(no subject)

[socialsodomy.livejournal.com]

How do I translate the phrase "live music", as in music that is being performed, into Russian? I imagine it requires some adjective that I don't know. Thank you for your help!

Comments

[yers.livejournal.com]

The very same adjective, живая музыка.

[socialsodomy.livejournal.com]

Thanks alot. I am always very skeptical when things are that simple. I think I would be happier if English and Russian shared no idioms at all!

[virtualsushi.livejournal.com]

Yers is correct. Although, some people prefer not to translate it at all: Сегодня вечером - музыка "лайв", or концерт "лайв" такой-то группы. For many youngsters, it has become a "cool" slang term to use as it is.

[giantantattack.livejournal.com]

Why would the adjective in this instance be "живая", and not "прямая"? My dictionary lists "живой" as an adjective used for things that are living. Like animals, or plants. And it gives "прямой" as an adjective used for things that are "broadcasted while being preformed".

This has bothered me for a while in regards to the translation of "LiveJournal" to "Живой Журнал". After reading it for the first time I remember thinking, "But the journals aren't alive..." Though, I guess it could be understandable if they were going for alliteration.

[virtualsushi.livejournal.com]

A good question. I would say, this nuance (live=alive) emerged in Russian in mid 80-s, influenced by rock-n-roll from the West.

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

See virtualsushi's comment above; also, "прямой" in Russian only means "straight", nothing else. "Live" as "direct" is quite natural for Russian, though it's a new meaning: the sub-meaning is that this music is not recorded, not "preserved," "canned" or "bottled," it's live, right here. There is also a popular idiom in Russian music journalism, canned music (музыкальные консервы,) as opposed to live music.

[noser.livejournal.com]

Well, term "live music" is wider than "music broadcasted while being preformed". If you personally go to a concert, that's not broadcasted.

"Прямой" is used only for broadcasting.

Just think about it: does "direct broadcast" give you an idea of what's going on? Now, how about "direct music"?

[virtualsushi.livejournal.com]

I don't like directors.
Do you?

[azzurro.livejournal.com]

Rather "живое исполнение" and "музыка в живом исполнении", but hardly "живая музыка". It sounds ridiculous :)

[virtualsushi.livejournal.com]

Sure, it did sound ridiculous some years ago, but not any more these days.
Check out all these youth clubs and rock-posters around.
Slang is changing.