Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'gazetteer'

English Word: gazetteer

Key Russian Translations:

• географический словарь (/ɡʲɪɐˈɡrafɪt͡ɕɪskʲɪj ˈslovərʲ/) - [Formal, Used in academic or reference contexts]
• справочник географических названий (/ˈsprəvnʲɪk ɡʲɪɐˈɡrafɪt͡ɕɪskʲɪx nəˈzvanʲɪj/) - [Formal, Plural form possible]

Frequency: Low (This term is not commonly used in everyday conversation but appears in specialized fields like geography or publishing.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of compound nouns and geographical terminology, with some variations based on context.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

географический словарь: /ɡʲɪɐˈɡrafɪt͡ɕɪskʲɪj ˈslovərʲ/

Note on географический словарь: The stress falls on the third syllable of "географический" (/ɡʲɪɐˈɡrafɪt͡ɕɪskʲɪj/), which can be tricky for learners due to the palatalized consonants. Pronounce it with a soft 'g' sound at the beginning.

справочник географических названий: /ˈsprəvnʲɪk ɡʲɪɐˈɡrafɪt͡ɕɪskʲɪx nəˈzvanʲɪj/

Note on справочник географических названий: This phrase has multiple words with potential stress variations; focus on the first syllable of "справочник" for clarity.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: A geographical dictionary or index of place names.

Translation(s) & Context:

• географический словарь - Used in formal, educational, or professional settings when referring to a comprehensive list of geographical terms.
• справочник географических названий - Applied in reference works or databases, emphasizing a directory-like structure.

Usage Examples:

• В библиотеке есть отличный географический словарь, который помогает в изучении топографии.

  In the library, there's an excellent gazetteer that helps with studying topography.

• Я использую справочник географических названий для точного обозначения городов в моем отчете.

  I use the gazetteer to accurately denote cities in my report.

• Этот географический словарь охватывает названия рек и гор по всему миру.

  This gazetteer covers the names of rivers and mountains around the world.

• В школьном учебнике есть раздел с справочником географических названий для экзаменов.

  In the school textbook, there's a section with a gazetteer for exams.

• Он обновил свой географический словарь, включив новые данные о климатических зонах.

  He updated his gazetteer, including new data on climatic zones.

Secondary Meaning: A writer or compiler of geographical information (archaic usage).

Translation(s) & Context:

• составитель географического словаря - Used in historical or literary contexts to describe someone who compiles such works.

Usage Examples:

• В 19 веке известный составитель географического словаря путешествовал по Сибири.

  In the 19th century, a famous gazetteer traveled through Siberia.

• Она стала составителем географического словаря, собрав информацию из разных источников.

  She became a gazetteer, gathering information from various sources.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

"Географический словарь" is a noun phrase where "географический" is an adjective and "словарь" is a masculine noun. It follows standard Russian inflection rules.

For "справочник географических названий", it is less inflected as a compound phrase but follows noun rules: e.g., Genitive plural: справочников географических названий.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: атлас (atlas) - More visual focus; топографический справочник (topographical directory) - Similar but specialized.
• Карта (map) - Often used interchangeably in casual contexts, but less comprehensive.
• Antonyms: фиктивный справочник (fictional directory) - Implies inaccuracy; негеографический словарь (non-geographical dictionary) - Lacks geographical content.

Related Phrases:

• Географический словарь мира - A world gazetteer; refers to a comprehensive global reference.
• Справочник по топографии - Topography handbook; often used in surveying contexts.
• Издание географического словаря - Publication of a gazetteer; common in publishing discussions.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, "географический словарь" directly corresponds to the English "gazetteer" as a noun, emphasizing a dictionary of places. It is typically formal and used in academic or professional settings. Choose "справочник географических названий" for more directory-like applications. Be mindful of grammatical agreement: the adjective must match the noun's gender, number, and case. For English learners, note that Russian often requires specifying the case in sentences, e.g., using Genitive for possession.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "географический словарь" in the wrong case, e.g., saying "Я читаю географический словарь" when it should be "Я читаю географический словарь" (correct), but mistakenly using Nominative in a prepositional context like "О географический словарь" instead of "О географическом словаре".
  Correct: О географическом словаре (about the gazetteer). Explanation: Russian requires case agreement, so learners must adjust based on the preposition.
• Error: Confusing with "словарь" alone, which means a general dictionary, leading to misuse like "Я ищу словарь" for "gazetteer" instead of specifying "географический".
  Correct: Use the full phrase for precision. Explanation: Adding the adjective avoids ambiguity.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, gazetteers like "географический словарь" have historical significance, often linked to explorers like those in the 19th-century Russian Empire expansions. They reflect Russia's vast geography and the importance of mapping in literature and education, such as in works by Pushkin or in Soviet-era atlases.

Related Concepts:

• Атлас
• Топография
• География