Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'extinct'

English Word: extinct

Key Russian Translations:

• вымерший [vɨˈmʲɛrʂɨj] - [Formal, Adjective]
• исчезнувший [ɪsʲt͡ɕɪzˈnuvʂɨj] - [Informal, Often used in broader contexts]

Frequency: Medium (Common in scientific, environmental, and historical discussions)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate - Requires understanding of Russian adjectives and past participles)

Pronunciation (Russian):

вымерший: [vɨˈmʲɛrʂɨj]

Note on вымерший: The 'щ' sound is a soft, palatalized 'sh' which can be challenging for English speakers; stress on the second syllable.

исчезнувший: [ɪsʲt͡ɕɪzˈnuvʂɨj]

Note on исчезнувший: Pay attention to the initial 'и' which is a short 'i' sound, and the word often has a more fluid pronunciation in casual speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: No longer in existence, especially referring to species, languages, or practices.

Translation(s) & Context:

• вымерший - Used in formal contexts like biology or history to describe something that has died out completely (e.g., extinct animals).
• исчезнувший - Applied in everyday language for things that have vanished or become obsolete, with a slightly less permanent connotation.

Usage Examples:

• Этот вид динозавров вымерший уже миллионы лет назад.

  This species of dinosaurs has been extinct for millions of years.

• Многие древние языки, такие как латинский, являются исчезнувшими в повседневном использовании.

  Many ancient languages, such as Latin, are extinct in everyday use.

• В музее выставлены скелеты вымерших млекопитающих.

  In the museum, skeletons of extinct mammals are displayed.

• Из-за изменения климата некоторые птицы рискуют стать исчезнувшими.

  Due to climate change, some birds risk becoming extinct.

• Вымерший вулкан теперь привлекает туристов своей красотой.

  The extinct volcano now attracts tourists with its beauty.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "вымерший" and "исчезнувший" are adjectives/participles in Russian, which means they inflect based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives follow a standard pattern of agreement with nouns.

Note: These forms change in other cases (e.g., Genitive, Dative), following standard adjectival declension rules. If the word is used as a verb form, it may derive from "вымереть" or "исчезнуть," which have their own conjugations.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: вымерший - вышедший из употребления, исчезнувший - утраченный, потерянный
• Antonyms: вымерший - существующий, живой; исчезнувший - присутствующий, доступный

Explanation: "Вышедший из употребления" is a synonym for "вымерший" in the context of obsolete items, while "существующий" directly contrasts by meaning "existing."

Related Phrases:

• Вымершие виды - Refers to extinct species, often in environmental discussions.
• Исчезнувшая цивилизация - Means a lost or vanished civilization, used in historical contexts.
• Вымерший язык - Denotes an extinct language, common in linguistics.

Usage Notes:

"Вымерший" is the most precise translation for "extinct" in scientific contexts, emphasizing complete disappearance, whereas "исчезнувший" can imply something that has vanished but might be recoverable. Choose based on formality: use "вымерший" in academic writing and "исчезнувший" in casual conversation. Always ensure the adjective agrees in gender, number, and case with the noun it modifies, as per Russian grammar rules.

• In environmental topics, pair with nouns like "виды" (species).
• Avoid direct word-for-word translation; consider context to select the appropriate form.

Common Errors:

One common mistake is failing to inflect the adjective correctly, e.g., saying "вымерший женщина" instead of "вымершая женщина" (for feminine nouns). Correct usage: Always match gender and case, as in "вымершая цивилизация." Another error is confusing it with similar words like "умерший" (deceased), which applies to individuals, not species. Example of error: "Динозавры умершие" (incorrect for extinct); Correct: "Динозавры вымершие."

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "вымерший" often appear in discussions about environmental conservation, reflecting Russia's vast biodiversity and history of species loss, such as the extinct woolly mammoth. This ties into national pride in natural heritage and ongoing efforts to protect endangered species in regions like Siberia.

Related Concepts:

• Эндемичный (endemic)
• Угрожаемый (endangered)
• Эволюция (evolution)