Tsar'-devitsa again

[Boris Dralyuk]

I think Alexandra is quite right about the implication of challenge, but I don't see why you ought to jettison "honour".  Why not simply orient the phrase toward the future: "What a great honour it would be?"  That seems to handle the challenge.  Also, I read the "Chto" in Tarkovsky's lovely poem a bit differently; the construction there seems to mean "What does X matter to me, when...?"  In the fairytale, the "Что...?" is closer to "Какая...?" -- in other words, it's "Что (за)...?"

What one can do with a few words!

Yours,
Boris

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Alexandra Smith" <Alexandra.Smith at ED.AC.UK>
To: <SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu>
Sent: Sunday, September 26, 2010 3:38 AM
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] Tsar'-devitsa again


> 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
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> The University of Edinburgh is a charitable body, registered in
> Scotland, with registration number SC005336.
> 
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