![]() ![]() The word became more commonplace during the 2014 Revolution of Dignity. It might also be used sarcastically-say, if someone stubbornly insisted on speaking Ukrainian when surrounded by people who preferred Russian. At that time, the descriptor was usually a compliment, if one that suggested someone was overly idealistic or radical. (Curiously, a bastardized version of the word exists in Russian: The derogatory term svidomity describes Ukrainians deemed aggressively patriotic.) In the early years of Ukrainian independence, the activists fighting the systemic corruption left in the wake of the turbulent 1990s were called svidomy. During the Soviet era, it referred to political dissidents or to those who identified as Ukrainian rather than Soviet. Svidomy’s meaning has evolved over the decades. Being svidomy is no longer just a character trait-it’s a requisite of the times. In today’s Ukraine, being svidomy still signals caring about the past, but history’s lessons are now self-evident: Ukrainians have long fought for survival and succeeded, despite the odds. People use the term to self-identify on social media it graces T-shirts worn as a show of defiance in the face of war. Calling someone a svidomy hromadianyn (“aware citizen”) is high praise, describing volunteers and activists tragically killed on the front lines. 24, 2022, Ukrainians across the political spectrum have embraced svidomy, imbuing it with meaning that is both sacred and colloquial. ![]() ![]() For much of its history, svidomy carried a certain drama that made it sound more natural in eulogies or history books than everyday speech. The text describes Igor’s soldiers as “svidomy warriors,” which many modern translations interpret as meaning they were either very loyal to their leader’s cause or generally very motivated to win. One of its first recorded usages is in the medieval epic The Tale of Igor’s Campaign, which gives an account of the raid Prince Igor Svyatoslavych attempted against neighboring nomads-and of his defeat and demise. The word svidomy is of Old East Slavic origin. “I’m probably not svidomy enough,” they might admit. Other Ukrainians treated the war as a misunderstanding with Russia. When Russia invaded Crimea in 2014, the model citizens fundraising for supplies for Ukraine’s army were called svidomy. In the recent past it described more fervent patriots, implying an obsession with Ukraine’s past and its struggle against Russian imperialism. ![]() Svidomy, which means “aware” or “conscious of something,” traditionally conveys political self-awareness and an acceptance of responsibilities to the homeland. Abstract terms have specific connotations, such as tryvoha (“anxiety” or “a sense of foreboding”), now shorthand for povitryana tryvoha, or “air raid alert.” “Tired of tryvoha? Why not go for a run?” a billboard ad for a gym reads, seemingly referring to both meanings.Īs the Ukrainian language reflects the transformation of a society amid war, the old-fashioned adjective svidomy has changed too, becoming a marker of reinvigorated national identity. Expletives are suddenly more acceptable for use by news anchors and even government officials. The events we describe-Russia’s full-scale invasion, horrific war crimes-would have seemed surreal, as well as the words we use. Two years ago, if I had been able to peer into the not-too-distant future, I wouldn’t have understood half of what Ukrainians are talking about. ![]()
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