translating colloquial word

[Russell Valentino]

 From what has come out in discussion, it seems that for many of the
connotations the word evokes, "low-life" would be pretty good: the
low-lifes hanging out at the subway station; she came with her low-life
husband. It emphasizes the distance and the lack of desire to get closer on
the speaker's part, and it's not quite as dated as poor sap or sad sack.

At 12:42 AM 6/14/2005, you wrote:
>Dear colleagues:
>
>Does anyone out there know a good English equivalent for KHMYR'?***  Is it
>possible
>that "Sad Sack" would work?  Or "Poor Sap"?
>_ _ _  _
>
>  *** In my Russian film studies I've run across this curious word, used
> like a name, on
>two  occasions :  (1) SCHASTIE ('35 Medvedkin), where Khmyr' is played by
>Petr Zinov'ev);
>(2) DZHENTELMENY UDACHI ('71 Seryi), Khmyr' played by the late Georgii
>Vitsin).
>
>Gratefully,
>Steven P Hill,
>University of Illinois.
>_ __ __ _ __ __ __ __ __ __ _ __ _

Russell Valentino
Associate Professor
Program in Russian
Department of Cinema and Comparative Literature
University of Iowa
Tel. (319) 353-2193
Fax (319) 353-2524

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------