Any changes in society are reflected in the language. The occupation of Crimea by Russia significantly influenced the peninsula’s language, where new words (neologisms) appeared. They reflect both the social and political changes that took place on the peninsula and, in fact, the Crimeans’ and often the Russians’ attitude towards them.
“The eighty second” – this is the name for Crimean drivers, the Russian car license plates of which contain the 82nd region (the Republic of Crimea).
“The ninety second” – this is the name of Sevastopol motorists, whose license plates contain the 92nd region of the Russian Federation.
The “Ausweis” – the pro-Ukrainian Crimeans call the Russian passport in this way in Crimea. The analogy is simple: the documents issued by the authorities of Nazi Germany in occupied territories have been called the same way during the Second World War. Today, many Crimeans consider the Russian passport as the same occupation document, without which, unfortunately, it is impossible to survive on the peninsula.
Blackout Monument in Yalta
“Blackout” is the power cuts on the peninsula caused by the energy blockade. This is a special term meaning an accident with electricity, but both Crimean journalists and the local “authorities” liked it.
“Hawthorn” is a tincture of hawthorn, medicine, which is currently actively used as an alcoholic beverage in Crimea. The “hawthorn” is bought and used in such volumes that the local “authorities” are already thinking about prohibiting its free sale.
“Crimouses” – the Crimeans-patriots and nationalists who continue to love Russia and trust Putin in spite of everything happened. By the way, the Russian tourists dissatisfied with high prices on the peninsula also started to call the Crimeans in that way.
The “occupation time” is a Moscow time, on which Crimea went soon after the annexation.
“Occupendum” –a way pro-Ukrainian Crimeans call the “referendum” of March 16, 2014, according to the results of which Crimea allegedly chose joining to Russia. This neologism is consonant with the word “occupation” and actually reflects the situation, when a “free choice” of Crimean people was conducted at gunpoint.
“Occupashki” or “lolrubles” – the name of a Russian piece of money – the ruble. Many Crimeans consider rubles as the occupation currency units. The second name emphasizes the denominational value of the Russian piece of money for a number of residents of the occupied peninsula.
“Prisoners” – civilians of the occupied peninsula. Typically, the Russian security forces calls the Crimeans in this way.
“Those who retook an oath” or “customs-cleared” – former Ukrainian army soldiers who defected to the enemy and took an oath to Russia. So, the Russians treated them as such: like it or not, but they are traitors and once a traitor…
“Sveta” (a woman’s name consonant with the word “light” in Russian – note) – Crimeans started to call the electricity during the blackout period in this way. When there were no electricity, they asked each other: “Do you have Sveta? When did she come? How long did she stay? When did she leave?” The name Nuriye is used in the Crimean Tatar case asking similar questions.
