Thank you! (Teffi: Olyonushka and her apples)

[Robert Chandler]

Dear all,

Many thanks to everyone who contributed to what turned out to be a very interesting discussion.

I don't think that textual corruption is a serious worry.  I have checked several editions, including the first.  The more serious difficulty is that this is direct speech, that people do not always express themselves with perfect clarity and in perfect grammar when they are speaking, and that Teffi is aware of this.

Including all the offlist responses, there was a majority (far from an overwhelming one) in favour of the second reading.  I msyelf keep changing my mind!

I'd like to mention one rather good solution, contributed offlist by Christopher Tauchen, who writes: "I may have found a sneaky way of getting the mezhdu prochim into your dialogue. Not sure if it's appropriate to your character, but here goes: 'You've just gone and eaten a dozen apples in one sitting!' It's a nice way of scolding/accusing someone for something they didn't really mean to do, but still ought to have known better."

I might even go for this: 'You have, by the way, just gone and eaten a dozen apples in one sitting!'

So: Спасибо большое!

Роберт
 
> 
> 2014-04-23 10:08 GMT+04:00 Robert Chandler <kcf19 at dial.pipex.com>:
> Dear all,
> 
> I am uncertain about the meaning of "и между прочим" in this passage.  Olyonushka is a young actress, very emotional, sometimes a bit silly:
> Оленушка капризничает:
> —  Разве это жизнь? Разве так надо жить? Мы должны так жить, чтобы травы не топтать. Вот сегодня опять будет яичница, значит, снова истребление жизней. Человек должен посадить яблоню и питаться всю жизнь только ее плодами.
> —  Оленушка, милая, — говорю я, — вот вы сейчас за один присест и между прочим съели добрый десяток. Так надолго ли вам яблони-то хватит?
> У Оленушки дрожат губы — сейчас заревет.
> 
> Here are 2 possible translations.  Please say which seems better!
> 
> 1.
> "Olenushka dear," I say, "just now incidentally, you've eaten a good dozen in one sitting. How long is one apple tree going to last you?"
> 
> 2.
> “Olyonushka, darling,” I say.  “Just now, and without even thinking about it, you polished off a good dozen apples in one sitting.  A single apple tree won’t last you very long, will it?”
> 
> All the best,
> 
> Robert
> 
> Robert Chandler, 42 Milson Road, London, W14 OLD
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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Robert Chandler, 42 Milson Road, London, W14 OLD

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