The word «putana,» in the context of Russian reality in 1996, carried a particular social and cultural weight, reflecting the specifics of the country’s transitional period.
Etymology and Meaning
The term «putana» is a direct borrowing from Italian, where puttana means prostitute. The Italian word itself traces back to the Latin putana, which in turn connects to notions of impurity and moral corruption. Interestingly, the equivalent French word pute derives from Old French put («dirty»), tracing back to the Latin verb putere («to stink, smell bad») or the adjective putidus («foul-smelling, rotten»).
In 1990s Russian, «putana» became one of the most widespread slang terms for women engaged in prostitution, alongside the traditional «shlyukha» («slut»), a cruder vulgar term, and the more neutral «prostitutka» («prostitute»).
The Social Context of the Mid-1990s
By 1996, prostitution in Russia, formally illegal, had de facto become a mass phenomenon. The economic crisis, unemployment, and general social instability forced many women into prostitution as a means of survival. The problem was especially acute in major cities, where the new money was concentrated and a class of «new Russians» was taking shape.
Putany of the mid-1990s were a diverse group. Among them were professional prostitutes working in organized groups under the control of pimps, as well as women who turned to prostitution occasionally, out of financial hardship. Many held higher-education degrees but couldn’t find decent work amid the economic chaos.
Geography and Places of Work
Restaurants like the «Terem» mentioned in the text became typical gathering places for putany in the mid-1990s. These establishments, often marketed as elite venues, were in reality semi-legal entertainment complexes where prostitution was an integral part of the service.
Putany worked not only in restaurants but also in hotels (especially the Intourist and other prestige hotels), saunas, massage parlors, and on the street in areas where foreigners and «new Russians» congregated. Tverskaya Street, the Arbat, and neighborhoods near major hotels became well-known spots for street prostitution.
Typology and Appearance
Putany of 1996 had a distinctive look, reflecting the era’s aesthetic. Typical attire was bright and provocative: short skirts, form-fitting dresses, high heels, heavy makeup, and costume jewelry. Golden and platinum hair tones were popular, often achieved with harsh dyes, giving the hairstyles a distinctly artificial look.
Many putany aimed to imitate Western beauty standards, which were being actively broadcast through the glossy magazines and foreign films newly arriving in Russia. But the scarcity of quality cosmetics and stylist services often produced a cartoonish result.
Economic Aspects
The cost of a putana’s services in 1996 varied widely depending on the venue and clientele. Elite putany, working with «new Russians» and foreigners, could earn anywhere from $100 to $500 a night — sums comparable to an average Russian employee’s monthly salary. Street prostitutes made do with far less — $20 to $50.
Many putany didn’t work independently, but under the control of pimps or organized groups, who took a substantial cut of their earnings. This was one of the first spheres in post-Soviet Russia where stable criminal structures took root.
Society’s Attitude
Mid-1990s Russian society’s attitude toward putany was contradictory. On one hand, they were scorned and condemned, especially by the older generation raised on Soviet values. On the other, among the «new Russians» and the criminal underworld, putany were seen as an essential fixture of «the good life.»
The media of the time often used the putana as a symbol of society’s moral decay, while simultaneously exploiting the image for entertainment purposes. Putany became recurring characters in countless crime dramas and films, helping to romanticize the image in the popular imagination.
Cultural Connotations
In the context of the novel, set in 1996, mentioning putany in a respectable restaurant reflects the blurred boundary between legal and illegal business that characterized the time. Restaurants of the Terem’s caliber weren’t simply dining establishments, but multipurpose entertainment complexes where various kinds of services intertwined.
The presence of putany in such places was common knowledge, though never officially advertised. This created an atmosphere of semi-legality characteristic of many corners of Russian life in the 1990s.
Linguistic Notes
The word «putana» was in active use in colloquial speech in the mid-1990s, especially in criminal and semi-criminal circles. It was considered less crude than traditional Russian profanity, but more specific than the neutral «prostitutka.» The term caught on quickly in Russian, thanks to its brevity and expressiveness.
Alongside «putana,» other borrowed terms were also in use: «shlyukha» (from German), «prostitutka» (from French), reflecting the internationalization of Russian criminal slang in an era of newly open borders.