Fortochka

[Hugh McLean]

I feel the excellent word "transom" has been slighted in this 
discussion. It is enshrined in my memory in the immortal lines from 
"Franky and Johnny": "Franky looked over the transom/ And there to her 
great surprise/ She saw her lover Johnny/ Snug in bed with Nelly Blize."
> On Wed, 2 Feb 2011 12:43:00 +0000
>  William Ryan <wfr at SAS.AC.UK> wrote:
>> A transom window, which may or may not open, is normally above a door 
>> transom, and full width, so not the same thing at all. Also, 
>> "fortochka" is a word used very frequently in Russian while "transom" 
>> is not much used in English.
>
> Agreed on transom.
> As for the issue of frequency, the difficulty in finding a proper 
> translation may reflect the fact that while fortochki are common in 
> Russia, they are not so in Western Europe or in the U.S. So why would 
> English have a word for it? especially a common one ...
>
> Our classes have large windows with smaller middle bottom panes that 
> open out. Nobody knows what to call them. I'll see whether _Fine 
> Homebuilding_ has a term handy
>
> Ventilation window has worked for me, AFTER I explain to the students 
> what it is.
>
> -FR
>
> Francoise Rosset, Associate Professor
> Chair, Russian and Russian Studies
> Coordinator, German and Russian
> Wheaton College
> Norton, Massachusetts 02766
> Office: (508) 285-3696
> FAX:   (508) 286-3640
>
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