Самодур

English translation: egomaniac

14:53 Jul 20, 2005

Russian to English translations [PRO]
Bus/Financial - Business/Commerce (general)

Russian term or phrase: Самодур

Same interview:

Я действую в интересах компании «Балтика». Мне не безразлично, что там будет происходить. Я ее создавал и являюсь ее акционером, хотя и миноритарным, но крупным. Мало ли какому самодуру на Западе вздумается переиграть ситуацию? С этим мириться я не намерен.

I find самодур defined as "a petty tyrant, a wilful and stupid person". I don't quite see how this fits.

Is some petty tyrant in the West thinking of taking advantage of the situation?

Can anyone improve on that?

Jack Doughty KudoZ activity Questions: 609 (none open) (18 closed without grading) Answers: 10082 United Kingdom
Local time: 10:23

English translation:egomaniac

Explanation:
The Russian word brings to mind the image of a self-important, egotistical person with too much power and too little discretion.

Selected response from:

Yuri Geifman
Canada
Local time: 05:23

Grading comment

Thank you. Difficult to choose from many good suggestions, but I'll go for this one.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

3 +3

egomaniac

Yuri Geifman

turkey (!)

Alexander Onishko

a prankster

Simon Gregory

satrap

Vladimir Chumak

a jerk

Andrey Belousov (X)

wilful and inconsiderate jerk

olganet

high and mighty idiot

Andrew Vdovin

Autocrat

David Knowles

Discussion entries: 2

Answers

7 mins confidence:

Самодур turkey (!)

Explanation:
offensive term: an offensive term used to describe somebody regarded as unintelligent, incompetent, or socially inept (slang offensive)

Encarta® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Developed for Microsoft by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.

Alexander Onishko
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

Russian,

Ukrainian
PRO pts in category: 128

13 mins confidence:

Самодур satrap

Explanation:
>

Vladimir Chumak
Australia
Local time: 19:23
Native speaker of:

Ukrainian,

Russian
PRO pts in category: 24

2 mins confidence:

Самодур a jerk

Explanation:
#

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Note added at 7 mins (2005-07-20 15:00:51 GMT)
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why not simply \"an idiot\"?

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Note added at 22 mins (2005-07-20 15:16:04 GMT)
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\"Robber baron\" won\'t do

Andrey Belousov (X)
United States
Local time: 05:23
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Russian
PRO pts in category: 197

13 mins confidence:

Самодур wilful and inconsiderate jerk

Explanation:
Тот, кто действует, опираясь на произвол, собственную прихоть, не считаясь с другими

Здесь владычествует, не препятствуя своему нраву, самодур-купец.
своенравный

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Note added at 19 mins (2005-07-20 15:12:26 GMT)
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Arbitrary and Capricious
makes decisions without reasonable grounds based onhis/her own desire

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Note added at 24 mins (2005-07-20 15:18:13 GMT)
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There is another way to discribe this kind of a person:
Он делает все, что его левая нога захочет

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Note added at 25 mins (2005-07-20 15:18:53 GMT)
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arbitrary actions undertaken by a person in power who follows only his own whims

olganet
Local time: 04:23
Native speaker of:

Russian
PRO pts in category: 4

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +3

Самодур

egomaniac

Explanation:
The Russian word brings to mind the image of a self-important, egotistical person with too much power and too little discretion.

Yuri Geifman
Canada
Local time: 05:23
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

Russian,

English
PRO pts in category: 4

Grading comment

Thank you. Difficult to choose from many good suggestions, but I'll go for this one.

3 hrs confidence:

Самодур high and mighty idiot

Explanation:
high and mighty jerk (and so on)

Does this make them IDIOT'S too? When you 1st started using a computer, you were
then an IDIOT...right?! But now I see you’re a High and Mighty IDIOT. !IDIOT! ...
news.zdnet.com/5208-9588-0.html?forumID=1& threadID=10447&messageID=208575&start=41

For me to even think that everything that comes out of me is 100% original, I
would have to be a complete, totally-into-myself, high and mighty jerk. ...
www.jonreed.net.cnchost.com/sys-tmpl/4nonblondes/

If you all want to think I'm some high-and-mighty
jerk, that's your prerogative. But think next time, before ...
www.cakewalk.com/forum/ printable.asp?m=164528&mpage=22

Andrew Vdovin
Local time: 16:23
Native speaker of:

Russian
PRO pts in category: 20

4 hrs confidence:

Самодур Autocrat

Explanation:
This implies some rich person who acts without regard for others, maybe capriciously.

David Knowles
Local time: 10:23
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 195

2 hrs confidence:

Самодур a prankster

Explanation:
A prankster.

See: www.wordwebonline.com
Why it fits the main idea:
1. clear for Americans, not so offensive,
2. underlines defenselessness, weakness of decision proposed by his opponent
3. actions of the troublemaker can be practical, hence, real

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Note added at 11 hrs 54 mins (2005-07-21 02:47:39 GMT) Post-grading
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Мюллер 1944 стр 611 дает такое определение
Самодур:- stubborn, willful and unreasonable person

“egomaniac” is not the best choice. Why?
1. Из словаря под ред Апресяна том 1, стр. 649
egomaniac- 1. самовлюбленный человек 2. погруженный в себя человек
egomania-психол- эгомания, болезненная погруженность в себя
2. Будет ли болезнено погруженный в себя человек из Запада делать пакости какому там акционерному Российскому обществу? Крепко сомневаюсь что это соответсвует его мании.
3. А если бы и хоть частично подходило , все же не лучший выбор из 9 вариантов.
Это же научное слово, абсолютно нехарактерно для даннного случая--: это не дискуссия в Учёном совете по присуждению звания доктора Психологии, а перебранка акционеров.
Извините, господа: “Платон мне друг, но истина дороже”

Simon Gregory
PRO pts in category: 4

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