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Russian to English translations [PRO] Art/Literary - Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc.
Russian term or phrase:по-щучьи
В такой ситуации Анкара, безусловно, не будет лезть на рожон, а попытается смягчить гнев Штатов в свойственной ей манере ведения восточной дипломатии. Однако, маловероятно, что она «по-щучьи» будет исполнять наказы Вашингтона, понимая, что признание геноцида будет служить головной болью не только для Турции, но и для Белого дома тоже.
Can't find this anywhere. If anyone can point me to an online resource that explains this kind of quaint expression, would be eternally grateful.
I think that a Russian fairy tale pike that fulfilled wishes of a Russian guy Yemelya upon his request can be easily substituted by a Genie. :)
Moreover, that the article deals with Turkey. :)
The article is written by an Azerbaijani journalist. General context: Turkey is not going to play a role of an America's puppet, it is independent, but at the same time the country wants to coexist peacefully. :) The Golden mean.
— http://journal-neo.com/?q=ru/node/2498 — with a name not less than "American Blackmail" is written from an Azerbaijan (effectively, Turkey + Russia) standpoint.
So «по-щучьи» has negative connotation, e.g. subserviently, obediently. But the pun, to me, is that Turkey plays the Pike and US play Emelya. :)
I guess it would be easier to tell, if we knew still more of the context. Is the article being written from a U.S. standpoint, with the idea being that Turkey can't be counted on to toe the line? That's what I thought, in writing "on auto-pilot" - meaning, to continue doing what they were doing before. For that, you're right that "magically" or "automatically" would be more succinct. But, if the article's written from some other standpoint, the sense might be different.
I don't care for "willy-nilly" because it has two meanings: "randomly" and "whether willing or not" (short for "will he, nil he"). This is going to take some thought, but I only have a couple of hours left in which to finish the translation. :)
I think Tanami might be on the right track. The semantic equivalent of "waving a magic wand" is "magically," and that has the benefit of being succinct. But neither interpretation seems to fit the context. As often happens when cultural references are used as literary devices, I'm left wondering just what the author was trying to communicate. Taking off from what Tanami offers, maybe: "reluctantly," "resignedly," "unwillingly," or something similar? Opinions?
Если кто помнит, это для Емели в той сказке исполнялось всё "само собой", как по мановению волшебной палочки. А щуке деваться было некуда, и желания она выполняла не по своей воле, иначе бы её съели. "По-щучьи" здесь означает беспрекословно, безропотно, подчиняясь чужой воле.
Максим, все это волшебно. И будь это статья о русских, таким выражением можно было воспользоваться. Но здесь это ни к чему, ИМХО. Следует либо описательно, либо подобрать соответствующую "ихнюю" сказочную метафору.
Explanation: If "по-щучьи" is essentially the same as "по щучему ведению" (from "щука", the fish), then maybe this would work, since the latter means "само собой, как бы по волшебству" (Ожегов).
Rachel Douglas United States Local time: 21:25 Works in field Native speaker of: English PRO pts in category: 31
I think that a Russian fairy tale pike that fulfilled wishes of a Russian guy Yemelya upon his request can be easily substituted by a Genie. :)
Moreover, that the article deals with Turkey. :)
Natalia Zakharova Ukraine Local time: 04:25 Native speaker of: Russian PRO pts in category: 4
The translation workplace 
peer agreement (net): +5
