Glossary entry

Russian term or phrase:

на казенных харчах

English translation:

jailhouse grub

Added to glossary by Oxana Snyder
Dec 17, 2009 04:12
14 yrs ago
1 viewer *
Russian term

на казенных харчах

Russian to English Art/Literary Poetry & Literature
Речь идет о начале советской власти:

Все же мало людей на работу выходит.
Молодых еще сорок процентов в бегах.
Власть их ловит, а пойманных в чувство приводит -
две недели ***сидят на казенных харчах***!

Понятно, что на государственном пайке, но означает ли это, что их за это в тюрьму сажают на 2 недели или просто советское правительство их 2 недели кормит (что сомнительно)?
Спасибо

Proposed translations

+1
3 hrs
Selected

jailhouse grub

пойманные получают 15 суток за уклонение от общественно-полезного труда(т.е. за тунеядство) и кормятся за казенный кошт(напр., см. Приключения Шурика и его протеже на стройке)
Peer comment(s):

agree Angela Greenfield : Yum, too... :-)
6 hrs
thanks, Angela Greenfield
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you! And thank you everybody for your suggestions!"
+2
23 mins

living off the public / at public expense

I think the irony is very evident, it must be the first version (prison).
Peer comment(s):

agree Angela Greenfield : eating prison chow, that is... :-) Yum...
16 mins
Yay for the justice system? :P
agree Tevah_Trans : can you do the entire couplet?:)
26 mins
Not after the day I've had ;)
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5 hrs

for a couple of weeks they become guests of the state

one of the standard euphemisms for a prison inmate is the "guest of the state"; you can fit the rest around it.
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9 hrs

3 hots (and a cot)

You may not want to make this so American given your context, but I thought it might amuse you :)

A phrase often used for the "benefits" of being in jail.
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14 hrs

getting govenmental handouts

getting govenmental freebies
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