Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'advocate'

English Word: advocate

Key Russian Translations:

• адвокат [ɐdvɐˈkat] - [Formal, Legal Context]
• защитник [zɐˈɕːitnʲɪk] - [General, Defender of a Cause or Person]
• сторонник [stɐˈronnʲɪk] - [Informal, Supporter of an Idea]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in legal and social contexts)

Difficulty: B1-B2 (Intermediate; varies slightly by translation)

Pronunciation (Russian):

адвокат: [ɐdvɐˈkat]

Note on адвокат: Stress falls on the last syllable. The 'дв' cluster can be challenging for non-native speakers.

защитник: [zɐˈɕːitnʲɪk]

Note on защитник: The 'щ' sound is a soft, hissing sound unique to Russian; practice softening the following 'и'.

сторонник: [stɐˈronnʲɪk]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Legal Representative (Lawyer)

Translation(s) & Context:

• адвокат - Used specifically for a lawyer or legal advocate in formal and professional contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Мне нужен адвокат для защиты в суде.

  I need an advocate for defense in court.

• Адвокат представил убедительные доказательства.

  The advocate presented compelling evidence.

• Она работает адвокатом уже десять лет.

  She has been working as an advocate for ten years.

2. Defender or Protector (General Sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• защитник - Refers to someone who defends a person, cause, or idea, often in a non-legal sense.

Usage Examples:

• Он был защитником прав животных.

  He was an advocate for animal rights.

• Защитник команды сыграл ключевую роль.

  The team’s defender (advocate in a broader sense) played a key role.

3. Supporter or Proponent (of an Idea)

Translation(s) & Context:

• сторонник - Used for someone who supports or advocates for an idea, policy, or movement.

Usage Examples:

• Он сторонник новых реформ.

  He is an advocate of new reforms.

• Сторонники этой идеи собрались на митинг.

  Advocates of this idea gathered for a rally.

• Она известна как сторонник равенства.

  She is known as an advocate for equality.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

адвокат (Masculine Noun): Follows the regular masculine noun declension (2nd declension).

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	адвокат	адвокаты
Genitive	адвоката	адвокатов
Dative	адвокату	адвокатам
Accusative	адвоката	адвокатов
Instrumental	адвокатом	адвокатами
Prepositional	об адвокате	об адвокатах

защитник (Masculine Noun): Similar to адвокат, follows regular masculine noun declension.

сторонник (Masculine Noun): Also follows regular masculine noun declension.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for адвокат (Legal Context):

• юрист
• правозащитник (in human rights context)

Note: юрист is more general and can refer to any legal professional, while правозащитник often implies advocacy for rights.

Synonyms for сторонник:

• приверженец
• последователь

Antonyms for сторонник:

• противник
• оппонент

Related Phrases:

• адвокат по уголовным делам - Criminal defense advocate (lawyer specializing in criminal cases).
• защитник прав человека - Human rights advocate (defender of human rights).
• сторонник перемен - Advocate for change (supporter of reforms or changes).

Usage Notes:

• The choice between адвокат, защитник, and сторонник depends on context. Use адвокат strictly for legal professionals in formal settings.
• защитник is more versatile and can apply to both literal defenders (e.g., in sports) and metaphorical ones (e.g., defending a cause).
• сторонник is best for expressing ideological support and is less formal than the other terms.

Common Errors:

Error 1: Using адвокат when referring to a general supporter of a cause.

Incorrect: Он адвокат этой идеи. (He is a lawyer of this idea.)

Correct: Он сторонник этой идеи. (He is an advocate/supporter of this idea.)

Explanation: адвокат strictly refers to a legal professional, not a general supporter.

Error 2: Misusing cases after prepositions with защитник.

Incorrect: Я говорил с защитник. (Incorrect case after preposition 'с')

Correct: Я говорил с защитником. (Correct instrumental case)

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the role of an адвокат (lawyer) is often associated with high prestige but also with skepticism due to historical portrayals in media and literature. Meanwhile, being a защитник (defender) of a cause, especially related to social justice, carries a strong positive connotation, reflecting Russia's history of activism.

Related Concepts:

• правозащита (human rights advocacy)
• юриспруденция (jurisprudence)
• общественное движение (social movement)