Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'fauna'

English Word: fauna

Key Russian Translations:

• фауна [faˈunə] - [Formal, Scientific]

Frequency: Medium (Commonly used in academic, environmental, and scientific contexts, but less frequent in everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; Requires familiarity with scientific vocabulary and basic noun declensions in Russian)

Pronunciation (Russian):

фауна: [faˈunə]

Note on фауна: The stress is on the second syllable. Pronunciation may vary slightly by region, with a softer 'a' sound in some dialects. Pay attention to the vowel length in the first syllable for accurate articulation.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: The animals of a particular region, habitat, or geological period.

Translation(s) & Context:

• фауна - Used in formal or scientific contexts to refer to animal life in a specific area, such as in biology or ecology discussions.

Usage Examples:

• В сибирской тайге обитает разнообразная фауна, включая медведей и волков.

  In the Siberian taiga, a diverse fauna inhabits, including bears and wolves.

• Изучение фауны Африки помогает понять эволюцию видов.

  Studying the fauna of Africa helps understand the evolution of species.

• Фауна этого национального парка охраняется законом для сохранения биоразнообразия.

  The fauna of this national park is protected by law to preserve biodiversity.

• Древняя фауна периода Юрского включала динозавров и других гигантских рептилий.

  The ancient fauna of the Jurassic period included dinosaurs and other giant reptiles.

• Морская фауна у побережья Австралии богата на уникальные виды рыб.

  The marine fauna off the coast of Australia is rich in unique fish species.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Фауна is a feminine noun of the first declension in Russian, which means it follows regular patterns for most feminine nouns ending in -а. It is invariable in the plural form in scientific contexts but can inflect based on case when used in sentences. Below is a table of its declensions for the singular form:

Note: In plural, it is rarely used and often remains as "фауны" in genitive contexts, but in scientific writing, it may not inflect if treated as a mass noun.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • животный мир (zhivotnyy mir) - More general term for animal life, often used interchangeably in everyday contexts.
  • фаунистический состав (faunisticheskiy sostav) - Emphasizes the composition or makeup of fauna, with a more technical nuance.
• Antonyms:
  • флора (flora) - Refers to plant life, contrasting with animal life in ecological discussions.

Related Phrases:

• Мировая фауна (Mirovaya fauna) - World fauna; Refers to the global collection of animal species.
• Локальная фауна (Lokalnaya fauna) - Local fauna; Used to describe animals in a specific area, such as a city or region.
• Фауна и флора (Fauna i flora) - Fauna and flora; A common phrase in environmental contexts to discuss both animal and plant life together.

Usage Notes:

Фауна directly corresponds to the English "fauna" and is typically used in formal, academic, or scientific settings. It is a borrowed word from Latin via English, so it retains a neutral, technical tone. When choosing this term over synonyms like "животный мир," opt for фауна in precise scientific writing to maintain formality. Be mindful of case declensions in Russian sentences; for example, use the genitive form "фауны" after prepositions like "of." This word is gender-specific as feminine, which affects adjective agreements (e.g., "разнообразная фауна" for "diverse fauna").

Common Errors:

• Error: Using фауна in the wrong case, such as saying "из фауна" instead of "из фауны." Correct: "Из фауны Сибири" (From the fauna of Siberia). Explanation: Russian requires proper declension; "из" governs the genitive case.

• Error: Confusing фауна with флора and using it to describe plants. Correct: Use флора for plants and фауна only for animals. Explanation: These are distinct terms in Russian ecology, mirroring English usage, to avoid semantic overlap.

• Error: Forgetting to agree adjectives with the feminine gender, e.g., saying "большой фауна" instead of "большая фауна." Correct: "Большая фауна Африки" (The large fauna of Africa). Explanation: Adjectives in Russian must match the noun's gender, number, and case.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture and science, the concept of фауна is deeply tied to environmental conservation and national heritage. For instance, Russia's vast territories, like the taiga and tundra, are often celebrated in literature and education for their unique fauna, symbolizing the country's biodiversity. This term appears frequently in works by naturalists like Alexander von Humboldt, influencing Russian environmental discourse.

Related Concepts:

• биоразнообразие (biodiversity)
• экосистема (ecosystem)
• животные (animals)