Teffi: Odessa: carrying coal on one's back

[George Butchard]

Dear Robert,

The use of the word наденьте implies that there are straps from the
basket going over the shoulders - otherwise положите or поставьте
would be used. In combination with the use of спина we can say that
the baskets are definitely not being carried on the shoulders, so the
second option is the correct one.

Best regards,

George

On Sat, Aug 16, 2014 at 9:18 AM, Robert Chandler <kcf19 at dial.pipex.com> wrote:
> Thank you, Hugh and others!
>
> I have also just received this response off-list:
> "These baskets that were used for bringing coal on board a ship had either 2 handles, or a rope fixed to around them. So when seamen, workers and in Teffi's case - passengers were carrying coal, that means that they were really half bent to be able to carry that heavy load on the back. I saw such scenes a number of times in Russian/Soviet films. So, the 2nd variant is right."
>
> All the best,
>
> Robert
>
> On 15 Aug 2014, at 23:12, Hugh MCLEAN <hmclean at BERKELEY.EDU> wrote:
>
>> Dear Robert,
>> I would vote for option 2, weight securely on the back, I've carried stuff that way, but not, I think, baskets.
>> Hugh
>>
>>
>> On Fri, Aug 15, 2014 at 1:03 PM, Robert Chandler <kcf19 at dial.pipex.com> wrote:
>> Dear all,
>>
>> This is still March 1919.  The Whites are leaving Odessa.  Teffi is on a rather poorly equipped parokhod, still in the harbour.  They have no coal, but there is a coal freighter nearby.  The passengers are going to have to help bring the coal on board themselves.  The sentence I do not understand is the very last one: “Naden’te ikh na spinu.”  Does this mean
>> 1. that the passengers will be walking upright, carrying baskets of coal on their shoulders
>> OR
>> 2. that they will be leaning a long way forward, hands behind their backs to keep these baskets in position.
>> ?
>>
>> Буксир подтащил нас к угольщику, и было объявлено всем, всем, всем:
>> —  Должны сами грузить на «Шилку» уголь. Рабочих на угольщике нет, на пароходе команды нет. Если хотите, чтобы пароход двинулся, — грузите уголь.
>> —  Неужели… все должны работать?
>> —  А то как же, — был ответ.
>> ……..
>> Палуба быстро наполнялась выстраивающимися в ряды пассажирами.
>> — Сейчас вам раздадут корзины. Наденьте их на спину.
>>
>> All the best, and thanks in advance!
>>
>> 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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