Platonov - Semyon - заквокнешь

[Anna Kovalchuk]

The word is slang, but it would make sense that it is from the 
Ukrainian "квочка" or brood hen.  My sense is that the word has a coarse 
quality, much like cackle.

Best,

Anna Kovalchuk
University of Oregon

On 2013/03/16 12:03, Robert Chandler wrote:
> Dear all,
> 
> A woman is giving birth. She has said that she does not want to give
> birth ever again. The old village midwife replies "И-их, дочка, рожать
> не будешь, замутнеешь, погниешь, ЗАКВОКНЕШЬ вся -- не вспомнишь, что
> жизнь прожила, злобой подернешься...
> 
>  This verb is often translated as "cackle" Dal' also gives “Стонать,
> охать; ворчать…” . This seems the most relevant. But the sentence as a
> whole remains horribly difficult to translate. At present we have:"Oh,
> my daughter, if you stop having kids you’ll cloud over, you’ll start
> to rot, you’ll do nothing but moan and groan. You’ll forget you’ve
> lived a life, and you’ll crust over with spite. Better to suffer and
> know that you’re living a life!”
> 
> Any thoughts, anyone?
> All the best, Robert
> 
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