бывшая прислуга «за все»

English translation: all-round skivvy

14:17 Jul 7, 2011

Russian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters

Russian term or phrase: бывшая прислуга «за все»

Whose favors included more than serving beer?

К сожалению, его жена – дочь кабатчика, бывшая прислугой «за все», еще до того как она попала к дяде Боре, – была глупа, неразвита и вульгарна, хотя по-своему красива.

Deborah Hoffman KudoZ activity Questions: 994 (7 open) (3 closed without grading) Answers: 427
Local time: 00:42

English translation:all-round skivvy

Explanation:
I have come across this in ильф и петров, золотой теленок:

-- Я больше не буду! -- взмолился Паниковский. -- Я нервный!

-- Встаньте на колени, -- сказал Остап. Паниковский так поспешно опустился на колени, словно ему подрубили ноги.

-- Хорошо! -- сказал Остап. -- Ваша поза меня удовлетворяет. Вы приняты условно, до первого нарушения дисциплины, с возложением на вас обязанностей прислуги за все.

I think this where the expression actually comes from. It means a servant with no rights whatsoever, an ironic word for slave basically. I would translate this as "all-round skivvy", but I am consious that "skivvy" may be too British for you.

Selected response from:

Piotrnikitin
Serbia
Local time: 06:42

Grading comment

4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

3 +2

all-round skivvy

Piotrnikitin

Ex-maid for all

Aljoska

3 +1

former maid of all work

Oleksiy Markunin

former dogsbody

Blair Sheridan

Answers

15 mins confidence:

Ex-maid for all

Explanation:
Hi Deborah,

I think that the meaning is "ex-maid for all". I don't know if you can say this in English, but I think you understood what's the meaning.

:-)

Aljoska
Italy
Local time: 06:42
Works in field
Native speaker of:

Italian

17 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

all-round skivvy

Piotrnikitin
Serbia
Local time: 06:42
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English,

Russian
PRO pts in category: 36

40 mins confidence:

former dogsbody

Explanation:
I love that word "dogsbody" and it seems to fit, but perhaps more for Baldrick, than a woman :-)

Blair Sheridan
Canada
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 4

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

former maid of all work

Explanation:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/maid of all work

Or even "slavey" http://www.thefreedictionary.com/slavey
However, it's British

Oleksiy Markunin
Canada
Local time: 00:42
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Russian
PRO pts in category: 48

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бывшая прислуга «за все»

English translation: all-round skivvy

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