Glossary entry

Russian term or phrase:

предатель Родины

English translation:

traitor to his country

Added to glossary by Yuri Smirnov
Oct 31, 2004 17:39
20 yrs ago
Russian term

предатель Родины

Non-PRO Russian to English Art/Literary History
Hello everyone!

A native English speaker next to me believes it's a "traitor of Motherland". Google offers a traitor of Motherland, Fatherland, homeland and even a "betrayer" of all three.

I'm lost! The expression is quite rare :-)) so all I want is a natural-sounding version that would (hopefully) affect the reader's feelings just as much as the Russian original does.

Thanks a lot!

Helen

Proposed translations

+6
3 mins
Russian term (edited): �������� �����
Selected

a traitor of his country

Я, конечно, не нейтив, но мне кажется, что Родина - это больше наше. А "у них" само слово country достаточно сильно звучит в этом контексте. Ну, может, homeland, сказать. Но все-таки я за country. His own :-)

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Note added at 4 mins (2004-10-31 17:43:32 GMT)
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... You are in: TERRORISTS, SPIES & ASSASSINS/SPIES. CIA TRAITOR ALDRICH AMES. By Pete
Earley. The Story. ... Yet, he was the one who had betrayed his own country. Why? ...
www.crimelibrary.com/terrorists_spies/spies/ames/1.html

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Note added at 4 mins (2004-10-31 17:44:05 GMT)
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... Qarase - A Traitor to his own Country? Category: Various From: Simon Date: 29
Jul 2003 Time: 09:53:37 Remote Name: 195.93.32.10. Comments. ...
www.flp.org.fj/_kbas/0000004e.htm

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Note added at 5 mins (2004-10-31 17:44:20 GMT)
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... was also a great American military leader, who participated in the first phase of
the American Revolution, but later became a traitor to his own country. ...
www.wowessays.com/dbase/ad1/avw20.shtml

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Note added at 5 mins (2004-10-31 17:45:04 GMT)
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... Red lies, white lies a traitor to his own country Behind the enemy lines, the same
old lies Their hidden power and false propaganda. FACE THE AGGRESSION. ...
www.panzerfaust.com/lyrics/c84agg.shtml

Много примеров. Кстати, всегда \"TO his own country\".
Peer comment(s):

agree Sara Noss : Yes to 'traitor to'.
26 mins
Спасибо
agree Olga B
26 mins
Спасибо
agree Jack Doughty : Agree with Babayaga.
2 hrs
Thank you
agree GaryG : or just "traitor"; you can't betray any country but your own
2 hrs
Thank you
agree Larissa Dinsley
10 hrs
Спасибо
agree Tsogt Gombosuren : with Babayaga and Jack
10 hrs
Спасибо
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thank you so much! It was a hard choice and I have to apologise to Mr Doughty: I do believe that a "betrayer" would probably be better translated into Russian as "изменник", as in "изменник Родине (Родины)" which is slightly different in tone. It's a book title, so Traitor To His Country really fits the bill. Thank you, Vladimir, and many thanks to Yuri!"
+6
16 mins
Russian term (edited): �������� �����

betrayer of his country

"Homeland" is [becoming] common in the US, because of "homeland security", but is uncommmon outside the US. Fatherland/motherland have Germanic or Russian connotations, and do not sound natural in English. However, "native land" sounds fine, so you could have "traitor to his native land". (Note traitor TO and betrayor OF!)
Peer comment(s):

agree Sara Noss : w/ your final note.
13 mins
agree Kirill Semenov
19 mins
agree Irene N
1 hr
agree Oleg Sollogub
1 hr
agree Ann Nosova
1 hr
agree SirReaL
17 hrs
Something went wrong...
7 hrs
Russian term (edited): �������� �����

traitor

I believe it has to be just 'a traitor'

And not 'betrayer' as (to me, for sure) - it'd more about 'to betray smb's friendship / love / feelengs'

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Note added at 8 hrs 32 mins (2004-11-01 02:12:08 GMT)
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feelings, sorry

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Note added at 9 hrs 0 min (2004-11-01 02:39:46 GMT)
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How about \"defector\" :-)?

Defector
A defector is generally a person who gives up allegiance to a certain country in exchange for allegiance in another. This act is usually in an illegal way (as opposed to changing citizenship), and in some cases, defectors remain in the country they are against, as an agent, or in many cases, a double agent. This is prevalent in many thriller novels, including those of Tom Clancy, especially Red Rabbit and the Cardinal of the Kremlin.


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Note added at 9 hrs 4 mins (2004-11-01 02:43:21 GMT)
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In favor of \"my\" (just) TRAITOR:

Traitor n. (fem. tratitress)(often followed by \"to\") a person who is treacherous or ****disloyal, esp. to his or her country***.

Treason n. 1. (in full HIGH TREASON:see note below)violation by a subject of allegiance to the sovereign or to the state, esp. by attempting to kill or overthrow the sovereign or to overthrow the government.


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Note added at 9 hrs 5 mins (2004-11-01 02:45:02 GMT)
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Webster\'s

Definition of Traitor
Traiґtor
n. 1. One who violates his allegiance and ***betrays his country***; one guilty of treason; one **who, in breach of trust, delivers his country to an enemy,*** or yields up any fort or place intrusted to his defense, or surrenders an army or body of troops to the enemy, unless when vanquished; also, one who takes arms and levies war against his country; or one who aids an enemy in conquering his country. See Treason.
O passing traitor, perjured and unjust!
- Shak.
2. Hence, one who betrays any confidence or trust; a betrayer.
Something went wrong...
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