Mar 15, 2004 18:09
20 yrs ago
Russian term

lish' bi ykolot'sia, te tsapnut

Russian to English Social Sciences Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc.
A drug user is talking about how people who don't know that he is HIV positive will steal his syringe.
He says: lish' bi ykolot'sia, te tsapnut

The only meaning I know for 'lish' bi' is 'provided', 'if only'. This sounds very strange here, as why would someone steal a syringe if not to inject with it?!
Am I missing something here? Can it be translated some other way?

Discussion

Non-ProZ.com Mar 15, 2004:
Sorry everyone Sorry my transliteration has gone wrong...It should be 'lish' by' (hard 'i' sound).
Non-ProZ.com Mar 15, 2004:
yes it is 'te', referring to the people who don't know he has HIV
Kirill Semenov Mar 15, 2004:
"te" -- is it written right? Or is it "t. e." ?

Proposed translations

32 mins
Selected

they take the hazard of using stolen used syringes -- anything for the sake of injecting a dose

"Lish' by" emphasizes they risk to steal and use others' syringes despite the high risk of HIV.

But I cannot get what "te" means here... "Tsapnut'" may be a colloquial word for "steal" something very fast, in a hurry, "grab it and run".

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Note added at 35 mins (2004-03-15 18:44:46 GMT)
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Aha, yes, it\'s clearer now. Those who are ready to risk anything for the sake of injecting a dose, -- such people would steal syringes without thinking much.
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2 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks to all answerers. 'For the sake of' works well here I think."
+1
33 mins

below

It might mean:
"If only they could inject, they would steal..." meaning "those who would steal his syringe, wouldn't care about him being HIV positive, because all they care is to be able to inject..."

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Note added at 35 mins (2004-03-15 18:44:38 GMT)
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\"te\" - they (those who don\'t know a drug user is HIV positive)
\"tsapnut\'\" - to steal
\"lish\' bi ykolot\'sia\" - only if they could inject themselves
Peer comment(s):

agree zmejka
12 hrs
thank you
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41 mins

They'll snatch 'em up, 'long as (that means) they can shoot up

Again, I believe it essential to have the equivalent of "UKOLOTS'A" - SHOOT UP
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2 hrs

Just to inject/(For sake of injection) they'll grab it.

Luck, russiaconnect!
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1 day 1 hr

[those for who] the only important thing is to get injected, they will grab (steal)

lish' = tol'ko
"lish' by" + verb(inf.) = "tol'ko by" + verb(inf.) = "the only thing which matters (the most important thing) is" + verb(with "to" or "-ing")

[those for who] the only important thing is to get injected, they will grab (steal)
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