This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
Москва спасла Петербург, отдав свой центр на растерзание.
Его обеспечению подчинена
Feb 1, 2009 10:09
15 yrs ago
Russian term

ты меня за ноги вниз тянешь

Russian to English Other Poetry & Literature
The husband and his wife can not live together any longer. The husband runs away and lives temporarily with his friend. The wife has in her mind a plan to keep the property for herself, but some documents have to be signed by her husband before she applies for a divorce. She invites him for a parley, treats him nicely, perfumes herself with a drop of fragrance which was left from the wedding day and puts on the music of their youth- the most touching songs of "The Beatles". But at that moment her drunken lover arrives, he starts to shout outside first, then comes upstairs and beats the husband. The dog interferes in the fight and bites the lover really badly. The lover runs to the police. Here are the words of the husband afterwards:
Proposed translations (English)
3 +1 you are always pulling me under
3 +4 you're always dragging me down
4 +1 You pull me down
4 you are always getting down-and-dirty with me

Discussion

Alexandra Taggart (asker) Feb 1, 2009:
changing the verb tense in one continuous text If to discuss this matter, I have a slightly different opinion myself. Changing the tense of the verb in one or the other part of the text (where it is possible)) breaks the monotony. But that is more of a matter of your taste. "Dirt" in this sentence - is this woman herself, the world of her own, she is a mermaid in it and drags the man down with her, she does not allow him to surface. The choice the Internet gives for this expression is wide and your quite correct and nice suggestion has many equivalents said in different words. But I do not have a tendency to express similarly but to say the same.
katerina turevich Feb 1, 2009:
heaping dirt You can do "you heap dirt on me" to be more expressive. It depends completely on the degree of resentment this guy experiences. Pulling down" is true the more often used expersion. But as an aside: stylistically it comes on as a stronger and a better way to bring your meaning across if you use simple present tense. It reads easier in English if instead of "all my words are beginning to stick in my throat..." you do "already for sometime, my words get stock in my throat every time....." . Anyway, that's as far as simple and continuous present tense.

Proposed translations

+1
1 hr
Selected

you are always pulling me under

I have added the "every time" part from your text into this answer. I don't think reference to the legs or any other part of the body is needed to convey the meaning. The man sees his wife as stopping him getting on in life by figuratively pulling him under the water to stop him breathing.
I am sure I echo the thoughts of others when I suggest it would be more constructive to insert the source text into your question. Who knows, there could be an even better answer hidden between the lines.
I hope this helps, in any case.
Peer comment(s):
agree Anna Bordanova (Semyonova)
17 mins
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you Simon! I like Gary's suggestion as well, but, I believe that the words of this man are more about his "drowning" than "breaking free". "
+1
1 hr

You pull me down

I would have said "you PUT me down" if it was verbal, but it's also her actions that are at the root of this
Note from asker:
Thank you Gary! The straight and expressive phrase you gave is about a man who is about to breath freedom again. Unfortunately this Russian saying does not suggest much hope for him.
Peer comment(s):
agree katerina turevich : with ".... all the time" at the end. Yes, this is the correct tense..
35 mins
Something went wrong...
+4
2 hrs

you're always dragging me down

or how about a different tack - you're like a constant weight around my neck
Note from asker:
"You are a constant weight around my neck" - is very close, thank you! Very nice expression. In my present translation I am trying to avoid these "legs" and "necks", the author has put too many of such in the text. Thanks for your answer anyway!
Peer comment(s):
agree katerina turevich
18 mins
thanks
agree Galina Kasatkina
25 mins
thanks
agree Samantha Payn
20 hrs
agree Terry Moran : Better than the answer selected!
1 day 19 hrs
Something went wrong...
2 hrs

you are always getting down-and-dirty with me

down-and-dirty-
slang, used about an argument, competition, fight etc. in which people say or do nasty, unfair, or dishonest things in order to defeat someone or get an advantage over them.
Note from asker:
Thanks a lot! But the man in the text is a kind of intelligent and sensitive person and it would be wrong to put slang words in his mouth. Thank you for participating!r
Something went wrong...
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search