Topical Guide 495
Mark Dorset
Language in Translation: Russian to English
Reservations Recommended, Chapter 4
“We have to go,” says Liz. “Good-bye. Good-bye. Do svedanya.”
“Oh, no. Please don’t say ‘do svedanya,’ krasivaya zhenshchina.”
“Da — krasivaya,” says another. “No ona tebe v materi godit’sa.”
There is laughter from everyone at the table. Matthew’s sure that Liz is the butt of some hockey player humor. He doesn’t understand the language, but he recognizes the tone.
The standing hockey player reaches for Liz’s hand, and she gives it to him, almost involuntarily. He raises it to his lips and kisses it. “Krasivaya zhenshchina,” he says. “Nemnogo stara, no krasivaya.”
“We have to go,” says Liz. “Good-bye. Good-bye. [Goodbye].”
“Oh, no. Please don’t say [‘goodbye,’ beautiful woman].”
“[Yes — beautiful],” says another. “[But she’s like a mother to you].”
There is laughter from everyone at the table. Matthew’s sure that Liz is the butt of some hockey player humor. He doesn’t understand the language, but he recognizes the tone.
The standing hockey player reaches for Liz’s hand, and she gives it to him, almost involuntarily. He raises it to his lips and kisses it. “[Beautiful woman],” he says. “[A little old, but beautiful].”
See also:
Language TG 11; Dialect, Slang, Idiolect, Shibboleths, Jargon TG 137; Slang, Insults, Terms of Abuse TG 140; Slang TG 169; Languages: Learning and Translating TG 393; Idiolect, Private Meanings and References, Code Words TG 373; Idioms: Tug the (One’s) Forelock TG 459; Technical, Academic, Gibberish TG 492
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