Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Russian term or phrase:
Как бы не
English translation:
\"What if you...\" or \"You would have to watch out not to...\" or \"You would risk.
Added to glossary by
James McVay
Dec 7, 2011 16:12
12 yrs ago
Russian term
United States
Quality translations at reasonable rates
Native in: English 
Works in: Russian to English, Bulgarian to English
Как бы не надорваться
Russian to English
Art/Literary
Government / Politics
По мнению Дж.Фридмана, местом блокирования иранских амбиций должен быть не Ирак, где Иран уже имеет преимущество. Это должна быть Сирия. И посему нужно сделать всё возможное, чтобы свергнуть Б.Асада.
Однако Сирия оказалась далеко не Ливией. И творцы «революции» явно выбились из графика. К началу весны уже надо будет вплотную браться за Иран, а на сирийском фронте еще все, фактически, в зародышевом состоянии. История наглядно демонстрирует, что проводить кампанию на двух фронтах одновременно - невероятно сложно. ***Как бы не надорваться*** в революционном азарте. Ведь в таком случае прогноз Дж.Фридмана может стать для Запада суровой реальностью.
I can't seem to get my head around this phrase. Many thanks for any help.
Однако Сирия оказалась далеко не Ливией. И творцы «революции» явно выбились из графика. К началу весны уже надо будет вплотную браться за Иран, а на сирийском фронте еще все, фактически, в зародышевом состоянии. История наглядно демонстрирует, что проводить кампанию на двух фронтах одновременно - невероятно сложно. ***Как бы не надорваться*** в революционном азарте. Ведь в таком случае прогноз Дж.Фридмана может стать для Запада суровой реальностью.
I can't seem to get my head around this phrase. Many thanks for any help.
Proposed translations
(English)
Proposed translations
+2
22 mins
Rachel Douglas
United States
United States
Native in English
Specializes in field
United States
Excellent English from Russian originals
Native in: English (Variants: Australian, US, British)
Works in: Russian to English
Related KudoZ points
:
205
Selected
You could blow yourself out (here)
I would translate it pretty freely:
You could blow yourself out by trying to do too many revolutions at once.
The danger would be blowing yourself out by ...
Often "как бы" is a "lest" phrase: don't try such-and-such, lest you... But here it's not actually attached to the previous sentence, so you could introduce the idea in any number of ways: "What if you..." or "You would have to watch out not to..." or "You would risk..."
As for the революционный азарт, I would be rather free in translating that, too. I think "doing too many revolutions at once" comes off better in English than some more literal formulation like "in your revolutionary fervor/enthusiasm/zeal".
You could blow yourself out by trying to do too many revolutions at once.
The danger would be blowing yourself out by ...
Often "как бы" is a "lest" phrase: don't try such-and-such, lest you... But here it's not actually attached to the previous sentence, so you could introduce the idea in any number of ways: "What if you..." or "You would have to watch out not to..." or "You would risk..."
As for the революционный азарт, I would be rather free in translating that, too. I think "doing too many revolutions at once" comes off better in English than some more literal formulation like "in your revolutionary fervor/enthusiasm/zeal".
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Mikhail Kropotov
: Good point about "как бы не".
15 mins
|
|
Thanks, Mikhail.
|
|
| agree |
cyhul
1 day 16 hrs
|
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "It's between Mikhail and Rachel, but I gave the nod to Rachel because her explanation was very helpful. My thanks to all who responded, though."
12 mins
erika rubinstein
Native in Russian
Works in field
Interp, trans, proof, PR, research, writ
Native in: Russian 
, German
Works in: English to Russian, German to Russian, Russian to German, and 13 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
16
one can break its back
one can bite off more than one can chew
14 mins
One should be careful not to overstrain oneself
One should be careful not to overstrain oneself in the revolutionary fervour
+3
14 mins
Mikhail Kropotov
Germany
Germany
Native in Russian
Works in field
Germany
US-educated, precise & thorough
Native in: Russian
Works in: English to Russian, Russian to English, Russian
Related KudoZ points
:
108
bite off more than you can chew
I'm pretty sure this could work.
In one's revolutionary excitement one should not bite more off more than one can chew.
In one's revolutionary excitement one should not bite more off more than one can chew.
+2
39 mins
bust a gut
That is, if if you want to spice it up a bit. That's what it means literally anyway.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Mikhail Kropotov
: Heh. Straight to the point!
1 hr
|
| agree |
Svetlana Potton
: I like it. :)
1 hr
|
| neutral |
Rachel Douglas
: Maybe this is splitting a hair, but to me "bust a gut" denotes making a great effort and succeeding, whereas the Russian original indicates trying to do too much and failing.
7 hrs
|
|
I agree, that's a way of looking at it too.
|
9 hrs
Laura Friend
United States
United States
Native in English
United States
Certified translator of RU & FR > EN
Native in: English
Works in: Russian to English, French to English
The trick is not to go up in flames yourself
(or go down in flames) in (your?) revolutionary zeal.
Discussion