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Hello, it is me again. I hope you don't mind me asking for help, but I don't understand how you would pronounce this Russian name!!! O__O
The name is Jelena and it is the equilivent of Helena, I believe. I'm so confused with these Russian names of yours! lol!! :lol:
Maybe, Elena?
I think it's Елена (short form is Лена - Lena).
I'll trust you on that one. :wink:Quote:
Originally Posted by flowforever
To answer your question, in English it would sound like Yelena (Yeh-Leh-Na) because the Russian "e" is actually like a "ye" -- that's why Eltsin becomes Yeltsin.
The proper English form is Helen, or Hellena, Hellen, Helena, Ellen. The names Lena, and Elena, etc have entered English from other languages later on.Quote:
Originally Posted by BlackMage
In Greek the name is spelt with an ' at the beginning which used to denote an short exhailation like that of English H. In today's Greek the name is pronounced Elena however.
'Ελένη - (h)Elene. It means "torch" or something
Also Greece's proper name is the "Hellenic Republic" or "Hellas".
TATY
thx a lot for this information+)))
BlackMage
:wink:
Rubbish. Elena is a Russian name, therefore Russians abroad should be called by it. It's a common enough name around here, even for non-Russians.Quote:
Originally Posted by TATY
Elena is NOT a Russian name.Quote:
Originally Posted by BlackMage
It's very common and was adopted about 15 centuries ago but it's NOT a Russian name. I agree with TATY - its Greek (Byzantine actually adopted by the Slavs and spoken slightly different).
P.S. By the way there are very little truly russian names are in use. Most of so called "russian names" are biblical (jewish), so as the most of "european names". The rest are Byzantine (like Helena or Elena) or Turkik (like mine, for example).
If it REALLY matters, I could look for additional info.
You're NOT a Russian name!Quote:
Originally Posted by Ramil
I've never pretended to be. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by BlackMage
Not me, though, but my name :)
That depends on what one means by the term "Russian name". It can mean "a name of Russian origin" in which case your statement is true but it can also mean "a name common in Russia". I think that both terms are valid depending on the context, like when you are talking about the names' origins you would certainly use the former but when you talk about how a name sounds in a certain language or discussing the popularity of names it's quite appropriate to use the latter.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ramil
Сall the person by their name the way the want to be called. Don't think up English equivalents and call them that. If my name was Ivan and I go to England, I wouldn't like it if people called me John. The name is IVAN.
English is just as random a language as Russian.
True, but if you are in a place where your name is butchered frequently, you might want to adapt it a bit. This is why Pavel wants to be called "Paul." I used to know an Iranian guy whose name was Kambiz. He is a businessman and at meetings he would frequently hear "Kambiz??! Where the hell do you have to be from to get a name like that?" So he called himself Ken.Quote:
Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie
I were to go to Russia I would want to be called "жанет."
Hey, come to think of it, a lot of Americans can't seem to get my name right, either -- and it's one of the most boring names possible!
That's why I wrote: Call them by what they want to be called. Randomly inventing names for people is not kosher :)
The only thing is that you'll have to put up with people calling you EYE-vun instead of ee-VAN. Russian names don't do too well in English. Sad, really.Quote:
If my name was Ivan and I go to England, I wouldn't like it if people called me John. The name is IVAN
Tosha
"Evan" won't be a way out either.
"Yvonne" is very close, but then people would think he's a woman.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rtyom
Eewon?
That is irrelevant.Quote:
Originally Posted by BlackMage
The name came from Greek and became Yelena in Russian, and Helen, Helena etc. in English.
The names Elena and Lena in English came from other language much more recently.
And why are we on this discussion about translating names. No one in this thread actaully said we should call people by the English equivilents, we just mentioned what they ARE.
Yes, I don't think Russian Ivan should be called John in England, but that doesn't mean we can't discuss the origins of the names and that John is the Russian equivalent of Ivan.