The gulag and "zones"

[Andrea Gregovich]

Dear Robert,

Thank you so much for your response. I'm realizing you're right, there is
no good solution. But I like your idea about inverted commas, that might in
fact give it context as a borrowed idea (if not a borrowed word).

Best,
Andrea Gregovich

On Thu, Oct 9, 2014 at 10:58 PM, Robert Chandler <kcf19 at dial.pipex.com>
wrote:

> 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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