Mikhail Kropotov Apr 2, 2015:

Exactly; he's not talking about himself Sometimes it's best to just translate what is in the source, no more, no less.

Evgeny Artemov (X) Apr 2, 2015:

Whether "stayed on" or "was kept/reserved" does not really matter: Leontiev describes (in this particular part of the interview) the general procedure for forming academic/research staff at the time: instead of "distribution" into the "people's economy", the most promising graduates were "kept at the university/college" for further academic careers as "aspirants" (i.e. postgrad students working toward their "candidate of sciences" degree). I mean, he did not mean specifically himself. He equals himself to "aspirants" who were also unpaid "junior researchers".

Evgeny Artemov (X) Apr 2, 2015:

Susan, Russian Wiki says otherwise: поступил на факультет общественных наук МГУ, который окончил в 1923 либо 1924 году. Среди его учителей того времени: Г. И. Челпанов и Г. Г. Шпет. По окончании университета был оставлен при Психологическом институте для подготовки к профессорской деятельности, на это время пришлось смещение с поста директора основателя Института Г. И. Челпанова.

On the Psychology Institute:
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Психологический_институт_имени...

Став в 1907 году профессором по кафедре философии в Московском университете, он учредил «Психологический семинарий», который называл «маленьким институтом». На базе семинария стало вестись преподавание психологии, а с 1909 года — экспериментальные исследования. Когда число обучающихся превысило возможности помещения, начался процесс создания самостоятельного института. Психологический институт, создан в 1912 и открыт в 1914 году проф. МУ Г.И. Челпанов.

Susan Welsh (asker) Apr 2, 2015:

Thanks Evgeny, but... I'm not sure about that. The English Wikipedia says "In 1921, he began his studies at the historical-philological Faculty of the University [MGU]. The historical-philological Faculty, at the time, included a Department of Philosophy at which G. I. Chelpanov was teaching psychology, and Leont'ev studied psychology with him. In 1924, Leont'ev graduated from what became the Faculty of Social Sciences." So it sounds like the Psych Dept/Institute was part of MGU. (Of course, the English may be wrong; it's just that it's SO much easier to understand than the Russian ! :-) ) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleksei_N._Leontiev

Evgeny Artemov (X) Apr 2, 2015:

I'd write this as: "I was titled 'supernumerary(?) junior research[work]er', that was something llike a postgrad student. They called so people that fell within the category of graduates they kept at the university {{upon graduation for continued postgrad studies and subsequent academic career at it}}, which {{decision to keep them on usually}} occurred in December {{i.e. 6 months before the graduation}}'

But, as I noted, Leontiev describes the general procedure ("оставление"), it did not apply to him, because he graduated from Moscow Universtity and was NOT "оставлен". He just explains "extranumeraries".

Evgeny Artemov (X) Apr 2, 2015:

I'd say, "assigned to" 1. Leontiev was оставлен NOT at the university, but at the Psychology Institute (which was part of the Academy of Sciences, NOT the university).

https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Психологический_институт_имени...

The transcript Susan is translating seems to differ from the official version (as given in Wikipedia)

2. Leontiev studied and gradiated from Moscow Universtity, NOT the Pshychology Institute.

По окончании университета был оставлен при Психологическом институте для подготовки к профессорской деятельности, на это время пришлось смещение с поста директора основателя Института Г. И. Челпанова.

3. So neither the university, nor the Psychology could "keep" him, nor could he "stay on". It was possibly 1925 academic speak.

Mikhail Kropotov Apr 2, 2015:

No, of course he did not leave the university. Оставить университет and остаться при университете are complete opposites.

Susan Welsh (asker) Apr 2, 2015:

here's more of it... "Такой формальный акт был сделан, по крайней мере Челпанов меня проинформировал, что вот есть решение об оставлении меня при университете. Внештатный младший научный сотрудник — это значит «младший научный сотрудник, не получающий никакой зарплаты»."

The two answers so far demonstrate why I couldn't figure this out: one answerer says they left the university (graduated), the other says they stayed! Well, Leontiev is at the Institute of Psychology, which I guess is part of a university, although he doesn't say so.