Platonov and God

[Robert Chandler]

Thanks very much for this!

R.




> 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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