Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'backwater'

English Word: backwater

Key Russian Translations:

• заводь [ˈzavotʲ] - [Neutral, Often used in literal sense]
• глушь [ˈɡluʂ] - [Informal, Often used metaphorically for remote or backward places]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "заводь"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "глушь" due to metaphorical usage

Pronunciation (Russian):

заводь: [ˈzavotʲ]

Note on заводь: Stress falls on the first syllable. The final soft sign (ь) indicates a soft consonant sound.

глушь: [ˈɡluʂ]

Note on глушь: Stress on the first syllable. The "ш" sound is a retroflex fricative, distinct from English "sh".

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Literal Meaning (A still or stagnant body of water)

Translation(s) & Context:

• заводь - Used to describe a quiet, still part of a river or lake, often in natural settings.

Usage Examples:

• Рыбаки нашли тихую заводь у берега реки.

  The fishermen found a quiet backwater by the riverbank.

• Заводь была покрыта лилиями и казалась очень спокойной.

  The backwater was covered with lilies and seemed very peaceful.

• Мы спрятали лодку в заводи, чтобы её не унесло течением.

  We hid the boat in the backwater so it wouldn’t be carried away by the current.

2. Figurative Meaning (A remote or backward place)

Translation(s) & Context:

• глушь - Often used to describe a remote, isolated, or underdeveloped area, sometimes with a negative connotation.

Usage Examples:

• Эта деревня — настоящая глушь, здесь даже нет интернета.

  This village is a real backwater; there’s not even internet here.

• Он переехал в город, чтобы не жить в глуши.

  He moved to the city to avoid living in a backwater.

• В этой глуши время словно остановилось.

  In this backwater, time seems to have stopped.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

заводь (feminine noun): Follows the first declension pattern for feminine nouns ending in a soft sign (ь).

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	заводь	заводи
Genitive	заводи	заводей
Dative	заводи	заводям
Accusative	заводь	заводи
Instrumental	заводью	заводями
Prepositional	заводи	заводях

глушь (feminine noun): Also follows the first declension pattern for feminine nouns ending in a soft sign (ь).

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	глушь	глушь (rarely used in plural)
Genitive	глушь	-
Dative	глушь	-
Accusative	глушь	-
Instrumental	глушью	-
Prepositional	глушь	-

Note: "глушь" is rarely used in the plural as it often refers to a general concept of remoteness.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for заводь:

• залив
• омут

Note: "залив" often implies a larger body of water, while "омут" may carry a darker, deeper connotation.

Synonyms for глушь:

• захолустье
• дыра

Note: "дыра" is more colloquial and derogatory.

Antonyms for глушь:

• центр
• столица

Related Phrases:

• тихая заводь - "quiet backwater" (literal, often poetic)
• жить в глуши - "to live in a backwater" (figurative, implies isolation)
• уехать в глушь - "to move to a backwater" (figurative, suggests retreating from civilization)

Usage Notes:

• "заводь" is primarily used in a literal sense to describe a physical body of water and is neutral in tone. It is the safer choice when translating "backwater" in a geographical context.
• "глушь" is almost always used metaphorically to describe a remote or backward place. It can carry a negative connotation, so use it carefully in contexts where judgment might be implied.
• Be mindful of the context when choosing between "заводь" and "глушь". Mixing them up can lead to misunderstandings, as one is literal and the other figurative.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "глушь" to describe a literal body of water. Wrong: "На реке была красивая глушь." Correct: "На реке была красивая заводь." (Explanation: "глушь" is metaphorical and cannot refer to a physical backwater.)
• Error: Using "заводь" to describe a remote place metaphorically. Wrong: "Эта деревня — настоящая заводь." Correct: "Эта деревня — настоящая глушь." (Explanation: "заводь" is literal and does not convey remoteness or backwardness.)

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, the concept of "глушь" often evokes a sense of isolation and a slower pace of life, sometimes romanticized in literature as a return to nature, but more commonly seen as a lack of progress or modernity. This reflects Russia's vast geography, where remote areas can feel disconnected from urban centers.

Related Concepts:

• деревня (village)
• провинция (province)
• уединение (solitude)