real English?

[Paul B. Gallagher]

Goloviznin Konstantin wrote:

> Dear Seelangers.
> 
> The phrase "It takes time" is translated into Russian as "Dlya etogo
> nujno vremya". But making a back translation imposing only condition
> to be closest to "word-to-word" translation I got that - "It's in of
> time". Is this translation real English (imho, "smells" like real) or
> still "disguised" Russian.

No, "it's in of time" is not real English, it's a sequence of English 
words assembled in a way that makes no sense and bears only the 
slightest resemblance to our grammar.

In general, word-for-word translation is bad translation, and we have a 
perfect example here.

> The same concern has appeared for the couple "Rukoy podat" and "at a
> throw of a hand". If this is far from the idea of "not far from here" could
> you point me what this "throw ..." associated in meaning with?

I'm not familiar with "at a throw of a hand"; perhaps it's British or 
something. We do have a phrase "a stone's throw from (somewhere)" 
meaning "near (somewhere)," but your listener will have to be 
exceptionally insightful to guess that from "at a throw of a hand."

I suggest you find another source for your translations; this one is not 
serving you well.

-- 
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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