Thread by @ClintEhrlich

The new interview with the President of Belarus –
Alexander Lukashenko – is fascinating.

But if you're just reading the subtitles, you aren't getting the full picture.

Here's a thread on what he *actually* said in Russian. It's worth your time. 1/N

First, the subtitles fail to capture how much disdain
Lukashenko showed for the interviewer.

He starts off politely addressing Steve Rosenberg, the BBC's Moscow correspondent, as "вы."

But he soon gets exasperated and switches to "ты" – like he's talking down to a child.

This disdain reaches its apex at the end of the interview, which the BBC didn't translate!

Lukasheno removes his microphone and lectures Rosenberg: «Ну, не обижайся, ты сам затеял этот разговор!»

"Well, don't be offended, you orchestrated this conversation yourself!"

There are other parts where Lukashenko's words are harsher than translated.

What he actually says here is "the whole world has seen your [true] face."

(«Весь мир увидел ваше лицо.»)

Other parts are simply untranslatable.

The literal translation of "your little structures" is «маленькие структуры».

That's NOT what Lukashenko says.

He uses the diminutive, структурки, which is just... hysterical.😂 English isn't rich enough to capture the sarcastic flavor.

At one point, Rosenberg, who normally speaks perfect Russian, makes a rare grammatical mistake.

He accidentally uses the nominative form of "what" – что – when he should have used the dative form, чему.

Lukashenko notices ... and pounces.

Instead of simply answering, Lukashenko throws the mistake back in Rosenberg's face.

He pointedly repeats the ungrammatical nominative construction when he paraphrases Rosenberg's question.

Then he finishes the sentence in perfect, grammatical Russian. A subtle "f*** you."💀

Lukashenko also uses colloquialisms that can't quite be communicated in English.

Here he says he doesn't play «такие хотелки», which is less formal + more derisive than it's translated.

He means that he's a serious person, not a child or bimbo with trifling wishes.

Finally, there's an interesting comment at the conclusion of the interview, which the BBC didn't translate.

Lukashenko says, «Он старше, а я помладше.»
"He's older, I'm a bit younger."

Is he talking about Putin, who is two years older than him? (69 vs. 67.) That's my theory.