https://xn----8sbhebeda0a3c5a7a.xn--p1ai/%D0%B2-%D1%81%D0%BB%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B5-%D0%BD%D0%B0-%D0%B1%D0%BE%D1%80%D1%82/

🙏

By the way, as I read my book, I’m posting some parts that I think would be interesting and challenging to translate into English. Unless I question some part of them in the comments, I already know what they mean - they’re meant more as practice for you all.

Я догадалась, Улий! Спасибо👍

Enjoy!

The hatch was opened immediately and the boy who suffered a shipwreck was taken on board.

Let’s talk about тотчас же. Does it mean immediately, or is it a quick transition from one event to another. I personally think it means something more like RIGHT THEN,...

Or maybe (RIGHT) AT THAT MOMENT,...

I thought they're all the same. 🤔
https://classes.ru/all-russian/dictionary-ortho-term-90458.htm

тотчас (сразу же, немедленно) - right now, without waiting or thinking (immediately)

I think IMMEDIATELY is one shade of meaning, but wouldn’t you agree that it would be a little clumsy in a story to say something like «вдруг/немедленно открылся люк» in a sequence of actions like this?

So "immediately" is somehow synonymous with "all of a sudden"?

Yes

Maybe you’re right and I’m interpreting it wrong. Maybe it DOES mean “all of a sudden” and I’m misinterpreting it.

You are the one who knows the context.))

для этого нужно понимать что произошло перед тем как люк открылся?
в том контексте что я вижу сейчас это "сразу же/тотчас же открылся люк" и этому предшествовало какое-то действие или событие

Капитан схватил сверхбинокль и, сгорая от любопытства, посмотрел на космического путешественника, который плавал в световом шлейфе корабля.
– Но это же не взрослый человек, это ребенок! – воскликнул он.
– Ничего удивительного, – проговорил штурман, – ребята всегда льнут к иллюминатору. Совершенно естественно, что иногда они выпадают за борт.
Капитан улыбнулся:
– Он верхом на игрушечной лошадке. Значит, задание выполнено. Но не будем зря болтать. Включить магнитное поле!
Не успел он отдать команду, как лошадка вместе со всадником мягко ткнулась в «брюхо» космического корабля. Тотчас же открылся люк, и мальчишка, потерпевший кораблекрушение, был принят на борт.

A quick transition from one event to another!

No soon had he given the command than the hobbyhorse - along with its rider, lightly knocked against the “belly” of the spaceship. Immediately a hatch opened up and the shipwrecked boy was brought aboard.

I like it!

So тотчас же just means IMMEDIATELY like Vladimir pointed out. Thank you!

I was reading too much into it - I thought it was much more dramatic)))

But it’s not normally used in conversation, right? It’s more of a narrative device?

да, более распространеный (разговорный) вариант это "сразу же"

Aha, that’s what I thought)))

at the very same moment (?)

at that very moment 👍🏼

I think "at that very moment" is the best option so far

Really? That was one of my original thoughts: at that very moment -or- right at that moment (they mean just about the same thing)

So: No sooner had he given the command than the hobbyhorse - along with its rider, lightly knocked against the “belly” of the spaceship. At that very moment, a hatch opened up and the shipwrecked boy was brought aboard.

How does that sound to everyone?

To me, it sounds more like a story than the other versions.

sounds good, better than "immediately"

I agree! I’ll post it)))

context is everything )

It sure is! I’ll try to provide more in future posts.