Pavel Palazhchenko

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Pavel Palazhchenko
Born March 17, 1949
Soviet Union Flag of the Soviet Union
Occupation Interpreter Flag of the United Nations

Pavel Palazhchenko or Palazchenko[1] (Russian: Па́вел Русла́нович Пала́жченко) is a high-level Soviet conference interpreter and principal English interpreter for Mikhail Gorbachev and Soviet foreign minister Eduard Shevardnadze from 1985 and 1991.[2]

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Personal

Palazhchenko was born on March 17, 1949 in Monino, Moscow Oblast, Russia. He graduated from the Maurice Thorez Moscow Institute of Foreign Languages (Moscow State Linguistic University) in 1972.[3]

[edit] The interpreter

As one of the leading interpreters of his time, Palazhchenko participated in all US-Soviet summit talks leading to the end of the Cold War. He is the author of a personal and political memoir, My Years with Gorbachev and Shevardnadze: The Memoir of a Soviet Interpreter.[2]

[edit] The writer

Palazhchenko also wrote the Moi Nesistematichesky Slovar or My Unsystematic Dictionary which was published in Russia by R. Valent publications in May 2002. The 300-page Russian-English dictionary provides information, insight and cultural observation on the linguistic twists and turns that lie between the English and Russian languages; and was a sequel to Palazhchenko’s other work: the English-Russian dictionary published in 1999. The 1999 English-Russian dictionary dealt with trends in the political, diplomatic and journalistic usage in the English language.[4][5][6]

Palazhchenko loves his trade. In his book, My Unsystematic Dictionary, Palazhchenko writes: This very occupation, to imbibe the air of a foreign (and your own) language, to rake through the throng of words and, having found the right one, feel its texture, its size and then grope for the threads connecting the two languages, has always been my favorite thing to do… - from “Book Tackles Those Hard Words”, The Moscow Times, June 3, 2002.[4]

In 2005, the third book of this series, Unsystematic Dictionary-2005 was published.[7]

[edit] The associate

After becoming a long-time associate and aide to Mikhail Gorbachev for several years, Palazhchenko eventually became the head of the International Department of the International Non-governmental Foundation for Socio-Economic and Political Studies (or The Gorbachev Foundation), where he also functioned as an analyst, spokesperson, interpreter and translator.[8] [9][10][11][12]

[edit] References

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ This variant spelling appears in a number of sources including the cover of the book My Years with Gorbachev and Shevardnadze.
  2. ^ a b My Years with Gorbachev and Shevardnadze: The Memoir of a Soviet Interpreter by Pavel Palazhchenko, Concentrating on the Critical Period of 1985-1991, Penn State University Press, 1997, ISBN 0-271-01603-5
  3. ^ Palazhchenko's bio at Gorby.ru
  4. ^ a b Zolotov Jr., Andrei (staff writer). “Book Tackles Those Hard Words”, The Moscow Times and MoscowTimes.com, June 3, 2002, page 4. retrieved on May 31, 2007
  5. ^ "No 5. Moscow Times: Andrei Zolotov Jr., Book Tackles Those Hard Words' (Pavel Palazhchenko), Johnson's Russia List, CDI.org, June 3, 2002, retrieved on May 31, 2007
  6. ^ Robert Legvold, A Review: My Years with Gorbachev and Shevardnadze: The Memoir of a Soviet Interpreter. Pavel Palazchenko. University Park: Penn State Press, 1997, 394 pp., Foreign Affairs, July/ August 1997
  7. ^ News article about the press conference for the book Unsystematic Dictionary-2005
  8. ^ Borisov, Sergei. Speaking The Queen’s English: History and Symbolism, Oil the Fast-turning Wheels of Russian and British Commerce. (translated title), and S. Borisov, Transitions Online, 07-01-2003.
  9. ^ News about Dr. Pavel Palazhchenko of the Gorbachev Foundation attending the “From Fulton to Malta: How the Cold War Began and Ended” International Conference at the Gorbachev Foundation, The Gorbachev Foundation, Gorby.ru, retrieved on May 31, 2007
  10. ^ Reports in the Mass Media: “A President Who Listened”, this article was translated by Pavel Palazhchenko from Russian, 07.06.2004, The Gorbachev Foundation, Gorby.ru, retrieved on May 31, 2007
  11. ^ News Archives: 24.05.2005 "George Bush Sr. To Pay Private Visit To Russia" according to spokesperson Pavel Palazhchenko, The Gorbachev Foundation, Gorby.ru, retrieved on May 31, 2007.
  12. ^ News articles from and events at the Gorbachev Foundation's official website mentioning Dr. Pavel Palazhchenko working as spokesperson, interpreter, aide and translator for the Gorbachev Foundation and Mikhail Gorbachev, The Gorbachev Foundation, Gorby.ru, retrieved on May 31, 2007.

[edit] Bibliography

  1. Not Lost in Translation by Boris Fishman, Diplomatic Immunity (An Anecdote), The New Yorker Magazine, NewYorker.com, date retrieved: 28 May 2007
  2. Familiar Russian Interpreter Pavel Palazhchenko to Lecture on 07 October 1993, News Release, Stanford University News Service, 01 October 1993, date retrieved: 28 May 2007
  3. The Memoir of a Soviet Interpreter: Pavel Palazhchenko (1997), Concentrating on the Critical Period of 1985-1991, Penn State University Press, Book Information, WorlRetailStore.com - ISBN 0271016035
  4. Oscar Night (Mikhail Gorbachev via Pavel Palazhchenko) by Nick Paumgarten, The New Yorker, April 1, 2002, ErolMorris.com, date retrieved: 28 May 2007
  5. The Memoir of a Soviet Interpreter: Pavel Palazhchenko (1997), The Recollections of a High-level Soviet Interpreter Who Worked with Mikhail Gorbachev and Soviet Foreign Minister Shevardnadze between 1985 and 1991, Alibris Books, Alibris.com, date retrieved: 28 May 2007

[edit] See also

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Please help improve this article with relevant internal links. (May 2008)
Main article: United Nations Interpretation Service

[edit] Books about interpreters and interpreting

[edit] Related links and further readings

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