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Ivan Barkov

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Ivan Semyonovich Barkov was a famous Russian poet from the 1700s. He was known for writing "Shameful Odes." These poems were very funny but also used many impolite words. Many people found his writing to be obscene. Because of this, his work was often kept secret. People did not print his poems in official books for a long time. Instead, they shared written copies by hand. This helped his unique style spread through Russia.

Barkov had many different jobs throughout his life. He started as a student of language and poetry. Later, he worked as a typesetter in a printing workshop. In 1753, he became a scribe in an office. He also served as a personal secretary to Mikhail Lomonosov. Between 1755 and 1756, he worked closely with this important man. He even wrote "A Brief History of Russia" during that time.

His education began in the mid-1700s. He was born in 1732 to an Orthodox priest. In 1744, he entered an Orthodox Seminary for five years. Later, Mikhail Lomonosov recommended him for the Academic Gymnasium. Barkov was not always a perfect student. He faced corporal punishment for his behavior. He was sometimes dismissed from the academy for his actions. However, he was even brought back to work there again.

Barkov was very skilled at translating books. In 1763, he translated the Odes of Horace into Russian. He also translated "Il Mondo degli Eroi" that same year. In 1764, he worked on the Fables of Phaedr. He also helped edit an old book called "Nestor's Chronicle." His work was part of the Russian Academy of Sciences. He died in the year 1768.

Today, people still talk about Barkov's impact on the Russian language. His name comes up when people discuss slang words. Slang is the use of informal or non-standard words. Even though his poems were not in books, students loved them. They passed his verses around in secret circles. Some poems are wrongly linked to him from the 1840s. Still, his influence on later writers remains very strong.

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