(no subject)

[upthera44.livejournal.com]

There is a character in Joseph Conrad's novel "Under Western Eyes" (which is about Russian revolutionaries) named Nikita "Nekatur". Can someone tell me what the word "nekatur" might signify in Russian? It's something negative I assume, but beyond that don't know.

Comments

[oryx_and_crake]

There is no such word in Russian, it does not even sound like anything.

[upthera44.livejournal.com]

Actually its written "Necator"-- sorry! Any better?

[oryx_and_crake]

No. It slightly reminds me of секатор - lopping shears, but I don't think that this is what Konrad means. Is it possible that this character just tried to pronounce the name of Nikita adopting it to English pronunciation?

[greeny-world.livejournal.com]

Well, I've never heard of such word either. Although, google suggests "Nikator" rather than "Nekatur". And the only definition in Russian is that this is a term for some kind of parasite.
In my opinion, the word sounds more like ukranian, and the ukranian definition for this word is a parasite as well.

Hope it helps :)

[alek-morse.livejournal.com]

Maybe, nectar? нектар?

[un-malpaso.livejournal.com]

First thing that jumped to my mind was некoтoрый... perhaps as in "nobody's" or "no kind of"?
Conrad was Polish, but I am sure he had the basic knowledge in Russian to create a Slavic-sounding composite name... but that's just my thoughts

[hellga.livejournal.com]

The only Nekatur I can think of is Necator americanis, a species of hookworm. Still, even this intestinal parasite has nothing to do with Russia as it is an American species. :)

[upthera44.livejournal.com]

Ok, well, thanks for trying. Maybe it doesn't signify anything.

Also, does anyone know where I might find the text of this book online in Russian? It was originally written in English, but I would be curious to see the translation for a few sections of the book.

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

Escpecially because Conrad was Polish himself.

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

It doesn't look like it was ever translated in Russian. This site (http://www.hot.ee/josephconrad/) seems to build a pretty extensive collection of Conrad's translations, but the book you mention doesn't seem to be there.

[gemelo.livejournal.com]

Joseph Conrad was originally Pole, may be it is word with Polish origin?

[racoonbear.livejournal.com]

There was an big army commandor - we call that level "генерал" - "general" (funny, yeah?)
His name was Dovator (Доватор, Лев Михайлович). He was a participant of WW2.
I may only suggest that Nekator was chosen is something sounding like Dovator.

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

Józef Teodor Konrad Korzeniowski a.k.a. Joseph Conrad had died some 16 years before the Wold War Two had started.

[upthera44.livejournal.com]

He did live in Russia for a year or two when his father was exiled there for participating in the Polish revolt in the 1860s. So he knew some Russian. But you could be right, maybe it is a Polish reference.

[upthera44.livejournal.com]

Hmm, that's surprising because according to the book's introduction it was very widely read in Russia in the early part of the 20th century because of its ideas about the uniqueness of Russian culture and history when compared to the West.

[oryx_and_crake]

I daresay that people in Russia in the early 20th century had plenty other troubles beside worrying about their image in the eyes of the Westerners.

[upthera44.livejournal.com]

My impression is that Russia has always worried about their image in the eyes of the West and in relation to the West. Whether its to reject the West or to emulate it, it's never really been a relationship of indifference. Still, this isn't my opinion, I was just referencing what was stated in the introduction to the book.

[firebottle.livejournal.com]

Most likely "некоторый".

[upthera44.livejournal.com]

As it turns out, I believe Conrad had the English root "nekro" in mind, as in death. Thanks for the help everyone

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

Do you really think that an advertizing is a document and reflects the true image of reality? :)

On the other hand, those few educated people who, for sure, did read that Conrad's book in Russia at the time it was released, could as well read it in its original English. In Imperial times, "educated" meant that the person could effortlessly read in at least one foreign language, sometimes two or three; and if that person belonged to the ruling classes and successfully attended a Classical Gymnasium, it also meant that in addition to, say, French and German or English, that person could also read Greek and Latin. Educational standards at that time were slighly higher than after the revolution -- the only thing was that only a tiny minority had access to those standards.

[bita-swit.livejournal.com]

sorry, if my answer is too late, but try check word Necator in latin dictionary.