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за чужой счет пьют даже трезвенники и язвенники

English translation: No one turns down free booze!

08:00 Jun 4, 2002
Russian to English translations [Non-PRO]
Art/Literary
Russian term or phrase: за чужой счет пьют даже трезвенники и язвенники
Хочется услашать английский эквивалент знаменитой крылатой фразы.
�����
English translation:No one turns down free booze!
Explanation:
In my experience, literal translations of such loaded expressions rarely carry across the humor and often make no sense to native speakers of the target language. I like Irina's version, but even though it does convey the meaning, it isn't funny (neither is my version, unless maybe you add a drunken slur and a "hic" at the end...)
Selected response from:

Yuri Geifman
Canada
Local time: 22:12
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement. KudoZ.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +6No one turns down free booze!
Yuri Geifman
4 +4It is always nice to get something for nothing or Who would turn down a freebie?
xeni (X)
4 +3My humble attempt
Irina Filippova
4 +1см. ниже
Сергей Лузан


  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
см. ниже


Explanation:
"Even teetotalers and those suffering from stomach ulcer drink at other's expense"

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2002-06-04 08:11:14 (GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Опечатка - \"teetotalLer\"
Варианты от меня ещё обязательно поступят.
\"Even total abstainers and ulcer-deseased drink at other\'s expense\".

Сергей Лузан
Russian Federation
Local time: 05:12
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in pair: 1276

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tatiana Neroni (X): Even... (would) go for a free drink...
6 hrs
  -> Quite witty. Deal. Who'll pay for it & where?
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6 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
My humble attempt


Explanation:
The magic of the freebie drink – nobody can refuses it , even a proud allumnus of the Betty Ford Center or a hopeless gastric ulcer sufferer.

Irina Filippova
Local time: 22:12
Native speaker of: Russian
PRO pts in pair: 58

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Сергей Лузан: without "s" in refuse
3 mins
  -> Thanks for pointing it out, sure there should be no -s in "can refuse"
agree  Maka Berozashvili
2 hrs
agree  myrafla: funny! good!
6 days
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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +6
No one turns down free booze!


Explanation:
In my experience, literal translations of such loaded expressions rarely carry across the humor and often make no sense to native speakers of the target language. I like Irina's version, but even though it does convey the meaning, it isn't funny (neither is my version, unless maybe you add a drunken slur and a "hic" at the end...)

Yuri Geifman
Canada
Local time: 22:12
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in pair: 389
Grading comment
Graded automatically based on peer agreement. KudoZ.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Irina Filippova: You are so right! I cannot help but hear Papanov's voice when I read his трезвенники и язвенники (and that what makes this otherwise not very funny quote hilarious). No matter how talented a translation is it will not carry the same "cloud" with it.:-(
24 mins
  -> imagine trying to translate his аристократы и дегенераты....
agree  xeni (X)
44 mins
agree  diana bb
4 hrs
agree  protolmach: классно! и очень верно, однако! А как сказать на халяву (не уверена в правописании) ..?
8 hrs
  -> вообще-то халява - freebies, но я больше люблю такое старое выражение, как gravy train
agree  AYP
10 hrs
agree  Сергей Лузан: Or even "none declines"
49 days
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
It is always nice to get something for nothing or Who would turn down a freebie?


Explanation:
Я абсолютно согласна с Юрием, что дословный перевод в данном случае не годится - будет не смешно. Также еще и потому, что западный человек, как правило (обратите внимание, КАК ПРАВИЛО) пьет очень умеренно и поэтому не сразу поймет, о чем, собственно, речь, если вообще поймет :)

Поэтому предлагаю что-нибудь вроде:
It is always nice to get something for nothing
or
Who would turn down a freebie?



xeni (X)
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in pair: 142

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Yuri Geifman: a free lunch rather than a free drink...
19 mins
  -> That's exactly what I mean!
agree  AYP
9 hrs
  -> Thank you
agree  myrafla: a freebie - это далеко не выпивка увы...
6 days
  -> Thank you!
agree  Сергей Лузан: for free, perhaps.
49 days
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