Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'exculpate'

English Word: exculpate

Key Russian Translations:

• оправдать [ɐˈpravdətʲ] - [Formal, Legal context]

Frequency: Low (This term is not commonly used in everyday conversation; it's more prevalent in legal or formal writing.)

Difficulty: C1 (Advanced level, as it involves legal terminology and requires understanding of nuanced verb conjugations in Russian, per CEFR standards.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

оправдать: [ɐˈpravdətʲ]

Note on оправдать: The stress is on the second syllable (prav-). Be mindful of the soft 'tʲ' sound, which is a common challenge for English speakers due to the palatalization in Russian phonetics.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To clear from guilt or blame (primary meaning of 'exculpate')

Translation(s) & Context:

• оправдать - Used in formal, legal contexts to mean acquitting someone of charges, often in court proceedings.

Usage Examples:

• Суд оправдал подсудимого, так как не хватило доказательств вины.

  The court exculpated the defendant because there was insufficient evidence of guilt.

• Его друзья постарались оправдать его действия перед обществом.

  His friends tried to exculpate his actions in front of society.

• В романе автор оправдывает героя, показывая его мотивы.

  In the novel, the author exculpates the hero by revealing his motives.

• Полиция не смогла оправдать подозреваемого без дополнительных свидетелей.

  The police could not exculpate the suspect without additional witnesses.

• Иногда оправдать кого-то значит признать, что ошибка была неизбежной.

  Sometimes exculpating someone means acknowledging that the mistake was unavoidable.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

оправдать is a verb in Russian, belonging to the first conjugation group. It follows standard patterns for imperfective verbs but has an aspectual pair with "оправдать" as perfective. There are no irregular forms, but it changes based on tense, person, and number.

Note: This verb does not change for aspect in basic forms, but its imperfective counterpart is "оправдывать" for ongoing actions.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • освободить от обвинения (to free from accusation) - More literal, used in bureaucratic contexts.
  • защитить (to defend) - Similar but broader, implying protection rather than full exoneration.
• Antonyms:
  • обвинить (to accuse)
  • осудить (to condemn)

Related Phrases:

• оправдать в суде - In court; refers to a legal acquittal. (Used when discussing trials and justice systems.)
• оправдать себя - To justify oneself; common in personal or moral contexts. (Implies self-defense in arguments.)
• не оправдать ожиданий - Not to meet expectations; a fixed phrase for disappointment. (Often used in reviews or evaluations.)

Usage Notes:

оправдать directly corresponds to 'exculpate' in legal English, emphasizing the act of proving innocence rather than just defending. It is typically formal and should be used in written or official contexts, as informal Russian might opt for simpler phrases like 'защитить'. When choosing between translations, prefer оправдать for precise legal scenarios, but be aware of its perfective aspect, which indicates a completed action. Grammatically, ensure subject-verb agreement in conjugations, as Russian verbs change based on gender and number in the past tense.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using оправдать interchangeably with защитить, leading to confusion in meaning. For example, an English learner might say "Я защищаю его" when meaning "exculpate," but this implies defense, not full acquittal.

  Correct: Я оправдываю его (I exculpate him). Explanation: оправдать specifically clears guilt, while защитить is more about protection.

• Error: Incorrect conjugation, such as using the infinitive form in a sentence where a conjugated verb is needed, e.g., "Он оправдать" instead of "Он оправдал."

  Correct: Он оправдал себя. Explanation: Always conjugate based on tense and subject for grammatical accuracy in Russian.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like оправдать often carry implications from the country's legal history, such as during the Soviet era when acquittals were rare due to political influences. Today, it reflects themes in literature and media about justice and redemption, as seen in works by authors like Dostoevsky, where characters seek to оправдать themselves morally.

Related Concepts:

• обвинение (accusation)
• суд (court)
• вина (guilt)