Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Contempt'

English Word: Contempt

Key Russian Translations:

• презрение [prʲɪzʲˈrʲenʲɪjə] - [Neutral, Commonly Used]
• неуважение [nʲɪʊvɐˈʒenʲɪjə] - [Formal, Often Legal or Official Context]
• пренебрежение [prʲɪnʲɪbrʲɪˈʒenʲɪjə] - [Neutral, Slightly Literary]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) for all translations

Pronunciation (Russian):

презрение: [prʲɪzʲˈrʲenʲɪjə]

Note on презрение: Stress falls on the second syllable. The 'р' sound is rolled, which may be challenging for non-native speakers.

неуважение: [nʲɪʊvɐˈʒenʲɪjə]

Note on неуважение: Stress on the third syllable. Pay attention to the soft 'н' sound at the beginning.

пренебрежение: [prʲɪnʲɪbrʲɪˈʒenʲɪjə]

Note on пренебрежение: Stress on the fourth syllable. The cluster 'бре' can be tricky to pronounce smoothly.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Disdain or Scorn (Feeling of Disrespect)

Translation(s) & Context:

• презрение - Used to express a strong feeling of disdain or scorn, often personal or emotional.
• пренебрежение - Often implies disregard or neglect, sometimes with a tone of superiority.

Usage Examples:

• Она посмотрела на него с презрением.

  She looked at him with contempt.

• Его слова были полны пренебрежения к её усилиям.

  His words were full of contempt for her efforts.

• Я не могу скрыть своего презрения к таким людям.

  I cannot hide my contempt for such people.

2. Disrespect (Legal or Formal Context)

Translation(s) & Context:

• неуважение - Commonly used in formal or legal contexts, such as "contempt of court" (неуважение к суду).

Usage Examples:

• Его действия расценили как неуважение к суду.

  His actions were regarded as contempt of court.

• Неуважение к старшим недопустимо в нашей культуре.

  Contempt for elders is unacceptable in our culture.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All three translations are neuter nouns in Russian and follow regular declension patterns for nouns ending in -ие. Below is the declension table for презрение as an example:

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	презрение	презрения
Genitive	презрения	презрений
Dative	презрению	презрениям
Accusative	презрение	презрения
Instrumental	презрением	презрениями
Prepositional	о презрении	о презрениях

Note: The declension patterns for неуважение and пренебрежение are identical to the above table, as they share the same grammatical structure.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for презрение:

• пренебрежение
• надменность
• высокомерие

Note: While "надменность" and "высокомерие" imply arrogance, "пренебрежение" is closer to neglect or disregard.

Antonyms for презрение:

• уважение
• почтение
• восхищение

Related Phrases:

• смотреть с презрением - to look with contempt (used to describe a disdainful gaze)
• неуважение к закону - contempt for the law (formal or legal context)
• пренебрежение правилами - contempt for rules (implies disregard or neglect)

Usage Notes:

• презрение is the most common and versatile term for "contempt," suitable for personal and emotional contexts.
• неуважение is more formal and often used in legal or official settings, such as "contempt of court."
• пренебрежение carries a nuance of neglect or disregard and is slightly more literary or formal than презрение.
• Be mindful of the context when choosing the appropriate Russian translation, as the tone and formality can significantly affect the meaning.

Common Errors:

1. Mixing up formality levels: English learners often use презрение in formal contexts like legal discussions, where неуважение is more appropriate. For example:

• Wrong: "Презрение к суду" (sounds too personal/emotional)
• Correct: "Неуважение к суду" (formal and contextually appropriate)

2. Incorrect declension: Learners may forget to decline the noun properly in sentences, e.g., using nominative case where genitive is required after prepositions like "с" (with).

• Wrong: "С презрение"
• Correct: "С презрением"

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, expressing contempt openly (especially through words like презрение) can be seen as highly confrontational or rude, particularly in formal or hierarchical settings. Russians may prefer indirect expressions of disdain to avoid conflict, unlike in some English-speaking cultures where direct criticism might be more acceptable.

Related Concepts:

• уважение (respect)
• высокомерие (arrogance)
• надменность (haughtiness)