воспитанник

21:39 Feb 8, 2015 

Thanks Simon!
I amended it as you suggested. It's certainly not a posh boarding school. You're right about that connotation in UK English.

00:44 Feb 8, 2015 

Sarah. I think you've chosen the right option to avoid translating "воспитанник" directly. However, from a UK English point of view I would consider saying: "Safonovo state boarding school". "Boarding school" in UK English has connotations of a private fee paying school.

18:53 Feb 7, 2015 

So you Canadians also have a history of doing you know what to you know whom. I didn't know, and now I do. Thanks for the link.

18:26 Feb 7, 2015 

Considering the information given, I would say that they are wards of the school since they are orphans and school bears responsibility for them

18:07 Feb 7, 2015 

I see that my question has caused a lot of discussion. Yes, the text makes it clear that they are orphans. They are definitely not pupils, as this term is used for younger ages. The text goes on to say that these 15 year olds just had a child themselves even though they are still teenagers. So pupils is inappropriate. "Residential school" is not politically correct at all. I am Canadian and this term evokes very negative connotations. (see the following link for why http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Indian_residential_sch... As the text is meant for an international audience, I will avoid using this term. I like the term "boarding school" better.

I have thought about this at great length and have decided it's best not to try to translate воспитанник directly, but rather say the following:

"Polina and Oleg are both 15 years old. They live and study at the Safonovo boarding school."

The next sentence after this goes on to say that they just gave birth to a daughter.

11:34 Feb 7, 2015 

I think you can use any of the words pertaining to a boarding school (like Donald's "resident"), as long as the text makes clear otherwise that they are orphans. If it doesn't, then probably you have to say it is a residential school for orphans.

03:40 Feb 7, 2015 

As negative as it sounds, they were indeed wards of the state. Alternatively, you can try to avoid all those labels altogether and say they went to school or spent their school years at that lovely orphans asylum. To make it politically correct, you can even call call it a "residential school" or something to that effect, I guess.