Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'Demote'

English Word: demote

Key Russian Translations:

• понизить [pɐˈnʲizʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, Often used in professional or hierarchical contexts]
• разжаловать [rɐʐˈʐalɐvətʲ] - [Formal, Military or official context, often for rank reduction]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in professional and military contexts)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for "понизить"; B2 (Upper-Intermediate) for "разжаловать" due to specific usage

Pronunciation (Russian):

понизить: [pɐˈnʲizʲɪtʲ]

Note on понизить: Stress falls on the second syllable. The "и" is pronounced as a short "i" sound.

разжаловать: [rɐʐˈʐalɐvətʲ]

Note on разжаловать: The double "ж" creates a prolonged buzzing sound. Stress is on the second syllable.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To reduce someone's rank or position (general or professional)

Translation(s) & Context:

• понизить - Used in professional or hierarchical settings, e.g., reducing someone's job position.

Usage Examples:

• Его понизили с должности менеджера до ассистента.

  He was demoted from manager to assistant.

• Компания решила понизить сотрудников из-за сокращения бюджета.

  The company decided to demote employees due to budget cuts.

• После ошибки его понизили в должности.

  After the mistake, he was demoted in position.

2. To strip of rank or status (military or formal)

Translation(s) & Context:

• разжаловать - Primarily used in military or highly formal contexts to indicate a loss of rank or title.

Usage Examples:

• Офицера разжаловали за нарушение дисциплины.

  The officer was demoted for violating discipline.

• Его разжаловали из капитана в лейтенанты.

  He was demoted from captain to lieutenant.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

понизить (Verb, Perfective): This is a perfective verb, often used with the prefix "по-" to indicate completion of the action. It follows regular conjugation patterns for verbs ending in "-ить".

разжаловать (Verb, Perfective): Another perfective verb, used specifically for formal or military demotion. Conjugation follows regular patterns.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• унизить (to humiliate, in a broader sense)
• снизить (to lower, sometimes used metaphorically)

Note: "унизить" often carries a stronger emotional connotation of humiliation, while "снизить" can be less personal.

Antonyms:

• повысить (to promote)
• возвысить (to elevate, often in a formal or symbolic sense)

Related Phrases:

• понизить в должности - to demote in position (common in workplace contexts)
• разжаловать в рядовые - to demote to the rank of private (military context)

Usage Notes:

• "понизить" is the more general and widely used term for demotion, especially in professional or workplace settings. It can apply to job positions, status, or even abstract concepts like lowering importance.
• "разжаловать" is more specific and formal, almost exclusively used in military or highly structured environments to indicate a formal reduction in rank or title.
• Be mindful of the perfective/imperfective aspect in Russian verbs. "понизить" (perfective) implies a completed action, while "понижать" (imperfective) suggests an ongoing or repeated action.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using "разжаловать" in casual or workplace contexts. Incorrect: "Его разжаловали с менеджера на ассистента." Correct: "Его понизили с менеджера на ассистента." Explanation: "разжаловать" is reserved for formal or military demotions.
• Mistake: Ignoring verb aspect. Incorrect: "Я понизил его каждый день." Correct: "Я понижаю его каждый день." Explanation: Use the imperfective "понижаю" for repeated or ongoing actions.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, hierarchical structures (especially in military and workplace settings) are often taken very seriously. The act of demotion, whether expressed as "понизить" or "разжаловать", can carry significant social and emotional weight. Using the correct term based on context is crucial to avoid miscommunication.

Related Concepts:

• повышение (promotion)
• должность (position/rank)
• иерархия (hierarchy)