Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'extant'

English Word: extant

Key Russian Translations:

• существующий [sʊˈʂesʲtvʊjʊʂʲɪj] - [Formal, Adjective]
• выживший [vɨˈʐɨvfʲɪj] - [Informal, Adjective, Used in contexts of survival or historical preservation]

Frequency: Medium (This word and its translations are commonly encountered in academic, historical, or literary discussions but not in everyday casual conversation.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian adjective declensions and formal vocabulary. For 'существующий', it's B2; for 'выживший', it's also B2 due to similar inflection patterns.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

существующий: [sʊˈʂesʲtvʊjʊʂʲɪj]

Note on существующий: The stress falls on the second syllable, and the 'щ' sound (as in [ʂ]) can be challenging for English speakers, similar to the 'sh' in 'she' but with a more palatalized quality. Pronounce it deliberately to avoid confusion with similar words.

выживший: [vɨˈʐɨvfʲɪj]

Note on выживший: The 'ж' sound (as in [ʐ]) is a voiced fricative, akin to the 's' in 'measure'. Variations may occur in dialects, but standard Russian uses this pronunciation.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Still in existence or surviving (e.g., referring to ancient artifacts or species)

Translation(s) & Context:

• существующий - Used in formal or academic contexts to describe something that continues to exist, such as historical documents.
• выживший - Applied in narrative or survival contexts, like in literature or biology, emphasizing endurance.

Usage Examples:

• В музее хранятся существующие рукописи древних авторов.

  In the museum, the extant manuscripts of ancient authors are stored.

• Этот вид динозавров считается выжившим в окаменелостях.

  This species of dinosaur is considered extant in fossil records.

• Несмотря на войну, некоторые традиции остались существующими в культуре.

  Despite the war, some traditions have remained extant in the culture.

• Выживший артефакт был найден археологами в руинах.

  The extant artifact was discovered by archaeologists in the ruins.

• В современном мире существующие языки продолжают эволюционировать.

  In the modern world, extant languages continue to evolve.

Meaning 2: Not extinct or disappeared (e.g., in biological or legal contexts)

Translation(s) & Context:

• существующий - Common in scientific or legal writing to denote something that persists legally or biologically.
• выживший - Often used metaphorically in stories or reports of survival against odds.

Usage Examples:

• Существующие законы защищают выжившие виды животных.

  Extant laws protect surviving species of animals.

• Выживший памятник архитектуры был отреставрирован.

  The extant architectural monument was restored.

• В библиотеке есть существующие издания редких книг.

  In the library, there are extant editions of rare books.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'существующий' and 'выживший' are adjectives in Russian, which means they inflect based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives follow a regular pattern of agreement with nouns and can be challenging due to their declensions.

These forms are regular for most adjectives in Russian. Note that 'выживший' can also function as a past active participle in some contexts, leading to slight irregularities in verbal forms, but as an adjective, it follows standard patterns.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • действующий (deystvuyushchiy) - More neutral, often used for 'active' or 'operative'.
  • проживающий (prozhivayushchiy) - Implies 'residing' or 'living on', with a subtle connotation of ongoing presence.
• Antonyms:
  • исчезнувший (ischezuvshiy) - Meaning 'disappeared' or 'extinct'.
  • потерянный (poteryannyy) - Meaning 'lost' or 'vanished'.

Related Phrases:

• существующие традиции (sushchestvuyushchiye traditsii) - Existing traditions; often used in cultural discussions.
• выживший вид (vyzhivshiy vid) - Surviving species; common in biology or environmental contexts.
• существующие законы (sushchestvuyushchiye zakony) - Extant laws; refers to laws still in effect.

Usage Notes:

'Extant' translates most directly to 'существующий' in formal contexts, such as academic writing, where precision is key. However, 'выживший' is better for narrative or emotional scenarios involving survival. Be mindful of Russian's grammatical gender agreement; always adjust the adjective to match the noun it's describing. In everyday speech, native speakers might prefer simpler synonyms like 'действующий' to avoid overly formal language. When choosing between translations, consider the context: use 'существующий' for static existence and 'выживший' for dynamic survival stories.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'существующий' without proper declension, e.g., saying "существующий книга" instead of "существующая книга" for a feminine noun.

  Correct: "Существующая книга" – Explanation: Russian adjectives must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun. This mistake often stems from English's lack of declensions.

• Error: Confusing 'выживший' with 'живой' (alive), leading to misuse in non-survival contexts, e.g., "выживший рукопись" when 'существующий' is more appropriate.

  Correct: Use 'существующий рукопись' – Explanation: 'Выживший' implies a struggle for survival, while 'существующий' simply means it still exists. Learners should check context to avoid over-dramatizing.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'существующий' often appear in discussions of historical preservation, reflecting Russia's rich heritage of literature and artifacts from eras like the Soviet period. For instance, 'выживший' can evoke themes of resilience, as seen in Russian folklore and WWII narratives, where survival against adversity is a common motif. This adds a layer of emotional depth that English speakers might not immediately associate with 'extant'.

Related Concepts:

• памятник (pamyatnik) - Monument
• наследие (naslediye) - Heritage
• вымирающий (vymirayushchiy) - Endangered or dying out