Platonov and God

[Shrager, Miriam]

Dear Robert,

I am not a specialist on Platonov, but I just wanted to point out that 
the end of the phrase "chto li" can indicate some frustration. So, if 
the translation was in a spoken language context, I would have 
translated it as:
"O Lord, Lord, if only you were there, damn it!"

Of course this might be inappropriate for Platonov's translation.

Best wishes,
-Miriam Shrager
Indiana University, Bloomington


-----------------------------

Date:    Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:45:23 +0000
From:    Robert Chandler <kcf19 at DIAL.PIPEX.COM>
Subject: Re: Platonov and God

Date:    Tue, 13 Jan 2009 15:26:57 +0000
From:    Robert Chandler <kcf19 at DIAL.PIPEX.COM>
Subject: Platonov and God

Dear all,

This line is from his play Sharmanka:

O, Gospodi, Gospodi, khot=B9 by ty byl, chto li!

This is not easy to translate.  What I would particularly like help with is
the =8Cchto li=B9.  The sentence could end with =8Cbyl!=B9  What does 
the =8Cchto li=B9
add to it?

Vsego dobrogo,

Robert



Dear all,

Yes, I agree with Olga here.  Introducing 'there' weakens the meaning.  It
becomes possible to understand it as a matter of whether or not God is in
some particular place, rather than whether or not he IS.

Platonov often uses  'byl', 'yest'', etc, in this very bare way, as in this
exchange from Kotlovan:
'Çà÷åì æå îí áûë?'
'Íå áûòü îí áîÿëñÿ.'

I think we should settle for
O Lord, Lord, if only you really were, or something!'
O, Gospodi, Gospodi, khot=B9 by ty byl, chto li!

Thanks to all of you!

R.

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