Political gobbledygook

Thursday, August 26, 2010 at 21:10 | Posted in languages | 2 Comments

The Russian president Dmitry Medvedev has issued a statement on the Kremlin web site about a controversial highway construction project through the Khimki Forest. This post is not about the issue itself but about the language of the statement. No doubt it was first issued in Russian and then translated into English.

Be that as it may, I spotted a sentence with no less than 73 words in Medvedev’s release:

Despite the fact that the Government adopted a separate resolution on the construction of a motorway, and despite the fact that this issue was addressed in our judicial system and relevant rulings have been made, yet, our people, namely, representatives of various political parties, ranging from the ruling United Russia party to the opposition parties, as well as representatives of public associations and various expert circles say that this issue requires further analysis.

Say what? That is some qualified gobbledygook that you have to read several times to understand. I think the president wants to say that he is not so sure the highway through Khimki Forest is a good idea and he is not the only one with doubts. That is why he has ordered the project to be suspended and reviewed again.

If that is what he meant, why did he not say so in plain language?