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This question was closed without grading. Reason: Answer found elsewhere
Nov 22, 2010 17:03
13 yrs ago
5 viewers *
German term

Moskau Inkasso

German to English Bus/Financial Law (general) Name for a collection agency
This threatening name for a fictional collection agency appears in a text discussing debt collection and the temptation to self-help, taking the law into one's own hands.

The name of the agency is supposed to appear not only threatening in the sense of possible extortion, but also just barely on the right side of legal.

In context:
Die Neigung, die Realisierung von Forderungen selbst in die Hand zu nehmen, besteht nach wie vor, nur überträgt man solche schmutzigen Geschäfte heutzutage gern professionelle Inkassobüros, welche dann ihrerseits versucht sein mögen, die Grenzen des Erlaubten zu überschreiten, wenn auch einschüchternde Firmennamen wie **"Moskau Inkasso"** strafrechtlich kaum schon bedenklich sind.

tia/vDiV
Proposed translations (English)
4 +3 Moskau Inkasso
5 +1 The Hit Squad / The Heavies
3 Bear Hug Collections
1 Krisha
Change log

Nov 22, 2010 17:58: Steffen Walter changed "Field" from "Art/Literary" to "Bus/Financial" , "Field (specific)" from "Business/Commerce (general)" to "Law (general)"

Discussion

Rebecca Garber (asker) Nov 23, 2010:
I am astonished at the amount of heat generated in this discussion. Perhaps some was caused when the category was changed from Art/literary to business financial.
The book is a work of literature, first and foremost, on the history of law in classical antiquity, not a business model, nor a legal brief, and I was granted a great deal of leeway in the translation. The author and the publishing house are far more interested in having a fluent work of literature that is true to the content of the text than a slavishly accurate translation that US readers find stilted. Yes, the author sometimes uses actual, modern references to conclude the chapters (and this is the last line of ch13 out of 16). They are, however, usually legal cases involving dates, specifically identified persons, etc., Moskau Inkasso, real or not, resonates with German readers, even among those who don't realize it is a real company, as invoking the Russian mob. Therefore, I am looking for suggestions that resonate with a US audience in a similar fashion.
philgoddard Nov 23, 2010:
The asker admits she didn't realise it was a real company, so she doesn't need a fictional name. Just read the German!
philgoddard Nov 23, 2010:
I feel everyone (including you, Hazmat) is missing the point here. They're talking about a real company, and you don't translate the names of real companies or find made-up equivalents like The Hit Squad or Bear Hug Collections. Still looks like I've lost this argument!
philgoddard Nov 22, 2010:
You have to include an explanatory note- people may be able to work out what Moskau means, but they won't understand Inkasso. And you can't make up a name like Godfather Collections - that would not be true to the German.
Rebecca Garber (asker) Nov 22, 2010:
I had considered "Godfather Collections" I was unaware that it was a real company, and I'm not sure that I really want to include an explanatory note. Nor do I know of a comparable legal situation in the US that would be readily recognized by the target audience.
From a completely statistically-incorrect poll of friends, the idea that the Mafia is involved in collection agencies was universal. The Russian mob received fewer votes.

Proposed translations

+1
7 mins

The Hit Squad / The Heavies

Moskau Inkasso is what the Germans call sending in the heavies. A bunch of big, horrible men, mostly from Eastern Europe, who are not afraid to use violence to get the money due.
Peer comment(s):
agree AllegroTrans : The Russian mafia, effectively
4 mins
agree Elisabeth Moser : yeah, and its often the only chance to recover your money -- esp. from Mietnomaden!
5 mins
disagree philgoddard : It's not a figure of speech - it's a real company name, and the asker has misunderstood the text.
21 hrs
Something went wrong...
+3
15 mins

Moskau Inkasso

It's not fictional - it's the name of a real company, so it should be left as it is, with an explanatory note in brackets (eg Moscow Collections). The name was chosen, as the asker says, for its threatening overtones.
Reference:

http://www.mahnbescheid.com/mahnbescheid-news/items/mahnbescheid-moskau-inkasso.html

Peer comment(s):
agree Lancashireman : Perhaps a GNS can tell us what the combined effect of "wenn auch ... kaum schon" is in this sentence.
13 mins
Good point!
agree YorickJenkins : I would keep the name, then have a footnote or parenthesis with the words "something like.." and a suggestion as given by others here
21 hrs
agree British Diana
1 day 14 hrs
Something went wrong...
2 hrs

Bear Hug Collections

Not sure whether this sort of facetiousness is acceptable .

The Asker has not said whether the Russian connection is mandatory.
If not I would stay with the Mafia idea and suggest:

Sicilian Persuasion



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Note added at 13 hrs (2010-11-23 06:51:47 GMT)
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If this is really the final sentence in the chapter it is an aside and unfortunately none of the attempted allusions will work, especially if the target audience is in U.S.
Note from asker:
The Russian connection is simply to provide an example of a threatening name. This is the final sentence in the chapter, and the topic of concern is how Roman imperial law established the basis for modern, European law. So Russia is optional as far as I can tell.
Something went wrong...
1 day 4 mins

Krisha

If,according to philgoddard,this is a real Moscow based company,there is a chance,it is Mafia runned...based on the book...Juergen Roth:Die RussenMafia...Das gefaehrlichste Verbrechersyndikat der Welt,Rasch und Roehring ,1996,Hamburg

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Note added at 1 day37 mins (2010-11-23 17:40:29 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

P.S:The Krisha System works i a way, that you pay one Mafia group fees to protect you /or your business/ to be protected from extortion fees from another Mafia../this is a Russian version/ ...group.
See also:David.E.Hoffman:The Oligarchs...Wealth and power in the new Russia...www.publicaffairsbooks.com

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Note added at 1 day42 mins (2010-11-23 17:45:25 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Another source:Paul Klebnikov:Godfather of Kremlin...The decline of Russia in the age of gangster Capitalism...Harcourt,Inc.2000
Unfortunately,Paul is dead already.

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Note added at 1 day54 mins (2010-11-23 17:57:30 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

So,my suggestion is:Depth collectors...the Russki...way

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Note added at 1 day2 hrs (2010-11-23 19:10:36 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Also...Mafia...according to Juergen Roth...Der Clan,or Die Gruppe...
For example...Orlowa,or Schmajenka,or Mamedowa,Rublewa....Etc.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day6 hrs (2010-11-23 23:44:07 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Klebnikov uses for this krisha-system of protection the word roof.

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Note added at 2 days22 hrs (2010-11-25 15:29:22 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Consulting this with members of the russian-jewish community here, in Canada/ they are from Odessa,not from Moscow/ they suggested the word
THE HOOD.
Something went wrong...
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