Yeah, it's one of those difficulties with translating things. Do you pick a similar idiom in the translated language, or do you translate literally and leave your audience guessing there was an idiom, but not necessarily sure what was meant.
I know people joke a lot about Russians who are critical of Putin falling out of windows or committing suicide by shooting themselves in the back of the head. But I can't help but wonder if common people like this are in danger - or if they're too lowly for someone to take notice.
Remember that those babushkas are the main "voters" (in quotes, because voting in Russia is lol) for Pootin, don't simply assume they all wish the end of war..
10 Comments
khannie@lemmy.world · 40 pts · 2y
"He lies like a rug" is an amazing phrase.
FearfulSalad@ttrpg.network · 23 pts · 2y
Alas, "lies like a rug" is entirely an English idiom, and is not what she said.
https://gramota-ru.translate.goog/biblioteka/spravochniki/spravochnik-po-frazeologii/vrat-kak-sivyy-merin?_x_tr_sl=ru&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp
She used "lies like a grey gelding," which is tantamount to calling him "too old and incompetent to be trusted to do the work required of him."
khannie@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 2y
Thanks. I appreciate the extra context and learning. I did wonder about it translating so well but I'd never heard "lies like a rug" before either.
CatChucks@mastodon.social · 2 pts · 2y
@khannie @FearfulSalad
There are lots of phrases in Ukrainian meaning the same:
'Lies as a moskal', 'to carry a moskal', 'He lies, until he grinds his teeth' etc.
BombOmOm@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 2y
Yeah, it's one of those difficulties with translating things. Do you pick a similar idiom in the translated language, or do you translate literally and leave your audience guessing there was an idiom, but not necessarily sure what was meant.
aeronmelon@lemmy.world · 16 pts · 2y
Every god from every religion bless the old Russian babushkas.
desmosthenes@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 2y
https://youtu.be/9S7viJ_Lfxc?si=vUYCgD6PVUT1U9UN
jballs@sh.itjust.works · 14 pts · 2y
I know people joke a lot about Russians who are critical of Putin falling out of windows or committing suicide by shooting themselves in the back of the head. But I can't help but wonder if common people like this are in danger - or if they're too lowly for someone to take notice.
kSPvhmTOlwvMd7Y7E@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 2y
Remember that those babushkas are the main "voters" (in quotes, because voting in Russia is lol) for Pootin, don't simply assume they all wish the end of war..
AnUnusualRelic@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 2y
Does it matter who people vote for over there anyway?
Wasn't there an election that they skipped because they allegedly knew how people would vote?