России мил не будешь
English translation: Russia can be a difficult partner
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| 16:17 Sep 19, 2016 |
| Russian to English translations [PRO] Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature | |||||||
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|  Selected response from: rns | ||||||
Grading comment
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| Summary of reference entries provided | |||
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| you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him 〈it〉 drink. |
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| Discussion entries: 2 | |
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Answers
23 mins confidence: 
peer agreement (net): +1
peer agreement (net): +1Russia can be a difficult partner Explanation: ‘Europe needs both Kazakhstan and Russia, but Russia can be a difficult partner, while Ageing Dame Europe can be easily courted by Young Hotshot Kazakhstan, why not.’ would be my interpretation of what ‘Казахстан Европе нужен, как Россия. России мил не будешь. А с молодым джигитом-Казахстаном стареющая желтопузая баба-Европа может сойтись полюбовно. Почему бы нет?’ says. |
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Grading comment
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4 mins confidence:
you can lead a house to water Explanation: Something like that. I'm in a cab, so not reading closely, but I presume this was oral. The phrase is "насильно мил не будешь" -------------------------------------------------- Note added at 25 mins (2016-09-19 16:43:14 GMT) -------------------------------------------------- Horse, not house, of course |
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41 mins confidence:
Nobody's going to make them love Russia Explanation: "Them" being Europe. Isn't that the sense, in this particular context? "Казахстан Европе нужен, как Россия. России мил не будешь. А с молодым джигитом-Казахстаном стареющая желтопузая баба-Европа может сойтись полюбовно." How I understand it, which could be wrong: Europe needs Kazakhstan, just as it needs Russia (or "might have a use for ... just as it does for"). (Although I suppose it might be completely ironical, and mean that Europe currently has no more use for Kazakhstan than it does for Russia.) But they're never going to be head over heels for Russia. (Or, without "but" if the second interpretation is right.) Kazakhstan, on the other hand, might actually be attractive for them, the Europeans, directly. |
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1 hr confidence:
Hardly anyone could be Russia’s beloved one. Explanation: '' |
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9 hrs confidence: peer agreement (net): +1
peer agreement (net): +1Russia, she ain't gonna love you. Explanation: I think this is not so much about the meaning here as about register and key - this, basically, being a piece of literary fare. The meaning is crystal clear: Russia won't love you, the implication being that they have their own interests and couldn't care less if pursuing those is good for Kazakhstan, or anyone else for that matter. Kazakhstan isn't joined to Russia at the hip. It can and should chart its own course. The language you chose for this has to fit the conversational and slightly condescending air of this diatribe, which I think my own suggestion fits best, if I only say so myself. Nor do I share the feeling, but hey, we are hired guns here. I think El Oso's "Russia is hard to please" or, perhaps, "Russia is a tough mistress" would also be good, and never mind that she isn't really all that tough this way in my own experience, but that's a totally different discussion. For that reason, I respectfully disagree with Rachel's and JW Narins' take on this, which doesn't happen often. Much as I hold them both in high esteem, I think they are missing the point here, albeit for a totally different reason. |
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Reference comments
1 hr |
| Reference: you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him 〈it〉 drink. Reference information: you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him 〈it〉 drink. By force one can't achieve their goal. |
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