The gulag and "zones"

[Robert Chandler]

Dear Andrea,

I think the general lack of response to your question is simply an indication of how very difficult it is.  Foreign borrowings are nearly always the hardest words to translate, and “zona” is one of the worst of all, with its sinister resonance.

I don’t think there is a general answer to your question.  Most likely, you WILL have to use a note or an introduction, or find some way to help the reader.  Using “zona” (in italics) or “zone” (in inverted commas) is possible, and the more times the word occurs the better.  Then the reader will come to accept it.

Sorry not to be more helpful.

All the best,

Robert

On 9 Oct 2014, at 01:47, Andrea Gregovich <agregovich at GMAIL.COM> wrote:

> I'm translating an article about mothers and children in the Gulag and there are many instances of "зоны". Wikipedia gives me this as a definition: "the zone (зона, zona), usually singular — for the labor camp system and for the individual camps." This article seems to be making broader, perhaps even metaphorical use of the term at times, and there are phrases like this:
> 
> "Зоны матери и ребенка"
> 
> 
> and this:
> 
> "Рожали тут же: в тюрьмах, на этапе, в зонах."
> 
> I'm struggling to compose a question, but I guess I'm wondering what other people have done to make the gulag term "зона" make sense in English translation without a lot of footnoting or explanation, which I don't know that I can do here. 
> 
> Also, one other question: is there an accepted translation for "спецпереселенец" or is that one that simply requires explanation to the reader?
> 
> Спасибо!
> Andrea Gregovich
> 
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Robert Chandler, 42 Milson Road, London, W14 OLD

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