Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Ambivalent'

English Word: Ambivalent

Key Russian Translations:

• двусмысленный [dvʊsˈmɨslʲɪnnɨj] - [Formal, Used for ambiguous or unclear expressions]
• противоречивый [prətʲɪvərʲɪˈtɕɪvɨj] - [Neutral, Often used for conflicting feelings or opinions]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) for both translations

Pronunciation (Russian):

двусмысленный: [dvʊsˈmɨslʲɪnnɨj]

Note on двусмысленный: Stress falls on the third syllable; the "ы" sound is a unique Russian vowel, pronounced like a short, unrounded "i".

противоречивый: [prətʲɪvərʲɪˈtɕɪvɨj]

Note on противоречивый: Stress on the fourth syllable; the soft "ч" sound is similar to "ch" in "cheese" but softer.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Having mixed feelings or contradictory ideas about something or someone

Translation(s) & Context:

• противоречивый - Used to describe conflicting emotions or opinions, often in personal or emotional contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Его чувства к этому решению были противоречивы.

  His feelings about this decision were ambivalent.

• Она испытывает противоречивые эмоции по поводу переезда.

  She has ambivalent emotions about moving.

• Мой друг был противоречив в своих суждениях о фильме.

  My friend was ambivalent in his opinions about the movie.

2. Open to more than one interpretation; ambiguous

Translation(s) & Context:

• двусмысленный - Used for statements, expressions, or situations that can be interpreted in multiple ways.

Usage Examples:

• Его ответ был двусмысленным, и я не понял, что он имел в виду.

  His answer was ambivalent, and I didn’t understand what he meant.

• Этот текст написан в двусмысленной манере.

  This text is written in an ambivalent manner.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

двусмысленный (Adjective): Declines according to standard Russian adjective rules based on gender, number, and case.

противоречивый (Adjective): Follows similar declension patterns as above.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for противоречивый:

• конфликтный (conflicting)
• спорный (controversial)

Synonyms for двусмысленный:

• неоднозначный (ambiguous)
• неясный (unclear)

Antonyms for both:

• однозначный (unambiguous)
• ясный (clear)

Related Phrases:

• двусмысленная шутка - Ambiguous joke, often with a double meaning.
• противоречивые чувства - Mixed feelings, used to express emotional conflict.

Usage Notes:

• "противоречивый" is more commonly used when referring to emotional ambivalence or conflicting opinions, while "двусмысленный" is better suited for linguistic or situational ambiguity.
• Both terms are formal or neutral and can be used in written and spoken contexts, though "двусмысленный" may appear more in literary or analytical discussions.

Common Errors:

1. Mixing up "двусмысленный" and "противоречивый": English learners often use these interchangeably, but they are not always synonymous. For example, saying "Его чувства были двусмысленны" (His feelings were ambiguous) is incorrect; use "противоречивы" instead.

2. Incorrect adjective agreement: Failing to adjust the adjective form to match the noun’s gender, number, or case, e.g., using "двусмысленный" with a feminine noun like "шутка" (joke) instead of "двусмысленная".

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, expressing ambivalence, especially in personal matters, is often seen as a sign of thoughtfulness or complexity. However, in formal or professional settings, clarity is highly valued, and "двусмысленный" (ambiguous) statements may be frowned upon.

Related Concepts:

• неопределённость (uncertainty)
• сомнение (doubt)