Talk:Semyon Dezhnev

F. A. Popov
Is F. A. Popov and Fedot Alekseev perhaps the same person (see Федот Алексеевич Попов), or are they at least relatives?. Фёдор Алексеев links to Popov, so he might be the same person, mentioned here. --xJaM (talk) 04:15, 1 January 2008 (UTC) He is usually known by his name and patronymic. Only a few sources give his family name as Popov Benjamin Trovato (talk) 00:44, 22 September 2009 (UTC)

Transliteration of name
Note that the body of the article uses Dezhnev while the title uses Dezhnyov. Dankarl (talk) 15:15, 5 August 2009 (UTC) spelling corrected Dankarl (talk) 16:44, 5 August 2009 (UTC) :The only use of the latter transliteration in a Google web search is two Wikipedia articles (this one and Cape Dzehnyov) Dankarl (talk) 15:18, 5 August 2009 (UTC)
 * Although a search engine count cannot be used to establish the preferred form, I think the above is sufficient to establish that Dzehnyov is not commonly used.
 * According to Romanization of Russian
 * When possible, use a conventional English name instead of romanization.
 * If the person is the subject of English-language publications, the spelling predominantly used in such publications should be used. A preference is given to publications in the area in which the person specializes. When no single spelling predominates, use the one closest to the WP:RUS romanization guidelines.

Examples of Dezhnev transliteration from respected English-language sources:


 * The Voyage of Semen Dezhnev in 1648: Bering's precursor, with selected documents. Edited by RAYMOND H. FISHER 1981. pp. xiii + 326. 3 illustrations, 22 maps. Hakluyt Society.


 * Semen Dezhnev and Professor Golder. Raymond H. Fisher The Pacific Historical Review, Vol. 25, No. 3 (Aug., 1956), pp. 281-292 Published by: University of California Press Stable URL:


 * Exploring polar frontiers: a historical encyclopedia William James Mills ABC-CLIO, 2003 ISBN 1576074226, 9781576074220 Dezhnev, Semen (ca. 1605-1673) pp 187-188


 * The conquest of a continent: Siberia and the Russians. W. Bruce Lincoln Cornell University Press, 2008 ISBN 0801489229, 9780801489228 (uses a mark over the e)


 * Polar Record (2007), 43:1:67-70 William Barr Discovery of the wreck of the Soviet steamer Chelyuskin on the bed of the Chukchi Sea. (use of Cape Dezhnev by a respected historian) Dankarl (talk) 16:35, 5 August 2009 (UTC)
 * To explain 'nev' vs. 'nyov', cyrillic 'ё' is translated and pronounced 'yo' and sometimes 'o'. 'ё' is always accented. Cyrillic 'е' is translated and pronounced 'ye' or more commonly 'e'. In printing the two dots are often dropped, resulting in things like 'Krushchev' for 'Хрущёв' and 'Dezhnev' for 'Дежнёв'. I think Dezhnev is more common in English.Benjamin Trovato (talk) 03:52, 7 September 2022 (UTC)

Proposed Change
Since this differs significantly from the current version, I want to leave it on the talk page for about a month to see if anyone has better information. My source is W. Bruce Lincoln, The Conquest of a Continent, which seems to be the fullest account in English books available to me. His main source seems to be M I Belov, Podvig Semyona Dezhnyova, Moscow,1973 which is probably updated from a 1948 version. If anyone can correct this, leave a note.

In the 1640s Cossacks on the lower Lena began to hear reports of an imaginary 'Pogycha River' to the east which was said to be rich in fur and Walrus ivory. In 1647 Dezhnev set off to find it but was forced to turn back by unusually thick ice. In 1648 he tried again with ninty men and seven boats. Entering the Arctic Ocean from the mouth of the Kolyma River in July (where he lost two boats), by September he rounded the easternmost point of Asia which is now called Cape Dezhnev. In October they were caught in a storm and only one boat and 24 men survived. Landing somewhere on the coast, they divided into two parties. The second party disappeared leaving Dezhnev and eleven companions. Walking along the coast they reached the mouth of the Anadyr River. The next summer they ascended the Anadyr River about 350 miles and built a winter fort at or near the future Anadyrsk. Effectively stranded, they were accidently rescued in the spring of 1650 by a second party under Mikhail Stadukhin and Semyon Motora which had travelled from Nizhnekolymsk up the Anyuy River (Sakha) and portaged to the upper Anadyr. The three leaders explored and collected in the area, digging up three tons of Walrus ivory at the mouth of the Anadyr, and returned to winter at Anadyrsk. Dezhnev stayed to collect ivory for nearly a decade. Although Dezhnev's sea route was not used again for at least 150 years, there was an annual expedition from Yakutsk to Anadyrsk using Stadukhin's route. Benjamin Trovato (talk) 02:46, 6 September 2009 (UTC)


 * This is an improvement over the present article, which seems garbled especially with respect to Anadyrsk. There are some points in other accounts which would be good to include if verifiable.  Perhaps most basic is that Dezhnyov's major account took the form of a deposition.  Also his death in Moscow (if correct).  Presence of Alekseyev on the expedition and that his boat also passed through Bering Strait. Evidence in Dezhnyov's account that historians have used to establish that events are not fictional.


 * Less central would be relations among various commanders, contention that Dezhnyov was a Pomor, earlier and later career.


 * And finally, origin of tradition, whether or not reliable, that Alekseyev reached Kamchatka and lived there several years.Dankarl (talk) 21:30, 7 September 2009 (UTC) /// probably hogwash. I will put Fishers version in when I do the Fedot article .Benjamin Trovato (talk) 00:54, 22 September 2009 (UTC)

Complete re-write 21sep09
This is a complete replacement from the Haklyut Society book of 1981. I have not seen anything later that might correct errors if there are any. Benjamin Trovato (talk) 00:54, 22 September 2009 (UTC)