translation question

[Victoria Thorstensson]

In my experience (from growing up in a military town in Russia), praporshchik is a person who does not have a military education (is not a military man as such) but who has signed a contract (temporary) to work in the army (as an outsider). A lot of women were praporshchiki, they did clerical and other "women's" work (which was a way for officers' wives to find employment).

----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul B. Gallagher" <paulbg at PBG-TRANSLATIONS.COM>
Date: Monday, July 21, 2008 11:11 am
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] translation question
To: SEELANGS at BAMA.UA.EDU


> Vadim Besprozvany wrote:
> 
> > The answer of the second question is much obvious: "praporshchik"  
> > (Engl. ensign) is a junior officer in an infantry regiment; from  
> > "prapor" - "flag, banner" *(cf. with English "ensign"). "Warrant  
> > Officer" usually means in Russian "unter-oficer."  ...
> 
> I don't claim to know British usage, but in American English, "ensign" 
> 
> is specifically a naval rank, roughly like "lieutenant" in the other 
> services. It would sound very peculiar for us to hear an army officer 
> 
> called "ensign."
> 
> -- 
> War doesn't determine who's right, just who's left.
> --
> Paul B. Gallagher
> pbg translations, inc.
> "Russian Translations That Read Like Originals"
> http://pbg-translations.com
> 
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
>  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/
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 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/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------