Thread: Translations & explanations needed here...

Hi everyone!
I am translating "Чтение" by Чехов, and I came across some words and expressions I can't really figure out the meaning. Can you please help me out in this?

"Вот-с!", "Извините-с!" - What exacly is that -с, and to what kind of words can it be attached?

"понатужься" -

"проза прервала поэзию на самом интересном месте." - I understand the literal meaning of this sentence but what sense does it make? The whole paragraph is: "Семипалатов поднял своё улыбающееся лицо и увидел перед собой чиновника Мердяева. Мердяев стоял перед ним и, выпучив глаза, подносил ему бумагу для подписи. Семипалатов поморщился: проза прервала поэзию на самом интересном месте."

"берите там у меня на окне книги" - is that like "get the books I have by the window"? What's the infinitive of берите? I haven't found that in the dictionary...

and also, what's the stress syllabe in the name "Мердяев"?


Oh well, there'll be more stuff I'll have to ask you guys later... this text is pretty confusing :P

"Вот-с!", "Извините-с!" - What exacly is that -с, and to what kind of words can it be attached?

In the 19'th centurty the manner to add c in the end of every word was the hint on the words сударь and сударыня - which mean something like Ma'm and Sir

"понатужься" -

to harden, make an effort

"проза прервала поэзию на самом интересном месте." - I understand the literal meaning of this sentence but what sense does it make?

I'd suggest that it means: something suddenly destroyed his mood

"берите там у меня на окне книги" - is that like "get the books I have by the window"? What's the infinitive of берите? I haven't found that in the dictionary...

RTYOOOOOM! LAMPADAAAA!!! Where are you?

"Мердяев"

The infinitive of берите is брать. Брать/взять means "to take".

"Семипалатов поднял своё улыбающееся лицо и увидел перед собой чиновника Мердяева. Мердяев стоял перед ним и, выпучив глаза, подносил ему бумагу для подписи. Семипалатов поморщился: проза прервала поэзию на самом интересном месте."

Semipalatov lifted his smiling face, and saw the official Merdyayev in front of him. Merdyayev was standing in front of him and, while staring, gave him the paper for his signature. Semipalatov, made a sarcastic face: the prose interrupted poetry at the most interesting point (I see what you mean... the literal translation makes no sense)

Someone else could probably give a better translation.

I'm gonna guess Мердяев.

It means something like
He returned to the prose of life from the poetry of dreams at that very captivating moment

Originally Posted by adoc

It means something like
He returned to the prose of life from the poetry of dreams at that very captivating moment

Hmm... Would this be a better translation? "The hard prose of life interrupted the poetry of daydreaming at it's most interesting possible moment."

I looked up the story, it's even funnier than that. A high-rank bureaucrat and a theatre manager are discussing Russian actresses, chicks basically. Мердяев (the name comes from мерзость or possibly смерд) interrupts their conversation, he needs papers signed.

Чехов часто использует "говорящие" фамилии...

Originally Posted by adoc

I looked up the story, it's even funnier than that. A high-rank bureaucrat and a theatre manager are discussing Russian actresses, chicks basically. Мердяев (the name comes from мерзость or possibly смерд) interrupts their conversation, he needs papers signed.

Or may be also from the french word "Merde".

Интересная мысль.

Originally Posted by adoc

Мердяев (the name comes from мерзость or possibly смерд)

Hmmm interesting

So now that you've taken a look at the story... is it funny? I heard it was supposed to be funny, but... well, it's mostly confusing for me since my russian is still pretty poor, and russian humor might be a lot different from what I'm used to.
But since I have to translate that text I must add its funny nuances... the problem is that I don't get them, to me it's just confusing! :P

yes it is funny, but it's not slapstick.

Originally Posted by flowforever

Чехов часто использует "говорящие" фамилии...

Не только Чехов