Russian Library Sign

[johnnyever.livejournal.com]

As I've mentioned before, I work in a library with a Russian collection. We shifted some of the books to another location, and I'm trying to figure out how to say "The Russian books now begin on the other side of the staircase."

There is a staircase leading up to a balcony. The collection used to begin immediately to the right of the staircase. We added a new shelf to the left of the staircase, which is harder to see. So I'm putting a sign on the right side of the staircase, referring to the new shelf on the left side. Hope that's clear.

I'd asked my girlfriend through text message, and she suggested "КНИГИ НА РУССКОМ ЯЗЫКЕ НАХОДИТСЯ С ДРУГОЙ СТОРОНУ ЛЕСТНИСУ." (Keep in mind, I'm transliterating through text message, so any spelling mistakes, etc., are my own). I think maybe she misunderstood. An old Russian lady said it was wrong but couldn't really explain how to fix it. That line looks to me like it says "The Russian books are now on the other side of the staircase," as in all of the books. But it's only like A-B of the fiction books.

Thank you in advance.

Comments

[ukrknabo.livejournal.com]

The phrase itself is incorrect, it must be КНИГИ НА РУССКОМ ЯЗЫКЕ НАХОДЯТСЯ С ДРУГОЙ СТОРОНЫ ЛЕСТНИЦЫ.
Anyways, what you want to write is РУССКОЯЗЫЧНЫЙ РАЗДЕЛ НАЧИНАЕТСЯ С ДРУГОЙ СТОРОНЫ ЛЕСТНИЦЫ (or РАЗДЕЛ РУССКИХ КНИГ НАЧИНАЕТСЯ С ДРУГОЙ СТОРОНЫ ЛЕСТНИЦЫ)

[johnnyever.livejournal.com]

Thanks very much. Like I said, I had to describe it to her through text messages, and then transcribe her Russian through English text messages.

[oryx_and_crake]

I would say РАЗДЕЛ КНИГ НА РУССКОМ ЯЗЫКЕ НАЧИНАЕТСЯ С ДРУГОЙ СТОРОНЫ ЛЕСТНИЦЫ
(русскоязычный is someone who speaks Russian, therefore you cannot say русскоязычный раздел)

[ukrknabo.livejournal.com]

Yes, that would be better.

[fineto.livejournal.com]

Книги на русском языке находЯтся (plural) с другой сторонЫ (case) ОТ лестниЦЫ (case).

[ukrknabo.livejournal.com]

I believe "от" would be a parasitic preposition here.

[fineto.livejournal.com]

ad libitum

[alexzzzzz.livejournal.com]

>That line looks to me like it says "The Russian books are now on the other side of the staircase," as in all of the books.
You are right.

---
«С другой стороны лестницы» ~ On the other side of the staircase.
«С другой стороны от лестницы» ~ At the other side from the staircase.
«От» is optional only if you sure you could not be misunderstood.

---
«Раздел» means a chapter/part inside a book rather a dedicated area in a library/bookstore. «Секция» (section) suits better. If it was a bookstore, «отдел» (department) also might be used.

---
«Секция русской литературы начинается слева от лестницы». = Russian literature section begins at the left from the staircase.
«Начало секции русской литературы находится слева от лестницы». = The beginning of russian literature section is at the left from the staircase.
«Это продолжение секции русской литературы. Начало находится слева от лестницы». = This is a continuation of russian literature section. The beginning is at the left from the staircase.

The last one is the longest but I like it more. Others are also correct in terms of grammar and sense, but my inner voice tells me they are ugly. I can't make them better.

---
PS
I have no idea which preposition to use: «on the left», «at the left», «from the left», or «to the left». Don't beat me :)

[spiritrc.livejournal.com]

I would say
Книги на русском находятся по другую сторону от лестницы, if I understood correctly what you intended to say. I wouldn't say "на русском языке" because that construction looks cumbersome to me in this phrase. I would use "по другую сторону от" instead of "с другой стороны" or "с другой стороны от" (the latter being a bit better than the former) to better express how exactly the books are located relative to the staircase. "С этой/другой стороны" for me draws a picture of books being attached to opposite sides of the staircase, while when I read "по другую сторону" I imagine books located in the opposite (to the message location) direction from the staircase.

[johnnyever.livejournal.com]

Thank you. This is very clear and helpful.

[oryx_and_crake]

He wanted to say that Russian section _starts_ on the other side of the stairs, not that Russian section _is_ on the other side of the stairs. It could very well start on that side and continue on this side, and then the library patrons would be puzzled as to where the books starting with A and B are located.

[johnnyever.livejournal.com]

Correct. One of my favorite books, by the way.