Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'contort'

English Word: contort

Key Russian Translations:

• искривлять [ɪskrʲɪˈvlʲætʲ] - [Formal, Often used for physical or facial distortion]
• искажать [ɪsˈkaʒatʲ] - [Formal/Informal, Often used for distorting meaning or expression]
• корчить [ˈkortʃɪtʲ] - [Informal, Often used for facial grimaces or exaggerated expressions]

Frequency: Medium (used in specific contexts rather than everyday speech)

Difficulty: B1-B2 (Intermediate; varies slightly by translation due to nuance)

Pronunciation (Russian):

искривлять: [ɪskrʲɪˈvlʲætʲ]

Note on искривлять: Stress falls on the second syllable; the 'р' is rolled slightly.

искажать: [ɪsˈkaʒatʲ]

Note on искажать: The 'ж' is a voiced fricative, similar to the 's' in 'measure'.

корчить: [ˈkortʃɪtʲ]

Note on корчить: Stress on the first syllable; 'ч' sounds like 'ch' in 'church'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To twist or bend out of shape (physical distortion)

Translation(s) & Context:

• искривлять - Used for physical bending or twisting, such as a body part or object.

Usage Examples:

• Боль заставила его искривлять лицо.

  Pain made him contort his face.

• Ветер искривлял ветви деревьев.

  The wind contorted the branches of the trees.

• Он искривлял тело в странной позе.

  He contorted his body into a strange pose.

2. To distort or misrepresent (meaning or expression)

Translation(s) & Context:

• искажать - Used for distorting facts, meaning, or expressions.

Usage Examples:

• Он искажал правду, чтобы избежать наказания.

  He contorted the truth to avoid punishment.

• Его слова искажали смысл оригинального текста.

  His words contorted the meaning of the original text.

3. To make a grimace or exaggerated expression (informal)

Translation(s) & Context:

• корчить - Used for facial expressions or exaggerated grimaces, often in a humorous or mocking context.

Usage Examples:

• Он корчил рожи, чтобы рассмешить детей.

  He contorted his face to make the children laugh.

• Она корчила гримасы, изображая учителя.

  She contorted her face, mimicking the teacher.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

искривлять (Verb, Imperfective Aspect):

Person	Present Tense	Past Tense (Masculine/Feminine/Neuter)
1st Singular	искривляю	искривлял / искривляла / искривляло
3rd Plural	искривляют	искривляли

Note: Perfective form is "искривить".

искажать (Verb, Imperfective Aspect): Follows similar conjugation patterns to "искривлять". Perfective form is "исказить".

корчить (Verb, Imperfective Aspect): Similar conjugation; no direct perfective counterpart in common use for this meaning.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for искривлять (physical distortion):

• изгибать
• кривить

Note: "изгибать" often implies a smoother bend, while "кривить" may suggest irregularity.

Antonyms for искривлять:

• выпрямлять

Related Phrases:

• искривлять лицо - To contort one’s face (often due to pain or emotion).
• искажать факты - To contort/distort the facts (misrepresent information).
• корчить из себя - To contort oneself into (to pretend to be someone else, often mockingly).

Usage Notes:

• The choice between "искривлять", "искажать", and "корчить" depends on context. Use "искривлять" for physical distortions, "искажать" for abstract distortions (e.g., truth or meaning), and "корчить" for facial expressions or exaggerated gestures.
• "корчить" is more informal and often carries a playful or negative connotation.
• All three verbs are imperfective, so aspectual pairs (e.g., "искривить" for "искривлять") may be needed for completed actions.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "корчить" for serious physical distortions. Incorrect: "Он корчил руку от боли." Correct: "Он искривлял руку от боли." (He contorted his arm in pain.) Explanation: "корчить" is typically reserved for facial expressions or mockery.
• Error: Using "искажать" for physical objects. Incorrect: "Ветер искажал дерево." Correct: "Ветер искривлял дерево." Explanation: "искажать" is used for abstract distortions like meaning or sound.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, exaggerated facial expressions ("корчить рожи") are often associated with humor or mockery, especially among children or in informal settings. Using this term in a formal context might be seen as inappropriate or disrespectful.

Related Concepts:

• гримаса (grimace)
• искажение (distortion)
• изгиб (bend)