Jan 18, 2021 00:21
3 yrs ago
18 viewers *
English term
belly-grin
English to Russian
Art/Literary
Poetry & Literature
Historical detective novel set in New York in 1702.
The enigmatic swordsman, Count Anton Mannerheim Dahlgren, who'd so nearly slashed Matthew a ***belly-grin*** with the point of a dagger. (This sentence refers to the previous book of the series, in which the fight is described as follows:
"As Matthew fought for his life, he had one thing in mind.
Something Hudson Greathouse had said.
You’ll someday cross swords with a villain who’ll long to get a short blade in your belly. You’ll know him, when the time comes.
Matthew knew him.
He saw Dahlgren’s left hand go under the waistcoat. He grabbed at the wrist to trap it, but another blow from the hilt rattled his brains. Where was Dahlgren’s hand? Panic flared in him. Where was-
Suddenly Dahlgren’s hand emerged. It had six fingers, one formed of steel and deadly sharp.
With a whuff of air and a burst of demonic strength, the Count drove his hidden dagger squarely into Matthew’s stomach.
There was a sudden loud crack. No more, no less.
Dahlgren screamed like a woman. He fell back, the dagger dangling and then dropping from the hand that hung off a broken wrist. His rapier also clattered to the floor. His eyes were wide with shock, and perhaps they widened even farther when Matthew reached under his own waistcoat and pulled out the silver fruit tray-about the size of an open hand-that he’d slid down to protect his belly from the dagger attack that Greathouse had warned him in the wisdom of experience to anticipate.
One thing could be said about Dahlgren, Matthew thought. The man certainly kept his thumb locked down.")
"As Matthew fought for his life, he had one thing in mind.
Something Hudson Greathouse had said.
You’ll someday cross swords with a villain who’ll long to get a short blade in your belly. You’ll know him, when the time comes.
Matthew knew him.
He saw Dahlgren’s left hand go under the waistcoat. He grabbed at the wrist to trap it, but another blow from the hilt rattled his brains. Where was Dahlgren’s hand? Panic flared in him. Where was-
Suddenly Dahlgren’s hand emerged. It had six fingers, one formed of steel and deadly sharp.
With a whuff of air and a burst of demonic strength, the Count drove his hidden dagger squarely into Matthew’s stomach.
There was a sudden loud crack. No more, no less.
Dahlgren screamed like a woman. He fell back, the dagger dangling and then dropping from the hand that hung off a broken wrist. His rapier also clattered to the floor. His eyes were wide with shock, and perhaps they widened even farther when Matthew reached under his own waistcoat and pulled out the silver fruit tray-about the size of an open hand-that he’d slid down to protect his belly from the dagger attack that Greathouse had warned him in the wisdom of experience to anticipate.
One thing could be said about Dahlgren, Matthew thought. The man certainly kept his thumb locked down.")
Proposed translations
(Russian)
3 | едва не распорол живот острием кинжала | IrinaN |
4 | едва не прочертил на животе Мэтью кровавую улыбку | Lena Gavrilyuk |
Proposed translations
1 hr
Selected
едва не распорол живот острием кинжала
So nearly (едва в моем переводе) подчеркивает разницу между "воткнуть кинжал" и именно "распороть", т.е. продолжить движение и разъединить ткани, оставив открытую щель. Кинжал был только воткнут, судя по прежнему описанию. Ну а после этого на животе останется шрам-"улыбочка", отсюда и belly-grin. Да это Вам самому понятно, так, рассуждаю вслух. Ну до чего емкое выражение, просто восхитительно! Наверное, можно пофантазировать насчет "улыбки на память", но пока получается так слабенько, что конкретно предлагать не буду. Но обещаю подумать.
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Спасибо, Ирина! Да, тоже думаю в этом направлении."
15 hrs
едва не прочертил на животе Мэтью кровавую улыбку
как вариант: «едва не рассек живот в кровавую ухмылку»
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