Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'emasculate'

English Word: emasculate

Key Russian Translations:

• кастрировать [kastrírovat'] - [Formal, Medical context]
• ослабить [aslabít'] - [Informal, Metaphorical use]
• лишить мужественности [lishít' muzhestvennosti] - [Formal, Psychological or literary context]

Frequency: Low (This word and its translations are not commonly used in everyday conversation; they appear more in medical, literary, or specialized discussions.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and metaphorical language, which can be challenging for learners beyond basic levels. For 'ослабить', it may be slightly easier at B1 due to its broader applicability.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

кастрировать: [kastrírovat']

ослабить: [aslabít']

лишить мужественности: [lishít' muzhestvennosti]

Note on кастрировать: The stress falls on the second syllable ('ri'), and the 'r' sound is rolled, which can be a challenge for non-native speakers. Pronunciation may vary slightly in fast speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To castrate or remove the testicles of a male animal or person (Literal, medical sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• кастрировать - Used in veterinary, medical, or biological contexts to describe a surgical procedure; formal and technical.

Usage Examples:

• Ветеринар кастрировал кота, чтобы предотвратить нежелательное потомство.

  Translation: The veterinarian emasculated the cat to prevent unwanted offspring.

• В некоторых культурах кастрируют животных для контроля популяции.

  Translation: In some cultures, animals are emasculated to control population.

• Процедура кастрирования проводится под анестезией в клинике.

  Translation: The emasculation procedure is performed under anesthesia in the clinic.

• Кастрировать домашнего питомца — это ответственный шаг для владельцев.

  Translation: Emasculating a pet is a responsible step for owners.

• В истории медицины кастрировать было распространено в определенных практиках.

  Translation: In the history of medicine, emasculating was common in certain practices.

Meaning 2: To weaken, deprive of strength, or rob of masculine qualities (Metaphorical sense)

Translation(s) & Context:

• ослабить - Used in everyday or informal contexts to describe making something weaker; can apply to ideas, arguments, or people.
• лишить мужественности - More formal, often in psychological, literary, or gender-related discussions.

Usage Examples:

• Эта критика ослабит его аргументы в дискуссии.

  Translation: This criticism will emasculate his arguments in the discussion.

• Стереотипы могут лишить мужественности мужчин, заставляя их соответствовать нормам.

  Translation: Stereotypes can emasculate men by forcing them to conform to norms.

• Бюрократия ослабит любую инициативу в компании.

  Translation: Bureaucracy will emasculate any initiative in the company.

• В романе автор лишает мужественности героя, показывая его уязвимость.

  Translation: In the novel, the author emasculates the hero by depicting his vulnerability.

• Такое решение ослабит нашу позицию на рынке.

  Translation: Such a decision will emasculate our position in the market.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'кастрировать' (a verb of the first conjugation), it follows standard Russian verb patterns with infinitive, past, present, and future forms. It is irregular in some aspects due to its borrowed origin.

For 'ослабить' (also first conjugation), it is more regular and does not change drastically: Infinitive - ослабить; Present - ослабляю/ослабляешь; Past - ослабил/ослабила.

'лишить мужественности' is a phrase and does not inflect as a single word; 'лишить' conjugates as a standard verb: Infinitive - лишить; Present - лишаю; Past - лишил.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • ослабить (similar to 'weaken', but less intense)
  • унизить (to humiliate, with a connotation of emotional emasculation)
• Antonyms:
  • укрепить (to strengthen)
  • возвысить (to elevate or empower)

Related Phrases:

• Кастрировать животное — A common phrase meaning "to emasculate an animal"; used in veterinary contexts to refer to sterilization procedures.
• Ослабить позиции — Meaning "to emasculate positions"; refers to weakening one's stance in negotiations or debates.
• Лишить силы — Translates to "to emasculate of strength"; used metaphorically in motivational or psychological discussions.

Usage Notes:

The Russian translations of 'emasculate' are context-dependent: 'кастрировать' is strictly literal and formal, often limited to medical or animal-related topics, while 'ослабить' or 'лишить мужественности' capture the metaphorical sense and are more versatile in everyday or literary use. English speakers should note that Russian verbs require conjugation based on tense, person, and number, so always adjust for context (e.g., use 'ослаблю' for future tense). In formal writing, prefer 'лишить мужественности' to convey nuanced gender dynamics, but in casual speech, 'ослабить' is safer to avoid sensitivity around gender issues.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'кастрировать' metaphorically, e.g., saying "Я кастрирую свой аргумент" instead of "Я ослаблю свой аргумент".
  Correct: "Ослабить аргумент" is more appropriate for weakening ideas, as 'кастрировать' implies a permanent, literal removal.
  Explanation: This error stems from direct translation without considering context, leading to awkward or insensitive language.
• Mistake: Forgetting to conjugate verbs, e.g., using the infinitive 'ослабить' in a sentence where a conjugated form is needed, like "Он ослабить план" instead of "Он ослабит план".
  Correct: Always conjugate based on subject and tense (e.g., "Он ослабит").
  Explanation: Russian verbs must agree with the subject, unlike English, so learners often overlook this grammatical rule.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'кастрировать' carry historical connotations from practices in ancient societies or Soviet-era veterinary policies, often linked to themes of control and masculinity in literature (e.g., in works by Tolstoy). Metaphorical uses, such as 'ослабить', reflect broader societal discussions on gender roles, especially in post-Soviet contexts where traditional masculinity is a sensitive topic.

Related Concepts:

• стерилизовать (to sterilize)
• унижать (to humiliate)
• укреплять (to strengthen)