It’s “Med-VEH-dziev.” #
March 11th, 2008 | In Worth Reading
Serge Schmemann, after an entertaining riff on mispronunciations, explains how to say the name of the new Russian President in a way even I can understand.
With time, we will learn to cope with Medvedev. We overcame Khrushchev, adopted Rostropovich and cheer hockey players, ballerinas and tennis stars. Medvedev is as elemental as “medved,” Russian for bear. So: Launch with “med” as in “he’s off his med”; put the accent on the “VEH” as in “venomous,” and trail off with a lazy “dev” with just a hint of “z” and “i”: “dziev.” Altogether now: “Med-VEH-dziev.” Whatever.