Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'comminute'

English Word: comminute

Key Russian Translations:

• измельчить /i.zʲmʲɪˈlʲ.t͡ɕɪtʲ/ - [Verb, Formal, Used in technical or scientific contexts]
• размельчить /rɐ.zʲmʲɪˈlʲ.t͡ɕɪtʲ/ - [Verb, Informal, Often used in everyday or industrial settings]

Frequency: Low (This term and its translations are specialized, primarily appearing in scientific, medical, or industrial contexts rather than daily conversation.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for 'измельчить'; B2 (Upper Intermediate) for 'размельчить', as they involve understanding verb conjugations and context-specific usage in Russian.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

измельчить: /i.zʲmʲɪˈlʲ.t͡ɕɪtʲ/

размельчить: /rɐ.zʲmʲɪˈlʲ.t͡ɕɪtʲ/

Note on измельчить: The pronunciation features a soft 'л' sound (/lʲ/), which can be challenging for English speakers; practice the palatalization for accuracy.

Note on размельчить: The initial 'р' is rolled, typical in Russian; vary stress based on sentence context.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To reduce something to small particles or powder, often through crushing or grinding.

Translation(s) & Context:

• измельчить - Used in formal or technical contexts, such as in chemistry or food processing, to describe precise pulverization.
• размельчить - Applied in more general or informal scenarios, like manual crushing in everyday tasks.

Usage Examples:

• В лаборатории мы измельчили образец до порошка для анализа. (In the laboratory, we comminuted the sample into powder for analysis.)

  English Translation: In the laboratory, we ground the sample into powder for analysis.

• Чтобы приготовить специи, нужно размельчить их в ступке. (To prepare the spices, you need to comminute them in a mortar.)

  English Translation: To prepare the spices, you need to crush them in a mortar.

• Инженеры размельчили материал, чтобы улучшить его свойства. (The engineers comminuted the material to enhance its properties.)

  English Translation: The engineers pulverized the material to improve its properties.

• Для эксперимента измельчили листья растений в мелкий порошок. (For the experiment, we comminuted the plant leaves into a fine powder.)

  English Translation: For the experiment, we ground the plant leaves into a fine powder.

• В пищевой промышленности размельчить ингредиенты – это стандартная процедура. (In the food industry, comminuting ingredients is a standard procedure.)

  English Translation: In the food industry, pulverizing ingredients is a standard procedure.

Secondary Meaning: To break down or fragment something metaphorically, e.g., in abstract or figurative senses (less common for 'comminute').

Translation(s) & Context:

• измельчить - Rarely used figuratively, e.g., in literary contexts to mean breaking down ideas or structures.

Usage Examples:

• Критик измельчил теорию автора в своей рецензии. (The critic comminuted the author's theory in his review.)

  English Translation: The critic dismantled the author's theory in his review.

• В дебатах они размельчили аргументы оппонента. (In the debates, they comminuted the opponent's arguments.)

  English Translation: In the debates, they broke down the opponent's arguments.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'измельчить' and 'размельчить' are Russian verbs of the first conjugation. They follow regular patterns but can vary by aspect (perfective). 'Измельчить' is perfective, meaning it indicates a completed action, while related imperfective forms exist (e.g., 'измельчать').

These verbs do not change irregularly, but pay attention to the perfective aspect, which is common in Russian for actions with a definite endpoint.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • дробить (to crush) - More general, often used for larger-scale breaking.
  • молоть (to grind) - Specifically for milling or grinding grains.
• Antonyms:
  • собрать (to assemble) - Implies building up rather than breaking down.
  • укрепить (to strengthen) - Opposite in the context of material integrity.

Related Phrases:

• Измельчить в порошок (To comminute into powder) - Refers to reducing something to a fine dust, commonly in pharmaceuticals.
• Размельчить вручную (To comminute by hand) - Indicates manual crushing, often in DIY or traditional contexts.
• Механическое измельчение (Mechanical comminution) - A phrase used in engineering for machine-based processes.

Usage Notes:

'Comminute' directly corresponds to 'измельчить' in formal settings, where precision is key, such as in scientific writing. In Russian, choose 'размельчить' for everyday or less technical scenarios to sound more natural. Be mindful of the perfective aspect, which emphasizes completion—unlike English, where 'comminute' can be used in both perfect and imperfect senses. Avoid using these verbs in poetic or abstract contexts unless the metaphor is clear, as they are primarily concrete.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing the perfective 'измельчить' with its imperfective counterpart 'измельчать', leading to incorrect tense usage. For example, learners might say "Я измельчаю каждый день" when meaning a ongoing process, but for a completed action, it should be "Я измельчил вчера".

  Correct: Use 'измельчить' for finished actions to match the English perfect tense.

• Error: Overusing 'размельчить' in formal contexts, where 'измельчить' is more appropriate. For instance, saying "Размельчить образец в лаборатории" instead of "Измельчить образец в лаборатории".

  Correct: Opt for 'измельчить' in professional settings for precision.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like 'измельчить' are often associated with traditional practices, such as grinding herbs in folk medicine or processing food in rural settings. This reflects Russia's historical emphasis on self-sufficiency and manual labor, contrasting with modern industrial applications.

Related Concepts:

• дробление (crushing)
• помол (grinding)
• порошок (powder)