'Back in School, I Decided That I Would No Longer Suppress My Feelings'

Polina Makarova initially planned to pursue a career in programming but soon shifted her focus to theoretical linguistics. In this interview with the HSE Young Scientists project, she discusses her research on grammatical agreement in the names of professions, the importance of emotional intelligence, and the benefits of keeping an eublepharid, or leopard gecko, as a pet.

Why I Decided to Become a Scientist

It was the result of a series of coincidences. I was interested in the German language and searched for universities that offered it as a subject. That's how I found myself at the HSE School of Linguistics. I opted for a theoretical track. After that, it made sense to pursue a master's degree. I began building a portfolio, participating in conferences, and writing articles. I got a job as a Research Assistant at the Laboratory of Formal Models in Linguistics. Then I published my first academic paper. Fascinated by all of this, I thought, 'I'd like to become a theoretical linguist.'

However, in summer, I had a complete change of heart. I decided that I wanted to pursue something more practical. So, instead of a theoretical master's, I enrolled in the 'Russian as a Foreign Language' programme. But once I began working on practical assignments, I felt that a balance had been struck, and now I was interested in pursuing science.

The subject of my research

Currently, I am employed at the Laboratory of Linguistic Conflict Resolution Studies and Contemporary Communicative Practices. It covers a variety of areas.

My colleagues and I are studying professional nominations, or terms used to define members of various professions. We are preparing a dictionary comprising the names of professions, which includes sections such as interpretation, grammatical agreement, discursive context, and more. I have started a study on the grammatical agreement of terms denoting professions when changing from the masculine to the feminine gender.

What results make me proud

Having a paper published in Frontiers in Psychology in my third year of studies. Of course, this achievement was not mine alone. I co-wrote the paper with Natalia Slioussar, my academic supervisor at the time, and we had another co-author.

What linguist I would I like to talk to

Ferdinand de Saussure, as he laid the foundations of modern linguistics. The main question I would ask him is: how did he manage to venture into an uncharted area where there were no established postulates to rely on? How did he cope with the weight of responsibility and withstand the attacks of criticism? How can one overcome the fear of all this and keep moving forward, no matter what?

My Interests besides science

I enjoy writing poetry and try to do it at least once a month. If I don't stick to this schedule, I fear I might abandon it altogether, which would be a shame.

I also have many pets at home that require care. I have a cat and four eublepharids, or leopard geckos—a type of lizard. I encourage everyone to get a eublepharid because they are inexpensive to care for and low maintenance. You can handle them or pet them in the terrarium, and they won't bite.

What I have been reading lately

Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ by Daniel Goleman. I am very interested in the topic of emotions. Back in high school, I decided that I would no longer suppress my feelings. If I was hurt, I would allow myself to feel hurt for a while. And if I felt good, I would show it—be happy, smile more.

Many people don't know how to cope with their emotions; they push them deep inside, especially the negative ones, and eventually, they have a breakdown. Others rationalise everything and suppress their emotions entirely. As for me, I have always believed that feelings are truly important. They are essential for keeping a person alive. That's why I'm interested in how emotions work, including emotional intelligence.

About the ability to connect with a character

When I read books or watch shows, I choose one character I feel connected to and experience what they go through. It feels incredible. It's highly unlikely that I would want to go and swing a sword myself—in fact, it would be a bad idea because I would likely get wounded right away, given my fitness level. By connecting with various fictional characters, you can experience millions of other people's lives without endangering your own. Or perhaps you cannot live the life they lead. Maybe in another lifetime, I would have liked to be an actor.

In films, I appreciate an actor's ability to convey emotion not directly but subtly—like when their eyes sparkle or a muscle twitches slightly on their face. Acting as if you are overwhelmed by emotion or hysterical is also a talent, but I believe it is easier to learn.

Advice for those considering a career in science

Don't be afraid to try.

My favourite location in Moscow

I don’t have a particular favourite spot, but I enjoy walking in the centre of Moscow. Just get off the metro and wander wherever the mood takes you, especially through small courtyards. Sometimes, you wander into a nook and come across a statue or something beautiful hanging from a tree.