Бух

English translation: Ledger

19:52 Jun 19, 2017

Russian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Poetry & Literature

Russian term or phrase: Бух

From a book I am translating:

"...А до этого у них была нечаянная встреча в доме главного бухгалтера совхоза — Буха — как звали того в ауле."

I am thinking of the best way of conveying this diminutive, and the best I can think of is "Bean-counter". I am basically on the scrounge for other suggestions.

Thanks!

Simon Hollingsworth KudoZ activity Questions: 355 (2 open) (2 without valid answers) (9 closed without grading) Answers: 244 United Kingdom
Local time: 15:59

English translation:Ledger

Explanation:
Maybe it's just me, but Ledger sounds like a real nickname.

Selected response from:

Mikhail Kropotov
Germany
Local time: 16:59

Grading comment

Thanks, Mikhail. I like Booker, too, but this one gets my vote
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

3 +1

booker

mk_lab

3 +1

Ledger

Mikhail Kropotov

3 +1

the Man/the Big Cheese himself/the Big Kahuna/the Head Honcho/Mr. Big Shot

Frank Szmulowicz, Ph. D.

Chiefy

El oso

Buchster

mrrafe

Acco

Lazyt3ch

Bookie

The Misha

Discussion entries: 5

Answers

20 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

booker

Explanation:
"Бух" is simply reduced joky form of "бухгалтер". It seams that "booker" is the same for "bookkeeper"

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Note added at 22 mins (2017-06-19 20:14:40 GMT)
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Or even just "Book"

mk_lab
Ukraine
Local time: 17:59
Native speaker of:

Russian,

Ukrainian
PRO pts in category: 4

Notes to answerer

Asker: Nice idea, thank you

25 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

Ledger

Explanation:
Maybe it's just me, but Ledger sounds like a real nickname.

Mikhail Kropotov
Germany
Local time: 16:59
Works in field
Native speaker of: Russian
PRO pts in category: 376

Grading comment

Thanks, Mikhail. I like Booker, too, but this one gets my vote

34 mins confidence:

Chiefy

Explanation:
One possible way of conveying the diminutive ''Бух'' [Главбух] is by transforming the word "chief" into a diminutive, while omitting ''accountant'' altogether.

El oso
Russian Federation
PRO pts in category: 35

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

the Man/the Big Cheese himself/the Big Kahuna/the Head Honcho/Mr. Big Shot

Explanation:
I read this as an emphasis of the importance of the guy. You can pick the term that best suits the rest of the context.
cccccccccccccccccccc
"The Man" is a slang phrase that may refer to the government or to some other authority in a position of power. In addition to this derogatory connotation, it may also serve as a term of respect and praise.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man

Frank Szmulowicz, Ph. D.
United States
Local time: 10:59
Native speaker of:

English,

Polish
PRO pts in category: 97

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)

agree

mrrafe: The Man obviously can't be a name, but would be a funny alternative instead of a name. And yes, Big Kahuna is guaranteed funny (even in Hawaii?). Cf. J Mitchell, Big Enchilada ( https://dictionaryblog.cambridge.org/2013/01/28/words-of-wat... ).

9 mins

-> Thank you, mrrafe. So, Mr. Hollingsworth now can localize the translation to any part of the world. The Big Shishka has a Russian flavor.

neutral

The Misha: I just don't see the peasants in a Central Asian village under the Soviets calling anyone Head Honcho or Big Cheese or Big Kahuna. Unless, of course, we are turning that village into Disneyland here, or the Sin City:)

1 hr

-> I have no idea where and when this is taking place. This is why I provided several alternatives.

52 mins confidence:

Buchster

Explanation:
-ster is a mocking suffix for a surname in US EN. E.g., The Hilzster vs. the Trumpster. Evokes a state of being, and a hamster. Possibly from The Hulkster, for World Wrestling Federation champion Hulk Hogan.

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Note added at 57 mins (2017-06-19 20:49:31 GMT)
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http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/the-trumpster-mark-hamill-...

Also evokes Dumpster, trade name for a large trash bin. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumpster

Cf. dumpster fire https://www.google.com/search?q=dumpster&oq=dumpster&aqs=chr...

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Note added at 1 hr (2017-06-19 21:34:06 GMT)
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-nik also is a humorous suffix calque, like "nudnik" in US EN from Russian Yiddish.

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Note added at 1 hr (2017-06-19 21:34:33 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Thus, Buchnik.

https://www.google.com/search?q=ster&oq=ster&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i65j0l4.1682j0j9&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

mrrafe
United States
Local time: 10:59
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English

3 hrs confidence:

Bookie

Explanation:
I think the name should depend on whether you call the man's position chief bookkeeper or chief accountant. If he is a bookkeeper, than Bookie may work since it clearly carries across the origin of the nickname - something Buch or Buchster doesn't quite do, because really, home many of your readers do you expect to know German? (Well, maybe in Europe, but in the US it would be a lost cause. Unless good Ashkenazi Jewish folks from Brooklyn come to the rescue:)). That said, I am fully aware of the new connotations, totally absent from the original, that Bookie brings in. Still I think it is somewhat better and more fun than Booker here (Booker Prize, anyone)?

Now, if you call him an accountant, methink you could probably go with County - and yes, again, I am fully aware of the new can of worms I am opening here. I am just thinking out loud.

I don't like Bean Counter at all. It's perfectly fine for referring to someone in the 3rd person, but as a nickname it's way too long, and it's probably what everybody and his brother would expect you to call the guy, which kind of makes it a cliche. And where's the fun in that?

The Misha
Local time: 10:59
Works in field
Native speaker of:

Russian
PRO pts in category: 96

18 hrs confidence:

Acco

Explanation:
accountant

Lazyt3ch
Local time: 19:59
Native speaker of:

Russian
PRO pts in category: 12

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Бух

English translation: Ledger

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