This is my first read of the text and I have two editions- one is the Grove Press Ginsburg translation and the other the Harville Press Michael Glenny translation. The Ginsburg is the more recent translation- 1987, but I prefer the older Glenny 1968. In the following scene- vodka is being discussed…
‘But surely, Philip Philipovich, everybody says that 30-degree vodka is quite good enough.’
‘Vodka should be at least 40 degrees, not 30- that’s firstly,’….. (This is the Glenny)
“But why, Philip Philippovich, everybody says it’s quite good, eighty proof.”
“And vodka should be ninety-proof, not eighty. Thats one,”… (This is the Ginsburg)
I unfortunately do not speak Russian, but translation of numbers is concrete- there should be no subjectivity or interpretation- one translator read 80 and 90, the other 30 and 40? Obviously the proof is referring to the alcohol content, but what is the other referring to? Could it be temperature? Or is there another system of rating the alcohol content in the older days? I suppose it could be degrees in Farenheit, but this is Europe and they used Celcius. 30 degrees F is very cold- below the freezing point of water. While it is not unusual now for Russians to chill their vodka, I don’t think they did so 100 years ago.
Does anyone know what is going on here?
by jcoffin1981