Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'deaf'

English Word: deaf

Key Russian Translations:

• глухой [ɡlʊˈxoɪ] - [Formal, Adjective, Masculine]
• глухая [ɡlʊˈxaɪ̯ə] - [Formal, Adjective, Feminine]
• глухие [ɡlʊˈxʲiɪ] - [Formal, Adjective, Plural]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: A2 (Beginner-Intermediate)

Pronunciation (Russian):

глухой: [ɡlʊˈxoɪ]

Note on глухой: Stress falls on the second syllable. The 'г' is pronounced as a voiced velar stop, and the 'х' is a voiceless fricative.

глухая: [ɡlʊˈxaɪ̯ə]

глухие: [ɡlʊˈxʲiɪ]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. Unable to hear (Physical condition)

Translation(s) & Context:

• глухой/глухая/глухие - Used to describe a person who cannot hear, often in a neutral or medical context.

Usage Examples:

• Он родился глухим.

  He was born deaf.

• Она стала глухой после несчастного случая.

  She became deaf after an accident.

• Глухие люди часто используют язык жестов.

  Deaf people often use sign language.

• В школе для глухих обучают специальным методам.

  The school for the deaf teaches special methods.

• Этот фильм имеет субтитры для глухих зрителей.

  This movie has subtitles for deaf viewers.

2. Unresponsive or unwilling to listen (Figurative)

Translation(s) & Context:

• глухой - Used metaphorically to describe someone ignoring advice or pleas.

Usage Examples:

• Он глух к моим просьбам.

  He is deaf to my requests.

• Правительство осталось глухим к протестам.

  The government remained deaf to the protests.

• Она была глуха к его извинениям.

  She was deaf to his apologies.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

The word глухой is an adjective and changes form based on gender, number, and case. Below is a simplified declension table for the nominative case:

Note: Further declensions occur in other cases (genitive, dative, etc.), which follow standard Russian adjective patterns.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• неслышащий (more formal, often used in medical contexts)

Note: "неслышащий" is often used in official or medical contexts, while "глухой" is more common in everyday speech.

Antonyms:

• слышащий (hearing)

Related Phrases:

• глухой как пень - "deaf as a post" (idiomatic, informal, meaning completely deaf)
• глухой к просьбам - "deaf to requests" (figurative, ignoring pleas)
• школа для глухих - "school for the deaf" (common phrase for specialized institutions)

Usage Notes:

• The adjective "глухой" must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun it modifies, which is a key grammatical feature in Russian.
• In figurative usage, "глухой" often implies intentional ignoring rather than a physical inability to hear, similar to English.
• Be cautious with tone; "глухой" can sound blunt or insensitive if used carelessly in reference to a person. In formal or polite contexts, "неслышащий" may be preferred.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "глухой" without agreement in gender or number (e.g., saying "глухой" for a female subject). Correct: Use "глухая" for feminine singular subjects, as in "Она глухая."
• Error: Misusing "глухой" in figurative contexts by translating it literally. Example of Error: "He is deaf about politics" translated as "Он глухой о политике" (incorrect). Correct: "Он глух к политике" (deaf to politics).

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, discussing disabilities like deafness can be sensitive. Historically, the Soviet Union placed emphasis on integrating deaf individuals through specialized schools, and Russian Sign Language (RSL) is widely used within the community. When using terms like "глухой," it’s important to be respectful and context-aware, as directness can sometimes be perceived as rudeness.

Related Concepts:

• язык жестов (sign language)
• сурдоперевод (sign language interpretation)
• неслышащий (non-hearing)