May 19, 2011 13:24
13 yrs ago
Russian term

малявка

Russian to English Other Linguistics
"Какие времена настали! Теперь дети хотят учить своих родителей! – воскликнула мама. – Вы только посмотрите, эта малявка собирается плыть куда-то! В какой-то "Мир"! Говорит: хочу увидеть, что в Мире происходит. Какие громкие заявления!"
"Эй, малявка! С каких это пор стал ты ученым и философом?!" – возмущенно спросила соседка. "Госпожа, – ответила Маленькая Черная Рыбка...

This is found in the context of a fairytale. Does anyone know of a clever translation? can't think of one right of the bat myself.. :)

Proposed translations

+5
33 mins
Selected

small fry / little one / half-pint

Since it's talking about a fish, I would use "small fry."\

On the other hand, one could look at a published translation of the story in English and write "half-pint" and "little one":

Hearing her neighbor's voice, the mother came out of the house and said, "What's the world coming to! Now children even want to teach their mothers something!"
How so? "asked the neighbor."
Listen to the places this half-pint wants to go!" replied the mother. "Saying over and over again I want to go see what's happening in the world. What pretentious talk!"
"Little one," said the neighbor, "let's see. Since when have you become a scholar and philosopher and not told us?"
"Madam," answered the little fish, ...
http://www.iranchamber.com/literature/sbehrangi/works/the_li...
Peer comment(s):

agree Angela Greenfield : good job, Rachel!
4 mins
Thanks, Angela.
agree Ingunite
27 mins
Thank you.
agree Oleksiy Markunin
4 hrs
Thanks, Oleksiy.
agree Leigh Mosley : I like half-pint (it sounds like Laura Ingalls)
10 hrs
Thanks, Leigh. I suppose the translator of Samad Behrangi (1939-1967) from Persian could have read Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867-1957).
agree cyhul
1 day 14 hrs
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "thanks"
14 mins

puny

-
Something went wrong...
+1
2 mins

peanut

.

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Note added at 21 mins (2011-05-19 13:46:12 GMT)
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Definitions:
3. A small person (often used as a term of endearment)http://www.google.com/search?sclient=psy&hl=en&client=firefo...

a young child who is small for his age
insignificant: of little importance or influence or power; of minor status; "a minor, insignificant bureaucrat"; "peanut politicians"http://www.google.com/url?url=http://wordnetweb.princeton.ed...
Peer comment(s):

agree Denis Shepelev
20 hrs
Thank you, Denis.
Something went wrong...
23 mins

little one / shorty

Something went wrong...
2 hrs

brat

a child, usually a obnoxious or troublesome one
Something went wrong...
+2
7 hrs

pip-squeak

Peer comment(s):

agree Angela Greenfield : This is very good. :-)
3 mins
agree Piotrnikitin : I think this is exactly it!
12 hrs
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