Sep 13, 2007 18:05
17 yrs ago
Russian term
громоотвод
Russian to English
Other
Government / Politics
This term appears in a text about parliamentary elections. A minister "«громоотводом» выступает". I can only find the word's literal meaning of "lightning-conductor". Presumably there is an idiomatic meaning as well!
Proposed translations
(English)
| 3 +2 | scapegoat? |
DNATUSIA
|
| 3 +9 | lightning rod |
Kirill Semenov
|
| 4 | lightning/surge arrester |
koundelev
|
| 2 | fall guy |
Andrew Vdovin
|
Proposed translations
+2
13 mins
Selected
scapegoat?
мальчик для битья? немного другой оттенок, но смысл похожий: на нем "разряжается" Громовержец (громовержцы)
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Roman Bardachev
9 mins
|
|
Спасибо!
|
|
| agree |
Mark Berelekhis
: This is just far more common.
48 mins
|
|
Спасибо!
|
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| disagree |
Valery Kaminski
: It's quite different. "Lightning rod" is someone (something) strong enough to take the blow. "Scapegoat" is some loser selected for being unable to fight back.
1 hr
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Cпасибо! Не согласна, что козел отпущения "looser". Это тот (та), кто попался под руку и на ком разряжаются.
|
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| agree |
The Misha
: There was tons of cases when strong, fighting men - or women, to be fair - were made scapegoats. Valery's comment is totally irrelevant . Scapegoat's the word
1 hr
|
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Спасибо!
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you!"
6 hrs
lightning/surge arrester
если министр притягивает на себя критику - то 'rod'...
если же он смягчает напряженность - то 'arrester'
если же он смягчает напряженность - то 'arrester'
11 hrs
Andrew Vdovin
Native in Russian
DELVING into DETAIL
Native in: Russian 
Works in: English to Russian, Russian, Russian to English, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
8
fall guy
The register is a bit different though.
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Note added at 11 hrs (2007-09-14 05:14:58 GMT)
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Here, what about "a glutton for punishment"?
Gwyn is a glutton for punishment. She takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'... No task yet has been too big for her to take on. If you have any questions ...
www.freecycle.org/about/staff
--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 11 hrs (2007-09-14 05:14:58 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------
Here, what about "a glutton for punishment"?
Gwyn is a glutton for punishment. She takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'... No task yet has been too big for her to take on. If you have any questions ...
www.freecycle.org/about/staff
+9
2 mins
Kirill Semenov
Ukraine
Ukraine
Native in Russian
Specializes in field
Ukraine
60+ books translated and published
Native in: Russian 
Works in: English to Russian, Russian
Related KudoZ points
:
74
lightning rod
Мне кажется, вполне подойдёт для политики.
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Note added at 14 hrs (2007-09-14 08:39:37 GMT) Post-grading
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Sonia, it's choice, of course, but I doubt it. For "scapegoat" we have a stable Biblical term "козёл отпущения", which is also widely used. But here the meaning is exactly in the root "-отвод" - the Minister somehow distracted the attention of the public or the media by taking the main hit on himself instead of them attacking another politician. It makes a great sense during elections.
Your argument that the "scapegoat" is more familiar to English audience is not an argument, in fact. "He's a f**** jaskass" is probably even more familiar term for many readers, but I doubt you will risk to use it for "better understanding". ;-)
Your choice, in any case, but I would advise to think twice.
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Note added at 14 hrs (2007-09-14 08:39:37 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------
Sonia, it's choice, of course, but I doubt it. For "scapegoat" we have a stable Biblical term "козёл отпущения", which is also widely used. But here the meaning is exactly in the root "-отвод" - the Minister somehow distracted the attention of the public or the media by taking the main hit on himself instead of them attacking another politician. It makes a great sense during elections.
Your argument that the "scapegoat" is more familiar to English audience is not an argument, in fact. "He's a f**** jaskass" is probably even more familiar term for many readers, but I doubt you will risk to use it for "better understanding". ;-)
Your choice, in any case, but I would advise to think twice.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Henry Schroeder
2 mins
|
| agree |
Jack Doughty
4 mins
|
| agree |
Valery Kaminski
8 mins
|
| agree |
Olga Layer
: Да, вполне
10 mins
|
| neutral |
Roman Bardachev
: As in "The BBC reports. Sir John Doe assumed a role of a lightning rod during today's discussions at the House of Commons"? Sounds a bit weird.
24 mins
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I think the question of Google statistics is alreay solved.
|
|
| agree |
Anna Makhorkina
40 mins
|
| agree |
Iosif JUHASZ
58 mins
|
| agree |
Mark Berelekhis
1 hr
|
| agree |
Yavor Dimitrov
2 hrs
|
| disagree |
The Misha
: I'm with Roman on this one. They just don't make people lightning rods, they make them scapegoats.
2 hrs
|
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I suppose it's a different meaning.
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| agree |
Tetyana Plakuta
: lightning rod - definition by dict.die.net lightning rod n 1: someone who is a frequent target of negative reactions and serves to distract attention from another 2: a metallic conductor that is ..http://dict.die.net/lightning rod/ - 6k
2 hrs
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| agree |
Alexander Alexandrov
2 days 15 hrs
|
Discussion
I understand that "lightning rod" is probably the proper term within the field of politics, but I think in this instance I am going to go with "scapegoat". I have not been given any information about the target audience's background so I cannot presume that they have any specialist political knowledge. I feel that "scapegoat" is a much more familiar term for an English-speaking audience.
Have a look at the search wording. Changed a bit
http://www.google.com.by/search?hl=ru&client=firefox-a&chann...
brings ~54000