Now that we know a little bit about Barack Obama's views on the Russian president, what does Vladimir Putin think about the possible next American president? Of course, American presidents come and go while the Russian president is eternal… but still. They might be sitting across the negotiating table for eight years.
So far we only have an indication of Putin's opinion of just one candidate, Donald Trump — and that opinion was slightly confused by the difficulties of translation.
What Putin said last December was this: "???? ???€?????? ???‡?µ???? ?‡?µ?»?????µ??, ?‚?°?»?°???‚?»?????‹??, ?±?µ?· ???????????… ?????????µ??????. (He's a very something-or-other person, and he's talented ?€” no question about that.) The translation issue was the word ???€??????, one of those words that is just so clear and obvious in Russian and just so confusing and ambiguous in translation.
The primary meaning of ???€?????? is shining. It describes something ?€” like the sun or a light ?€” that is bright. ???€?µ???€?°?????‹?? ???µ????! ???€?????µ ?????»???†?µ, ???????????? ???µ?‚?µ?€?€¦ (It's a wonderful day! Bright sunlight and a gentle breeze?€¦)
But then ???€?????? can be used in different contexts with different meanings and connotations. It can describe anything that is brightly colored or noticeable. For example, here's what someone said about a kid's party: ???€?????µ ???????‚?????‹, ???€???????°?? ?????·?‹???°, ???µ?‚?? ?? ???????‚???€???µ (Brightly colored costumes, loud music, and kids in ecstasy.) It can be advice on make-up: ?’?µ?‡?µ?€???? ???°???? ???±???·?°?‚?µ?»?????? ?????µ?»?°?‚?? ???°???????¶ ???€?‡?µ (For the evening you must make your make-up more dramatic.) Or tips for a garden: ???µ?????????? ???€?????… ???€?°?????? ?????¶???? ?????±?°?????‚??, ???????°?????? ???µ???????»?????? ?€?°???‚?µ?????? ???°???‚???€?†???? (You might add some vibrant colors by planting several nasturtiums.)
In English, we sometimes describe this as sound: ???? ?»???±???‚ ?????????‚?? ???€?????µ ???°?»???‚?????? (He loves to wear loud ties.) ??‚???? ?€???·?µ ???µ???‚?? ?‚?°??, ?????µ ???µ???±?…?????????? ???µ?????€?°?‚?????????µ ???€?????µ ?????‚????. (This rose is good wherever you need a pop of color.)
And of course, sometimes ???€?????? goes too far: ?????° ???»?????????? ???€???? ?????µ???°?µ?‚???? (She dresses too garishly.)
Figuratively, ???€?????? refers to anything that stands out, like an example: ???? ?€” ???€?????? ???€?????µ?€ ?‡?µ?»?????µ???°, ?????‚???€?‹?? ???°?? ???µ?±?? ?????µ?»?°?» (He's a striking example of a self-made man.) Or like impressions: ???‚ ?????·???‚?° ?? ???°?? ?????‚?°?»?????? ???°???‹?µ ???€?????µ ?????µ?‡?°?‚?»?µ?????? (We still have such vivid impressions from our visit.)
The negative connotations of ???€?????? ?€” like those garish or flamboyant ties ?€” seem to be reserved for things, not people. When used to describe people, ???€?????? is generally positive ?€” or in any case, after lots of searching, I couldn't find any examples with clearly negative connotations, and everyone I polled said they'd only use it in a positive sense. So ???€?????? is used to describe someone who has a vivid personality, someone who is a showstopper, someone with charisma. You often hear: ???? ???‡?µ???? ???€???°?? ?»???‡???????‚??! (He's larger than life!) ?????° ???????° ???· ???°???‹?… ???€?????… ?…???????¶?????????? ???????µ???? ?????????»?µ?????? (She's one of the most remarkable artists of her generation.)
So when Putin called Trump "???‡?µ???? ???€?????? ?‡?µ?»?????µ??," he was calling him larger than life, a vivid personality, someone who is impressive and commands attention.
The problems of translation had to do with connotation. Did Putin call Trump "brilliant"? Well, yes in the sense of vibrancy of character, not smarts. Did he call him "colorful"? Well, sort of ?€” but in a good way.
Basically, Putin called Trump a standout kinda guy.
Michele A. Berdy, a Moscow-based translator and interpreter, is author of "The Russian Word's Worth" (Glas), a collection of her columns.
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