Friday word: Apparatchik

[med_cat]

Apparatchik

Language of Origin:

Russian

About the Word:

Nowadays, apparatchik is generally used as a mild insult for a blindly devoted official, follower, or member of an organization, such as a corporation or political party.

For example, an Op-Ed piece in the New York Times described a London mayoral candidate as, "a lifelong left-wing activist, a local government apparatchik, a consummate manipulator of subcommittees and votes of confidence."

Originally the word referred specifically to a Communist official or agent. It comes from the Russian apparat meaning "party machine" – and for much of the 20th century specifically "the political machine of the Communist party" – + -chik, an agent suffix.

(source: Merriam-Webster, 10 favorite words from foreign languages)

Comments

[theidolhands.livejournal.com]

In English, I think we use the word "tool"; if you're a criminal's back up then you're a "shill", but "corporate shill" is also used because corporations can feel like mobsters.

Good word. Communism was really supposed to be for the bettering of the people, to expand culture past class & money, that was the vision, but how it played out was ultimately so dark in many tales.

Hey! One of my favorite electronica albums was named "Apparat"...now I know it was supposed to mean something! I'm pretty sure I still have it too. Very mechanical sounding.

[med_cat]

Yeah... "apparat" also means a device, or a piece of equipment--that's probably the origin of the name of the album you mention.

As to the communism--well, I'm sure you know one of the main reasons it didn't work out...