Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Authority'

English Word: Authority

Key Russian Translations:

• власть [ˈvlastʲ] - [Formal, Often used in political or legal contexts]
• авторитет [ˌavtərʲɪˈtʲet] - [Formal/Informal, Refers to personal or professional influence]
• полномочия [pəlnəˈmotʲɪjə] - [Formal, Plural, Refers to legal rights or powers]

Frequency: High (especially "власть" and "авторитет")

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "власть" and "авторитет"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "полномочия"

Pronunciation (Russian):

власть: [ˈvlastʲ]

Note on власть: Stress falls on the first syllable; the final "т" is pronounced softly.

авторитет: [ˌavtərʲɪˈtʲet]

Note on авторитет: Stress on the last syllable; the "р" is rolled slightly.

полномочия: [pəlnəˈmotʲɪjə]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Power or Control (Political/Legal)

Translation(s) & Context:

• власть - Used for governmental or institutional power.
• полномочия - Refers to specific rights or delegated powers, often in legal contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Власть должна служить народу.

  The authority should serve the people.

• Эти полномочия были переданы новому комитету.

  These powers were transferred to the new committee.

• Центральная власть приняла решение.

  The central authority made a decision.

2. Influence or Respect (Personal/Professional)

Translation(s) & Context:

• авторитет - Used for someone who is respected or has influence in a field.

Usage Examples:

• Он настоящий авторитет в своей области.

  He is a true authority in his field.

• Её авторитет среди коллег неоспорим.

  Her authority among colleagues is undeniable.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

власть (feminine noun): Follows the 3rd declension pattern in Russian.

авторитет (masculine noun): Regular 2nd declension noun.

полномочия (neuter noun, plural only): Used only in plural form; follows standard plural declension.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for власть:

• правление
• управление

Note: "правление" often implies governance, while "управление" can refer to management.

Antonyms for власть:

• подчинение
• зависимость

Related Phrases:

• власть народа - "power of the people" (political context)
• потерять авторитет - "to lose authority/respect" (personal influence)
• передать полномочия - "to delegate powers" (legal or administrative context)

Usage Notes:

• "власть" is the most common translation for institutional or governmental power and is rarely used for personal influence.
• "авторитет" is ideal when referring to someone’s expertise or respect earned in a community or field.
• "полномочия" is strictly formal and used in contexts involving legal or official rights; it is always plural.

Common Errors:

Error 1: Using "авторитет" to mean governmental power. This is incorrect as it refers to personal influence.

Incorrect: Авторитет приняла новый закон. (The authority passed a new law.)

Correct: Власть приняла новый закон.

Error 2: Using "полномочия" in singular form. It is always plural in Russian.

Incorrect: У меня есть полномочие.

Correct: У меня есть полномочия.

Cultural Notes:

The concept of "власть" carries significant weight in Russian culture, often associated with centralized power and historical contexts of governance. It can evoke both respect and criticism depending on the context. "авторитет," on the other hand, is tied to personal reputation, which is highly valued in professional and social settings.

Related Concepts:

• правительство (government)
• лидерство (leadership)
• контроль (control)