Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'exiguous'

English Word: exiguous

Key Russian Translations:

• Мизерный /mʲɪˈzʲɛrnɨj/ - [Formal, often used in written or literary contexts]
• Скудный /ˈskudnɨj/ - [Formal, commonly in descriptive or economic discussions]

Frequency: Low (These terms are not commonly used in everyday conversation but appear in formal writing, literature, or specialized contexts like economics.)

Difficulty: B2 (Upper Intermediate; requires familiarity with Russian adjective declensions and nuanced vocabulary, as these words are more advanced than basic descriptors.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

Мизерный: /mʲɪˈzʲɛrnɨj/

Note on Мизерный: The soft consonants (ʲ) can be challenging for English speakers; emphasize the stress on the second syllable and soften the 'z' sound as in "measure."

Скудный: /ˈskudnɨj/

Note on Скудный: Stress is on the first syllable; the 'у' sound is like the 'oo' in "book," and this word has no major variants.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: Meager, scanty, or insufficient in amount.

Translation(s) & Context:

• Мизерный - Used in contexts describing something pitifully small, such as resources or quantities, in formal or literary settings (e.g., financial reports or novels).
• Скудный - Applied to situations involving scarcity, like limited supplies or sparse environments, often in analytical or historical discussions.

Usage Examples:

• Его зарплата была мизерной, что заставило его искать дополнительный доход.

  His salary was exiguous, which forced him to look for additional income.

• В засушливом регионе скудные осадки приводят к бедности урожая.

  In the arid region, the exiguous rainfall leads to poor harvests.

• Мизерные запасы еды в доме вызвали необходимость экономить каждый рубль.

  The exiguous food supplies in the house necessitated saving every ruble.

• Скудный бюджет проекта не позволил внедрить все запланированные инновации.

  The exiguous budget of the project did not allow for implementing all planned innovations.

• Из-за мизерного количества участников мероприятие пришлось отменить.

  Due to the exiguous number of participants, the event had to be canceled.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "Мизерный" and "Скудный" are adjectives in Russian, which means they inflect for gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives follow a standard pattern of agreement with the nouns they modify and do not have irregular forms in this case.

These adjectives are regular and follow the first declension pattern. If the noun changes case, the adjective must agree accordingly.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Бедный (bednyy) - Similar to "мизерный," but often implies poverty; used in everyday contexts.
  • Небогатый (nebogatyi) - Less formal, emphasizing lack of wealth with subtle differences in connotation.
• Antonyms:
  • Богатый (bogatyi) - Wealthy or abundant.
  • Обильный (obil'nyy) - Plentiful or copious.

Related Phrases:

• Мизерная зарплата - A meager salary; refers to an insufficient wage that barely covers basic needs.
• Скудные ресурсы - Exiguous resources; used in contexts like environmental or economic scarcity.
• Мизерный урожай - A scanty harvest; common in agricultural discussions to describe poor yields.

Usage Notes:

"Exiguous" corresponds closely to "мизерный" or "скудный" in Russian, but choose based on context: use "мизерный" for emotional or pitiful scarcity (e.g., personal finances), and "скудный" for more neutral, factual descriptions (e.g., natural resources). Both are formal, so avoid in casual speech. Grammatically, always ensure the adjective agrees with the noun in gender, number, and case. For English learners, note that Russian adjectives don't have comparative forms like English; use adverbs like "очень" (very) for emphasis.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "мизерный" interchangeably with "бедный" without considering nuance. For example, a learner might say "бедный зарплата" instead of "мизерная зарплата," incorrectly implying poverty rather than insufficiency.

  Correct: Мизерная зарплата (exiguous salary). Explanation: "Бедный" emphasizes overall poverty, while "мизерный" focuses on smallness; always check adjective agreement.

• Error: Failing to decline the adjective, e.g., saying "мизерный дом" in genitive case as "мизерный дома" instead of "мизерного дома."

  Correct: Мизерного дома. Explanation: Russian requires full agreement; this mistake can make sentences grammatically incorrect and confusing.

Cultural Notes:

Words like "мизерный" and "скудный" often appear in Russian literature and historical texts to describe the hardships of life in rural or Soviet-era settings, reflecting themes of endurance and scarcity in Russian culture. For instance, in works by authors like Tolstoy, these terms evoke the struggles of peasants, highlighting a cultural emphasis on resilience in the face of limited resources.

Related Concepts:

• Бедность (poverty)
• Дефицит (deficit)
• Нехватка (shortage)