Derek Offord - Using Russian - A Guide to Contemporary Usage

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4.5

Translation of English forms ending in -ing

(b)

attendant action: a separate clause, which in R3 might contain a

gerund (see 9.7.1–9.7.2, 11.11.1), e.g.

He broke his leg while playing football .

Покa´ он игрa´л/игрa´яв футбо´л,

он сломa´л сeбe´ но´гу.

(c)

action prior to that denoted by the main verb: a subordinate clause, which in R3 may contain a perfective gerund, e.g.

I telephoned him on finding out

У знa´воб э´том, я позвони´л(a)

about this .

eму´.

After discussing the matter they came

Oбсуди´вдe´ло, они´ пришли´ к

to a decision .

рeшe´нию.

(d)

in an English phrase describing a noun (equivalent to a relative clause): either a relative clause with кото´рыйor, in R3, an active participle (see 9.7.3–9.7.4, 11.11.2), e.g.

a factory producing lorries

зaво´д, кото´рый произво´дит/

производя´щийгрузовики´

for a firm specialising in trade with

для фи´рмы, кото´рaя

Russia

спeциaлизи´руeтся/

спeциaлизи´рующeйся

в торго´влe с Pоссиéй

(e)

English verbal noun describing some action or process, result or place of action, material, inner state or abstract concept: a Russian verbal noun (possibly with the suffix - ниe, see 8.7.1), e.g.

reading

чтe´ниe

teaching

обучe´ниe

building

здa´ниe

lodging

жили´щe

lining

подклa´дкa

feeling

чу´вство

hearing

слух

(f )

English gerund, denoting some activity: verbal noun or infinitive, e.g.

His favourite subject is drawing .

Eго´ люби´мый прeдмe´т –

рисовa´ниe.

I like playing chess .

Я люблю´ игрa´тьв шa´хмaты.

(g)

after verbs of perception: subordinate clause introduced by кaк, e.g.

I heard you singing .

Я слы´шaл(a), кaкты пe´лa.

We saw him getting on a bus .

Mы ви´дeли, кaкон сaди´лсяв

aвто´бус.

(h)

after the verb to keep : всё+ imperfective verb or нe пeрeстaвa´ть+

imperfective infinitive, e.g.

She kept (on) repeating the same words .

Oнa´ всё повторя´лaтe жe словa´/Oнa´ нe пeрeстaвa´лa повторя´тьтe жe словa´.

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4

Problems of translation from English into Russian

(i)

after from used with verbs such as prevent, stop : Russian infinitive, e.g.

You are preventing/stopping me from working .

Tы мeшaéшь мнe рaбо´тaть.

(j)

often a construction containing тоin the case appropriate in the context followed by что´бы+ infinitive may be used, e.g.

We all have an interest in taking the best decisions .

Bce мы зaинтeрeсо´вaны в том, что´быприня´ть нaилу´чшиe рeшe´ния.

4.6

Translation of too, also, as well

The distinction between тa´кжeand то´жegives rise to problems for English-speakers. Ta´кжe may be used in most circumstances, but то´жe is more restricted in its use. The following distinction can be made: r то´жemay be used when an additional subject is performing an action, e.g.

Tы идёшь в кино´? Я то´жeпойду´.

Are you going to the cinema? I’ll come too .

Я люблю´ му´зыку. жeнa´ то´жeлю´бит му´зыку.

I like music. My wife likes music too .

r тa´кжe(often in the phrase a тa´кжe) is used when a single subject is performing an additional action or performing an action that affects an additional object, e.g.

Я сeго´дня был(a´) нa вы´стaвкe, a тa´кжeпорaбо´тaл(a).

I went to an exhibition today and did a bit of work too .

Я интeрeсу´юсь литeрaту´рой, a тa´кжeтeáтром.

I’m interested in literature and also in the theatre .

It should be noted that иis very often used in the sense of also, too, as well , e.g.

Экономи´чeский кри´зис привeдёт к бeзрaбо´тицe. Bозни´кнут и

социa´льныe проблe´мы.

The economic crisis will lead to unemployment. Social problems will also arise.

Haд Aнтaркти´кой обнaру´жeнa огро´мнaя дырa´. Haблюдaéтся

умeньшe´ниe озо´нового сло´я инaд мно´гими гу´сто нaсeлёнными

рaйо´нaми плaнe´ты.

A huge hole has been discovered over Antarctica. A reduction in the ozone layer is being observed over many densely populated regions of the planet as well .

Note:

in clauses with a negative verb и may have the meaning either , e.g.

Прeмьeр-мини´стр нe объясни´л, почeму´ инфля´ция поднялa´сь до тaко´го

у´ровня. B eго´ рe´чи нe нaшли´ мe´стa идругиé о´стрыe проблe´мы, The prime minister did not explain why inflation had risen to such a [high] level. Other serious problems found no place either in his speech .

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5 Vocabulary and idiom

5.1

Neologisms

The radical changes in Russian life since the mid-1980s, the sudden

greatly increased exposure to Western influence, and the introduction of large numbers of new institutions, habits and concepts have led to the flooding of the Russian language with neologisms. These

neologisms relate to almost every area of life, but are especially

numerous in such fields as politics, economics, social problems, law and order, science and technology, education, culture, sport and fashion.

Many of the neologisms are loanwords from other languages,

nowadays mainly from English. Neologisms of this type may require

slight phonetic adaptation, especially when the English word contains the letter c followed by e or i , e.g. гeноци´д, genocide . The majority of them are absorbed into Russian without morphological adaptation, if

they are nouns (e.g. бри´финг, briefing ), although some (especially those ending in -и) will be indeclinable (e.g. пaбли´сити(n) publicity ).

However, the adjectives and verbs among loanwords, and also many