English translation: zek (inmate of a Soviet labor camp, especially around the 1930s)
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GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Russian term or phrase:
zek
English translation:
zek (inmate of a Soviet labor camp, especially around the 1930s)
Explanation: Interestingly, the word "zek" is actually in the American Heritage Dictionary! So it may be possible to keep it.
One American slang word for prisoner is jailbird; not sure how appropriate that would be for a political prisoner, though.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 14 mins (2003-08-06 09:43:14 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
\"Lagger\", \"stir bird\" and \"yardbird\" are also possibilities, according to the Thesaurus of American Slang. Likewise, \"con\" and \"vic\", as others have already suggested.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 27 mins (2003-08-06 09:56:10 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
Most of the American slang words for prisoner (like \"con, \"jailbird\" etc.) have criminal connotations. So if you want to avoid that, then it may just be best to stick with \"zek\", which specifically denotes a Russian political prisoner of the Soviet era. As I\'ve shown, it is actually recognised by the American Heritage Dictionary.
-------------------------------------------------- Note added at 14 hrs 48 mins (2003-08-07 00:17:16 GMT) --------------------------------------------------
While it is possible for people to edit their peer comments, unfortunately it is not currently possible to edit responses. So I have to use this added note to respond to Demyanov\'s extra comment. I believe the word \"Sputnik\" refers to SOVIET satellites, and like \"zek\", it has an historical connotation. Zek denotes Russian political prisoners in the Soviet era, as Sputnik denotes spacecraft of the Soviet era. You wouldn\'t use \"zek\" to describe modern prisoners, or \"Sputnik\" to describe modern Russian spacecraft, but in this case, as I have pointed out before, and as Nikita has also stated, there is no word in English to cover it. Words like \"con\", \"jailbird\" and even \"inmate\" describe common criminals rather than political prisoners. Zek has a very specific meaning relating to Russian political prisoners of the Soviet era and 1930s in particular that there is no English word for. I think Nikita and I have both proven that pretty conclusively.
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +2
