According to Masha Gessen, the metamorphosis of the eighth commandment ("some animals are more equal") was likely inspired by similar change of a party line which declared all Soviet people equal: the Russian nation and language suddenly became "first among equals" in official CPSU publications in 1936–1937.
ɐkˈoːɹdɪŋ tə mˈæʃə dʒˈɛsən, ðə mˌɛɾəmˈoːɹfəsˌɪs ʌvðɪ ˈeɪtθ kəmˈændmənt"sˌʌm ˈænɪməlz ɑːɹ mˈoːɹ ˈiːkwəl"wʌz lˈaɪkli ɪnspˈaɪɚd baɪ sˈɪmɪlɚ tʃˈeɪndʒ əvə pˈɑːɹɾi lˈaɪn wˌɪtʃ dᵻklˈɛɹd ˈɔːl sˈoʊviət pˈiːpəl ˈiːkwəl: ðə ɹˈʌʃən nˈeɪʃən ænd lˈæŋɡwɪdʒ sˈʌdənli bɪkˈeɪm "fˈɜːst ɐmˌʌŋ ˈiːkwəlz" ɪn əfˈɪʃəl sˈiːsˈuː pˌʌblɪkˈeɪʃənz ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi sˈɪks nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi sˈɛvən.