 Just Don't |
You're sitting at home watching a scary movie in Russian. As the featured monster or maniac stalks menacingly toward the frightened heroine, who's found herself backed into a dark corner, she cries out "Ne Nada!" What's wrong with this picture? Nothing, if you're a native Russian speaker. If you're not, you may recall that you have heard this same phrase used innumerable times in everyday, seemingly innocuous situations. "Should I take an umbrella, Natasha?
"Ne nada." Or "I can stay late to help you out, Igor." "Ne nada." In other words: "Ne nada" literally means something like "you don't have to" or "that won't be necessary."
But surely one should not use "Ne nada" in response to the statement "I'm gonna hack you up into little pieces and pack you into the ice box, you pathetic little #&% ..." No, it just doesn't seem to fit - regardless of the strength with which it's pronounced. There must be a phrase in Russian like the English "Don't," which conveys such urgency and even despair if uttered with the right intonation and facial expression.
In fact, when used alone, "Don't" can't help but convey directness and even serious intent, regardless of how it's said. Going back to our scary movie, if Chuck Norris or Sylvester Stalone were to bust in at just the moment that our maniac or monster was about to deliver the deathblow to our heroine, we would expect the Hollywood tough guys to shout at least something like "No!" or "Stop" (more than likely they would just blow the villain's head off with the latest model handgun), but they would most certainly not scream "that's not necessary."
And this isn't a translation problem. "Ne nada" is by its very nature indirect, often not used with personal pronouns, which would make it clear who isn't supposed to be doing what. In this sense, it comes close to the similar Russian phrases "Ne nuzhno" (one doesn't need to) and "Nelzia" (it's prohibited). "You can't talk like that," says the English speaker, although he may very well not be talking to "You." What he really wants to say is "one shouldn't talk like that." So English speakers get direct even when they don't want to, while Russian speakers even stand on ceremony with maniacs and monsters.
Does this mean that we Anglo types are more blunt, outspoken and in-your-face than Russian speakers? If only it were true! Russians have a wonderful collection of words and phrases that you won't find in most dictionaries but which are more than capable of communicating powerfully negative and direct feelings. Unfortunately editorial standards prohibit their usage in this publication. Or to put it another way: "Nelzia!"
Pretty Please
"You forgot to say please" is a statement that translates nicely into Russia. In both cultures, we use it to remind our interlocutor that the addition of the word "please" or "pozhaluysta" would make a request more polite. But what about that dinner party you were invited to last night? You arrived in your best spotted sports coat with a handful of daisies and some cheap chocolates, but the elderly dame in the evening gown who was running the show just kept saying "please" and extending her hand. What does she want? You may have asked yourself. And then when the conversation went dead and everyone headed for the dinner table, she switched to "Proshu ... Proshu." After slipping into the toilet unnoticed, you whipped out your handy dandy bilingual dictionary to discover that "Proshu" means "I request" or "I'm asking you." What's the old girl after? You must have thought. You'd heard of the post-Soviet bribe culture, or maybe you'd become the object of an over-fifty sexual fantasy.
Returning to linguistic reality for a moment, it so happens that Russians use "pozhaluysta" in asking and offering. In the latter case, the word often translates as "here you are." After the receiver says "spasibo" or "thank you" you would normally not say "Pozhaluysta" but "Ne za shto," or "Don't mention it." And as far as "Proshu" is concerned, if used in a social setting it translates to something like "come this way" or "Dinner is served" (Proshu k stolu). In Russian, you don't ask to be fed unless you're a beggar.
|
Read also previous issue' articles:
Neither a Borrower
In a Word
Hot or Not
Animal Farm
Hi on Health!
Just Beat It
|
| |
CONTACT US |
|
|
|
