без языка

• БЕЗ ЯЗЫКА быть, остаться obsoles

[PrepP; Invar; subj-compl with copula (subj: human)]

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⇒ to have lost permanently or temporarily the ability to speak:

- X остался без языка{{}}≈ X was unable to speak;

- X was incapable of speaking <speech>;

- [of a temporary inability to speak] X was tongue-tied.

     ♦ Прошло несколько дней, и я узнала, что у Кривицкого - второй удар. Теперь он опять без языка и почти неподвижен (Гинзбург 2). A few days went by and I learned that Krivitsky had had a second stroke. He was once more unable to speak and almost unable to move (2a).

     ♦ Дело касалось его старинного друга... положение было отвратительное, разбирательство очень тяжёлое и чреватое (друг этот не то что-то написал, не то что-то подписал, не то напечатал, не то вслух сказал...), Лёва не то был замешан, не то касался боком... От него - требовалось. Он совсем потерял себя и ходил вовсе без лица и без языка... (Битов 2). The affair concerned an old friend...the situation was wretched, the investigation very painful and highly charged (the friend had maybe written something, or signed something, or printed it, or said it aloud...), Lyova was either implicated or indirectly involved... Something was required of him. He utterly lost his composure and went around totally blank-faced and tongue-tied... (2a).