Template:Did you know nominations/Rodion Markovits

Rodion Markovits

 * ... that Rodion Markovits became "the best-known Transylvanian writer" with his account of World War I captivity and survival in the Russian Far East?
 * Reviewed: 27 Squadron SAAF

Created/expanded by Dahn (talk). Self nom at 22:25, 11 November 2011 (UTC)


 * Please hold this one as well for Romania's national holiday, December 1. Dahn (talk) 22:26, 11 November 2011 (UTC)
 * Pictogram voting keep.svg Excellent article with depth. What do you think of
 * ALT1: ... that the account of World War I captivity and survival in the Russian Far East by Rodion Markovits was translated into a dozen languages, making him "the best-known Transylvanian writer"? --Gerda Arendt (talk) 23:53, 28 November 2011 (UTC)
 * That's fine by me. Well, that's largely fine by me, but it's more like 15 or so languages: it's 12 languages other than German, French and English (and possibly Romanian is counted in there as well). Btw, thank you for taking the time on all these hooks: you're a heroine. Dahn (talk) 00:50, 29 November 2011 (UTC)
 * Thank you, a little exaggerated, but I like it! (I love opera, so heroine has a specific connotation for me.) My first language is not English, I am ready to learn nuances, I thought saying "a dozen" (in the source, if I remember right) in such a context means "about 12" rather than "exactly 12". But what do you think of this:
 * ALT2: ... that the account of World War I captivity and survival in the Russian Far East by Rodion Markovits was translated into a more than a dozen languages, making him "the best-known Transylvanian writer"? --Gerda Arendt (talk) 10:54, 29 November 2011 (UTC)
 * Hm, I was somewhat aware of your opera thing - I'm usually one of those numbers you get in the "check views" link. But I lurk in the shadows :). Now, the sources have different base numbers, because they generally mention that it was translated into German, then in other (12, 13, 14) languages - in other words, they don't include the very first translation. I agree about "a dozen" being vague enough, but I'm not sure it covers numbers as far up as 15. Your new alt is a bit, well, it doesn't read well. It also poses a problem of being too precise: yes, it's some 15 languages, but all of them in the 1930s - for all we know, he may have been translated into other languages since. May I suggest tweaking it to:

ALT3:... that, after being translated into some 15 languages, Rodion Markovits's account of World War I captivity and survival in the Russian Far East made its author "the best-known Transylvanian writer"?
 * Although I feel I should say that it's starting to look a bit complicated to keep both the number and the quote in, so I think that my original hook, or something based on it, looks a bit better to me. Dahn (talk) 16:42, 29 November 2011 (UTC)
 * That is approved (also), but I think it gets to the interesting stuff rather in the end, - the normal fast reader may have lost attention over a strange name and a superlative s/he isn't interested in and never get there. Let's the prep-filling experts decide, --Gerda Arendt (talk) 17:03, 29 November 2011 (UTC)
 * Amen to that. Dahn (talk) 19:44, 29 November 2011 (UTC)