6. Prepositions and pronouns

Yes, prepositions are not very sexy. I expect you were going to skip this section, weren't you? But do bookmark it for future reference! The following prepositions are worth learning, as they cause the most problems for native speakers of Russian:

акции компании	shares in a company (not "of)
на бирже	on an exchange (not "in")
виновен в	guilty of
вложить в	to invest in (not "into")
включить в	to include in (not "into")
влиять на	to affect, influence (no preposition)
возражать против	to object to (not "against")
вопросы чего-н.	issues/matters relating to (not "issues of)
в Интернете	on the Internet (not "in")
в среднем	on average (not "in")
в ценах 2002 года	at 2002 prices
информация о	information on
налог с	tax on (not "from")
обязательный для исполнения	binding on (not "for")
обязательство перед	liability to(wards) (not "before")
ответ на вопрос	the answer to a question
порядок (регистрации)	procedure for (registration)
приемлемый для	acceptable to (not "for")
причина чего-н.	reason for sth. (or cause of)
противоречить чему-н.	to contradict sth. (not "contradict to")
на рынке	on a market (not "in")
сообщить о	to inform someone of (not "on")*
соответствовать	to correspond to (correspond with = переписаться)
требование к	requirement for (not "to")
торт к 8 марта	a cake for Women's Day (not "to")
типичный для	typical of (not "for")
увеличение чего-н.	increase in
	(cf. an increase of 4%)
увеличить до	increase to (not "up to")

* Он немедленно сообщает Продавцу об этом: Не shall promptly notify the Seller accordingly (or to that effect).

Some verbs of speaking take the preposition to and others don't. These just have to be learned:

• tell, ask, promise, warn, advise

• say to, explain to, talk to (Am. with), speak to (Am. with)

Чувствовать себя (хорошо, etc.) in English is feel; please do not say "feel myself!

The verb think can take two different prepositions. If we mean "to reflect on, ponder", we say think about; if we mean "to have an opinion on", we say think of.

• What are you thinking about?

• What do you think of Kazakhstan?

Use at, not "in", for organizations and companies:

• Он работает в фирме "Бейкер и Макензи": Не works at Baker & McKenzie. A bank account is always at (or with) a bank, not "in" it:

• расчётный счёт в Казкоммерцбанке: settlement account at Kazkommertsbank

The word per is used alone, without any other word except the noun it qualifies:

• за 1 тонну: per tonne (not "per one tonne")

• за каждый день: per day, or for each day (not "per each day")

We say in rather than "of with place-names:

• в нескольких школах г. Душанбе: in several schools in (not "of) Dushanbe

• [EXAMPLE!!] the largest... in Kazakhstan

• один из лучших асов мира: one of the best aces in the world

• Сарбайское месторождение Кустанайской области: the Sarbaiskoye field in Kustanai oblast (or: the Sarbaiskoye field, Kustanai oblast)

Russian requires that prepositions be repeated, but this is not the case in English:

• [Russian??]: The cost amounted to $100 in 1999 and $50 in 2000 (not "and to $50...")

• Численность населения сократилась на 90 тысяч человек или на 4,7%.: The population has fallen by 90,000 people, or 4.7%.

It is easy to forget prepositions when the verb is in the passive:

• ... must be paid for.

• Никто не может подвергаться какой-либо дискриминации: No one shall be discriminated against...

The Most Problematic Prepositions

до

(1) Place: as far as, up to

♦ до самого Чу: as far as the Chu (better example??).

(2) Time: until ("till" is colloquial), to, before. If we are talking about a deadline, use by, never "until".

• [Russian??]: Applications will be accepted until 1 July 2002.

• схема развития до 2015 года: development plan to 2015

• Пожалуйста, отправьте заполненную форму до 1 июля 2002 г.: Please send your completed form by 1 July 2002.

• до войны: before the war

Note that увеличить до is increase to (not "up to").

♦ Несовершеннолетний - до 18 лет: A minor is anyone under 18 years of age.

имени

Although имени does mean "named after", these words are not used in proper names in English. The person's name is simply put at the beginning of the proper name. It is usually possible to do this when translating from Russian, unless the name is very long.

♦ Государственный театр оперы и балета им. Абая: the Abai State Opera and Ballet Theatre

за счёт

This can rarely be translated "at the expense of, which has somewhat negative connotations, implying that the financing party has lost out in some way. If the context is financial, better possibilities are using, funded by, financed by:

♦ проекты, финансируемые за счёт кредитования???: projects to be financed by borrowing (not "financed at the expense of)

• ...осуществляется за счёт государства: ...is funded by the state

• An exception: за свой счёт: at one's own expense

In a broader context, you can use from, because of, due to, etc.:

• «КазМунайГаз» в будущем рассчитывает пополнить свои запасы газа за счет месторождения Урихтау: KazMunaiGaz is counting on replenishing its gas reserves in the future from the Urikhtau field.

• за счет эмиграции и снижения рождаемости: due to emigration and a decline in the birth rate

по

Very versatile words like this one cause problems for the translator. Sometimes it is not translated at all, e.g. услуги по продаже билетов: ticket sales services. Here are the main meanings of the word:

(1) for; regarding; relating to; pertaining to: with regard/respect to; in terms of; as to

отдел no... [example!!]: department for (not "on")

предложение по приватизации предприятия: proposal with regard to (or as to) the privatization of the enterprise

права по имуществу: rights as to property

следующая по важности проблема: the next most important problem

(2) along; through [explanation!!]

по Великому Шелковому пути: along the Great Silk Road путешествия по Казахстану: travels through Kazakhstan

(3) upon; on; after

по его возвращению: upon his return

по истечении: at the end of; upon the expiry of

по получении: on receipt

4. under; according to; by; pursuant to; further to; at; as per (this last one is very ugly but frequently used by businessmen)

5. по закону: according to the law; by law

по заявлению: as per the/your application

по итогам работы года: on the basis of the annual results

по назначению: for its intended purpose

по поручению (кого-л.): as instructed (by sb.); under (sb's) instructions по приказу: as instructed (by...)

по причине: by reason of; due to; owing to; for this reason (but not "due to

this reason" - this is a tautology)

по просьбе (кого-л.): at sb's request; upon request

по Вашей просьбе: as you requested; further to your request

по расписанию: on schedule; according to the schedule

по решению суда: pursuant to a court judgment

по решению облсуда 7 августа: by a judgment of the oblast court dated (given on) 7 August

по следующему адресу: at the address below

по следующей формуле: using/according to the following formula

по соглашению сторон: by agreement between the parties

по ставке 1%: at a rate of 1%

по усмотрению (кого-л.): at sb's discretion

по цене...: at a price of...

(5) each: no need to translate no

по 2,5 млн. долларов каждый: $2.5 million each

по 50 женщин в каждом городе: 50 women in each town

(6) Misc.

интерес по заемным средствам - interest on borrowings

по взаимному согласию: by mutual consent

по вине: due to/through the fault (of)

по возможности: to the extent possible; as far as possible

по годам: year by year

по мере необходимости: as (and when) required; as (and when) necessary

по небрежности: due to negligence

по номеру 123 (телефон): on (амер. at) 123

по пунктам: clause by clause

по признаку: on the basis (of)

по-(русски, etc.)

This can be a problem when translating restaurant menus as there is no equivalent in English that is as commonly used. "Beef Russian-style" is usually the best solution; a more upmarket version is to put it in French: "a la russe".

♦ котлеты по-киевски: chicken Kiev (very popular in Britain!)

при

Like no, this word has many meanings and can be very difficult to translate.

(1) if; provided that; where

при желании: if desired

при наличии такого: if (there are) any

при наличии целесообразности: if practicable

при необходимости: if necessary/required; if need be

при особой сложности дела: if the case is particularly complex

при особых обстоятельствах: in special circumstances

при отсутствии договорённости об ином: unless otherwise agreed

при полном удовлетворении всех требований кредиторов: provided that all

creditors' claims have been satisfied in full

при числе учредителей более одного: if/where there is more than one founder

(2) during; in the course of; upon; in (+ noun); while; when (+ gerund or verb phrase)

при завершении и после него: upon and after completion

при заключении договора: when concluding a contract; upon conclusion of a contract

при исполнении служебных обязанностей: while on duty; in the course of one's employment duties при перевозке: in transit

при пересылке: in the post; in transit; in shipping

при работе над проектом: during the drafting process

при решении данного вопроса: in seeking to resolve such matter

при создании AO: when the JSC was founded

(3) with

при закрытых дверях: in private; in camera; behind closed doors

при одном воздержавшемся: with one abstention

при помощи создания команды: by forming a team

при равных условиях: all things being equal

при сем: herewith

при условии, что: provided that

(4) (при каком-нибудь ведомстве) attached to

При этом can often be left out altogether or translated and; always providing that; in the process; in so doing (less formal: in doing so); in this respect; or however,

depending on the context.

♦ При этом направляем...: Please find enclosed... (attached, if sent by fax) среди

♦ Республика Казахстан - единственная среди стран СНГ...: The Republic of Kazakhstan is the only country in the CIS that...

Pronouns

Don't forget to write he or she, his or her, not "he" and "his" - it may be clumsy, but there's no risk of offending anyone! Nowadays most people say "they, their", but this is not very good grammar.

Это should be translated it only if a new idea is being introduced. When it refers back to the previous sentence, this should be used (not "that"):

♦ Это объясняется тем, что...: This is because..., or The reason for this is...

The relative pronoun который: that or which? Much of the time the choice is yours as far as grammar is concerned, but there is a difference in register: which is more formal and therefore more likely to be found in written English, while that is more natural in speech.

The connective relative что is always which (preceded by a comma), never "that":

♦ Программа заметно повысила знания школьников по гендеру, что было одной из целей программы.: The programme improved the students' (schoolchildren's) knowledge of gender appreciably, which was one of its objectives.

[Explanation!!]

♦ Можно видеть все, что происходит.: You can see everything that's going on/happening.

Note that whose can be used of an inanimate object as well as a person (although many translators don't believe me, probably because of the resemblance to who, and incorrectly use "which" instead).

Here is another construction with что to note:

♦ Нам есть чем гордиться и что показать миру.: We have something to be proud of, something to show the world.