Some completely neutral and even positive definitions under the influence of time and stereotypes sometimes turn into their direct opposite. If you ask on the street: “Who is a khachik?”, One can come across very rude and insulting interpretations. And the word "chock" will be one of the most polite, since the image of a malicious guest worker from the southern regions is rigidly fixed in the head of his contemporaries.
But how, in fact?
You need to look into the Armenian language. In the homeland of this capacious term, you can find a full-fledged original. After all, Khachik is an independent and very common name that has been popular among baptized Armenians for many centuries. The full version sounds like Khachatur. The Christian community also knows many of the same root concepts:
- hach - the classic cross;
- khachatur - given by the cross or God's gift, as well as the name;
- khachik - the designation of Armenian Christians used by the Turks;
- khachkar - a cross carved on a stone stele.
As you can see, this is not an offensive concept, which is quite appropriate in a decent society. However, the situation depends on the context.
When the negative connotation appeared
Xenophobia is a natural manifestation of human nature. But the struggle with other cultures sometimes takes on very unsightly forms. The first signs of insult with the word “khachik” can be seen during the persecution of Christians in the Ottoman Empire. As a result, the main carriers of religion suffered the most severe persecution. Rejection to the term went in conjunction with intolerance of another religion.
According to the police dictionary of 1904, in Russia there was the concept of “hachikog,” which literally translated “Christ seller”. It indicated representatives of Armenian nationality that they dressed as Greek priests and traded goods for rituals and services. They also collected donations in a fraudulent way: having no right or not carrying out the rituals promised to the population at all.
What is the current situation
A vast Armenian diaspora lives in modern Russia. You will easily meet a lot of people named Khachatur or in its shortened version. Unfortunately, a neglected interpretation has taken root in public consciousness:
- reference to migrant workers from Armenia;
- common naming for residents of the Caucasus;
- designation of immigrants from the Caucasus and from Central Asia.
It is used by people with a radical nationalist attitude, which is why it always goes in conjunction with offensive intonation. This interpretation also serves as a household curse against the ethnic groups stated above.
When to talk
If you communicate with a loved one with that name, feel free to call him on your passport. Such a “Khachik” will not offend anyone. Who will be against an ancient name with a beautiful history? But it is worth getting rid of the household name, at least in the framework of the Russian language. It is indecent to swear at all, and point to the origin of the interlocutor - even more so. This only demonstrates the low level of the speaker’s culture, his ignorance, inability to find sane arguments in the dispute.