A translation question

[Paul B. Gallagher]

Sentinel76 Astrakhan wrote:

> Dear fellow translators,
>
> I was just thinking: is there a Russian analog of the word "choker"?
> As in "somebody who doesn't live up to the expectations"?

I would love to know the answer to this.

But we should be clear about what we're looking for. "To choke" doesn't 
mean broadly "not to live up to expectations"; it's much narrower than 
that. In sports and other competitive endeavors, there's always a 
certain element of randomness -- your opponent can play surprisingly 
well, or you can do everything right and the ball doesn't fall in as it 
should. That's not choking. "Choking" refers specifically to a situation 
in which the competitor fails because emotions of fear, tension, or even 
panic take over and prevent him/her from doing very simple things that 
he/she should be able to do in his sleep. The term originates from the 
physiologic sensation of choking that people feel in those situations, 
as if they are unable to take a full breath. And the key is to let go of 
thinking what can go wrong and focus on the here-and-now mechanics of 
your actions, or on what can go right (see the opportunity, not the risk).

A player who frequently chokes can gain a reputation for a lack of heart 
or courage, for cowardice and weak will; by contrast, a player who often 
comes through in the clutch will gain a reputation for courage and 
strong will. The reputation may or may not be merited, but that's how 
fans react.

-- 
War doesn't determine who's right, just who's left.
--
Paul B. Gallagher
pbg translations, inc.
"Russian Translations That Read Like Originals"
http://pbg-translations.com

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