Bazhov - palach

[John Dunn]

While looking up something else, I came across a vivid (not to say gory) account of administering the knout in an 18th-century biography of Peter the Great.*  Perhaps I might quote the relevant passages:

This Punishment is executed by the common Hangman, who is likewise called the Knoutavoit† Master. ... The Executioner seldom hits twice in the same Place ...   (p. 22)

Though I can understand Robert's reluctance to use (public) executioner, it looks as if this might be the appropriate term.  

John Dunn. 

* The History of the Life and Reign of the Czar Peter the Great, London, 1740.

† This word is written in italics.
________________________________________
From: SEELANGS: Slavic & East European Languages and Literatures list [SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu] On Behalf Of Robert Chandler [kcf19 at DIAL.PIPEX.COM]
Sent: 20 December 2010 16:36
To: SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu
Subject: [SEELANGS] Bazhov - palach

Dear Inna, Olga, Lewis, Simon and others who have replied off list.

Thanks for all your suggestions. In reply: 'Torturer' is a bit too strong - it implies refined brutality, rather than just plain whipping.  'Scourger' is a good suggestion, but I think I prefer a subsequent offlist suggestion of 'scourge'.

Inna, this is for my anthology of skazki (both narodnye and avtorskie).  We're including four of Bazhov's skazy, in translations by a younger colleague of mine, Anna Gunin.

Thanks to everyone!

Robert


On 20 Dec 2010, at 15:10, Lewis B. Sckolnick wrote:

> Palach is an executioner or hangman and someone who most likely has a certain amount of judicial discretion. The word is from the Turkish. Palach is taken as a Jewish name in the Turkish world, thus Palache, Palaggi, Falaji, Palyaj related to Hazzan and there is of course Jan Palach from Prague. In this instant case context must be allowed to play a large role even if the resulting translation might not be as genteel as some might want it to be.
>
> Lewis B. Sckolnick
> The Ledge House
> 130 Rattlesnake Gutter Road, Suite 1000
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> U.S.A.
>
> Telephone 1. 413. 367. 0303
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>
>
>
>
>> Dear all,
>>
>> Does anyone have any ideas as to how to translate 'palach', when his role is not to execute someone but to whip them?  Tis is a Bazhov skazka, and two miscreants are being punished for letting some cows stray off and be eaten by wolves. To call the man with the whip an executioner could seriously confuse the reader.
>>
>> The Oxford English Dictionary does have the word 'whipster', which may well be the best solution.  But it certainly isn't a word I am familiar with.
>>
>> Robert Chandler, 42 Milson Road, London, W14 OLD
>>
>> tel. +44 207 603 3862
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>
>
> --
>
> Lewis B. Sckolnick
> The Ledge House
> 130 Rattlesnake Gutter Road, Suite 1000
> Leverett, MA 01054-9726
> U.S.A.
>
> Telephone 1. 413. 367. 0303
> Facsimile 1. 413. 367. 2853
> info at runanywhere.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/
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------




Robert Chandler, 42 Milson Road, London, W14 OLD

tel. +44 207 603 3862





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