Help with a translation: коммерческий отдел

[Jules Levin]

On 12/24/2013 1:32 AM, anne marie devlin wrote:
> What about something like free trade or open market dept/vodka?
> Best
> Anne Marie

What is the main significance for a Russian reader?  He already knows 
about the system, so it seems to me the essential fact for him is that 
one is paying more money than usual to get the vodka.  So why not call 
it "premium vodka"--you are paying a premium to get it.
Of course, this is not an explanation of the whole system, but free 
trade or open market vodka might actually imply a lower price to some 
Western reader, suggesting competition.
Jules Levin
Los Angeles





>
> Date: Tue, 24 Dec 2013 06:16:28 +0000
> From: kcf19 at DIAL.PIPEX.COM
> Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] Help with a translation: коммерческий отдел
> To: SEELANGS at LISTSERV.UA.EDU
>
> Dear Andrea and all,
>
> I can't conceive of a succinct translation that would actually convey 
> the meaning to someone who does not already understand this system. 
>  So yes, you need to add explanation somewhere, in an introduction, an 
> endnote or by slipping it into the text.  Whichever way you choose, I 
> would encourage you to explain it /fully/, as you have in your 
> message.  There are a lot of readers who will find this kind of 
> real-life background very interesting.
>
> As for translation, "market dept" and "market vodka" might be possible 
> - but you will, as I have said, need to expalain these terms.
>
> All the best,
>
> Robert
>
> On 23 Dec 2013, at 19:16, Andrea Gregovich <agregovich at GMAIL.COM 
> <mailto:agregovich at GMAIL.COM>> wrote:
>
>     Hello SEELANGERS!
>
>     I'm wondering if anyone knows of a good English translation for a
>     Soviet concept.  In a novella I'm translating set in 1990, two
>     characters run into each other in the коммерческий отдел of the
>     универмаг and discuss buying a bottle of коммерческая водка.  The
>     author has explained to me some of the things that went on in 1990
>     in attempt to ration products and manage shortages, such as
>     the «книга покупателя» ration books.  This коммерческий отдел is
>     part of the larger rationing scheme, where you could buy the
>     otherwise rationed products at a much higher price, hence the
>     "commercial vodka".  I'd prefer not to footnote this, and I may
>     find a way to add a line of text to explain it, but I'm wondering
>     if there's an already recognized English translation for the
>     коммерческий отдел, or if anyone has any brilliant ideas for what
>     to call it.  The "commercial department" doesn't make any sense in
>     English.
>
>     Thanks in advance!
>     Andrea Gregovich
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>
> Robert Chandler, 42 Milson Road, London, W14 OLD
>
>
>
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