Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Delineate'

English Word: Delineate

Key Russian Translations:

• описывать [ɐpʲɪˈsɨvətʲ] - [Formal, Used for describing or outlining concepts]
• очерчивать [ɐtʲɪrˈtʲivətʲ] - [Formal/Informal, Often used for physical or figurative boundaries]
• обрисовывать [ɐbrʲɪˈsɨvətʲ] - [Informal, Used for sketching or outlining ideas]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in formal and academic contexts)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate) for "описывать" and "очерчивать"; B1 (Beginner-Intermediate) for "обрисовывать"

Pronunciation (Russian):

описывать: [ɐpʲɪˈsɨvətʲ]

Note on описывать: Stress falls on the third syllable; the "ы" sound is a unique Russian vowel, pronounced like a short, closed "i".

очерчивать: [ɐtʲɪrˈtʲivətʲ]

Note on очерчивать: Stress on the third syllable; the "ч" is a soft "ch" sound.

обрисовывать: [ɐbrʲɪˈsɨvətʲ]

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To describe or portray something precisely (in words or concepts)

Translation(s) & Context:

• описывать - Used in formal or detailed descriptions, often in writing or speeches.

Usage Examples:

• Он описывал события с удивительной точностью.

  He described the events with astonishing precision.

• В статье автор описывает проблемы современного общества.

  In the article, the author delineates the problems of modern society.

• Она описывала свои чувства в дневнике.

  She delineated her feelings in her diary.

2. To outline or mark the boundaries of something (physical or abstract)

Translation(s) & Context:

• очерчивать - Used for drawing or defining boundaries, both literal and figurative.
• обрисовывать - Often used for sketching out ideas or rough outlines.

Usage Examples:

• Архитектор очертил план здания на бумаге.

  The architect delineated the building plan on paper.

• Политик очертил границы новой реформы.

  The politician delineated the boundaries of the new reform.

• Он обрисовал основные идеи проекта за несколько минут.

  He delineated the main ideas of the project in a few minutes.

• Учитель обрисовал тему урока перед началом обсуждения.

  The teacher delineated the topic of the lesson before starting the discussion.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

описывать (Verb, Imperfective Aspect)

Note: Similar conjugation patterns apply to "очерчивать" and "обрисовывать", both imperfective verbs.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms for описывать:

• излагать (to set forth, more formal)
• рассказывать (to narrate, more conversational)

Synonyms for очерчивать/обрисовывать:

• обозначать (to mark or designate)
• намечать (to sketch or plan)

Antonyms:

• запутывать (to confuse, opposite of clarifying through delineation)
• скрывать (to conceal, opposite of describing or outlining)

Related Phrases:

• описывать ситуацию - to delineate a situation (to describe a situation in detail)
• очерчивать границы - to delineate boundaries (to define limits or borders)
• обрисовать в общих чертах - to delineate in broad strokes (to outline roughly)

Usage Notes:

• "описывать" is the most neutral and widely used term for describing or delineating concepts or events in detail, suitable for formal and written contexts.
• "очерчивать" often implies defining or marking boundaries, whether physical (like drawing a map) or abstract (like setting rules).
• "обрисовывать" is more colloquial and often used when sketching or outlining ideas quickly or roughly.
• Be mindful of the aspect: all three verbs are imperfective, indicating an ongoing or repeated action. For a completed action, perfective forms like "описать", "очертить", and "обрисовать" are used.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "описывать" when a perfective verb like "описать" is needed. Example: *Я описываю проблему вчера* (incorrect) vs. *Я описал проблему вчера* (correct - I delineated the problem yesterday).
• Error: Confusing "очерчивать" with "обрисовывать" in formal contexts. "очерчивать" is more precise for defining boundaries, while "обрисовывать" is less formal and implies a rough outline.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian, the act of "delineating" or describing something (especially with "описывать") often carries a cultural expectation of detail and thoroughness, particularly in academic or literary contexts. Russians value precision in descriptions, and vague outlines might be seen as insufficient.

Related Concepts:

• изображать (to depict)
• характеризовать (to characterize)
• формулировать (to formulate)