adversative conjunction "a"
Posted: Nov 6th, 16, 12:44
Hello,
I have a question about the meaning of the adversative conjunction "a" in the Russian proverb :
Не верь лошади в поле, а жене в доме
found in Tolstoi book "Kreutzer sonata".
In an English translation of that book, I found this rendering of the proverb :
Don't trust a horse in the field, nor a woman in the house
However, some oher people with whom we were discussing that translation do not agree that the conjunction "a" can be rendered by "nor" in that sentence. It should mark an opposition, and they would understand something like :
Don't trust a horse in the field, but you can trust only a woman in the house.
What do Russian speakers understand with this proverb?
Thank you in advance.
I have a question about the meaning of the adversative conjunction "a" in the Russian proverb :
Не верь лошади в поле, а жене в доме
found in Tolstoi book "Kreutzer sonata".
In an English translation of that book, I found this rendering of the proverb :
Don't trust a horse in the field, nor a woman in the house
However, some oher people with whom we were discussing that translation do not agree that the conjunction "a" can be rendered by "nor" in that sentence. It should mark an opposition, and they would understand something like :
Don't trust a horse in the field, but you can trust only a woman in the house.
What do Russian speakers understand with this proverb?
Thank you in advance.