Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'bowdlerize'

English Word: bowdlerize

Key Russian Translations:

• цензурировать /tsɛn.zu.rə.'vatʲ/ - [Formal]
• редактировать /rʲɪ.dʲak.tʲi.'rovatʲ/ - [Formal, when implying editing for propriety]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in discussions of media, literature, and government control)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian verb conjugations and formal contexts)

Pronunciation (Russian):

цензурировать: /tsɛn.zu.rə.'vatʲ/

Note on цензурировать: The stress is on the third syllable ('va-'), and the 'ц' is pronounced like 'ts' in 'cats'. Be mindful of the soft sign 'ь' which palatalizes the preceding consonant.

редактировать: /rʲɪ.dʲak.tʲi.'rovatʲ/

Note on редактировать: The initial 'р' is rolled, and the word has a rhythmic flow; common in professional settings.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To remove or alter parts of a text, book, or other material to eliminate content deemed offensive, immoral, or inappropriate.

Translation(s) & Context:

• цензурировать - Used in formal contexts like government regulations or literary editing to imply official suppression or modification.
• редактировать - Applied in more general editing scenarios, but specifically for propriety in educational or publishing contexts.

Usage Examples:

• В советское время многие книги цензурировались, чтобы удалить политически нежелательный контент.

  In Soviet times, many books were bowdlerized to remove politically undesirable content.

• Родители часто редактируют детские книги, цензурируя сцены насилия для защиты детей.

  Parents often bowdlerize children's books by editing out scenes of violence to protect kids.

• Этот фильм был вынужден цензурироваться из-за сцен, которые считались неподходящими для аудитории.

  This film had to be bowdlerized due to scenes considered inappropriate for the audience.

• В издательстве они редактируют тексты, чтобы сделать их более этичными и приемлемыми.

  In the publishing house, they bowdlerize texts to make them more ethical and acceptable.

• Правительство решило цензурировать интернет-контент во время выборов.

  The government decided to bowdlerize internet content during elections.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both primary translations are verbs, which follow Russian conjugation patterns. "Цензурировать" and "редактировать" are first-conjugation verbs with regular patterns, but they can vary by tense, aspect, and person. Below is a table for "цензурировать" as an example; "редактировать" follows similar rules.

For "редактировать", it is similarly conjugated (e.g., редактирую, редактировал). These verbs do not have irregular forms but must agree with the subject in person and number.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • запрещать (to forbid; often used for outright bans rather than modifications)
  • изымать (to remove; implies physical extraction of content)
• Antonyms:
  • публиковать (to publish; without restrictions)
  • распространять (to distribute; freely sharing content)

Related Phrases:

• Подвергнуть цензуре - To subject to censorship; used when describing official actions on media.
• Редактировать для приличия - To edit for propriety; common in literary contexts to ensure moral standards.
• Цензура в прессе - Censorship in the press; a phrase highlighting media control.

Usage Notes:

"Цензурировать" is the most direct equivalent to "bowdlerize" in formal or governmental contexts, emphasizing suppression, while "редактировать" is broader and often implies voluntary editing. English speakers should note that Russian verbs require aspect (perfective/imperfective); "цензурировать" is imperfective, so pair it with perfective forms like "провести цензуру" for completed actions. Use "цензурировать" in official or historical discussions, and avoid it in casual speech to prevent sounding overly formal.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "цензурировать" interchangeably with "редактировать" without considering context. For example, an English speaker might say "Я редактирую книгу" when meaning censorship, but this could imply simple editing.

  Correct: "Я цензурирую книгу" for censorship. Explanation: "Редактировать" is neutral; specify with additional words like "для цензуры" to avoid confusion.

• Error: Forgetting verb conjugation, e.g., saying "Он цензурировать" instead of "Он цензурирует".

  Correct: "Он цензурирует". Explanation: Russian verbs must agree with the subject; always conjugate based on person and number.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, censorship ("цензура") has a significant historical connotation, particularly during the Soviet era when it was used to control information and suppress dissent. Words like "цензурировать" often evoke memories of state-controlled media, making them sensitive in modern discussions about freedom of speech.

Related Concepts:

• пропаганда
• информация
• свобода слова