Russian Translation Competition 2021

The Winners of our Russian Translation Competition 2021

Congratulations to the 10 winners of our Russian Translation Competition! They are (in alphabetical order):

• Hermione Brand, Redmaids’ High School
• Thomas Crossley, City of London school
• Freya Enright, Bristol Grammar School
• Sofya Filatova, Cheltenham Ladies' College
• Thomas Hobbs, Harrow School
• Amber Holt, Sevenoaks School
• Ben Hunt, Bolton School Boys’ Division
• Barnaby Keogh, Bolton School Boys’ Division
• Madeline Lewis, Redmaids’ High School
• Maria Voronova, Urmston Grammar school

We received an extremely high number of very high quality entries and we very much enjoyed reading them! As ever, the overall standard was impressively high. Many thanks to all of you who entered the competition.

A fair copy of the translation, based largely on the best entries, is available below, followed by a few remarks on the main translation issues that arose in it.

Unfortunately, we cannot provide feedback on individual entries.

Thank you
Dr Adam Fergus and Colleagues in Russian & Slavonic Studies

Text

Extract from Narine Abgaryan, Simon (Moscow: AST, 2020)

Abgaryan’s novel Simon has been shortlisted for the Big Book (Bol’shaya kniga) prize. A survey of Abgaryan’s works can be found here; click here to watch an interview with her.

Запрет на «карантин» нарушили только для сватов, выбравшихся навестить внука из Иджевана. Ревниво и подобострастно рассмотрев спящего младенца, сватья сразу же с удовлетворением объявила, что он – копия ее отца, потому назвать его нужно в честь деда Багдасаром. Вдовая Сильвия хотела было возразить, что подобным ветхозаветным именем не всякий в наши дни решится ребенка обозвать, но ее опередил сват. Повертев в характерном недоумевающем жесте воздетый к потолку указательный палец, он [Тер Маттеос] обрушил на жену водопад негодования:

– У этого ребенка на лице вместо носа кнопка от телевизионного пульта! Какой из него Багдасар?

– А что, Багдасар означает «носатый»? – уставилась на него сбитая с толку сватья.

– Конечно, раз под носом твоего отца в дождь вся наша улица собиралась!

– Ну раз ребенок носом не вышел, может, его тогда Вараздатом назовем? В честь твоего отца-пьяницы?

– Женщина, ты соображаешь, что говоришь? В сотый раз повторяю: он не пьяницей был, а ценителем тутовки! И вообще! Тебе внука не жаль? Какой Багдасар, какой Вараздат? Имя у мальчика должно быть современным. А главное, звонким и стремительным, словно выпущенная из лука стрела.

– Стремительным?! Назовите тогда сразу Гепард. Чего мелочиться-то? – встряла в перепалку Вдовая Сильвия, уязвленная тем, что никто не поинтересовался ее мнением.

Сваты, спохватившись, сразу же принялись советоваться с ней. В итоге, после недолгих и почти кровопролитных препирательств, право выбора благоразумно решено было оставить за родителями младенца. Те, обещав придумать такое имя, которое устроит всех, развели взрослых по углам ринга. Однако с выбором не спешили, потому на второй неделе жизни ребенок продолжал оставаться безымянным. Традиции ничего предосудительного в этом не видели, так что и Вдовая Сильвия не беспокоилась. Придумают, никуда не денутся. Свидетельство о рождении-то надо ведь справлять.

(266 words)

Translation

The quarantine was lifted only for the in-laws, who had managed to get out of Ijevan to see their grandson.

Possessively and fawningly, her daughter’s mother-in-law looked the sleeping newborn up and down; straightaway she happily declared that he was a copy of Sylvia’s father and should therefore be named after his grandfather Bagdasar. Widowed Sylvia was about to object that in this day and age not everybody would bestow such an Old Testament name on a child, but her daughter’s father-in-law got in first. Turning his forefinger up towards the ceiling in his characteristic gesture of bewilderment, he [Ter Matteos] unleashed a torrent of indignation onto his wife:

‘That baby has got a button from a TV remote control on his face instead of a nose! What sort of Bagdasar is he going to be?’

‘So Bagdasar means “big-nosed”, does it?’ said his wife, staring at him in confusion.

‘Sure, since our whole street could shelter under your father’s nose when it rained!’

‘Well, since the child’s nose hasn’t turned out so big, maybe we can call him Varazdat, then? After your drunken father.’

‘Do you have any idea what you’re saying, woman? I’ll say it for the hundredth time: he wasn’t a drunkard, but a connoisseur of mulberry vodka! And anyway! Wouldn’t you feel sorry for your grandson? Bagdasar or Varazdat! The boy ought to have a modern name. Most of all, it should have a ring to it and be swift like an arrow shot from the bow.’ 

‘Swift? Then just call him Cheetah. Why make such a fuss?’ Widowed Sylvia interrupted the crossfire, stung that nobody had asked her opinion.

The in-laws, suddenly remembering her, immediately set about asking her advice. Eventually, after a short and almost bloody altercation, it was wisely decided to leave the right to choose to the baby’s parents. They promised to think of a name which would suit everyone, they separated their parents and sent them back into their own corners. However, they were in no hurry to choose, so more than a week after he had been born, the child still remained nameless. According to tradition, there was nothing wrong with this, so not even Widowed Sylvia was worried. They would have to think of a name: there was no getting away from it. After all, the birth certificate would have to be dealt with.

About the competition

The prize

The authors of the ten best entries will each receive a prize of a £25 book token and an invitation to take part in a special virtual Translation Workshop organized by the School of Languages and Cultures at the University of Sheffield, involving academics in Russian studies, Masters students in Translation Studies and alumni who work in translation-related fields. The Workshop will be held on Wednesday 15 December 2021.

The judges

The translations were read and judged by a panel of Russian experts from the School of Languages and Cultures at the University of Sheffield.