Thread: surname translation?

I'd appreciate it if someone would translate the surname, Bolotinskaya, into English for me.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by BeauB

I'd appreciate it if someone would translate the surname, Bolotinskaya, into English for me.

Thanks!

Bolotina is marshland.

Names are just names. They aren't in any language and cannot be translated.

Originally Posted by Layne

Names are just names. They aren't in any language and cannot be translated.

Well they can. And they are in languages.

Like I know a Ukrainian guy whose last name is Melnyk which means "Miller".

Enrique Iglesias.

Iglesias is Spanish for Churches.

my last name is Castillo which is spanish for "Castle"

and i know someone named Naaktgeboren which is german for "born naked"

other names i know that have translations:

Schaffer = german for shepard
Salvador = spanish for savior
Corona = spanish for crown
etc...

These are not translations in the common sense of the word. You can't translate a name and think this will be the same person yet with the name equivalent. No motivation whatsoever.

Originally Posted by Rtyom

These are not translations in the common sense of the word. You can't translate a name and think this will be the same person yet with the name equivalent. No motivation whatsoever.

Yes you can. If you are a Russian "Miller" and I'm an American "Miller," then we both share in common our great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather's professions! :P

Enrique Iglesias does not go by Enrique Churches while in the US does he? Names can be derived from words as all those examples are but that does not mean you translate your name when you go to other countries.

Barmaley
You'd better change your location. You're not 13th anymore! How about "Twisted Twelfth"? :P

Originally Posted by Rtyom

Barmaley
You'd better change your location. You're not 13th anymore! How about "Twisted Twelfth"? :P

Profile corrected. But I'm only like 20 ahead of Dmitri -- and in case you haven't noticed, that's well within his reach!

Originally Posted by Layne

Enrique Iglesias does not go by Enrique Churches while in the US does he? Names can be derived from words as all those examples are but that does not mean you translate your name when you go to other countries.

Who said anything about translating their name when they go to a different country? The guy just asked if someone could translate that name for him.

For all you know, he might just want to know what it means because, i must admit, it is rather interesting to know.

Yes, exactly - I'm not attempting to Westernize a name, just looking for the meaning/original meaning/cooincidental meaning of Bolotinskaya.

I have a friend whose last name is Bolotinskaya and she started to tell a group of us that would tell us what her last name meant in Russian (this was after her telling us a funny story about someone else's name) and then she changed her mind.

I told her I'd track it down - thus my query here. It is kind of a challenge and she's quite interested in hearing what I turn up. The bolotina = marshland didn't pass muster with her.

-----
Here's what I got from another site (will see what she thinks of this this morning):

Bolotinskaya is a female surname. Her husband would be Bolotinsky (Болотинский).

Boloto means swamp. Bolotinskaya is a kind of adjective from swamp. Actually, this surname has two suffixes: -in and -skaya.

The surname doesn't have a special meaning, but originates from SWAMP - БОЛОТО.

Originally Posted by Layne

Enrique Iglesias does not go by Enrique Churches while in the US does he? Names can be derived from words as all those examples are but that does not mean you translate your name when you go to other countries.

Firstly, it would be Ricky Churches.

I didn't suggest he should be called that in the US. But names having meanings, and if a name is a basic name, or adjective, then using the word "translate" is perfectly acceptable?

What does translate actually mean?

Names are in languages, and they can be often easily be translated between languages. It doesn't mean people HAVE to be called by the local form of the name whereever they travel to.

But 1. Translations exist
2. People can use them if they choose.

Loads of immigrants to America translated their (often German) names to English.

Originally Posted by BeauB

Yes, exactly - I'm not attempting to Westernize a name, just looking for the meaning/original meaning/cooincidental meaning of Bolotinskaya.

I have a friend whose last name is Bolotinskaya and she started to tell a group of us that would tell us what her last name meant in Russian (this was after her telling us a funny story about someone else's name) and then she changed her mind.

I told her I'd track it down - thus my query here. It is kind of a challenge and she's quite interested in hearing what I turn up. The bolotina = marshland didn't pass muster with her.

-----
Here's what I got from another site (will see what she thinks of this this morning):

Bolotinskaya is a female surname. Her husband would be Bolotinsky (Болотинский).

Boloto means swamp. Bolotinskaya is a kind of adjective from swamp. Actually, this surname has two suffixes: -in and -skaya.

The surname doesn't have a special meaning, but originates from SWAMP - БОЛОТО.

Marshland can be translated as "болото" as well. "Болотина" is not 100% pure but possible in vulgar speach word for "болото".

Лол! Какие неожиданные ответы! Обычно, когда кто-нибудь спрашивает у нас как переводить свое имя, МРщики rip them apart....