вот ведь!

English translation: Go figure!

18:05 Oct 11, 2011

Russian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Idioms / Maxims / Sayings

Russian term or phrase: вот ведь!

как сказать по-английски "вот ведь!" в ситуации, когда думалось, что делается одно, а потом оказалось другое? выражает досаду или иронию

LQA Russian KudoZ activity Questions: 42 (4 open) (1 without valid answers) Answers: 251
Local time: 04:31

English translation:Go figure!

Explanation:

Selected response from:

Elena Davedianova

Grading comment

thank you all for your comments
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +4

Go figure!

Mikhail Kropotov

3 +4

Go figure!

Elena Davedianova

4 +1

Fine goings on! Fine kettle of fish! Gee whiz!

Vaddy Peters

3 +2

Well what do you know/Well how do you like that

Kari Foster

suffering cat(s)! / There!

Vitals

A pretty business this here!

Bakytbek

Summary of reference entries provided

A problem with "Go figure!"

Andrei B

Discussion entries: 3

Answers

4 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +4

Go figure!

Explanation:

Elena Davedianova
Native speaker of: Russian
PRO pts in category: 8

Grading comment

thank you all for your comments

4 mins confidence:

suffering cat(s)! / There!

Explanation:
I found this one in a dictionary. Don't know how useful this can be.

There! - is also translated as "Вот досада!"

Vitals
Lithuania
Local time: 06:31
Native speaker of:

Russian,

Lithuanian
PRO pts in category: 4

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

Fine goings on! Fine kettle of fish! Gee whiz!

Explanation:
.

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Note added at 1 hr (2011-10-11 19:31:07 GMT)
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Just imagine!

Vaddy Peters

4 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +4

Go figure!

Explanation:
First thing that comes to mind. Just one of many viable options.

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Note added at 1 hr (2011-10-11 19:32:05 GMT)
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Если в первую очередь нужно выразить досаду, то существует несколько распространенных эвфемизмов для God damn it, таких как

Darn it!
Gosh darn it!
Dang it!
Dammit!
Dagnabbit!
Doggone it!

К ним всем можно прибавить Oh, ...!

Oh, doggone it!

Некоторые из этих фразочек вышли из употребления молодежью... но "Вот ведь!", хотя и стилистически нейтрально, я тоже давно ни от кого не слышал.

Mikhail Kropotov
Germany
Local time: 05:31
Works in field
Native speaker of: Russian
PRO pts in category: 63

Notes to answerer

Asker: thank you!

13 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

Well what do you know/Well how do you like that

Explanation:
These are two similar ways to express mild surprise at the outcome of something.

Kari Foster
United Kingdom
Local time: 04:31
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English

16 hrs confidence:

A pretty business this here!

Explanation:
как вариант

Bakytbek
Kazakhstan
Local time: 09:31
Native speaker of:

Russian,

Kazakh
PRO pts in category: 8

Reference comments

18 hrs peer agreement (net): +1

Reference: A problem with "Go figure!"

Reference information:
It's good enough as
"a phrase used by itself as an interjection to mean "How can one explain that?", or to express puzzlement over some seeming contradiction"
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Go figure
However,
"Go figure = Go and think about the illogicality or contradictions in what I just said, because I cannot understand it"
http://psy.otago.ac.nz/r_oshea/FUN STUFF/slang.html#G
Example:
"The government said it would promote free trade by increasing tariffs on imported goods. Go figure.'' (American-Australian Slang Dictionary)
http://psy.otago.ac.nz/r_oshea/FUN STUFF/slang.html#G
Similar explanations and examples can be found in various dictionaries

More precisely,
(1) the phrase is pronounced by someone who has just described an apparently illogical situation, NOT after something has just happened (as in the context, "оказалось другое" ~ [the situation] turned out different)
(2) it's hard to imagine someone saying just "Go figure!" without any preceding statement, whereas "вот ведь!" sounds well by itself -- although sometimes they add a word or two: "вот ведь досада!", "вот ведь невезуха!", or something like that)

Вот ведь как получается... :-)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 дн46 мин (2011-10-13 18:52:01 GMT) Post-grading
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Примечание Михаила подтвердило сомнения, высказанные выше -- ибо из всех здесь "отметившихся" ему в наибольшей степени присуще "чувство языка" (имхо, по наблюдениям)

Однако вариант типа "Dammit!" тоже не годится, т.к. в нем ирония отсутствует напрочь, зато досада смешана с изрядной долей злости -- о которой нет ни слова в описании контекста от аскера

А "вот ведь!" это все-таки (однозначно) выражение досады или иронии, связанной с удивлением/недоумением от неожиданного результата, а не со злостью

Выводы:
1. Принятый перевод - 100% неверный
2. Как говорят, вопрос "остается открытым"

П.С.
1. Если фраза выражает просто "mild surprise at the outcome of something" (типа "Gee whiz!" и т.п.), то она не годится для передачи досады или иронии, так как может в равной степени выражать и приятное удивление, и даже воодушевление - см. напр.
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/gee whiz
2. Предложившему "Fine kettle of fish!" стоило заглянуть, например, на страницу
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/fine kettle of fish
где ясно сказано, что это выражение досады от неожиданно возникшей ситуации/проблемы, которую непонятно, как раз/решить - а не от неожиданного "поворота", который воспринимается просто как факт ("вот ведь!") и не ставит перед ситуацией/проблемой, требующей раз/решения

Andrei B
Native speaker of:

Russian
PRO pts in category: 12

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вот ведь!

English translation: Go figure!

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вот ведь!

English translation: Go figure!

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