Any Arabic, Chinese, Hindi or Russian speakers?

[civil]

If so, would you mind helping me out? I need a translation of the word repent (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/repent) in each of those languages and using the mighty power of Google this is what I came up with (top to bottom order is same as Subject):

http://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q135/tlots/CoG/Repent.jpg

Granted, I would assume there are variations within each of those languages that might lead to my examples being either over-simplified or wrong but I'm hoping that Google isn't terribly off. This is for a film I'm working on, so I'm not looking for a strict contextual interpretation (meaning this isn't going in a manual or anything).

TIA

[Doogie2K]

Shit, it's been years since I did Russian, but off the top of my head, if you're going for a command, you'd need a different form of the verb. Покайтесь, maybe? I'd have to break out my dictionary when I get home to be sure.

[Generation ABXY]

Arabic may be about the only one I can help with, and even then I'll need to send it to someone else (in which case, someone else might have been able to help you firs). When do you need it by?

[civil]

For both of you: Thanks! I'm in no terrible rush, really. Within the next week or so would be great.

[Doogie2K]

The verb is close: right root, different prefix. According to my dictionary, it's раскаяться for the infinitive, so the imperative (command) would be раскайтесь.

[H.Bogard]

Arabic word says "Tauba"

Edit : Its Al-tauba, actually.

[Expugnare]

I know native speakers of all of these languages that may be able to help if needed.

[civil]

Doogie: Hmm. I'll change it then, thanks!

Bogard: Do you know if it means "respect"?

Ex: Any help is appreciated, so thanks if you can.

[H.Bogard]

Doogie: Hmm. I'll change it then, thanks!

Bogard: Do you know if it means "respect"?

Ex: Any help is appreciated, so thanks if you can.

No. Although Arabic words can have as many as hundreds of direct synonyms so one never knows.

[Lithium Flower]

Al-taubah - 'repentance', a noun, not 'repent' a verb. It does not mean respect.

[civil]

Oops. I meant "repent". Seems as if it does?

[Generation ABXY]

Oh, I'm glad someone else popped in who could help you with the Arabic. My guy is "on loan" for the next couple of weeks, so I'm not sure when he'd be able to check his work e-mail again (and I can't seem to locate his personal one).

[Camel]

I've got something in Arabic that I've been looking to get translated for a project...mind if I ask in your thread, civil? I don't want to derail it or anything.

Getting things translated always makes me nervous. I feel the need to ask a ton of people, even if others have already told me it's right.

[civil]

No, go ahead!

[Camel]

No, go ahead!
Thanks! :D

Anyways, I only need one word translated (it's for a project a student is working on). Arabic is completely foreign to me, and I want to make sure I get it right. I am looking for the word "barakah," meaning "blessing." I have seen it written both ways:

بَرَكَة

بركة

I have no idea what the different "accent" symbols mean. Are both those words the same? Also, I know that this word also means "pool," but it's all about the context in which the word is used.

Thanks again for letting me temporarily jack your thread, civil!

[H.Bogard]

That says Barakah. Same word. The symbols aid in pronunciation for foreigners and illiterate people (Both, in my case). The three symbols on top of the letters you see are called "Zab'r". If you replace the zabr with a zeir in "بر" then it'll be pronounced Birr instead of Bar. There's many more and I have no idea how people ever read this stuff without the aid of symbols in the first place (that's how Arabic originally was).

Edit: Whoops. Didn't read your post properly before answering.

[Doogie2K]

Doogie: Hmm. I'll change it then, thanks!

You're welcome, though I will note...

I know native speakers of all of these languages that may be able to help if needed.

...that I'd be down with someone checking my work. I'm also perpetually nervous about translation.

[Expugnare]

I put a request in with my Hindi speaker, she will try to get back to me soon. My brother's girlfriend (Chinese speaker) is actually in China right now so that may be a dead end.

[Purple Santa]

I was at a library book sale today and found a Russian to english/English to Russian dictionary. I was tempted to buy it and send it to you civil but thought you would have received the info by now. If you still are interested, i'm sure it still will be there. It's only 50 cents.

How does one get a keyboard to type in Russian? I was going to bring my laptop and just type what I read in the dictionary as another option.

[chex]

As for "repent", Leaving "al" in front of it means its uncojugated. If you're looking for a command, I can try to find it for you.

I took Arabic two semesters ago, so I'm a little bit rusty... The vowels over the letters can also notate whether or not you need to elongate said vowel. Since you mentioned that it could mean pool, I would hazard a guess that the fully vocalised format is the one you're looking for. (Because so many words in Arabic look the exact same as other words, vocalising a word, or taking in the context around the word are the only ways to tell the difference. Take for example, the word for leg is the same as for man, and that can get very confusing without the vocalisation.)

[Doogie2K]

I was at a library book sale today and found a Russian to english/English to Russian dictionary. I was tempted to buy it and send it to you civil but thought you would have received the info by now. If you still are interested, i'm sure it still will be there. It's only 50 cents.

50 cents? Jesus Christ, I think I payed 50 dollars for mine at the bookstore. Well, maybe 30, but whatever. It was a ton.

My advice for any dictionary is 1) look it up in both directions, i.e. once you get a result, do a reverse lookup to make sure it's the right sense of the word; and 2) make sure you understand the grammar of what you want to do with the word. The dictionary will list the infinitive of a verb and the nominative case of a noun/adjective, but based on context, you may need to change case/conjugate. Google is your friend, though the dictionary will often have a bunch of the more basic rules for the language you're looking at.

How does one get a keyboard to type in Russian? I was going to bring my laptop and just type what I read in the dictionary as another option.

Windows or Mac? Windows, you go into Regional and Language Options (or whatever it's called in your version), Keyboards and Languages, click Change keyboards..., then Add..., then look for Russian (Russian). The keyboard layout will look like this (http://frontype.com/keyboarding/540px-Computer-keyboard-Russian.svg.png).

Updated: Mac, you go to Applications, System Preferences (if it isn't on the Dock), International, Input Menu. Russian is about 80% of the way down. Make sure "show input menu in menu bar" is checked. You can also customize the keyboard shortcut for changing languages from there.

[Purple Santa]

Windows or Mac? Windows, you go into Regional and Language Options (or whatever it's called in your version), Keyboards and Languages, click Change keyboards..., then Add..., then look for Russian (Russian). The keyboard layout will look like this (http://frontype.com/keyboarding/540px-Computer-keyboard-Russian.svg.png).



Thanks! I have windows unfortunately. I picked up the dictionary today which was part of "fill a bag of books for $2". So I probably ended up spending a total of 10 cents on it :D

Civil, i'll try to get what I find by tomorrow. Hope it helps...