Help Please! Advice on Russian accent. And Russian speaker needed, please

[Barbara]

Hi All,

Any advice on how to write a Russian accent? My attempts make me sound like a certain meerkat. (Hey Sergei, vot are dose cinema teeckets for?)

Also, any Russian speakers on here? I need a couple of lines translated, and not by google translate. Having seen how google translates English to German, I don't trust it with Russian.

 

[Kitty]

I would suggest steering clear of writing in dialect if it is not a dialect you are familiar with. Perhaps there are some typically Russian turns of phrase you can use to suggest a dialect to the reader or a misunderstanding that would indicate the person has an accent.

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Google Translate is a total shocker.

 

[Amber]

I think you only need to remind the reader that the speaker is Russian occasionally. For me, the most effective way writers do that is by using syntax. There are mistakes commonly made by people who speak Russian as a first language and then learn English. I'm sure it will have something to do with the order of the parts of sentence. I guess you might know a little something about that ... if you think about the weird differences between English and German, I'm sure you'll see what I mean. I'd google Russian versus English syntax.

 

[Barbara]

I would suggest steering clear of writing in dialect if it is not a dialect you are familiar with. Perhaps there are some typically Russian turns of phrase you can use to suggest a dialect to the reader or a misunderstanding that would indicate the person has an accent.

Thank you Kitty, this is really good advice!

 

[Barbara]

I think you only need to remind the reader that the speaker is Russian occasionally. For me, the most effective way writers do that is by using syntax. There are mistakes commonly made by people who speak Russian as a first language and then learn English. I'm sure it will have something to do with the order of the parts of sentence. I guess you might know a little something about that ... if you think about the weird differences between English and German, I'm sure you'll see what I mean. I'd google Russian versus English syntax.

Brilliant, Amber. I shall do that. Thank you for giving this such thought.

 

[Richard Wilkes]

I do know a native Russian speaker. If you still want a translation - I can track him down and see if he can help (he owes me a favour, so I'm sure he will).

 

[Barbara]

I do know a native Russian speaker. If you still want a translation - I can track him down and see if he can help (he owes me a favour, so I'm sure he will).

@Richard Wilkes, that would be jolly nice. Thank you.

 

[Carol Rose]

What @Kitty said. Less is more when it comes to just about everything in writing, including dialect.

 

[Richard Wilkes]

@Richard Wilkes, that would be jolly nice. Thank you.

Is it English to Russian? If so, do you want to write the sentences and I'll forward them on to him. Let me know how to proceed and I'll contact him.

 

[Barbara]

Is it English to Russian? If so, do you want to write the sentences and I'll forward them on to him. Let me know how to proceed and I'll contact him.

@Richard Wilkes . Yes, I need English to Russian, and ideally in slang-ish. My protagonist (who speaks fluent Russian but doesn't admit that he does) will overhear a conversation between two Russian Mafia guys (basically he's being beaten up by them, and hears them talk about him). But he needs to know what they say so he can act on it.

I will also need a couple of phrases which are very Russian, but which translated into English make no sense. (i.e. in Swiss German, we call goose bumps, chicken skin. When I first came to the UK, I used to say: 'Oh, look, you've got chicken skin.') I'm hoping to get this kind of thing into their dialogue when they converse with my protagonist (in English.). A catch phrase, or something.

What I'll do, if that's ok with you, is write the scene and PM you the bits I need translated into Russian. Would that work?

It might be a week or two.

Thank you very much. I really appreciate this.

 

[Richard Wilkes]

@Richard Wilkes . Yes, I need English to Russian, and ideally in slang-ish. My protagonist (who speaks fluent Russian but doesn't admit that he does) will overhear a conversation between two Russian Mafia guys (basically he's being beaten up by them, and hears them talk about him). But he needs to know what they say so he can act on it.

I will also need a couple of phrases which are very Russian, but which translated into English make no sense. (i.e. in Swiss German, we call goose bumps, chicken skin. When I first came to the UK, I used to say: 'Oh, look, you've got chicken skin.') I'm hoping to get this kind of thing into their dialogue when they converse with my protagonist (in English.). A catch phrase, or something.

What I'll do, if that's ok with you, is write the scene and PM you the bits I need translated into Russian. Would that work?

It might be a week or two.

Thank you very much. I really appreciate this.

No problem. I'll wait until I get the bits from you - Richard

 

[Barbara]

No problem. I'll wait until I get the bits from you - Richard

I'll get cracking. Thank you very much. I really appreciate your help.

 

[David Weller]

Hi All,

Any advice on how to write a Russian accent? My attempts make me sound like a certain meerkat. (Hey Sergei, vot are dose cinema teeckets for?)

Also, any Russian speakers on here? I need a couple of lines translated, and not by google translate. Having seen how google translates English to German, I don't trust it with Russian.

The only advice I can give is that Russians don't use articles. Miss out all the a, an & the and the speech will sound quite authentic.

 

[Barbara]

The only advice I can give is that Russians don't use articles. Miss out all the a, an & the and the speech will sound quite authentic.

Thank you, @David Weller that's useful to know.

 

[Barbara]

No problem. I'll wait until I get the bits from you - Richard

@Richard Wilkes . Morning, I've PM'd you the bits I need translating. Thank you again for your help!!!