скромничать

English translation: This time I went right ahead and took...

05:39 Nov 17, 2023
Russian to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Military / Defense / LitRPG
Russian term or phrase: скромничать
I'm struggling to translate the whole sentence, i.e. to find the right word in this particular context.

The main character in this book has taken control of a fortress full of human soldiers and is explaining that he took the best room without feeling guilty:

"На этот раз я не стал ***скромничать*** и занял одно из лучших помещений, не разбираясь, кто именно там жил до меня. В любом случае многим придётся потесниться."

TIA!
Sofia Gutkin
Australia
Local time: 09:33
English translation:This time I went right ahead and took...
Explanation:
go ahead: to proceed without hesitation or delay

Half the time when there's a verb negation in Russian, it is best rendered in English as a positive statement.
Selected response from:

Mikhail Kropotov
Germany
Local time: 01:33
Grading comment
Thank you, Mikhail! Your option suited the flow of the text and how the main character "speaks" in the book.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4This time I went right ahead and took...
Mikhail Kropotov
3to shy away
IrinaN
3This time I didn’t hesitate/didn’t hold back
Angela Greenfield
3This time I held my false modesty in check/gave my false modesty a finger...
The Misha
3cast/set humility aside
Frank Szmulowicz, Ph. D.


Discussion entries: 17





  

Answers


48 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
to shy away


Explanation:
Этот вариант лежит на поверхности, но интересно будет и еще подумать.

IrinaN
United States
Local time: 18:33
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 8
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57 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
This time I didn’t hesitate/didn’t hold back


Explanation:
This is what I would use here

Angela Greenfield
United States
Local time: 19:33
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian, Native in UkrainianUkrainian
PRO pts in category: 76
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
This time I went right ahead and took...


Explanation:
go ahead: to proceed without hesitation or delay

Half the time when there's a verb negation in Russian, it is best rendered in English as a positive statement.

Mikhail Kropotov
Germany
Local time: 01:33
Works in field
Native speaker of: Russian
PRO pts in category: 43
Grading comment
Thank you, Mikhail! Your option suited the flow of the text and how the main character "speaks" in the book.
Login to enter a peer comment (or grade)

2 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
This time I held my false modesty in check/gave my false modesty a finger...


Explanation:
I'll throw my hat in the ring too even though all the other answers offered so far are perfectly legitimate. It all depends on how closely you have to stick to the letter here or how purple you want you language to be. Me, I usually add a lot of otsebyatina when translating such texts--as long as it makes for a better reading experience. In all fairness though, this kind of "fiction" tends to be badly enough written and requires substantial "doctoring" to be remotely palatable in English. But for the most part, it's a matter of your personal preferences and your client's wishes. If they even care enough, that is. Cheers, and have fun with it.

The Misha
Local time: 19:33
Native speaker of: Native in RussianRussian
PRO pts in category: 12
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
cast/set humility aside


Explanation:
Proposition.

Frank Szmulowicz, Ph. D.
United States
Local time: 19:33
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish, Native in PolishPolish
PRO pts in category: 36
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