Theoretical background of study. Etymology of translation. Theory of translation. The problems of equivalence in translation, страница 8

2.2. The translation of the “nadsat” language into Russian by V. Boshniak and E.Sinelshikov

Let’s consider the strategy used by V. Boshnyak and E. Synelschykov that translated the novel into Russian, which was the source of slang for a writer.

Vladimir Boshnyak rewrote most of the words "nadsat" so that they are clear to the Russian reader ( "deng" → "babki"), but a part of the author's words are preserved ( "ptitsa").

Fictional language in its translation has been written with English letters:

Our pockets were full of deng, so there was no real need from the point of view of crasting any more pretty polly to tolchock some old veck in an alley and viddy him swim in his blood while we counted the takings and divided by four, nor to do the ultra-violent on some shivering starry grey-haired ptitsa in a shop and go smecking off with the till's guts [Burgess 1986, 5].

Карманы у нас ломились от babok, а стало быть, к тому, чтобы сделать в переулке toltshok какому-нибудь старому hanyge, obtriastiего и смотреть, как он плавает в луже крови, пока мы подсчитываем добычу и делим ее на четверых, ничто нас, в общем-то, особенно не понуждало, как ничто не понуждало и к тому, чтобы делать krasting в лавке у какой-нибудь трясущейся старой ptitsy, а потом rvattkogti с содержимым кассы [Бошняк 1991, 1].

Another translation suggests Eugene Synelschykov. According to the author, " я попытался передать "надсадский" язык русских тинэйджеров – смесь молодежных сленгов 60-х – конца 80- х годов, где доминируют словечки английского происхождения" [Синельщиков 1991, 82].

On his translation had the greatest impact slang of Soviet hippie and mod:

Then there was the starry very grim magistrate in the lower court govoreeting some very hard slovos against your Friend and Humble Narrator, after all the cally and grahzny slander spat forth by P.R.Deltoid and the rozzes, Bog blast them... [Burgess 1986, 44].

Старый веник судья в Суде низшей инстанции произносил гневные спичи. Ему вторили П.Р.Дельтува и копполы, выступавшие в качестве свидетелей.[Синельщиков 1991, 21].

Typically, Eugene Synelschykov does not adhere to the original "nadsat" and uses it, guiding the principles of  convenience, relevance, rhythm and to achieve comic effect.

Reproducing slang "nadsat", translator mostly uses the method of compensation:

The four of us were dressed in the height of fashion, which in those days was a pair of black very tight tights with the old jelly mould … then we wore waisty jackets without lapels but with these very big built-up shoulders ...

[Burgess 1986, 5].

Весь мой кодляк дресст по последней фэшн – в черных, облегающих, как вторая кожа, багги-уош. Приталенные куртецы без сливзов, но с огромными накладными шоулдерами почти вдвое увеличивают размах наших далеко не хилых плеч [Синельщиков 1991, 68].

So the translators have gone radically different ways: Vladimir Boshnyak chose the foreignization (estrangement) and Eugene Synelschykov – domestication.

The same sentence Synelschykov Eugene translates as follows:

Около стойки на вращающихся стульчиках сидят три герлы, но нас четверо, а закон стаи суров: ван фор ол, и все за одного

[Синельщиков 1991, 1].

Here slang word 60s «devotchkas» is translated with the other slang 60s «герлы».

As already noted, the author of the novel had not used any existing slang in the  book in order to avoid any time, local or subcultural associations.

Reading this translation, we seemed transported to "Broadway" era of Beatlemania, mod and hippie era - peace subcultures, to some extent complete antipodes gang of heroes of the novel.

A hint does not notice onle the young reader, who is unfamiliar with Soviet life 60's and 70's.