translation help

[Alina Israeli]

one of a kind

On Jun 28, 2010, at 7:35 PM, Krystyna Steiger wrote:

> Dear fellow list members,
>
> two characters in my Pyetsukh novella are discussing the nature of  
> good and evil, and one of them suggests there is too much emphasis  
> these days (in the days of glasnost) on freedom; that man is a very  
> limited being and needs only to be shown that freedom of choice is  
> superfluous, in order for him to understand that committing evil is  
> simply not an option:
>
> ". . . свобода выбора изживает свою насущность и становится  
> довеском из гвоздей к порции колбасы, как только человечество  
> исчерпывает возможности выбора на основе здравого смысла, как  
> только человечество подходит к вещам, которые не выбирают, к  
> 'единичному' вследствие большего совершенства.  В современных  
> условиях это 'единичное' есть такой образ жизни, который исключает   
> злодеяние против личности.  Стало быть, остается только подсказать  
> человеку, что выбора у него нет ..."
>
> My problem is with the term 'единичное'  [edinichnoe], which I have  
> put in quotation marks.  I am stumped as to how I should translate  
> the term, and so far have only come up with "the singular."  Any  
> input would be welcome, either on or off list.  Sorry for any typos.
> Thanks so much in advance and best wishes,
> Krystyna
> _________________________
> Krystyna Steiger, PhD
> steiger at rogers.com
>
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Alina Israeli
Associate Professor of Russian
LFS, American University
4400 Massachusetts Ave.
Washington DC 20016
(202) 885-2387 	fax (202) 885-1076
aisrael at american.edu





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