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бойцы (в контексте)

English translation: (claims to be) 5.5 thousand strong


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19:37 Apr 2, 2011
Russian to English translations [PRO]
Journalism
Russian term or phrase: бойцы (в контексте)
Организация заявляет о наличии в ее рядах около 5,5 тыс. бойцов (речь о "Славянском союзе")

Я, разумеется, понимаю, что здесь не об армии речь идет, но все же нужно как-то передать этот подтекст.
Angela Greenfield
United States
Local time: 08:03
English translation:(claims to be) 5.5 thousand strong
Explanation:
I suggest skipping "men". What kind of Slavic union would it be without ladies?
Selected response from:

Alex Marshall
United States
Grading comment
Thank you, Alex.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +4(claims to be) 5.5 thousand strong
Alex Marshall
4 +2potential fighters
Rachel Douglas
4 +1militants
Michael Korovkin
4shock troopsdennis_bg
3men
GaryG


Discussion entries: 11





  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
men


Explanation:
If, indeed, they are all males. "Men" suggests an available force, just not necessarily an armed one

GaryG
Local time: 08:03
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 20
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43 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
(claims to be) 5.5 thousand strong


Explanation:
I suggest skipping "men". What kind of Slavic union would it be without ladies?

Alex Marshall
United States
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thank you, Alex.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Judith Hehir
7 mins

agree  Roman Bardachev
2 hrs

agree  The Misha: That's a neat way around
3 hrs

agree  cyhul
1 day13 hrs
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25 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
potential fighters


Explanation:
I would use "fighters" to get across the sense of it, but "potential" to indicate that they're not (yet) actual combatants.

If you don't like adding "potential," then... let's see some of the choices Mr. Roget spreads over the three pages of Article 800. "Combatant":

combatants, fighting men, men-at-arms, militiamen...

Or, from the songs of the Jacobite Rebellion, "brave loyal fellows." (Joking!)

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Note added at 1 hr (2011-04-02 20:59:00 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Angela, I don't know about "paramilitary." I'd have to study up on the organization to find out if and how its forces are organized. I kind of like Alex's idea, except, still, it does seem appropriate to suggest more explicitly that these people considered themselves to be potential combatants.

We do have that expression in a military context, as in the Civil War song, "We are coming, father Abraham, three hundred thousand strong."

On the other hand, "strong" can be used merely to convey numbers, without a military/paramilitary context: "The movement is about three hundred thousand strong today and has expanded from Jamaica to several countries around the world..." (Rastafarians). So I would still try to get "fighters" in there somehow.

Rachel Douglas
United States
Local time: 08:03
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 80
Notes to answerer
Asker: What do you think of "paramilitary"?


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Oleksiy Markunin: I would go with just "fighters"
11 hrs
  -> Thanks, Oleksiy.

agree  svetlana cosquéric: So would I.
23 hrs
  -> Thanks, Svetlana.
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
shock troops


Explanation:
The organization claims to have about 5,500 shock troops at its disposal.

Webster's defines "shock troops" as:
1 - troops especially suited and chosen for offensive work because of their high morale, training, and discipline

2 - a group of people militant in pressing for a cause

Used figuratively as well: "In other words, they're political shock troops preparing for 2012..."


    Reference: http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/shock%20troops
    Reference: http://townhall.com/tipsheet/carolplattliebau/2011/02/23/the...
dennis_bg
Local time: 08:03
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
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20 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
militants


Explanation:
в контексте, Ангелица! :)

Michael Korovkin
Local time: 14:03
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 24

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Susan Welsh: I think this works best, with what these dudes look like on the site.
44 mins
  -> Thanks, Susan. I don't particularly want to look at the dudes' site: just the name is quite emetic enough. And they militate!
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