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Nu on zhe est'. Pochemu zhe, net?

English translation: you have it, why not?

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
Russian term or phrase:Nu on zhe est'. Pochemu zhe, net?
English translation:you have it, why not?
Entered by: Shog Imas

16:07 Mar 5, 2004
Russian to English translations [Non-PRO]
Social Sciences - Social Science, Sociology, Ethics, etc.
Russian term or phrase: Nu on zhe est'. Pochemu zhe, net?
I cannot work out how this is being used in the context.
A drug user is asked what drugs he used last week.This is the second time he has been asked. The first time he replied 'jeff'.
This time he says: I injected heroin as well.

The person interviewing him responds:Nu on zhe est'. Pochemu zhe, net?

Is he expressing surprise that the drug user didn't mention this before?
Emily Justice
United Kingdom
Local time: 19:45
you have it, why not?
Explanation:
You had the heroin, it was natural that you injected it. Why not?
Selected response from:

Shog Imas
Canada
Local time: 15:45
Grading comment
Thanks for all answers. I opted to go for a very literal translation and a translator's note as I felt it remained very ambiguous. I doubt that the interviewer would say 'you had it so why not?' as it's not a very 'positive' response - almost as though the interviewer was condoning drug use which I don't think they would have been. BUT this does seem to be what he was saying...so ultimately just not clear.
2 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +2I think you are right...
Galina Blankenship
5Indeed, why not. Since you had some anyway.
digkam
4you have it, why not?
Shog Imas
4Literally, "But it is ["is" in italics] there, so why not?"
digkam
3 +1There is! Why not?
George Vardanyan
3But it exists, doesn't it?
Andrey Belousov (X)


Discussion entries: 1





  

Answers


6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
But it exists, doesn't it?


Explanation:
It's hard for me to figure out why the interviewer asked this question

Andrey Belousov (X)
United States
Local time: 15:45
Native speaker of: Russian
PRO pts in category: 23
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44 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
I think you are right...


Explanation:
Here the interviewer probably means "You did injected it, didn't you?" or "You did do heroin, didn't you? Why then you didn't mention it?"
Sometimes it seems that it is harder to understand the interviewer rather than those supposedly "incomprehensible" drug addicts:)))

Galina Blankenship
United States
Local time: 12:45
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 6

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Alex Zelkind (X)
9 hrs
  -> !!!

agree  Сергей Лузан
15 hrs
  -> thank you
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
you have it, why not?


Explanation:
You had the heroin, it was natural that you injected it. Why not?

Shog Imas
Canada
Local time: 15:45
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in FrenchFrench
Grading comment
Thanks for all answers. I opted to go for a very literal translation and a translator's note as I felt it remained very ambiguous. I doubt that the interviewer would say 'you had it so why not?' as it's not a very 'positive' response - almost as though the interviewer was condoning drug use which I don't think they would have been. BUT this does seem to be what he was saying...so ultimately just not clear.
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Literally, "But it is ["is" in italics] there, so why not?"


Explanation:
This is just a literal translation, and makes no more sense than the original. What this "not" refers to is plain incomprehensible indeed. But it has to be easier to untangle it with more context at hand, and then one can hopefully adjust the translation...

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Note added at 2 hrs 12 mins (2004-03-05 18:19:54 GMT)
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Actually, what it is that\'s there, and where it is, is equally a mystery...

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Note added at 2 hrs 16 mins (2004-03-05 18:24:44 GMT)
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Actually, what it is that\'s there, and where it is, is equally a mystery...

digkam
Local time: 22:45
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
Indeed, why not. Since you had some anyway.


Explanation:
Another - more credible to my mind - variant echoing the one offered by Shog Imastun. Only, in this case, there should have been a comma after "Nu." Still, makes more sense.

digkam
Local time: 22:45
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
There is! Why not?


Explanation:
I see here misunderstanding between the drug user and the interviewer. You have translated the drug user's answer. Actually he had replied: (Я сказал) героин, нет? - that means: I injected heroin as well. The interviewer couldn't understand without ProZ that expression in asking form with нет and he has asked amazed: Nu on zhe est'. Pochemu zhe, net?



George Vardanyan
Local time: 20:45
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  nuclear: looks like quite a plausible explanation, the only one that makes sence to me...
1 day 23 hrs
  -> thank you nuclear
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