Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Russian term or phrase:
России мил не будешь
English translation:
Russia can be a difficult partner
Added to glossary by
rns
Sep 19, 2016 16:17
7 yrs ago
Russian term
United Kingdom
Professional translator since 1991
Native in: English 
Works in: Russian to English
России мил не будешь
Russian to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
– Ну, а как быть с Казахстаном?
– И Казахстану, обретшему независимость, надо цепляться за подол Европы. Но не обязательно через Россию. Хватит! Зачем нам посредник? Напрямую надо иметь дело с Европой. Тікелей! Учиться надо непосредственно. Сделать так, чтобы Европа не шарахалась от Казахстана. Қазақ та адам баласы ғой. Зачем ему делдал-урус? Казахстан Европе нужен, как Россия. России мил не будешь. А с молодым джигитом-Казахстаном стареющая желтопузая баба-Европа может сойтись полюбовно. Почему бы нет? Разве ей неприятно пофлиртовать с лихим наездником-степняком? А!? Может, Европе Казахстан даже интересней? Тек жалған намыстың керегі жоқ! К чему ложное честолюбие, бахвальство? Надо раскрыть Европе широкие объятия. Что Россия нам дала и может дать – мы знаем. Всяко бывало. А благо от Европы беспре-
дельно.
I am translating a work by Herold Belger, a Russian German who grew up in Kazakhstan. This is an excerpt from a conversation he has with another, "conveniently" interspersed with Kazakh phrases. The words in "России мил не будешь" kind of make sense, but I would be grateful for some expert guidance on what is implied.
Many thanks.
– И Казахстану, обретшему независимость, надо цепляться за подол Европы. Но не обязательно через Россию. Хватит! Зачем нам посредник? Напрямую надо иметь дело с Европой. Тікелей! Учиться надо непосредственно. Сделать так, чтобы Европа не шарахалась от Казахстана. Қазақ та адам баласы ғой. Зачем ему делдал-урус? Казахстан Европе нужен, как Россия. России мил не будешь. А с молодым джигитом-Казахстаном стареющая желтопузая баба-Европа может сойтись полюбовно. Почему бы нет? Разве ей неприятно пофлиртовать с лихим наездником-степняком? А!? Может, Европе Казахстан даже интересней? Тек жалған намыстың керегі жоқ! К чему ложное честолюбие, бахвальство? Надо раскрыть Европе широкие объятия. Что Россия нам дала и может дать – мы знаем. Всяко бывало. А благо от Европы беспре-
дельно.
I am translating a work by Herold Belger, a Russian German who grew up in Kazakhstan. This is an excerpt from a conversation he has with another, "conveniently" interspersed with Kazakh phrases. The words in "России мил не будешь" kind of make sense, but I would be grateful for some expert guidance on what is implied.
Many thanks.
Proposed translations
(English)
Change log
Sep 26, 2016 04:46: rns Created KOG entry
Proposed translations
+1
23 mins
Selected
Russia can be a difficult partner
‘Europe needs both Kazakhstan and Russia, but Russia can be a difficult partner, while Ageing Dame Europe can be easily courted by Young Hotshot Kazakhstan, why not.’
would be my interpretation of what
‘Казахстан Европе нужен, как Россия. России мил не будешь. А с молодым джигитом-Казахстаном стареющая желтопузая баба-Европа может сойтись полюбовно. Почему бы нет?’
says.
would be my interpretation of what
‘Казахстан Европе нужен, как Россия. России мил не будешь. А с молодым джигитом-Казахстаном стареющая желтопузая баба-Европа может сойтись полюбовно. Почему бы нет?’
says.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
El oso
: Or: "Russia is hard to please". PS Europe needs Kazakh oil and gas as much as it needs Russian oil and gas :-)
34 mins
|
|
:))) All good points, thanks.
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Many thanks and to all the responders"
4 mins
you can lead a house to water
Something like that. I'm in a cab, so not reading closely, but I presume this was oral. The phrase is "насильно мил не будешь"
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Note added at 25 mins (2016-09-19 16:43:14 GMT)
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Horse, not house, of course
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Note added at 25 mins (2016-09-19 16:43:14 GMT)
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Horse, not house, of course
41 mins
Rachel Douglas
United States
United States
Native in English
Specializes in field
United States
Excellent English from Russian originals
Native in: English (Variants: US, British, Australian)
Works in: Russian to English
Related KudoZ points
:
384
Nobody's going to make them love Russia
"Them" being Europe. Isn't that the sense, in this particular context?
"Казахстан Европе нужен, как Россия. России мил не будешь. А с молодым джигитом-Казахстаном стареющая желтопузая баба-Европа может сойтись полюбовно."
How I understand it, which could be wrong:
Europe needs Kazakhstan, just as it needs Russia (or "might have a use for ... just as it does for"). (Although I suppose it might be completely ironical, and mean that Europe currently has no more use for Kazakhstan than it does for Russia.)
But they're never going to be head over heels for Russia. (Or, without "but" if the second interpretation is right.)
Kazakhstan, on the other hand, might actually be attractive for them, the Europeans, directly.
"Казахстан Европе нужен, как Россия. России мил не будешь. А с молодым джигитом-Казахстаном стареющая желтопузая баба-Европа может сойтись полюбовно."
How I understand it, which could be wrong:
Europe needs Kazakhstan, just as it needs Russia (or "might have a use for ... just as it does for"). (Although I suppose it might be completely ironical, and mean that Europe currently has no more use for Kazakhstan than it does for Russia.)
But they're never going to be head over heels for Russia. (Or, without "but" if the second interpretation is right.)
Kazakhstan, on the other hand, might actually be attractive for them, the Europeans, directly.
Peer comment(s):
| neutral |
El oso
: I think it's the other way around: "Nobody is going to make Russia love Europe"
18 mins
|
1 hr
Lina Nicolova
Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Specializes in field
Bulgaria
Fluency is OK but add love in a big way.
Native in: Bulgarian (Variant: Standard-Bulgaria) 
Works in: English to Bulgarian, Bulgarian to English, Spanish to Bulgarian, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
4
Hardly anyone could be Russia’s beloved one.
''
+1
9 hrs
Russia, she ain't gonna love you.
I think this is not so much about the meaning here as about register and key - this, basically, being a piece of literary fare. The meaning is crystal clear: Russia won't love you, the implication being that they have their own interests and couldn't care less if pursuing those is good for Kazakhstan, or anyone else for that matter. Kazakhstan isn't joined to Russia at the hip. It can and should chart its own course.
The language you chose for this has to fit the conversational and slightly condescending air of this diatribe, which I think my own suggestion fits best, if I only say so myself. Nor do I share the feeling, but hey, we are hired guns here.
I think El Oso's "Russia is hard to please" or, perhaps, "Russia is a tough mistress" would also be good, and never mind that she isn't really all that tough this way in my own experience, but that's a totally different discussion.
For that reason, I respectfully disagree with Rachel's and JW Narins' take on this, which doesn't happen often. Much as I hold them both in high esteem, I think they are missing the point here, albeit for a totally different reason.
The language you chose for this has to fit the conversational and slightly condescending air of this diatribe, which I think my own suggestion fits best, if I only say so myself. Nor do I share the feeling, but hey, we are hired guns here.
I think El Oso's "Russia is hard to please" or, perhaps, "Russia is a tough mistress" would also be good, and never mind that she isn't really all that tough this way in my own experience, but that's a totally different discussion.
For that reason, I respectfully disagree with Rachel's and JW Narins' take on this, which doesn't happen often. Much as I hold them both in high esteem, I think they are missing the point here, albeit for a totally different reason.
Reference comments
1 hr
Turdimurod Rakhmanov
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan
Kyrgyzstan
Education, Legal, Technical & Medical
Native in: Uzbek (Variants: Khorezm, Tashkent, Ferghana valley, Samarkand-Bukhara) , Kirghiz
Works in: English to Uzbek, English to Kirghiz, English to Kazakh, and 26 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
31
Reference:
you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him 〈it〉 drink.
you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him 〈it〉 drink.
By force one can't achieve their goal.
By force one can't achieve their goal.
Discussion
На английском: "you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him 〈it〉 drink."