Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Abolish'

English Word: Abolish

Key Russian Translations:

• отменить [ɐtˈmʲenʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, Commonly used in legal or official contexts]
• упразднить [ʊprɐˈzdnʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, Often used for institutions or systems]

Frequency: Medium (used in specific contexts like law or policy)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) for both translations due to formal usage and conjugation complexity

Pronunciation (Russian):

отменить: [ɐtˈmʲenʲɪtʲ]

Note on отменить: Stress falls on the second syllable. The "е" sounds like "ye" in "yes."

упразднить: [ʊprɐˈzdnʲɪtʲ]

Note on упразднить: Stress on the third syllable. The "з" is softened due to the following "дн."

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To officially end a law, rule, or system

Translation(s) & Context:

• отменить - Used for canceling laws, rules, or decisions in official contexts.
• упразднить - Used for abolishing organizations, systems, or structures, often with a sense of complete dissolution.

Usage Examples:

• Правительство решило отменить этот закон.

  The government decided to abolish this law.

• Они отменили старые правила школы.

  They abolished the old school rules.

• Совет директоров упразднил отдел маркетинга.

  The board of directors abolished the marketing department.

• В 1861 году в России упразднили крепостное право.

  In 1861, serfdom was abolished in Russia.

• Мы не можем просто отменить традиции без обсуждения.

  We cannot just abolish traditions without discussion.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

отменить (Perfective Verb): This verb follows regular conjugation patterns for perfective verbs of the second conjugation. It indicates a completed action.

упразднить (Perfective Verb): Similar to отменить, this is a perfective verb with regular conjugation, often implying a more permanent or structural abolition.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for отменить:

• аннулировать (to annul, often used in legal contexts)
• расторгнуть (to terminate, often for contracts or agreements)

Synonyms for упразднить:

• ликвидировать (to liquidate, often for organizations)
• расформировать (to disband, often for groups or units)

Antonyms:

• ввести (to introduce or establish)
• создать (to create or found)

Related Phrases:

• отменить решение - to abolish a decision (used in formal or legal contexts)
• упразднить должность - to abolish a position (common in organizational contexts)
• отменить запрет - to lift/abolish a ban (used for rules or restrictions)

Usage Notes:

• отменить is more versatile and commonly used for laws, rules, or decisions, while упразднить often implies a deeper structural change, like dissolving an institution.
• Both verbs are perfective, meaning they indicate a completed action. For ongoing or repeated actions, use their imperfective counterparts (отменять for отменить, упразднять for упразднить).
• These terms are mostly formal; in casual conversation, native speakers might use less formal expressions like "убрать" (to remove) if the context allows.

Common Errors:

• Mixing отменить and упразднить: Learners often use them interchangeably. For example, saying "упразднить закон" (incorrect) instead of "отменить закон" (correct) for abolishing a law. Use отменить for laws or rules and упразднить for systems or institutions.
• Aspect errors: Using perfective verbs (отменить) in contexts requiring imperfective (отменять). For example, "Я отменю это каждый день" is incorrect; use "Я отменяю это каждый день" for habitual actions.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian history, the term упразднить is notably associated with significant reforms, such as the abolition of serfdom in 1861 ("упразднение крепостного права"). Understanding this historical context can help learners grasp the weight of the term in formal or historical discussions.

Related Concepts:

• реформа (reform)
• закон (law)
• система (system)