Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'cesspit'

English Word: cesspit

Key Russian Translations:

• выгребная яма [ˈvɨɡrʲɪbnəjə ˈjamə] - [Formal, Literal]
• сортир [sɐrˈtʲir] - [Informal, Derogatory]

Frequency: Low

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "выгребная яма"; A2 (Elementary) for "сортир"

Pronunciation (Russian):

выгребная яма: [ˈvɨɡrʲɪbnəjə ˈjamə]

Note on выгребная яма: Stress falls on the first syllable of "выгребная" and the first syllable of "яма". The "г" is pronounced as a voiced fricative [ɡ].

сортир: [sɐrˈtʲir]

Note on сортир: Stress on the second syllable. The "р" is rolled, and "т" is palatalized before "и".

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Literal Meaning (A pit for waste or sewage)

Translation(s) & Context:

• выгребная яма - Used in formal or technical contexts to describe a literal cesspit or septic tank.

Usage Examples:

• На даче у нас есть выгребная яма для сточных вод.

  At our country house, we have a cesspit for wastewater.

• Выгребная яма требует регулярной очистки.

  The cesspit needs regular cleaning.

• Строительство выгребной ямы должно соответствовать нормам.

  The construction of a cesspit must comply with regulations.

2. Figurative Meaning (A place or situation of filth or corruption)

Translation(s) & Context:

• сортир - Used informally or pejoratively to describe a dirty or morally corrupt environment.

Usage Examples:

• Этот бар — настоящий сортир, туда лучше не ходить.

  This bar is a real cesspit, better not go there.

• Политика иногда превращается в сортир.

  Politics sometimes turns into a cesspit.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

выгребная яма (feminine noun phrase):

сортир (masculine noun):

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for выгребная яма:

• септик
• канализационная яма

Note: "септик" is more modern and often refers to a septic tank specifically.

Synonyms for сортир (figurative):

• помойка
• клоака

Antonyms: None directly applicable due to the negative connotation of the term.

Related Phrases:

• чистить выгребную яму - To clean a cesspit (literal).
• упасть в сортир - To fall into a cesspit (figurative, meaning to degrade morally or socially).

Usage Notes:

• "выгребная яма" is the standard term for a literal cesspit or septic tank and is appropriate in formal or technical contexts.
• "сортир" originally refers to a crude toilet but is often used pejoratively to describe a filthy or corrupt place/situation. It should be avoided in formal settings due to its derogatory tone.
• When translating "cesspit" into Russian, choose based on whether the context is literal (use "выгребная яма") or figurative (use "сортир" or synonyms like "помойка").

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "сортир" in formal contexts to describe a literal cesspit. Wrong: "На участке построили новый сортир для отходов." Correct: "На участке построили новую выгребную яму для отходов." (Explanation: "сортир" is too informal and derogatory for technical descriptions.)
• Error: Mispronouncing "выгребная" by stressing the wrong syllable. Stress should be on "вы-".

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like "сортир" carry a strong negative connotation and are often used in literature or speech to criticize societal or moral decay. Historically, "выгребная яма" relates to rural life where such pits were common before modern sanitation systems.

Related Concepts:

• канализация (sewer system)
• туалет (toilet)
• отходы (waste)