composer O. Ivanov wrote the song “Comrade” (“I will fill the country with a song about how a comrade went to war …”) to the words of A. Prokofiev.
The most famous examples of the word "comrade"
In addition to trivial sentences with given nouns (“Today my friend from the institute and I went to the cinema together”), there are also those that have long turned into catchphrases. For example, a quote from the program of the Communist Party of the USSR: "Man is a friend, comrade and brother to man."
As for the use of this term as an address, there are several other examples. In honor of the legendary hero of the film "Prisoner of the Caucasus" was named a restaurant on the Dnieper - "Comrade Saakhov".
Far from one sentence with the word "comrade" met in Soviet times on various propaganda posters. The picture below shows an example of one of them.
Speaking of this topic, one cannot fail to mention the cult sentence with the word "comrade" by V. I. Lenin, which today has acquired a satirical meaning.
The word itself in all ages had a positive meaning, but due to excessivespeculation in the days of the USSR today it causes very unpleasant associations in people. Whether this will change, time will tell.
