nobody wants to try

Printable View

May 7th, 2003, 01:24 AM
J.V.

nobody wants to try

I asked for help with this unusual sentence on another forum, but no one replied.

I still hope that it will be interesting for you to translate this in English.

В тебе странным образом уживаются абсолютное безразличие к своему внешнему виду, даже нечистоплотность в будние дни и какое-то купеческое -напоказ-франтовство в праздники.

(нечистоплотность - grubbiness)

The main idea is that there are two contradictory features in one person - from one side it is untidiness, from the other - dandyism...

Looking forward for your options.
Thanks.
May 7th, 2003, 02:25 PM
Aaa

Re: nobody wants to try

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.V.

I asked for help with this unusual sentence on another forum, but no one replied.

I still hope that it will be interesting for you to translate this in English.

В тебе странным образом уживаются абсолютное безразличие к своему внешнему виду, даже нечистоплотность в будние дни и какое-то купеческое -напоказ-франтовство в праздники.

(нечистоплотность - grubbiness)

The main idea is that there are two contradictory features in one person - from one side it is untidiness, from the other - dandyism...

Looking forward for your options.
Thanks.

Just learning Russian, can you do your best to put it into English and explain what you mean? If you do that, I can fix it grammatically.
May 7th, 2003, 02:41 PM
Aaa

Something like:

You usually dress like a slob, but you go all out on holidays.

You usually don't care what you look like, but you dress to the nines for holidays.

Phrases for the first part:

You usually dress like a slob,

You usually don't care what you look like,

You normally don't dress well,

You normally don't care about your appearance,

Phrases for the second part:

but you go all out on holidays. ("go all out" refers to an earlier mention of clothing)

but you dress to the nines for holidays. ("to the nines" is a colloquial phrase meaning "all out")

but you get all fancy for special occasions.

but you get all gussied up for special occasions. ("gussied up" is old-fashioned)

I don't think the simple phrases "dress up" or "dress nicely" fully express what you're trying to say.

And the words "dandy", "foppish", etc. aren't used much anymore.
May 7th, 2003, 06:06 PM
J.V.

Re: nobody wants to try

Just learning Russian, can you do your best to put it into English and explain what you mean? If you do that, I can fix it grammatically.[/quote]

Ok.

В тебе странным образом уживаются абсолютное безразличие к своему внешнему виду, даже нечистоплотность в будние дни и какое-то купеческое -напоказ-франтовство в праздники.

Total indifference to your own appearance, even grubbiness on ordinary days weirdly(strangely) get along with your vulgar and affected dandyism on holidays.

This is one version.

The problem is that "vulgar and dandyism" do not reflect the Russian expression " купеческое-напоказ-франтовство".
If you translate it word-to-word, you'll have "merchant - for show - dandyism". In Russian history there was a rank of people called "merchants". They had a certain cast of mind, build their capital while trading. On holidays and different town fairs they loved to dress fancy, excessively, but NOT vulgar. They prefered red color.

I need an equivalent for " Russian merchants" in E. so that E-speaking auditory could understand what is ment here.

And is it grammatically right to put it in one sentence, may be it is better to divide it into two?

Thank you.
May 7th, 2003, 06:20 PM
Aaa

Re: nobody wants to try

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.V.

Quote:

Just learning Russian, can you do your best to put it into English and explain what you mean? If you do that, I can fix it grammatically.

Ok.

В тебе странным образом уживаются абсолютное безразличие к своему внешнему виду, даже нечистоплотность в будние дни и какое-то купеческое -напоказ-франтовство в праздники.

Total indifference to your own appearance, even grubbiness on ordinary days weirdly(strangely) get along with your vulgar and affected dandyism on holidays.

This is one version.

The problem is that "vulgar and dandyism" do not reflect the Russian expression " купеческое-напоказ-франтовство".
If you translate it word-to-word, you'll have "merchant - for show - dandyism". In Russian history there was a rank of people called "merchants". They had a certain cast of mind, build their capital while trading. On holidays and different town fairs they loved to dress fancy, excessively, but NOT vulgar. They prefered red color.

I need an equivalent for " Russian merchants" in E. so that E-speaking auditory could understand what is ment here.

And is it grammatically right to put it in one sentence, may be it is better to divide it into two?

Thank you.

"It's odd that you care so little about your appearance most days, yet you dress up outlandishly every holiday or special occasion."

Depending on the degree of "vulgarity" of dress, substitute the following for "outlandishly":

nicely

quite nicely

fancily

quite fancily

outlandishly
May 7th, 2003, 07:21 PM
raskolnik

so you want an english word/term which describes somebody of a certain cast of mind, (what cast of mind exactly? Eg. people who rip you off, people who are highly concerned with money etc? ) and build. just a basic sterotype will do
May 8th, 2003, 05:37 AM
jejik

I think it will be impossible to find one word for what you want to say. Just use merchant and describe it later (as we see in books).
May 8th, 2003, 06:43 PM
J.V.

Quote:

Originally Posted by raskolnik

so you want an english word/term which describes somebody of a certain cast of mind, (what cast of mind exactly? Eg. people who rip you off, people who are highly concerned with money etc? ) and build. just a basic sterotype will do

Someone suggested "pimps"
Who are they?
pimpmobil?
pimpshoes??
May 9th, 2003, 08:42 PM
Aaa

Quote:

Originally Posted by J.V.

Quote:

Originally Posted by raskolnik

so you want an english word/term which describes somebody of a certain cast of mind, (what cast of mind exactly? Eg. people who rip you off, people who are highly concerned with money etc? ) and build. just a basic sterotype will do

Someone suggested "pimps"
Who are they?
pimpmobil?
pimpshoes??

A pimp is the guy who controls prostitutes. A pimpmobile is a big flashy car that a pimp might drive. Pimp shoes are shoes a pimp might wear.

The last two are predicated on a stereotype derived from 1970's era movie depictions of black pimps in flashy 1970s clothes. Think of gold chains, floppy collars, bright colors, cars with leapord-skin interior and a furry steering wheel, gold teeth, rhinestone sunglasses.... You get the picture.