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Soft-spoken woman

Russian translation: the whole phrase is translated in the explanation

10:58 Sep 8, 2010
English to Russian translations [PRO]
Idioms / Maxims / Sayings
English term or phrase: Soft-spoken woman
From a song.
When my Mama met my girl, she took me aside
"She's a soft-spoken woman" but she speaks her mind.

A person who does not impose her will to others. Rather shy person.
Williamson
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:21
Russian translation:the whole phrase is translated in the explanation
Explanation:
the translation of 'soft-spoken woman' is more direct than the figurative ones given by other answerers (see the web link below):
She's a soft-spoken woman but she speaks her mind = Она говорит мягко, но [без обиняков]/[то, что думает]

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 час (2010-09-08 14:31:11 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I noticed (having just submitted my explanation) it's from a song, and my idea of correct translation totally changed.
1. Suppose that the quotation marks are in place. Then, 'she' likely refers to 'Mama' and the two lines in Russian may be as follows:
"Мама, глянув на девчонку, отвела меня в сторонку,
Чтобы мягко мне сказать, что она не будет врать ..."
This is fine if these lines are followed by a direct quote from Mama (...).
2. If the closing quotation mark should go to the end, 'she' may be 'my girl.' Then, the last line looks like Mama's words about the girl:
Мама, глянув на девчонку, поспешила прошептать:
"Да... Стелить-то будет мягко -- правда, жестко будет спать"
Selected response from:

Andrei B
Local time: 20:21
Grading comment
spasiba
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
5 +5the whole phrase is translated in the explanation
Andrei B
4 +4Несмотря на кроткий нрав, она может постоять за себя.
Andrei Mazurin
3 +4сдержанная/деликатная
Igor Antipin
5мягко стелит, да жестко спать :)
e-solutions (X)
4tihaja, skromnaja, sderzannaja
erika rubinstein
5 -1женщина, говорящая елейно
Saidabbos Mahmudov
4любезная женщина, но умеющая высказаться прямо (откровенно, напрямик)
Vera Peshkova, MITI
4мягкая
Elena Armyaninova
4 -1тихоня
interprivate
3тихий омут
Alexander Ryshow


  

Answers


2 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
soft-spoken woman
tihaja, skromnaja, sderzannaja


Explanation:
...

erika rubinstein
Local time: 19:21
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian, Native in GermanGerman
PRO pts in category: 8
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): -1
soft-spoken woman
тихоня


Explanation:
...

interprivate
Local time: 18:21
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian, Native in UkrainianUkrainian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Saidabbos Mahmudov: I must kindly disagree with your variant. Тихоня better stands for a word "timid"
3 mins
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6 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): -1
soft-spoken woman
женщина, говорящая елейно


Explanation:
Или "говорящая тихо", "говорящая вкрадчиво"

Saidabbos Mahmudov
Uzbekistan
Local time: 22:21
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
disagree  Marina Dolinsky (X): О боже! Вы, что не видите разницы между вкрадчиво и тихо? "елейно" - это сладко.
1 hr
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7 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
soft-spoken woman
тихий омут


Explanation:


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 7 мин (2010-09-08 11:05:59 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

у нее елейный голосок

Alexander Ryshow
Belarus
Local time: 20:21
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  Saidabbos Mahmudov: Вот последнее замечание как раз по теме. Но вот "тихий омут", по-моему, больше подходит под непредсказуемую, полную, часто неприятных, сюрпризов особу.
2 mins
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12 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
soft-spoken woman
любезная женщина, но умеющая высказаться прямо (откровенно, напрямик)


Explanation:
Collins Cobuild
soft-spoken
ADJ-GRADED
Someone who is soft-spoken has a quiet, gentle voice.
Example: He was a gentle, soft-spoken intelligent man.

Vera Peshkova, MITI
Italy
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
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30 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
soft-spoken woman
Несмотря на кроткий нрав, она может постоять за себя.


Explanation:
Имхо, смысл фразы в этом.

Andrei Mazurin
Russian Federation
Local time: 20:21
Native speaker of: Russian
PRO pts in category: 8

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  sas_proz: Помилуйте, на нее никто не нападает :) Она просто говорит тихо, но твердо.+Тихо - это исключительно с небольшой амплитудой звука?! Ни за что не помилую :)
19 mins
  -> Как Вы полагаете, мама отвела сына в сторонку для того, чтобы обратить его внимание на особенности голоса потенциальной невестки? Помилуйте, коллега. :-) "с небольшой амплитудой звука" можно поставить в скобки после "тихо", присовокупив "в частности". :-)
agree  Marina Dolinsky (X): самый правильный вариант!
1 hr
  -> Спасибо. :-)
agree  gutbuster: добротно и по сути, а на музыку лягеть? :-)))))))))))
1 hr
  -> Спасибо. Смотря с чем рифмовать! :-)
agree  Roman Bardachev: "кроткий нрав" по-моему удачно, "постоять за себя" might be a bit of an overkill though
3 hrs
  -> Спасибо, Роман. Так я потому и написал МОЖЕТ. Имхо, считаю, мама заботливо предупреждает сына о том, чтобы он не питал чрезмерных иллюзий по поводу кротости своей избранницы. :-)
agree  Angela Greenfield: кроткий нрав - это хорошо, но вторую часть я бы переделала на: говорит то, что думает (или нечто аналогичное)
5 hrs
  -> Спасибо, Анжела. Мне самому, честно говоря, больше нравятся поэтические варианты, предлагаемые Andrei B. :-)
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33 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
soft-spoken woman
мягкая


Explanation:
"мягко стелет, да жестко спать"

Elena Armyaninova
Local time: 20:21
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
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35 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
soft-spoken woman
сдержанная/деликатная


Explanation:
Main Entry: soft-spoken
Part of Speech: adjective
Definition: quiet
Synonyms: close-mouthed, gentle, hushed, hushful, low, low-keyed, low-pitched, mild, muffled, peaceful, reserved, silent, soft, still


    Reference: http://thesaurus.com/browse/soft-spoken
Igor Antipin
Russian Federation
Local time: 20:21
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 14

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Marina Dolinsky (X)
1 hr
  -> Спасибо, miridoli!
agree  gutbuster: агри
1 hr
  -> Спасибо, gutbuster!
neutral  Marina Aleyeva: Дисагри. Совершенно другой смысл, что видно из синонимов, которые вы привели. Имеется в виду, что она говорит негромко, но твердо.
2 hrs
agree  Angela Greenfield: soft-spoken никакого отношения к громкости речи не имеет, а имеет отношение к нраву. Не согласна с уважаемой Мариной.
5 hrs
  -> Спасибо, Анжела!
agree  Katia Gygax
8 hrs
  -> Спасибо, Катя!
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2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5 peer agreement (net): +5
soft-spoken woman
the whole phrase is translated in the explanation


Explanation:
the translation of 'soft-spoken woman' is more direct than the figurative ones given by other answerers (see the web link below):
She's a soft-spoken woman but she speaks her mind = Она говорит мягко, но [без обиняков]/[то, что думает]

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 3 час (2010-09-08 14:31:11 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

I noticed (having just submitted my explanation) it's from a song, and my idea of correct translation totally changed.
1. Suppose that the quotation marks are in place. Then, 'she' likely refers to 'Mama' and the two lines in Russian may be as follows:
"Мама, глянув на девчонку, отвела меня в сторонку,
Чтобы мягко мне сказать, что она не будет врать ..."
This is fine if these lines are followed by a direct quote from Mama (...).
2. If the closing quotation mark should go to the end, 'she' may be 'my girl.' Then, the last line looks like Mama's words about the girl:
Мама, глянув на девчонку, поспешила прошептать:
"Да... Стелить-то будет мягко -- правда, жестко будет спать"



    Reference: http://www.onelook.com/?w=soft-spoken&ls=a
Andrei B
Local time: 20:21
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
spasiba
Notes to answerer
Asker: WARREN ZEVON lyrics - Let Nothing Come Between You (Warren Zevon) When my Mama met my girl, she took me aside She's a soft-spoken woman but she speaks her mind She said "De de de de de de de de de de" Let nothing come between you De de de de de de de de de de Don't let nothing come between you" I went to see my friend to ask his advice He just smiled and, "She's good around the eyes." But I'd already made up my mind Let nothing come between us A soft-spoken woman : a female person, who does not impose her will verbally or by nagging, but speaks in a soft-voice and still gets what she wants. cfr. Mrs.Tatcher was a soft-spoken woman, but got her will/the message across.


Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Angela Greenfield: "мягко, но без обиняков" - красиво. :-)
4 hrs
agree  Katia Gygax: Очень хорошо!
6 hrs
agree  Igor Antipin: С Анжелой.
6 hrs
agree  DTSM: Она говорит мягко, но говорит то, что думает.
9 hrs
agree  Rinnel
17 hrs
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13 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 5/5
soft-spoken woman
мягко стелит, да жестко спать :)


Explanation:
Будь осторожен с ней, сынок! А вообще все варианты ответов мне понравились.

e-solutions (X)
United States
Local time: 13:21
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in RussianRussian
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