Translation Question - CORRECTION!

[Alina Israeli]

>As I just mentioned, the literal meaning was just the fifth entry while
>the real meaning was "Jewish".

That indeed WAS so. And this is the meaning that was implied for a long
time. That is the subject of the discussion of the following article with
Gaft's epigraph (Gaft is a famous actor, also a poet):

Я знаю, как стихотворение,
              Где есть смертельная строфа,
              Анкету, где, как преступление,
              Маячит пятая графа.
              Запомню я листочки серые,
              На всё, что спросят, дам ответ.
              Но что люблю, во что я верую,
              Там нет таких вопросов, нет!"
              В.Гафт
http://www.DTPRESS.ru/mp/2003/03/03.htm


However, by extention it means a nationality problem, any nationality
problem that might exist on the Russian speaking territory. As most people
realize, it is not so good to be identifiably from the Caucases these days
(which reminds me of a not so new joke: Меняю лицо кавказской
национальности на жидовскую морду с доплатой). In the following article
they are talking about too many Chechens working in Astrakhan region.

АСТРАХАНСКИЕ ВЛАСТИ ЗАДУМАЛИСЬ О ПЯТОЙ ГРАФЕ
               www.allrussia.ru/pressreview/default.asp?id=161740&rub_id=6

So when translating one has to take a careful look at the context: Is this
a Jewish question? is this a general national strife issues? Is this a
Caucasian diaspora issue? and translate accordingly.

__________________________
 Alina Israeli
 LFS, American University
 4400 Mass. Ave., NW
 Washington, DC 20016

 phone:    (202) 885-2387
 fax:      (202) 885-1076 

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