Thread: Косово

This is the text from one of the GWU Russian webcasts located here. This is the first story in the 22.02.2008 webcast. I normally don't translate these completely, but this one has more unfamiliar words than usual. If someone would be so kind as to check my translation, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Grogs




Косово: Независимость

Kosovo: Independence

В воскресенье, 17 февраля, парламент Косова единогласно проголосовал за отделение этой территории от Сербии и провозгласил независимость края.

On Sunday, 17 February, the parliament of Kosovo unanimously voted for the separation of this territory from Serbia and announced the independence of the territory.

Мнения международной общественности по поводу этого решения разделились. По данным на 22 февраля, независимость Косово официально признали 17 из 27 стран Евросоюза, а также США, Австралия, Турция и Албания. В то же время против признания независимости края выступили Россия, Китай, Испания, Израиль, Словакия и Румыния.

The opinion of the international community regarding this decision was divided. According to data on 22 February, the independence of Kosovo was officially recognized by 17 of the 27 EU countries, and also the USA, Australia, Turkey, and Albania. At the same time, Russia, China, Spain, Israel, Slovakia, and Romania opposed the independence of the territory.

Напомним, что сербское меньшинство составляет 10% от общего населения Косово. С 1999 года край Косово находился под управлением ООН в составе Сербии. Многолетние переговоры в ООН о статусе края были безуспешны - Сербия отказывается признавать независимость Косово.

Recall that a Serbian minority makes up 10% of the overall population of Kosovo. Since 1999, the territory of Kosovo has been under the administration of the UN as a part of Serbia. Long tanks in the UN about the status of the territory were unsuccessful – Serbia refused to recognize the independence of Kosovo.

В понедельник, 18 февраля, информационные агенства сообщили, что Белград официально аннулировал независимость Косово, а сербская полиция возбудила уголовные дела против косовских лидеров. Им инкриминировали «провозглашение фальшивого государства на территории Сербии».

On Monday, 18 February, press agencies reported that Belgrade officially revoked the independence of Kosovo, and Serbian police initiated criminal charges against the leaders of Kosovo. They charge “the announcement of a false government in the territory of Serbia.”

Косово: Независимость

Kosovo: Independence

В воскресенье, 17 февраля, парламент Косова единогласно проголосовал за отделение этой территории от Сербии и провозгласил независимость края.

On Sunday, 17 February, the parliament of Kosovo unanimously voted for the separation of the(1) territory from Serbia and announced the independace of the province(2).

Мнения международной общественности по поводу этого решения разделились. По данным на 22 февраля, независимость Косово официально признали 17 из 27 стран Евросоюза, а также США, Австралия, Турция и Албания. В то же время против признания независимости края выступили Россия, Китай, Испания, Израиль, Словакия и Румыния.

The opinion of the international community regarding this decision is(3) divided. According to information(4) on 22 February, the independence of Kosovo was officially recognized by 17 of the 27 EU countries, and also the USA, Australia, Turkey, and Albania. However(5), Russia, China, Spain, Israel, Slovakia, and Romania opposed the independence of the territory (/province).(6)

Напомним, что сербское меньшинство составляет 10% от общего населения Косово. С 1999 года край Косово находился под управлением ООН в составе Сербии. Многолетние переговоры в ООН о статусе края были безуспешны - Сербия отказывается признавать независимость Косово.

_ (7)A Serbian minority makes up 10% of the overall population of Kosovo. Since 1999, the territory of Kosovo has been under the administration of the UN as a part of Serbia. Many years of talks( at the UN about the province's status were unsuccessful – Serbia refuses(9) to recognize the independence of Kosovo.

В понедельник, 18 февраля, информационные агенства сообщили, что Белград официально аннулировал независимость Косово, а сербская полиция возбудила уголовные дела против косовских лидеров. Им инкриминировали «провозглашение фальшивого государства на территории Сербии».

On Monday, 18 February, press agencies reported that Belgrade has(10) officially revoked the independence of Kosovo, and Serbian police initiated criminal proceedings(11) against the Kosovan(12) leaders. They charge “the declaration(13) of a false government in the territory of Serbia.”[/quote]

OK a lot of these corrections are minor matters of style. What I've tried to do is put it how an English news report would read. However there were a couple of proper inaccuracies:

(1) style: we wouldn't say "this territory" in English in this context.
(2) style: it's bad to repeast "territory" twice. Notice they avoid it in Russian as well by using territoriya and kray. Also Kosovo is / was a province of Serbia.
(3) tense: it still is divided. Both are possible, but I think "is" works better.
(4) style: "data" doens't work here. A list of countries that recognise Kosov is not really "data" in English. "Information", "reports" works better.
(5) stlye: "however" sounds better to "at the same time" (the literal translation).
(6) style: maybe province is better here.
(7) style: you wouldn't get anything like napomnim in an English report, so maybe it's best to leave it out.
( style: многолетний. 'long' doesn't really convey the extent of mnogoletnii. Thus slightly changing the syntax to "many years of talks", gets round using an adjective.
(9) tense: the verb in Russian is in the present tense. Serbia still refuses to recognise Kosovo's independance.
(10) style: either way sounds OK.
(11) meaning: this Russian bit (возбудила уголовные дела) is a set phrase for "initiate criminal proceedings".
(12) style: either way is OK.
(13) style: it's a 'declaration' again in English, although they use a different word in Russian.

OK, I realise you are just translating this for your own benefit, so it doesn't have to be perfectly polished; I was more doing it for my own reference.

Спасибо большое, TATY.

Originally Posted by TATY

OK, I realise you are just translating this for your own benefit, so it doesn't have to be perfectly polished; I was more doing it for my own reference.

No problem. It certainly doesn't hurt. If I could trouble you a little more, here's a paragraph from the 3rd story (Война форматов) of the 22.02.2008 webcast:

Напомним, что формат HD DVD эксклюзивно поддерживали Microsoft, Paramount Pictures и Universal Pictures. Однако рынок HD DVD стал уменьшаться после того, как о поддержке Blu-ray сообщили киностудии Warner Brothers, Walt Disney, Twentieth Century Fox, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer и Sony Pictures. Затем от HD DVD отказался ряд магазинов, включая сеть супермаркетов Wal-Mart.

Microsoft, Paramount Pictures, and Universal Pictures supported the HD DVD format exclusively. [My understanding is that these companies supported only the HD DVD format, not that they were the only companies that supported it, but it's a bit unclear to me.] However, the HD DVD market began to shrink after Warner Brothers, Walt Disney, Twentieth Century Fox, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and Sony Pictures announced their endorsement of Blu-ray. Then, a number stores including the supermarket chain Wal-Mart moved away from HD DVD.

Originally Posted by Grogs

Спасибо большое, TATY.

Originally Posted by TATY

OK, I realise you are just translating this for your own benefit, so it doesn't have to be perfectly polished; I was more doing it for my own reference.

No problem. It certainly doesn't hurt. If I could trouble you a little more, here's a paragraph from the 3rd story (Война форматов) of the 22.02.2008 webcast:

Напомним, что формат HD DVD эксклюзивно поддерживали Microsoft, Paramount Pictures и Universal Pictures. Однако рынок HD DVD стал уменьшаться после того, как о поддержке Blu-ray сообщили киностудии Warner Brothers, Walt Disney, Twentieth Century Fox, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer и Sony Pictures. Затем от HD DVD отказался ряд магазинов, включая сеть супермаркетов Wal-Mart.

Microsoft, Paramount Pictures, and Universal Pictures supported the HD DVD format exclusively. [My understanding is that these companies supported only the HD DVD format, not that they were the only companies that supported it, but it's a bit unclear to me.] However, the HD DVD market began to shrink after Warner Brothers, Walt Disney, Twentieth Century Fox, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and Sony Pictures announced their endorsement of Blu-ray. Then, a number stores including the supermarket chain Wal-Mart moved away from HD DVD.

Yeh, it's unclear to me too, not being a native Russian speaker. When stuff like this is unclear it's worth googling or wikipediaing to find something written in English which might clear things up.

EDIT: I checked Wiki and it seems your initial thought it correct, that the companies only supported HD DVD.

Great, thanks.