Tsar'-devitsa again

[Alexandra Smith]

Dear Robert,


I agree with Boris's suggestion that this is an example of colourful  
language that is used for emphasising purposes and does not refer to  
negation. The construction with the word "chto" is often used in  
poetry. See one example below from Arseny Tarkovsky's poem:

На каждый звук есть эхо на земле.
У пастухов кипел кулеш в котле,
Почесывались овцы рядом с нами
И черными стучали башмачками.
Что деньги мне? Что мне почет и честь
В степи вечерней без конца и края?
С Овидием хочу я брынзу есть
И горевать на берегу Дуная,
Не различать далеких голосов,
Не ждать благословенных парусов.

I'm not sure though that your example "chto mne ne chest'!" should be  
translated as the expression "what a great honour!". Given the fact  
that there are references to "retivoe sertdtse" and to the verb  
"razgorelos' ", I think that the narration implies a challenging  
situation. I personally would understand this phrase as something that  
is exciting and challenging. Perhaps, it would be better to translate  
it as follows: "I must rise to the challenge!".
I think that Tsarevich thinks to himself that he would be glad and  
honoured to rise to the challenge and seduce such a beautiful girl. He  
feels that he is capable of doing so.

All best,
Sasha Smith




-------------------------------------------
Alexandra Smith (PhD, University of London)
Reader in Russian Studies
Department of European Languages and Cultures
School of  Languages, Literatures and Cultures
The University of Edinburgh
David Hume Tower
George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9JX
UK

tel. +44-(0)131-6511381
fax: +44- (0)131 -651 -1482
e-mail: Alexandra.Smith at ed.ac.uk



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