Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'gangling'

English Word: gangling

Key Russian Translations:

• худощавый [kʊˈdoʂːəvɨj] - [Adjective, Formal, Singular]
• неуклюжий [nʲɪˈʊklʊʐɨj] - [Adjective, Informal, Often used for awkward movements]

Frequency: Low (This term and its translations are not commonly used in everyday conversation but appear in literature or descriptive writing.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian adjective declensions, with худощавый being slightly easier than неуклюжий, which involves more nuanced pronunciation.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

худощавый: [kʊˈdoʂːəvɨj]

Note on худощавый: The 'щ' sound is a soft, palatalized 'sh' (like in "fresh"), which can be challenging for English speakers; practice with native audio for accuracy.

неуклюжий: [nʲɪˈʊklʊʐɨj]

Note on неуклюжий: The 'ж' sound is a voiced 'zh' (as in "measure"), and the word has stress on the second syllable; common in informal speech but avoid in formal contexts.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Describing someone who is tall, thin, and awkwardly built, often implying a lack of grace.

Translation(s) & Context:

• худощавый - Used in formal or literary contexts to describe physical appearance, such as in character descriptions in novels.
• неуклюжий - Applied in informal settings to emphasize clumsiness, like in everyday conversations about people's movements.

Usage Examples:

• Его худощавый силуэт выделялся в толпе. (His gangling silhouette stood out in the crowd.)

  His gangling silhouette stood out in the crowd.

• Она неуклюжий подросток, но очень талантлива в спорте. (She is a gangling teenager, but very talented in sports.)

  She is a gangling teenager, but very talented in sports.

• В старом фильме главный герой был худощавым и нескладным. (In the old film, the main character was gangling and awkward.)

  In the old film, the main character was gangling and awkward.

• Неуклюжий мужчина споткнулся о порог. (The gangling man tripped over the threshold.)

  The gangling man tripped over the threshold.

• Худощавый юноша танцевал с грацией, несмотря на свой рост. (The gangling youth danced with grace, despite his height.)

  The gangling youth danced with grace, despite his height.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both translations are adjectives, which inflect based on gender, number, and case in Russian. Adjectives like these follow standard patterns for first-declension adjectives. Below is a table for худощавый (as an example; неуклюжий follows similar rules).

For неуклюжий, it is irregular in some forms due to its root, but generally follows the same pattern. These adjectives do not change in short form but must agree with the noun they modify.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: тощий (very skinny, with a neutral connotation), длинный (long/tall, focusing on height)
• Antonyms: коренастый (stocky, sturdy), грациозный (graceful, emphasizing elegance)

Related Phrases:

• Худощавый силуэт - A gangling silhouette (used in artistic or descriptive contexts to describe a thin, elongated shape).
• Неуклюжий походка - A gangling gait (refers to an awkward way of walking, common in informal descriptions of clumsiness).
• Худощавый и высокий - Gangling and tall (a fixed phrase for emphasizing physical build in narratives).

Usage Notes:

"Gangling" corresponds most closely to "худощавый" in formal English-Russian translation, as it emphasizes a tall, thin appearance without strong clumsiness. Use "неуклюжий" for contexts involving awkwardness or uncoordination. Both are adjectives and must agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they describe. In Russian, these words are more common in written language than spoken; choose based on context—formal for literature, informal for daily talk. Avoid direct literal translations; adapt to natural Russian phrasing for fluency.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "худощавый" interchangeably with "тощий" without considering connotation. Correct: "Тощий" means simply skinny, while "худощавый" implies a gangling, elongated build. Example of error: Saying "Он тощий" for "He is gangling" might undervalue the awkward aspect. Correct usage: "Он худощавый" to capture the full meaning.

• Error: Forgetting to decline the adjective, e.g., using "худощавый" with a feminine noun without changing to "худощавая". Correct: In a sentence like "Она gangling", say "Она худощавая женщина" (She is a gangling woman), not "Она худощавый женщина".

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture and literature, words like "худощавый" often appear in character descriptions in classic works by authors like Tolstoy or Chekhov, where physical appearance reflects personality or social status. This reflects a broader tradition in Russian realism, where gangling figures might symbolize vulnerability or intellectual depth, contrasting with more robust ideals in Western portrayals.

Related Concepts:

• высокий (tall)
• тощий (skinny)
• грациозный (graceful)