Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'elucidate'

English Word: elucidate

Key Russian Translations:

• объяснить [ɐbʲjɪsˈnʲitʲ] - [Informal, Common in everyday speech]
• прояснить [prəˈjasnʲitʲ] - [Formal, Used in professional or academic contexts]
• изложить [ɪzˈloʐɨtʲ] - [Formal, Often implies a more detailed explanation]

Frequency: Medium (This word and its translations are commonly encountered in written and spoken Russian, particularly in educational, journalistic, or conversational settings, but not as ubiquitous as basic verbs.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual usage. For 'объяснить', it's B2; for 'прояснить' and 'изложить', it may approach B2-C1 due to more formal connotations.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

объяснить: [ɐbʲjɪsˈnʲitʲ]

прояснить: [prəˈjasnʲitʲ]

изложить: [ɪzˈloʐɨtʲ]

Note on объяснить: The stress falls on the second syllable, and the 'й' sound can be tricky for English speakers, similar to the 'y' in "yes" but palatalized. Variations may occur in rapid speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To explain or clarify something clearly

Translation(s) & Context:

• объяснить - Used in informal contexts, such as everyday conversations or simple explanations.
• прояснить - Preferred in formal settings, like business meetings or academic discussions, to denote making something clearer.

Usage Examples:

• Он объяснил мне суть проблемы. (He elucidated the essence of the problem to me.)

  Translation: He explained the essence of the problem to me. (This example shows 'объяснить' in a casual, interpersonal context.)

• Профессор прояснил сложные концепции во время лекции. (The professor elucidated the complex concepts during the lecture.)

  Translation: The professor clarified the complex concepts during the lecture. (Here, 'прояснить' is used in an educational setting to highlight formal explanation.)

• В статье автор изложил свои аргументы четко и последовательно. (In the article, the author elucidated his arguments clearly and sequentially.)

  Translation: In the article, the author laid out his arguments clearly and sequentially. (This demonstrates 'изложить' in written, detailed contexts.)

• Чтобы объяснить идею, она использовала простые примеры. (To elucidate the idea, she used simple examples.)

  Translation: To explain the idea, she used simple examples. (Illustrates 'объяснить' with additional tools like examples.)

• Судья прояснил неясные пункты в договоре. (The judge elucidated the ambiguous points in the contract.)

  Translation: The judge clarified the ambiguous points in the contract. (Shows 'прояснить' in a legal context.)

To make something understandable through detailed description

Translation(s) & Context:

• изложить - Best for detailed, structured explanations, such as in reports or narratives.
• объяснить - Can be used interchangeably but is less formal.

Usage Examples:

• Историк изложил события войны в хронологическом порядке. (The historian elucidated the events of the war in chronological order.)

  Translation: The historian laid out the events of the war in chronological order. (This example emphasizes structured elucidation.)

• Она объяснила рецепт шаг за шагом. (She elucidated the recipe step by step.)

  Translation: She explained the recipe step by step. (Shows 'объяснить' in instructional contexts.)

• В докладе он прояснил влияние климата на экономику. (In the report, he elucidated the impact of climate on the economy.)

  Translation: In the report, he clarified the impact of climate on the economy. (Demonstrates 'прояснить' in analytical discussions.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations are verbs, primarily in the perfective aspect. Russian verbs like these follow standard conjugation patterns, with 'объяснить' and 'прояснить' being imperfective-perfective pairs in some contexts, though 'объяснить' is often perfective.

For 'объяснить' (a perfective verb):

For 'прояснить': Similar conjugation, e.g., проясню, прояснишь, etc. It is also perfective and follows first conjugation rules. 'Изложить' is perfective and conjugates as: изложу, изложишь, etc. These verbs do not have irregular forms but require attention to aspect (perfective vs. imperfective counterparts like 'объяснять').

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: разъяснить (to clarify in detail), уточнить (to specify), осветить (to illuminate or shed light on) - 'Разъяснить' is often used interchangeably but implies more thorough explanation.
• Antonyms: запутать (to confuse), скрыть (to hide)

Related Phrases:

• объяснить ситуацию - Explain the situation (Used when clarifying complex events.)
• прояснить детали - Clarify the details (Common in negotiations or investigations.)
• изложить план - Lay out the plan (Typically in strategic or business contexts.)

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'объяснить' directly corresponds to 'elucidate' in informal settings, while 'прояснить' or 'изложить' are better for formal equivalents. Be mindful of aspect: use perfective forms like these for completed actions. In spoken Russian, 'объяснить' is versatile across registers, but avoid it in highly formal writing where 'изложить' might be preferred. When choosing among translations, consider context—e.g., use 'прояснить' for resolving ambiguities.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'обяснить' (misspelled) instead of 'объяснить'. Correct: Always include the 'л' for proper spelling and pronunciation. Example of error: "Я обяснил идею" (Wrong). Correct: "Я объяснил идею" (I elucidated the idea). Explanation: This is a common typo due to similar sounds in English.
• Error: Confusing aspect, e.g., using 'объяснять' (imperfective) when a completed action is needed. Correct: For 'elucidate' as a one-time explanation, stick to perfective like 'объяснить'. Example of error: "Я объясняю это всегда" (if implying completion). Explanation: English speakers often overlook Russian's aspect system, leading to tense mismatches.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, elucidating ideas clearly is highly valued in education and debate, reflecting the influence of historical intellectual traditions like those of Tolstoy or Soviet-era discussions. Words like 'прояснить' may carry a connotation of intellectual rigor, emphasizing clarity in communication, which is key in Russian philosophical and literary contexts.

Related Concepts:

• понять (to understand)
• анализировать (to analyze)
• описать (to describe)