Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Deafen'

English Word: deafen

Key Russian Translations:

• оглушить [ɐɡlʊˈʂɨtʲ] - [Formal, Often used in literal and figurative contexts]
• заглушить [zəɡlʊˈʂɨtʲ] - [Informal, Often used for drowning out sound or emotions]

Frequency: Medium

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for both translations

Pronunciation (Russian):

оглушить: [ɐɡlʊˈʂɨtʲ]

Note on оглушить: Stress falls on the second syllable; the "ш" sound is a soft hissing sound unique to Russian.

заглушить: [zəɡlʊˈʂɨtʲ]

Note on заглушить: Similar stress and pronunciation to "оглушить," but starts with a voiced "z" sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To make someone temporarily unable to hear (literal)

Translation(s) & Context:

• оглушить - Used when referring to a loud noise or explosion causing temporary deafness.

Usage Examples:

• Взрыв оглушил всех в комнате.

  The explosion deafened everyone in the room.

• Громкий звук сирены оглушил меня на мгновение.

  The loud sound of the siren deafened me for a moment.

• Концерт был так громким, что чуть не оглушил нас.

  The concert was so loud that it nearly deafened us.

2. To drown out or suppress (figurative, sound or emotions)

Translation(s) & Context:

• заглушить - Commonly used for overpowering a sound or suppressing feelings.

Usage Examples:

• Он включил музыку, чтобы заглушить шум с улицы.

  He turned on music to deafen the noise from the street.

• Она пыталась заглушить боль воспоминаний.

  She tried to deafen the pain of memories.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

оглушить (Perfective Verb): This verb follows regular conjugation patterns for perfective verbs in Russian. It indicates a completed action.

заглушить (Perfective Verb): Similar to "оглушить," this is a perfective verb with a regular conjugation pattern.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for оглушить:

• потрясти (to stun)
• ошеломить (to overwhelm)

Note: "потрясти" often implies a physical or emotional shock, while "ошеломить" leans more toward emotional or mental impact.

Synonyms for заглушить:

• утопить (to drown out)
• подавить (to suppress)

Antonyms:

• услышать (to hear)
• различить (to discern)

Related Phrases:

• оглушить тишиной - Literally "to deafen with silence," used to describe an overwhelming or eerie quietness.
• заглушить голос совести - "To deafen the voice of conscience," meaning to suppress feelings of guilt.

Usage Notes:

• "оглушить" is more commonly used for literal deafening caused by loud noises or physical impact, while "заглушить" often applies to drowning out sounds or emotions metaphorically.
• Both verbs are perfective, indicating a completed action. Their imperfective counterparts ("оглушать" and "заглушать") are used for ongoing or repeated actions.
• Be mindful of the context when choosing between these translations, as "заглушить" can sometimes imply an intentional act of suppression.

Common Errors:

Error 1: Using "оглушить" in a figurative context like suppressing emotions.
Incorrect: *Я оглушил свои чувства.*
Correct: Я заглушил свои чувства. (I deafened my feelings.)
Explanation: "оглушить" is rarely used for emotions; "заглушить" is the appropriate choice.

Error 2: Misusing aspect by using imperfective forms for a one-time action.
Incorrect: *Взрыв оглушает меня.*
Correct: Взрыв оглушил меня. (The explosion deafened me.)
Explanation: Use the perfective form "оглушил" for a completed, one-time event.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian literature and everyday speech, "заглушить" often carries a poetic or emotional connotation, especially when used to describe suppressing feelings or memories. This reflects a cultural tendency to use vivid imagery in language to convey internal struggles.

Related Concepts:

• шум (noise)
• тишина (silence)
• глухота (deafness)