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в составе 3 человек
сельхозтехникум

Glossary entry

русский term or phrase:

неправильная считалка

английский translation:

you're counting too fast

Added to glossary by Susan Welsh
This question was closed without grading. Reason: Прочее
Dec 26, 2013 20:24
10 yrs ago
русский term

неправильная считалка

русский => английский Искусство/Литература Литература и поэзия children's games
This is a photo caption about a cat, one of a series of photos. The cats are playing hide and seek, and one says (or the caption says), "Нечестно! Неправильная считалка!" But this cat is a scrappy little guy and can stand up for himself.

OK, so I've got "No fair! The counting games aren't right!"
But that makes no sense in English.
I guess the idea is that when you play hide and seek, the person who is "it" counts, "раз - два -три," etc., and maybe there's some kind of rhyme that goes with it. When I was a kid, there wasn't any rhyme.

Any suggestions?
Proposed translations (английский)
2 Wrong Tinker Tailor rhyme
Change log

Dec 31, 2013 15:18: Susan Welsh Created KOG entry

Discussion

Natalie Dec 31, 2013:
Hi Susan, your version is excellent. What about closing the question: why not using the "just_close" option without choosing any answer?
The Misha Dec 31, 2013:
Svobodu kotu Matroskinu! Just kidding. Apparently there WAS more to this than a trip down nostalgia lane. Cheers, everyone, and happy New Year!
Susan Welsh (asker) Dec 31, 2013:
What I used was... "No fair! You're counting too fast!" Rikka and Natalie helped the most, but neither of them posted an answer, so I can't close the question. Would one of you please post something - even just "see Discussion"? Thanks!
danya Dec 30, 2013:
w/Natalie rigged counting)
Susan Welsh (asker) Dec 27, 2013:
@Natalie Thanks, I get it now.
Natalie Dec 27, 2013:
Hi Susan, in fact the idea behind this is quite simple. While the kid is counting, for example, "One, two, three, four, five, Once I caught a fish alive", the others have 10 seconds to hide; however, if the kid who is leading the game would count "One, two, five, I caught a fish alive" the others would have too little time to hide. So in your case the kitten meant that he failed to hide because the count was unfair ( "No fair! You were cheating!")
rikka Dec 26, 2013:
one, two, three... ready or not - here I come!
Susan Welsh (asker) Dec 26, 2013:
@Miisha and Inna Ah! So it's the "eeny-meeny-miney-moe rhyme!" Now I remember, back in the mists of time... "Catch a [insulting reference to one or another ethnic group] by the toe..."
Thanks to you youngsters for jogging my memory.
The Misha Dec 26, 2013:
Susan, I am afraid this may be just one of those untranslatable things. To me, this looks like a barely veiled reference to Kot Matroskin from Prostokvashino (see here: http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Матроскин), and the voice is unmistakably Oleg Tabakov's - which alone, velvety and somewhat vexed in this case would be enough of a joke for a Russian and easily recognizable. Or at least it used to be that way back in the days. Just say "No fair! Bad game!" or something like it - and move on.

Proposed translations

11 мин

Wrong Tinker Tailor rhyme

Считалка is when kids say a rhyme BEFORE the game to decide who will seek. Something like Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor, Rich Man, Poor Man, Beggar Man, Thief (the only one I could find quickly). So the cat was cheating during the counting.
Not the best option I guess but a direction
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