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Magazine title in Cyrillic
Sep 18, 2010 17:54
13 yrs ago
Russian term

Book title in Cyrillic

Russian to English Art/Literary Government / Politics
I hope some old Afghan hand can help with this. I'm guessing the language is Pashto, but the title of this 1947 book is given in Cyrillic as "Афганистан дар телсеме даирейе шейтанийе мосибат." I need to know how to romanize it in order to correctly cite it.

The Russian title is given as "Афгaнистан в кольце дьявольского несчастья," Unless somebody knows better, I plan on translating the title as as "Afghanistan in the Devil's Clutches."
Proposed translations (English)
4 Afganistan in a grip of devilish forces
4 +1 Afghanistan: deep in infernal misfortune
4 Afghanistan in the middle of the Devil's triangle
4 Your version
4 Afghanistan's hellish plight
3 Afghanistan in the Ring of Devilish Misfortune
3 Afghanistan in the Trap of Devil's Disaster

Discussion

Michael Korovkin Sep 22, 2010:
Well, of course Shaitan, Satan, Сатана are the same word. But are they sinonymous? Shaitan is Devil, admittedly. However, "devilishly bad luck" is one thing "and "to be gripped by the Satan", you must agree, is quite a different kettle of fish. In other words, here, even the legitimacy of translating Shaitan as Satan (and not Devil) is a big question. Basically, if we shed the metafors of the dark forces and other verbiage, you title may be read as "Afghanistan in the Grip of the Bloody Yankees". That's quite a leap from the "dincam bad luck"! However, you have the context and I don't, so you are the dude who calls the shots! :)
Oleksandr Kupriyanchuk Sep 22, 2010:
Having (again) read that Russian-lang. article... http://journal-neo.com/?q=ru/node/1258 ,
I also doubt your choice. In addition, I am far not sure if you are aware of the content and message of the book. Probably you had some other very serious reason(s) for your/picked translation(s)...
James McVay (asker) Sep 22, 2010:
True... That's exactly why I did it. Also, I picked up on the "шейтанийе" in the actual title of the book, leaping to the conclusion that it means "Shaitan" and (possibly) refers to "the" Shaitan and not "a" shaitan. I do realize that I took some liberties, but I felt they were justified by the the way the book's content was used in the Russian-language article.
Michael Korovkin Sep 22, 2010:
James, judging by the Russian translation, You've chnged the meaning in a rather chevalier fashion... rendering it anti-Western in the process, because that's exactly how the taliban refer to the NATO/US there: satanic forces. If that was your intention – congratulations. Quite a responsibility, though...
Susan Welsh Sep 18, 2010:
Mykhailo +2 Me too.
Judith Hehir Sep 18, 2010:
Mykhailo +1 I like your version best, James.
Mykhailo Voloshko Sep 18, 2010:
clutches I like this: "Afghanistan in the Devil's Clutches." - even if there's a symbol of ring developed in the book, the clutches also represent some sort of ring, so it's OK, James.

Proposed translations

1 hr
Selected

Afganistan in a grip of devilish forces

I'm trying to make it sound English.Devilish forces bring nothing but misery.

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Note added at 3 days23 hrs (2010-09-22 17:21:02 GMT) Post-grading
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Thank you very much! I'm always at your service. Satan is most certainly much more notorious guy than monotonous devil, I absolutely agree with you,James.Have you ever heard of dervishes? Let me tell you: they're awful! It was my first intention-to introduce one into sentence as they are from "that" desert, alas, I failed to realise this idea.

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Note added at 4 days (2010-09-22 19:11:49 GMT) Post-grading
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil_(Islam)
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2 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Nobody was able to answer my real question, but the translation I used for the book title came closest to Alexandra's: "Afghanistan in the Grip of Satanic Forces.""
3 mins

Afghanistan in the Ring of Devilish Misfortune

.
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1 hr

Afghanistan in the Trap of Devil's Disaster


IMHO, the title closer to the original (rather exotic but truly authentic!) would be better here.

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2 hrs

Afghanistan in the middle of the Devil's triangle

Afghanistan in the middle of the Devil's Triangle

also an alternative
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+1
6 hrs

Afghanistan: deep in infernal misfortune

...
Peer comment(s):
agree Andrei Yefimov
16 hrs
Спасибо!
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16 hrs

Your version

in my view, damn sight better, shorter, and more literary sounding, than all other suggestions to-date

unless, of course, one prefers "down the proverbial creek"

naturally, without a puddle :)
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1 day 12 hrs

Afghanistan's hellish plight

I still like your version more!!!
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