Mistakes O

Mistakes in O. Henry translations into Russian. The translations are “official” Soviet
times translations of this prolific author.
It is mostly “Cabbages and Kings”. I didn’t proofread the entire work, I just checked
random spots.
Best regards,
Michael Kislov.
O Henry Cabbages And Kings VI The Phonograph and the Graft ...
I judge he was a ready kind of man, who took his own time.
Опрометчивый был человек: ничего не делал, не подумав. Comments:
1) “ready” translated as “rash”; whereas the meaning is:
b. Willing; feeling or exhibiting no reluctance. c. Inclined or disposed; apt. a. With to or
unto (rarely into): Prepared, inclined, or willing to do, give, take, suffer, etc. (what is
indicated by the n.); also occasionally, prepared for (an act). a. Having the quality of
being prepared or willing to act when necessary;
2) “took his own time” translated as “did nothing without preliminary thinking”.
3) “:”, the clauses before “:” and after “:” are incongruous in meaning.
O. Henry Cabbages And Kings VI The Phonograph and the Graft ...
"'I'm going to buck centre,' says Henry, in his football idioms. 'There isn't a tackle in the lot of
them. Follow me close, and rush the game.'
- Я буду играть центра, - говорит Генри на своем футбольном наречии. - У них
во всей команде нет ни одного приличного игрока. Не отставайте от меня, и
больше жизни.
Comments: 1) “buck centre” translated as “play the central player"; whereas it means “charge
into the middle” 2) tackle translated as just “player” 3) “rush the game” translated as “more life”;
whereas the meaning is “move forward fast together”.
O Henry Cabbages And Kings VI The Phonograph and the Graft ...
'H. P. is up against a bribe, senator's size, and the coons have --------------got him going.' -------------------I saw Mellinger's hand moving closer to the package. 'He's weakening,' I whispered to
Henry. 'We'll remind him,' says Henry, 'of the peanut-roaster on Thirty-fourth Street, New York.'
"Г. П. предлагают взятку сенаторских размеров, эти черные совсем сбили его с
толку"; Я увидел, что рука Меллинджера пододвигается к пакету. "Он сдается",
- шепнул я Генри. "Мы ему напомним, - говорит Генри, - жареные орешки на
Тридцать четвертой улице в Нью-Йорке".
Comments: 1) “got him going” translated as “perplexed him” 2) “peanut-roaster” translated as
“roasted nuts”
THE PHONOGRAPH AND THE GRAFT
Игра и граммофон
Comments: Graft translated as “game”.
"What was this graft?" asked Johnny, with the impatience of the great public to whom tales are
told.
Так в чем же состояла его проделка? - спросил Джонни, проявляя нетерпение,
свойственное широкой публике.
Comments: “graft” translated as “trick”.
There was a different kind of drink to be had with every tune. The natives had acquirements of a
pleasant thing in the way of a drink that gums itself to the recollection. They chop off the end of
a green cocoanut, and pour in on the juice of it French brandy and other adjuvants.
После каждой пластинки появлялся новый сорт выпивки. Местные жители обладают
очень приятным талантом по части одного напитка, который так и врезается в память.
1) “With every tune" translated as “after each record”
2) "had acquirements of a pleasant thing in the way of a drink” translated as
“have a very pleasant talent as regards one beverage”; whereas the meaning is
“they acquired the recipe or invented the beverage”
When I saw that Latin man I knew that Mellinger, private secretary, had all the dances on his
card taken.
Когда я увидел этого латинца, я понял, что ждать больше некого.
Comment: “had all the dances on his card taken” translated as “there’s no one else to wait for";
whereas it means "was in demand".
That man cut ice in Anchuria.
Этот человек знал свое дело.
Comment: “cut ice” translated as “knew his business”; whereas the meaning is “was of
importance”
He was It.
Не подкопаешься
Comment: translated as “you could find no fault with him”.
If me and Henry was babes in the wood, he was a Robin Redbreast from the topmost bough.
Comment: Not translated!
Him and me and Henry Horsecollar locked arms, and toted that phonograph around, and had
wassail and diversions.
Мы с ним и с Генри Хорскрлларом взялись под ручки и стали повсюду таскать наш
граммофон и всячески развлекаться.
Comment: 1) Horsecollar transliterated as Horscrllr
He was a thin, youngish kind of man, I should say past fifty, sort of French-Irish in his
affections, and puffed up with disconsolation.
Человек он был тощий, вроде как молодой, лет за пятьдесят, по вкусам — помесь
француза с ирландцем, сплошная тоска.
Comment: “puffed up with disconsolation” translated as “sheer melancholy”.
Yes, he was a flattened kind of a man, in whom drink lay stagnant, inclined to corpulence and
misery.
Да, этакий приплюснутый человек, которому и вино не шло впрок, и склонный к тучности
и меланхолии.
Comment: “in whom drink lay stagnant” translated as “to whom vine was of no benefit”
Yes, I think he was a kind of Dutchman, being very sad and genial in his ways.
Да, ну, понимаете, этакий голландец, очень печальный и жизнерадостный.
Comment: “genial” translated as “cheerful”; 2) in his ways – not translated.
We packed up, and took the T. and P. for New Orleans.
Мы уложили чемоданы и направились поездом в Новый Орлеан.
Comment: T. and P. not translated.
From that celebrated centre of molasses and disfranchised coon songs we took a steamer for
South America.
Из этого прославленного центра паточной промышленности и непристойных
негритянских песенок мы отплыли на пароходе в Южную Америку.
Comment: disfranchised translated as obscene
Henry had quit college once, and the Muscogee jail three times—the last-named institution on
account of introducing and selling whisky in the territories.
Генри один раз вылетел из университета и три раза вылетал из тюрьмы Маскоги —
последнее потому, что вывозил из Штатов виски и продавал его, где не положено.
Comment: 1) quit translated as “was expelled”, and for the jail too (“expelled”); 2) "introducing"
translated as "exported" 3) there is no “from States” in the source 4) “in the territories” translated
as “where it wasn’t allowed”.
Henry Horsecollar never let any cigar stores come up and stand behind him.
Генри Хорсколлар никогда бы не позволил никакой табачной лавочке подобраться к нему
и встать у него за спиной.
Comment: subjunctive in the Russian, no subjunctive in the English
Henry was a quarter-breed, quarter-back Cherokee, educated East in the idioms of football, and
West in contraband whisky, and a gentleman, the same as you and me.
Генри был на четверть индеец Чероки, обучившийся на Востоке футбольному языку, а на
Западе — винной контрабанде, и такой же джентльмен, как мы с вами.
Comment: “quarter-back” not translated
V CUPID'S EXILE NUMBER TWO
Comment: not translated
Then down the coast, tacking close to shore, slowly swam a little sloop, white-winged like some
snowy sea fowl.
Потом появился крошечный парусник, он медленно шел, не отдаляясь от берега,
белокрылый, как большая морская птица.
Comment: 1) down the coast – not translated 2) tacking – not translated 3) большая – no such
word in the source 4) snowy – not translated
Its course lay within twenty points of the wind's eye; so it veered in and out again in long, slow
strokes like the movements of a graceful skater.
Он шел почти против ветра, отклоняясь то вправо, то влево длинными плавными
поворотами напоминавшими изящные движения конькобежца.
Comment: 1) twenty points – not translated 2) “so” – not translated
"I don't know what she weighs in at.
Сколько она весит, для меня безразлично.
Comment: "I don't know” translated as “I don’t care”.
The Rambler—that's her name— don't take the dust of anything afloat. This is my first trip on
her.
Зовут ее «Бродяга», и это моя первая поездка.
Comment: “don't take the dust of anything afloat” – not translated. 2) “on her” – not translated.
I'm taking a squint along this coast just to get an idea of the countries where the rubber and red
pepper and revolutions come from.
Надумал прокатиться, поглядеть на места, откуда к нам привозят перец, резину и
революции.
Comments: 1) “along this coast” – not translated 2) “red” – not translated
Our crowd in good shape, but we need the spondulicks.
Наша банда процветает, но без кругляшек туго.
Comments: 1) “in good shape” translated as “prospers” 2) “we need the spondulicks” translated
as “we have a bad time without the spondulicks”; whereas “we need” refers more to the future,
when the new government takes power 3) spondulicks translated as “кругляшки”, but this word
in Russian doesn't mean money or coins.
The main guy and the dry goods are headed for the briny.
Главный вместе с кисейным товаром держит курс на соль.
Comment: 1) dry goods translated as “muslin goods” 2) briny translated as salt
Generally he wears a shamrock, which he matches pridefully against the extravagant palms;
Обычно он привозит с собою трилистник и кичливо водружает его рядом с экзотическими
пальмами.
Comments: “wears” translated as “brings from abroad”
and it is he who has driven Melpomene to the wings, and set Comedy to dancing before the
footlights of the Southern Cross.
Он-то и выгнал из этих мест Мельпомену и заставил Комедию плясать при свете рампы
Южного Креста.
Comment: “to the wings” translated as “from these places”