What is "masaraksh" and what is the effect of this word

With the appearance on the screens of the cinemas of the adaptation of the fantastic novel by the Strugatsky brothers "Inhabited Island" and as a result of the popularization of this work, many people did not understand some of the words and expressions used by the characters. For example, what is masaraksh? Some people assumed that this was some kind of abstract name. And it seemed to others that this is an invented dialect or the name of an object that does not exist in the real world. And it's almost true. But first things first. In this article we will talk about the history of the appearance of this word and what is masaraksh.

Definition of a word

Masaraksh is a common swear word among the inhabitants of the nonexistent planet Saraksh. It was invented by the Strugatsky brothers and is often found in their fantastic novel "Inhabited Island". The word "masaraksh", the translation of which literally means "the world turned inside out," also occurs in the work of these remarkable authors, "The Beetle in the Anthill". There are also more detailed variations of this cursing - "thirty-three times masaraksh", as well as "masaraksh-i-masaraksh".

Origin of the word

In the work of Arkady and Boris Strugatsky "Inhabited Island" the appearance of this word is connected with the cosmogonic views of the inhabitants of Saraksh. The unusually large refraction of light in the atmosphere of this planet raised above the horizon line. As a result, the inhabitants of Saraksh assumed that the surface of their planet is concave. The alternative view that they live on a convex surface, although it arose, did not receive recognition. It was even persecuted by official confession, and supporters of this idea were considered heretics. As a response to this conflict of ideas, an expression emerged that signified an inverted world.

There is also another option for answering the question about what a Masaraksh is. The name of the planet Saraksh is consonant with the real geographical object - the village of Saraktash, which is located in the Orenburg region. Here it will be appropriate to note that in another work of the Strugatsky brothers the town of Tashlinsk appears, also formed from the name of the village of Tashla all in the same Orenburg region. And this has its own explanation. During the Second World War, writers were evacuated from Leningrad to this village, and Arkady very often visited Saraktash.

What is "Masaraksh" and what is the cultural influence of this word

Since the end of the seventies, this word has gained popularity among fans of science fiction. So, several fan clubs with the same name are known. In modern slang this word is used as a synonym for an incident that turns everything upside down.