Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'explicate'

English Word: explicate

Key Russian Translations:

• объяснить [ɐbʲɪˈznatʲ] - [Verb, Formal, Used in educational or explanatory contexts]
• разъяснить [rɐzʲɪˈznatʲ] - [Verb, Formal, Often used for clarifying complex ideas]

Frequency: Medium (Common in formal writing, educational discussions, and professional settings, but not everyday casual speech)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugation and basic sentence structures in Russian, as per CEFR standards)

Pronunciation (Russian):

объяснить: [ɐbʲɪˈznatʲ]

разъяснить: [rɐzʲɪˈznatʲ]

Note on объяснить: The stress falls on the second syllable, and the initial 'o' sound is reduced in fast speech, which can be a challenge for beginners. Pronunciation may vary slightly in regional dialects.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To make something clear or easy to understand by providing more details, explanations, or examples.

Translation(s) & Context:

• объяснить - Used in formal contexts like lectures or written explanations, e.g., when breaking down complex concepts.
• разъяснить - Applied in legal or technical settings for in-depth clarification, often implying resolution of confusion.

Usage Examples:

• Он подробно объяснил мне суть проблемы. (He thoroughly explicated the essence of the problem.)

  English Translation: He thoroughly explained the essence of the problem to me. This example shows the verb in a past tense context, emphasizing detail in a conversational setting.

• Преподаватель разъяснил студентам сложный термин из физики. (The teacher explicated the complex physics term to the students.)

  English Translation: The teacher explained the complex physics term to the students. Here, it's used in an educational context with a focus on clarity.

• В статье автор объясняет исторические события через призму современных интерпретаций. (In the article, the author explicates historical events through the lens of modern interpretations.)

  English Translation: In the article, the author explains historical events through the lens of modern interpretations. This demonstrates usage in written, analytical contexts.

• Она разъяснила правила игры перед началом соревнования. (She explicated the rules of the game before the competition started.)

  English Translation: She explained the rules of the game before the competition started. This example highlights preparatory or instructional use.

• Эксперт объяснил аудитории экономические тенденции с примерами. (The expert explicated economic trends to the audience with examples.)

  English Translation: The expert explained economic trends to the audience with examples. This shows the verb in a public speaking scenario, incorporating illustrative elements.

Meaning 2: To analyze and interpret something in detail, often in an academic or literary sense.

Translation(s) & Context:

• объяснить - Common in literary analysis, e.g., when unpacking themes in a text.
• разъяснить - Used in philosophical or scientific discussions for deeper interpretation.

Usage Examples:

• Критик объяснил символизм в романе Достоевского. (The critic explicated the symbolism in Dostoevsky's novel.)

  English Translation: The critic explained the symbolism in Dostoevsky's novel. This illustrates academic usage in literary contexts.

• Лектор разъяснил философские концепции Канта. (The lecturer explicated Kant's philosophical concepts.)

  English Translation: The lecturer explained Kant's philosophical concepts. This example focuses on intellectual interpretation.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'объяснить' and 'разъяснить' are imperfective verbs in Russian, which means they describe ongoing or repeated actions. They follow standard first-conjugation patterns with some irregularities in certain forms. Below is a table outlining key inflections for 'объяснить' as a perfective verb (its imperfective counterpart is 'объяснять').

For 'разъяснить', the inflections are similar but start with 'раз': e.g., Present: разъясняю; Past: разъяснил. These verbs do not change based on gender in the infinitive form but do in the past tense.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: разъяснить (similar but often more formal), уточнить (to specify or clarify, with a nuance of precision), прояснить (to clear up ambiguities)
• Antonyms: запутать (to confuse), исказить (to distort, implying a twist in meaning)

Related Phrases:

• объяснить на примерах - (To explicate with examples; used in teaching to illustrate points clearly)
• разъяснить в деталях - (To explicate in detail; common in professional reports for thoroughness)
• объяснить суть - (To explicate the essence; focuses on core meaning in discussions)

Usage Notes:

'Объяснить' directly corresponds to 'explicate' in formal English contexts, emphasizing detailed explanation, while 'разъяснить' is better for situations requiring resolution of confusion. Both are typically used in written or spoken formal Russian; avoid them in casual conversations where simpler verbs like 'сказать' (to say) might suffice. When choosing between translations, opt for 'объяснить' for general purposes and 'разъяснить' for legal or technical ones. Grammatically, ensure subject-verb agreement and proper aspect usage (e.g., perfective for completed actions).

Common Errors:

• Error: Using the wrong verb aspect, e.g., saying 'Я объясняю задачу' when a completed action is meant (should be 'Я объяснил задачу' for perfective). Correct: Remember to use perfective forms like 'объяснил' for finished explanations. This mistake often stems from confusing English's simple past with Russian's aspect system.
• Error: Overusing 'разъяснить' in everyday speech, which can sound overly formal. Correct: In casual contexts, use 'объяснить' instead, e.g., instead of 'Я разъясню это', say 'Я объясню это'.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'объяснить' are prevalent in educational and intellectual discourse, reflecting the value placed on thoroughness and clarity in communication, as seen in Russia's literary traditions (e.g., Tolstoy's detailed narratives). However, this word doesn't carry strong cultural idioms on its own.

Related Concepts:

• описать (to describe)
• анализировать (to analyze)
• интерпретировать (to interpret)