Calling all experts on Bulgakov and Cheka fashion

[Simon Beattie]

How about "dashing young man" (if indeed he is young) for "bravyi"?

Simon


-----Original Message-----
From: SEELANGS: Slavic & East European Languages and Literatures list
[mailto:SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu] On Behalf Of Muireann Maguire
Sent: 26 January 2011 22:47
To: SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] Calling all experts on Bulgakov and Cheka fashion

Thank you to everyone who responded to my question about Cheka fashion. 
Several people have pointed out that the trousers take up a bell-like shape 
from the knee down (rather than the knee up, as my translation mistakenly 
suggested), and I was also helpfully sent a link to this page:

http://www.authenticandrareposters.com/?page_id=7&category=12

which shows Constructivist sailors wearing similar "bell-bottoms". 
Bulgakov's "bravyi" isn't a sailor, though, and I would still welcome

(a) any suggestions about the kind of person (apart from sailors) who might 
wear bell-bottom pants in Russia in the 1920s

and (b)any alternatives to 'gallant' as a translation for 'bravyi'. 
Interestingly, Dal' (!!!) suggests positive connotations for 'bravyi' along 
the lines of 'molodets', while the English 'bravo' is fairly negative (when 
used as a noun).


Best wishes, and thanks in advance,

Muireann

-- 
Dr Muireann Maguire                 Tel.: 079 62 89 4118

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