Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'generalise'

English Word: generalise

Key Russian Translations:

• обобщать (ɐbɐˈbʲeʦətʲ) - [Verb, Formal, Used in academic or analytical contexts]
• обобщить (ɐbɐˈbʲeʦʲɪtʲ) - [Verb, Perfective aspect, Informal, Used for completing a generalization]

Frequency: Medium (Common in academic, scientific, and everyday discussions but not as frequent as basic verbs).

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb aspects and conjugation, which can vary by translation).

Pronunciation (Russian):

обобщать: ɐbɐˈbʲeʦətʲ

обобщить: ɐbɐˈbʲeʦʲɪtʲ

Note on обобщать: The stress falls on the third syllable; be careful with the soft 'b' sound, which is a common challenge for English speakers.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To make a general statement or conclusion based on specific instances.

Translation(s) & Context:

• обобщать - Used in ongoing or imperfective contexts, such as describing a process of generalization in discussions or writing.
• обобщить - Used for completed actions, emphasizing the result of generalizing, often in formal reports.

Usage Examples:

• Он всегда обобщает информацию из разных источников, чтобы сделать выводы.

  He always generalizes information from various sources to draw conclusions.

• В этой лекции профессор обобщает исторические события для лучшего понимания.

  In this lecture, the professor generalizes historical events for better understanding.

• Не стоит обобщать все случаи; каждый уникален.

  Don't generalize all cases; each one is unique.

• Исследователи обобщают данные, чтобы выявить общие тенденции.

  Researchers generalize data to identify common trends.

• Она обобщает свои опыты в книге, делая её полезной для многих.

  She generalizes her experiences in the book, making it useful for many.

Secondary Meaning: To apply something in a broader sense.

Translation(s) & Context:

• обобщать - In contexts involving expansion or broadening, such as in philosophy or education.

Usage Examples:

• Учитель обобщает понятие в классе, чтобы ученики могли применить его в жизни.

  The teacher generalizes the concept in class so that students can apply it in life.

• Обобщая теорию, мы видим её применимость к разным ситуациям.

  Generalizing the theory, we see its applicability to various situations.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both translations are verbs, with 'обобщать' being imperfective and 'обобщить' being perfective. Russian verbs have conjugations based on tense, aspect, person, and number. Below is a table for 'обобщать' (imperfective) and 'обобщить' (perfective) in the present and past tenses.

Note: These verbs follow standard first conjugation patterns but require attention to aspect changes. They do not have irregular forms.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: обобщить (to summarize briefly), суммировать (to sum up) - обобщать is more about broadening, while суммировать focuses on condensing.
• Antonyms: конкретизировать (to specify), детализировать (to detail) - Used when narrowing down rather than generalizing.

Related Phrases:

• обобщить информацию - To generalize information; often used in data analysis contexts.
• обобщать опыт - To generalize experience; common in personal development or education.
• не обобщать - Not to generalize; a phrase warning against over-simplification.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'обобщать' corresponds closely to the English 'to generalise' in its imperfective form, emphasizing the ongoing process, while 'обобщить' is perfective and focuses on the completed act. Choose based on context: use imperfective for habitual actions and perfective for results. Be mindful of formal settings where these verbs are prevalent, and avoid them in casual conversations where simpler synonyms might suffice.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing aspect and using 'обобщать' when 'обобщить' is needed, e.g., saying "Я обобщать данные" instead of "Я обобщаю данные". Correct: Ensure proper conjugation; the verb must agree with the subject. Explanation: Russian verbs require aspect matching, so imperfective for processes and perfective for completions.
• Error: Over-generalizing in translation, e.g., using 'обобщать' for 'generalize' in every case without considering nuances. Correct: Assess the context; for example, use 'суммировать' if summarizing is more accurate. Explanation: English 'generalise' can overlap with other Russian verbs, leading to imprecise usage.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture and education, generalizing (обобщать) is highly valued in fields like philosophy and science, reflecting a tradition of broad intellectual discourse from thinkers like Tolstoy. However, it can sometimes lead to stereotypes if not handled carefully, as Russians often emphasize specificity in daily life to avoid assumptions.

Related Concepts:

• анализировать (to analyze)
• суммировать (to summarize)
• абстрагировать (to abstract)