Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
high crimes and misdemeanors
Russian translation:
государственные преступления и проступки
Added to glossary by
paul hacker
May 8, 2009 20:57
15 yrs ago
3 viewers *
English term
United States
Retired foreign service officer
Native in: English 
Works in: Finnish to English, Swedish to English, Czech to English, and 4 more.
high crimes and misdemeanors
English to Russian
Law/Patents
Government / Politics
politics
Is there a good Russian equivalent for this term -- representing in the U.S. constitution the grounds for impeachment?
Proposed translations
(Russian)
| 3 +2 | государственные преступления |
Marina Aleyeva
|
| 4 +1 | серьезные преступления и правонарушения |
DTSM
|
| 2 | см. |
koundelev
|
Proposed translations
+2
33 mins
Marina Aleyeva
Israel
Israel
Native in Russian
Israel
Medicine & Clinical Studies - MSc, MA
Native in: Russian 
, Ukrainian
Works in: English to Russian, English to Ukrainian, Russian to English, and 3 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
47
Selected
государственные преступления
The term is a few centuries old, and its meaning was debated in the Clinton era. There is a belief that the phrase should be understood as "high crimes and high misdemeanors". The latter (high misdemeanors) is an archaic term for "a crime in high office". In modern Russian, these are collectively called государственные преступления.
See discussion here:
In Berger's search for the meaning of "high crimes and misdemeanors," he argues that the phrase actually means high crimes and high misdemeanors.
www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=137006
High crimes and high misdemeanors are illegal. That's why the Constitution provides for a legal process known as impeachment
www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_a...
"High crimes and misdemeanors" is one phrase. Given the style of writing of the era, I'm sure it means high crimes and high misdemeanors.
It's a fairly common phrase from the time, and was described by lawbooks as "distinctly political crimes against the state." The Clinton impeachment was clearly illegal in those terms. Dale Bumpers brought this up during his defense of CLinton before the Senate
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=...
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High Misdemeanor is an archaic term in English Law for a number of positive misprisions, neglects and contempts. The most important example being that of maladministration in high office.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_misdemeanor
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See also definition and discussion of both terms:
A high crime is one which seeks the overthrow of the country, which gives aid or comfort to its enemies, or which injures the country to the profit of an individual or group.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_crimes_and_misdemeanors
Also:
high crime
a crime of infamous nature contrary to public morality but not technically constituting a felony
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/high crime
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Note added at 50 mins (2009-05-08 21:47:09 GMT)
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On second thought, I think the translation should be "государственные преступления и проступки" - since misdemeanor is "проступок" and not "преступление". Even though there seems to be no such thing as "государственный проступок" in the Russian Criminal Code, the notion is common in European constitutions. Please see:
http://www.library.cjes.ru/online/?a=con&b_id=182&c_id=1166
See discussion here:
In Berger's search for the meaning of "high crimes and misdemeanors," he argues that the phrase actually means high crimes and high misdemeanors.
www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=137006
High crimes and high misdemeanors are illegal. That's why the Constitution provides for a legal process known as impeachment
www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_a...
"High crimes and misdemeanors" is one phrase. Given the style of writing of the era, I'm sure it means high crimes and high misdemeanors.
It's a fairly common phrase from the time, and was described by lawbooks as "distinctly political crimes against the state." The Clinton impeachment was clearly illegal in those terms. Dale Bumpers brought this up during his defense of CLinton before the Senate
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=...
---------------
High Misdemeanor is an archaic term in English Law for a number of positive misprisions, neglects and contempts. The most important example being that of maladministration in high office.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_misdemeanor
---------------
See also definition and discussion of both terms:
A high crime is one which seeks the overthrow of the country, which gives aid or comfort to its enemies, or which injures the country to the profit of an individual or group.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_crimes_and_misdemeanors
Also:
high crime
a crime of infamous nature contrary to public morality but not technically constituting a felony
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/high crime
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 50 mins (2009-05-08 21:47:09 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
On second thought, I think the translation should be "государственные преступления и проступки" - since misdemeanor is "проступок" and not "преступление". Even though there seems to be no such thing as "государственный проступок" in the Russian Criminal Code, the notion is common in European constitutions. Please see:
http://www.library.cjes.ru/online/?a=con&b_id=182&c_id=1166
Peer comment(s):
| disagree |
Oleksandr Kupriyanchuk
: государственные преступления ("state crimes"): TOO NARROW. The actual scope of high crimes and high misdemeanors is much wider.
33 mins
|
| agree |
Angela Greenfield
: "High" in the legal parlance of the 18th century means "against the State". http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_crimes_and_misdemeanors
4 hrs
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Спасибо, Анжела, за важный комментарий! И за поддержку!
|
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| agree |
Arkadi Burkov
7 hrs
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Спасибо!
|
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| agree |
Eugen01
15 hrs
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Спасибо!
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Велике спасибі, Маринo!
You know more about this topic than 99% of Americans do. Bravo!"
+1
3 hrs
серьезные преступления и правонарушения
Словарь Lingvo 12:
high crimes and misdemeanors
юр. серьезные преступления и правонарушения
Конституционная формула, охватывающая нарушения закона, дающие основание Палате представителей [House of Representatives] для импичмента [impeachment] президента, вице-президента и любого гражданского должностного лица США, а также для утверждения этого решения Сенатом [Senate, U.S.]
high crimes and misdemeanors
юр. серьезные преступления и правонарушения
Конституционная формула, охватывающая нарушения закона, дающие основание Палате представителей [House of Representatives] для импичмента [impeachment] президента, вице-президента и любого гражданского должностного лица США, а также для утверждения этого решения Сенатом [Senate, U.S.]
Example sentence:
Предлагая включить в Конституцию импичмент за "серьезные преступления и правонарушения", Джеймс Мейсон и другие отцы-основатели не изобре�
5 hrs
см.
преступления и правонарушения высокопоставленных лиц
(возможен и такой вариант)
(возможен и такой вариант)
Reference comments
5 hrs
Angela Greenfield
United States
United States
Native in Russian
Specializes in field
United States
Certified Lawyer-Linguist
Native in: Russian , Ukrainian
Works in: Russian to English, English to Russian, Ukrainian to English
Related KudoZ points
:
60
Reference:
"High" in the legal parlance of the 18th century means "against the State". A high crime is one which seeks the overthrow of the country, which gives aid or comfort to its enemies, or which injures the country to the profit of an individual or group. In democracies and similar societies it also includes crimes which attempt to alter the outcome of elections.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_crimes_and_misdemeanors
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Note added at 5 hrs (2009-05-09 02:28:51 GMT)
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Взяла в руки УК РФ 2000 года (не думаю, что он сильно изменился с тех пор). Читаю: раздел Х ПРЕСТУПЛЕНИЯ ПРОТИВ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОЙ ВЛАСТИ, глава 30 Преступления против государственной власти, интересов государтсвенной службы и службы в органах местного самоуправления, статьи 285-293.
Статья 285 была бы типичной причиной для импичмента в США и называется она: Злоупотребление должностными полномочиями.
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Note added at 5 hrs (2009-05-09 02:28:51 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Взяла в руки УК РФ 2000 года (не думаю, что он сильно изменился с тех пор). Читаю: раздел Х ПРЕСТУПЛЕНИЯ ПРОТИВ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОЙ ВЛАСТИ, глава 30 Преступления против государственной власти, интересов государтсвенной службы и службы в органах местного самоуправления, статьи 285-293.
Статья 285 была бы типичной причиной для импичмента в США и называется она: Злоупотребление должностными полномочиями.
Discussion
High crimes - относится только к преступлениям, совершаемым первыми лицами государства в офисе и вне его (когда служебное положение используется для достижения личных целей или когда лицо ведет себя неподобающим образом, как напр. господин Ельцин с любовью к выпивке)