A translation question

[Andrea Gregovich]

Hello SEELANGERS,

I translated a sentence in a novel in which a guy "choked" (in the sense
that Paul describes) in a model car race when his car wouldn't start.  The
word used was "обосраться".  My dictionaries didn't have the word, and the
way the author described it to me was a perfect example of somebody
"choking".  A look at Wictionary suggests that обосраться is a good fit, in
that synonyms are испугаться (suggesting fear) and опозориться (suggesting
shame and disgrace).  Caution should be exercised, though, as Wiktionary's
first definition is a vulgar one, as you might suspect with срать at its
core!  The second two definitions aren't vulgar, but I have no idea when
this word is offensive and when it isn't.

It kind of reminds me of "crap" -- in some instances it is relatively
vulgar slang, but then "to crap out" is a benign description of what
happens in the game "craps", and "crap out" can also be used figuratively,
if conversationally, to describe other situations in which someone or
something quits working, runs out, or fails to perform.

Anyway, hope this helps...

Best,
Andrea Gregovich


On Wed, Sep 19, 2012 at 5:38 PM, Paul B. Gallagher <
paulbg at pbg-translations.com> wrote:

> 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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