Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Russian term or phrase:
не копать
English translation:
I can dig, or not dig
Added to glossary by
Peter Shortall
Dec 19, 2005 12:25
18 yrs ago
Russian term
не копать
Russian to English
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
"Могу копать, могу не копать."
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+3
18 mins
Peter Shortall
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in English
United Kingdom
Legal / Business / Government
Native in: English
Works in: Romanian to English, Russian to English, French to English
Related KudoZ points
:
24
Russian term (edited):
�� �����
Selected
I can dig, or not dig.
Shades of "to be or not to be"! I think it's best to keep this as short as possible, like the original.
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Note added at 52 mins (2005-12-19 13:17:55 GMT)
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You could even leave out the second "dig" but I would only make that decision after seeing the rest of the original because this kind of ellipsis is more common in colloquial speech.
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Note added at 2 hrs 9 mins (2005-12-19 14:35:44 GMT)
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Maybe even "to dig or not to dig"?!! Only kidding... (?!)
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Note added at 2 hrs 32 mins (2005-12-19 14:58:12 GMT)
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Maybe even "to dig or not to dig"?!! Only kidding... (?!)
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Note added at 2 hrs 33 mins (2005-12-19 14:58:52 GMT)
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Maybe even "to dig or not to dig"?!! Only kidding... (?!)
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 52 mins (2005-12-19 13:17:55 GMT)
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You could even leave out the second "dig" but I would only make that decision after seeing the rest of the original because this kind of ellipsis is more common in colloquial speech.
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs 9 mins (2005-12-19 14:35:44 GMT)
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Maybe even "to dig or not to dig"?!! Only kidding... (?!)
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs 32 mins (2005-12-19 14:58:12 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Maybe even "to dig or not to dig"?!! Only kidding... (?!)
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs 33 mins (2005-12-19 14:58:52 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Maybe even "to dig or not to dig"?!! Only kidding... (?!)
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Jack Doughty
1 hr
|
|
Thanks!
|
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| agree |
Oksana Sandler
5 hrs
|
|
thanks!
|
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| agree |
Janina Nowrot
20 hrs
|
|
thanks!
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Selected automatically based on peer agreement."
+2
8 mins
Elena Ivaniushina
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Native in Russian
Russian Federation
En-Ru: Biology, Medicine, Localization
Native in: Russian
Works in: English to Russian, Russian
Related KudoZ points
:
36
Russian term (edited):
�� �����
I can dig, I can dig not
I can dig, I can dig not
Я бы так сказала.
Я бы так сказала.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Kirill Semenov
: очень хорошо, imho :)
0 min
|
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спасибо :)
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| agree |
Olga Vlasova
: Я уже однажды думала над этой фразой, и пришла именно к такому варианту. По-моему, это наиболее лаконично и близко к оригиналу.
9 hrs
|
15 mins
Russian term (edited):
�� �����
I can dig or not dig if I want to
I can dig or not dig if I want to
+2
2 hrs
Larissa Dinsley
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Native in Russian
United Kingdom
Royal Experience in Translation
Native in: Russian 
, Ukrainian
Works in: English to Russian, English to Ukrainian, Ukrainian to English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
74
Russian term (edited):
�� �����
если это в контексте известного анектода,
то (учитывая то, что в русском тексте игра словами - "могу" в значении "мочь" и "уметь") я бы перевела как:
I am good at digging; I am (also) good at not digging.
I am good at digging; I am (also) good at not digging.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Vitali Stanisheuski
5 hrs
|
| agree |
Dorene Cornwell
: I can dig; I can also not dig (depedning on how badly you don't want to know...)
10 hrs
|
1 day 17 hrs
Andrew Vdovin
Native in Russian
Specializes in field
DELVING into DETAIL
Native in: Russian
Works in: English to Russian, Russian, Russian to English, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
88
Russian term (edited):
�� �����
rephrased versions
I can dig or (I can) keep from digging
I’m free to choose whether or not to dig
I’m free to choose whether or not to dig
Discussion
The point is to render this construction (�� �����) readable without involving the positive statement. I.e. how to say "� ���� �� �����."? (the joke notwithstanding)