Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'dissociate'

English Word: dissociate

Key Russian Translations:

• отделять [ɐt.dʲɪˈlʲætʲ] - [Verb, Informal, Common in everyday speech]
• диссоциировать [dʲɪ.sə.t͡sɪ.i.rə.vatʲ] - [Verb, Formal, Scientific or technical contexts]

Frequency: Medium (The word and its translations are encountered in general conversation and specialized texts, but not as common as basic verbs.)

Difficulty: B2 (For отделять: Intermediate, as it involves basic verb conjugation; For диссоциировать: B2-C1, due to its formal and less frequent use in scientific English-Russian contexts.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

отделять: [ɐt.dʲɪˈlʲætʲ]

Note on отделять: The stress falls on the second syllable ("дʲɪ"), which is a common feature in Russian imperfective verbs. Be mindful of the soft sign (ь) affecting pronunciation.

диссоциировать: [dʲɪ.sə.t͡sɪ.i.rə.vatʲ]

Note on диссоциировать: This is a borrowed word from Latin/Greek via English, so the pronunciation is more phonetic; the "ts" sound is a palatalized affricate, which may be challenging for beginners.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. To separate or disconnect something from a whole, often in a physical or metaphorical sense.

Translation(s) & Context:

• отделять - Used in everyday contexts for literal separation, such as objects or ideas; common in informal speech.
• диссоциировать - Applied in formal or scientific contexts, like chemistry (e.g., dissociating molecules) or psychology (e.g., dissociative states).

Usage Examples:

• Он всегда отделяет работу от личной жизни, чтобы избежать стресса.

  He always dissociates work from personal life to avoid stress.

• В химии вещества могут диссоциировать под влиянием тепла.

  In chemistry, substances can dissociate under the influence of heat.

• Психолог помогает пациентам отделять реальные страхи от воображаемых.

  The psychologist helps patients dissociate real fears from imaginary ones.

• Чтобы понять реакцию, учёные отделяют переменные в эксперименте.

  To understand the reaction, scientists dissociate variables in the experiment.

• В повседневной жизни люди часто диссоциируют свои эмоции, чтобы сохранить спокойствие.

  In everyday life, people often dissociate their emotions to maintain calmness.

2. To withdraw from association or affiliation (e.g., in social or organizational contexts).

Translation(s) & Context:

• отделять - Used metaphorically for distancing oneself, especially in informal settings.
• диссоциировать - More formal, often in legal or professional contexts for breaking ties.

Usage Examples:

• Она решила отделить себя от старых друзей, чтобы начать новую главу.

  She decided to dissociate herself from old friends to start a new chapter.

• Компания была вынуждена диссоциировать от скандального партнёра.

  The company was forced to dissociate from the scandalous partner.

• В политике лидеры иногда отделяют свои взгляды от партии.

  In politics, leaders sometimes dissociate their views from the party.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both key translations are verbs, so they follow Russian verb conjugation patterns. "Отделять" is an imperfective verb, while "диссоциировать" is also imperfective but less common and often used in perfective pairs.

For "отделять" (imperfective):

Note: It has a perfective counterpart "отделить". "Диссоциировать" follows similar patterns but is irregular due to its borrowed nature; e.g., Present: я диссоциирую, ты диссоциируешь.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: разъединять (to disconnect, more forceful), отдернуть (to pull away quickly)
• Antonyms: соединять (to connect, basic opposite), ассоциировать (to associate, formal counterpart)

Note: "Разъединять" implies a more violent separation, while "соединять" is its direct antonym in most contexts.

Related Phrases:

• отделить от - To separate from (e.g., used for physical or emotional detachment; context: common in instructions or descriptions).
• диссоциировать себя - To dissociate oneself (e.g., in psychological contexts; implies self-withdrawal for mental health).
• отделение от общества - Dissociation from society (e.g., a phrase for social isolation in literature or discussions).

Usage Notes:

In Russian, "отделять" is the more versatile and everyday equivalent to "dissociate" for general use, while "диссоциировать" should be reserved for technical or formal contexts to match the English word's precision in fields like science. Be aware of aspect: use imperfective for ongoing actions (e.g., "отделять" for habitual separation) and perfective for completed ones. English learners often confuse this with "separating" in English, but Russian requires attention to case (e.g., accusative for the object being separated). Choose based on context: informal for daily life, formal for academics.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "отделять" in scientific contexts where "диссоциировать" is more appropriate, e.g., saying "отделять молекулы" instead of "диссоциировать молекулы". Correction: "Диссоциировать" is the correct term for chemical dissociation; explanation: This mixes everyday and technical language, leading to confusion in professional settings.

• Error: Forgetting verb aspects, e.g., using "отделить" (perfective) when describing a ongoing process. Correction: Use "отделять" for imperfective actions; explanation: Russian verbs must align with the action's completeness, unlike English, which doesn't always distinguish.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, concepts of dissociation or separation can reflect historical themes like the Soviet era's emphasis on individual detachment from personal emotions for collective good, as seen in literature (e.g., in works by Dostoevsky). "Диссоциировать" might carry connotations of intellectual or emotional isolation, which is a common motif in Russian philosophy and psychology.

Related Concepts:

• соединять
• ассоциация
• открепление