Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'duress'

English Word: duress

Key Russian Translations:

• принуждение [pʲrʲiˈnut͡ɕenʲje] - [Formal, Legal contexts]
• давление [ˈdavlenʲje] - [Formal, but less precise; often implies psychological pressure]

Frequency: Medium (Common in legal and formal writing, but not everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of abstract legal concepts; for 'принуждение', B2; for 'давление', B1 if used in general contexts)

Pronunciation (Russian):

принуждение: [pʲrʲiˈnut͡ɕenʲje]

давление: [ˈdavlenʲje]

Note on принуждение: The stress falls on the third syllable; be cautious with the soft 'н' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers due to its palatalization.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

The state of being forced to act against one's will, often in legal or coercive contexts.

Translation(s) & Context:

• принуждение - Used in formal or legal settings to describe coercion, such as in contracts or threats.
• давление - Applied in broader contexts, like emotional or social pressure, but less specific to legal duress.

Usage Examples:

• Он подписал договор под принуждением, так как ему угрожали.

  He signed the contract under duress, as he was being threatened.

• В суде было установлено, что признание было дано под давлением.

  In court, it was established that the confession was given under duress.

• Принуждение в семье может привести к серьёзным психологическим проблемам.

  Duress within the family can lead to serious psychological issues.

• Под давлением обстоятельств она согласилась на сделку.

  Under duress from circumstances, she agreed to the deal.

• Правительство осудило акты принуждения во время протестов.

  The government condemned acts of duress during the protests.

Secondary meaning: Coercion through threats or force.

Translation(s) & Context:

• принуждение - In contexts involving physical or legal threats.

Usage Examples:

• Жертва преступления действовала под принуждением злоумышленников.

  The victim of the crime acted under duress from the perpetrators.

• В истории есть примеры, когда люди совершали преступления под давлением.

  History has examples where people committed crimes under duress.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

'Принуждение' is a neuter noun of the third declension in Russian, which follows regular patterns for most cases. It does not change in the nominative singular but inflects based on case and number. 'Давление' is also a neuter noun but of the second declension, with more straightforward changes.

Note: These forms are regular, but pay attention to the soft endings in instrumental and prepositional cases.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • угроза [uɡroza] - More specific to threats, often used interchangeably in legal contexts.
  • давление - Similar but broader, implying non-physical force.
• Antonyms:
  • добровольность [dɐbrɐˈvolʲnəsʲtʲ] - Voluntariness, emphasizing free will.
  • свобода [svɐˈbodə] - Freedom, contrasting with any form of coercion.

Related Phrases:

• Под принуждением - Under duress; used in legal or everyday contexts to indicate forced action.
• Принудительное действие - Compulsory action; refers to acts performed under pressure.
• Давление со стороны - Pressure from someone; implies external influence in social or professional settings.

Usage Notes:

'Принуждение' is the most direct equivalent to 'duress' in formal English, especially in legal translations, while 'давление' is better for psychological or situational pressure. Always consider the context: use 'принуждение' for explicit coercion and 'давление' for subtler forms. In Russian, these words often appear in prepositional phrases like 'под принуждением'. Grammatically, they require correct case agreement, such as genitive in phrases like 'под давлением обстоятельств'. For English learners, choose 'принуждение' when translating 'duress' in contracts or threats, but verify nuances to avoid overgeneralization.

Common Errors:

• Confusing 'принуждение' with 'давление': Learners might use 'давление' for all types of duress, but this can downplay legal implications. Correct: Use 'принуждение' for forced actions; Example of error: "Я подписал под давлением" (incorrect for legal duress); Correct: "Я подписал под принуждением".
• Incorrect case usage: Forgetting to change the noun in phrases, e.g., saying "в принуждение" instead of "в принуждении". Explanation: Russian requires prepositional case; always check the governing preposition.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture and legal systems, concepts like 'принуждение' often tie into historical contexts, such as Soviet-era forced labor or modern discussions of human rights. It carries a strong connotation of state or authority-imposed coercion, which can evoke sensitivities related to authoritarianism in Russian history.

Related Concepts:

• шантаж [ʂanˈtaʐ]
• угроза [uɡroza]
• принуждение к действию [pʲrʲiˈnut͡ɕenʲje k dʲejstvʲju]