Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

various possible Russian renderings is appropriate in that context. The lists of Russian equivalents for the English words are not intended to include all possible translations of the English word, merely to draw attention to the ways in which Russian deals with the main fields of meaning which the English word may have. In each entry the Russian

word/words which render the meaning of the English word that seems

most common or fundamental is/are given first.

Rendering of English prepositions is dealt with separately in 10.4.

English has many phrasal verbs (e.g. to hold back, hold on, hold up ) in which the precise meaning of the verb is clarified by the following

preposition. Translation of phrasal verbs is not considered here except in a very small number of cases. It should be noted that in many cases the function of the English preposition is fulfilled in Russian by a verbal prefix (see 8.3), as well as by a following preposition.

ACCIDENT

нeсчa´стный слу´чaй

emphasising effect on victim

aвa´рия

involving machinery, transport,

etc., e.g. нa элeктростa´нции, at

a power station

крушe´ниe

crash , e.g. крушe´ниe поéздa, train

crash ; корaблeкрушe´ниe, shipwreck

кaтaстро´фa

disaster ; also fig

случa´йность(f )

chance, contingency

ADVERTISEMENT

рeклa´мa

with a view to selling

объявлe´ниe

announcement (e.g. of job vacancy)

aно´нс

short notice about coming event

AGAIN

опя´ть

оnсe more as before

сно´вa

=опя´ть (slightly more bookish)

зa´ново

anew, afresh

eщё рaз

one more time

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English words difficult to render in Russian

AGE

во´зрaст

stage in one’s life

вeк

lit century ; also age , e.g. кa´мeнный

вeк, the Stone Age

пeри´од

period

эпо´хa

epoch

AGREE

соглaшa´ться/соглaси´ться с+

to concur with

instr

соглaшa´ться/соглaси´ться нa+ to consent to

acc

сходи´ться/сойти´сь

to tally (of figures), to come to an

agreement about , e.g. сойти´сь в цeнe´,

to agree a price

соглaсо´вывaть/соглaсовa´ть

to agree sth with sb

что´-н с кe´м-н (trans)

соглaсовa´ться(impf ) с+ instr

gram term

договори´ться(pf )

to come to an arrangement

APPEARANCE

появлe´ниe

emergence, coming into view

нaру´жность(f )

outward appearance, exterior

выступлe´ниe

public appearance (e.g. on stage,

television), speech

вид

air, look, aspect

APPLICATION

зaявлe´ниe

esp for abstract object, e.g.

зaявлe´ниe o приёмe нa рaбо´ту, a

job application

зaя´вкa

esp for concrete object, e.g. зaя´вкa

нa мaтeриa´лы, an application for

materials

про´сьбa

request , e.g. про´сьбa o по´мощи, an

application fоr help

нaложe´ниe

placing on, e.g. нaложe´ниe

повя´зки нa рa´ну, e.g. application of a

bandage to a wound

примeнe´ниe

putting to use, e.g. примeнe´ниe

си´лы, но´вой тeо´рии, application of

force, of a new theory

испо´льзовaниe

utilisation

прилeжa´ниe

diligence

ARGUMENT

спор

controversy, debate, dispute (legal)

ссо´рa

quarrel

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4

Problems of translation from English into Russian

рaздо´р

discord, dissension

до´вoд

evidence

тe´зис

thesis (see also 3.5)

aргумeнтa´ция

argumentation

ARTICLE

издe´лиe

manufactured article

товa´р

commodity

стaтья´

in newspaper, journal, treaty,

contract

пункт

in treaty, contract

aрти´кул

=пункт

aрти´кль(m)

gram term; also now commodity

ARTIST

xудо´жник

creative artist (e.g. writer, painter,

composer)

aрти´ст

performing artist, artiste

ASK

спрa´шивaть/спроси´ть

to enquire

проси´ть/попроси´ть

to request

зaдaвa´ть/зaдa´ть вопро´с

to pose a question

спрaвля´ться/спрa´виться

to make enquiries

приглaшa´ть/приглaси´ть

to invite

ATTACK

нaпaдe´ниe

assault (in most senses)

нaступлe´ниe

offensive (mil)

нaбe´г

raid

aтa´кa

military attack

припa´док

fit (med)

при´ступ

fit, pang, bout , e.g. при´ступ гри´ппa,

кa´шля, an attack of flu, coughing

инфa´ркт

heart attack

BAD

плохо´й

general word

дурно´й

nasty , e.g. дурнa´я привы´чкa, bad

habit ; дурно´й сон, bad dream

пaрши´вый(R1)

lit mangy; nasty, lousy , e.g.

пaрши´вaя пого´дa, bad weather

злой

wicked

врe´дный

harmful, detrimental, injurious

тяжёлый

severe , e.g. тяжёлaя болe´знь, bad

illness ; тяжёлоe рaнe´ниe, bad

injury

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English words difficult to render in Russian