HBP in russian translation./ Translations in general/ "Severus, please"

[dumbledore11214]

No: HPFGUIDX 144700

> Kemper now:
<SNIP>
> Back to subject topic... I would be interested in any Russian 
speakers
> piping in with regards to "Severus, I am asking you..."  I'm 
interested in
> what natives interpret when this phrase is spoke in the context of 
the book
> and not in our English/American re-translation of a translation.  
I imagine
> things could get muckier if not clarified by a native.


Alla:

Hey, Kemper. Since I started all that - I am coming back for 
possible clarification, but I am not hundred percent sure what would 
you like me clarify. :-)

Let me try and then please ask again, if I did not clarify what you  
needed.

"Severus, please" is translated in Russian translation as "Severus I 
am asking you..." ( this is word by word translation from Russian - 
it is absolutely correct, trust me on this one). Even though I 
wondered in  the earlier post that I may have forgotten the rule of 
proper Russian speaking, it is not that bad. I speak English at 
work, but I speak Russian at home. :-)

So, the most logical way to continue the TRANSLATED phrase would be 
as Susan/RB did - I am asking you to do something OR not to do 
something.

The problem IMO is that it may not mean anything at all, because 
even though " Severus, please" COULD be translated into Russian word 
by word, to some people it may sound awkward, so it is IMO again 
perfectly within interpreter discretion to translate as she did, 
because it is a legitimate assumption that when you say "PLEASE" to 
someone you actually ask this person to do something or not do 
something.

Am I making sense? Did it answer your question?

Alla