34
votes
Use of "pounds" instead of "roubles" in passage of "The Idiot"
According to Wikipedia, Eva Martin's translation was published in 1915. At this period, it is likely that few British readers would have a reason to know the value (in Sterling) of the Russian Rouble ...
- 1,959
20
votes
Accepted
What was a "prince" in Dostoevsky's times, i.e. mid-late 19th century?
Something like a duke, and the title wasn't all that special.
The English word "prince" is translated from the Russian "knyaz (князь)", which could be used either to denote a ...
- 71.1k
7
votes
Use of "pounds" instead of "roubles" in passage of "The Idiot"
It looks like this translation isn't quite consistent in its usage of Russian vs British currency units. There are a few cases where farthing is used in a single sentence with rouble:
“I have not got ...
- 565
3
votes
What does it mean to look like "a hair-dresser's assistant"?
Whether the translation given,
a hair-dresser’s assistant,
or
a shopkeeper fresh from the barber's
which Andra gives, the meaning is that he is dressed like someone in a job inside a shop (...
- 5,957
2
votes
What does it mean to look like "a hair-dresser's assistant"?
It's an incorrect translation. Originally it is
как приказчик от парикмахера
and, for example, a site for learning English using parallel texts offers the following translation:
like a shopkeeper ...
- 735
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