Feb 3, 2013 17:41
11 yrs ago
3 viewers *
Russian term

[Текст]--как-то приглушенно, а то и скороговоркой...

Russian to English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature From a literary synopsis
This seemed like an interesting/unusual use of the word "скороговорка". Seems to me that the meaning here is something like "gabbled", "incomprehensible", or "overwhelming". Am I getting close?

"[The text] is even somewhat restrained, for otherwise it would verge on being overwhelming."

The line comes from a book synopsis, presumably written by the authors themselves.

Here is the same line, presented with more context:

В этой книге о по-настоящему страшных вещах говорится без всякого эпатажа и смакования. Даже как-то приглушенно, а то и скороговоркой, но текст словно бы ворочает в тебе ложкой, выгребая со дна то, о чём ты только догадывался. А потом протягивает эту ложку тебе и говорит – смотри, ты понимаешь и сопереживаешь, значит ты сделан из того же, из чего и главный герой.

Discussion

The Misha Feb 3, 2013:
Yes, that's what I was going to post but then saw your comment. Low-key and in passing. The rest of the sentence is a total mess too; you can't just translate this spoon metaphor verbatim, it simply doesn't work the same way in English. I'd cut it out completely sticking to something like blah blah, if you get it and think the same way, then you are a kindred spirit to the main protagonist.
Alexandra Schneeuhr Feb 3, 2013:
Just a thought: the way I read it, "а то и скороговоркой" could be used here as a synonym to "а то и походя" ("as if in passing"). I could be wrong, of course.

Proposed translations

+1
6 hrs
Selected

as if in a hurried whisper

I tried to combine both descriptions in one, but not sure if it reflects the idea completely.
Peer comment(s):

agree cyhul
2 hrs
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
6 mins

patter

pat·ter
/ˈpatər/
Verb
Make a repeated light tapping sound.
Talk at length without saying anything significant.
Noun
A repeated light tapping.
Rapid or smooth-flowing continuous talk, such as that used by a comedian or salesman.
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9 mins

briefly

without going into many details/any elaboration and even briefly...

As I read it "скороговоркой" means here "fast".
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14 mins

sometimes muffled, other times fast-paced

Здесь "скороговоркой" имеют в виду быстро, а не разлагая на много страниц одну тему.
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3 hrs

in a muted way, or sometimes just through idle patter...

In a muted way, or sometimes just through idle chatter [chit-chat, patter], it's as if the text...
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111 days

dimly, or, at times in a tongue-twisted pace,

приглушенно, а то и скороговоркой
dimly, or, at times in a tongue-twisted pace,

I would disagree with you.
The sense here, in this context is more like scary, terrifying issues are mentioned fast, briefly, on the go.

And in my opinion, the right solution would be not to escape the analogy of скороговорка word, but to use it.

My best,
Katja
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260 days

somewhat dimly, if not hurriedly

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