(no subject)

[xtradone.livejournal.com]

how would i change
А вы
ноктюрн сыграть
могли бы
на флейте водосточных труб?
(and you
could you perform
a nocturne on a drainpipe flute?)
to
"I perform nocturnes on a drainpipe flute"?
я ноктюрны сыграю
на флейте водосточных труб ???

Comments

[orloffm.livejournal.com]

Я играю ноктюрны на флейте водосточных труб.

[oryx_and_crake]

Agree. "сыграю" is future tense, and you want present.

[xtradone.livejournal.com]

that makes sense. but then what is going on w/ mayakovsky's word order? it's better to say "играю ноктюрны" than "ноктюрны играю"? is this order relevant to the tense, or due to the subjunctive mood, or just common usage?

[oryx_and_crake]

The word order is not fixed and is not relevant for anything related to grammar/syntax. In poetry the words are often moved around to make them fit into metre. In my opinion, "ноктюрны играю" sounds a little more solemn and sonorous than "играю ноктюрны", but this might be just my personal impression and not the general rule.

[dimon37.livejournal.com]

сыграю means "will perform". You can simply say "играю" instead.

[skaarj.livejournal.com]

Nocturne is singular, and nocturnes is plural.
And "а вы могли бы сыграть" = "can you play", so "я мог бы сыграть" = "I can play".
Therefore "I can play nocturne on a drainpipe flute"
Translate:
"Я мог бы сыграть ноктюрн на флейте водосточных труб"
or
"Я могу сыграть ноктюрн на флейте водосточных труб"
or
"Я ноктюрн сыграть мог бы на флейте водосточных труб"

But 1st and 2nd variants more correctly

[yanmarta.livejournal.com]

I think
"Я ноктюрн сыграть могу
На флейте водосточнух труб" is more melodic

[skaarj.livejournal.com]

For melodic: "Я ноктюрн сыграть бы мог на флейте водосточных труб"
;)))

[whitest-owl.livejournal.com]

I do not understand the question. Are you trying to correct Mayakovsky's poem?

[xtradone.livejournal.com]

no. i am trying to modify it and use it as a subtitle for a journal. while nonetheless giving credit where credit is due, of course.

[trueblacker.livejournal.com]

Then you'd better don't say "Я". In russian the verb form "играю" is quite enough to understand that its the first person. Moreover, the form "играю ноктюрны на флейте водосточных труб" fits better to style of personal information.

[oryx_and_crake]

Are you saying that, say, "Я играю на гармошке у прохожих на виду" is not correct?

[trueblacker.livejournal.com]

Nope. Correct, I mean :)
It was just a style remark. Both variants are correct, but some fits better to a song or a verse, while another - to biography.

[xtradone.livejournal.com]

what? when did the drainpipe become an accordian? passerbys? does this have something to do with cheburashka?

[trueblacker.livejournal.com]

Exactly. Did it really become? Who? What is that "this" you mean?