Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'idiosyncrasy'

English Word: idiosyncrasy

Key Russian Translations:

• Причуда [prʲɪˈtʃudə] - [Informal, often used for quirky or whimsical traits]
• Особенность [ɐsəbʲɪˈnostʲ] - [Formal, neutral for unique characteristics]

Frequency: Medium (Common in literary and psychological contexts, but not everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of abstract concepts and nuanced vocabulary; for 'Причуда', it's slightly easier due to its informal use, while 'Особенность' may feel more advanced)

Pronunciation (Russian):

Причуда: [prʲɪˈtʃudə]

Note on Причуда: The stress is on the second syllable; be careful with the soft 'ч' sound, which is palatalized and can be tricky for English speakers.

Особенность: [ɐsəbʲɪˈnostʲ]

Note on Особенность: Stress falls on the third syllable; the 'щ' sound is a soft, hissing 'sh' that differs from English 'sh'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

A peculiarity of temperament or individualizing characteristic

Translation(s) & Context:

• Причуда - Used in informal or creative contexts to describe quirky personal habits, often with a light-hearted connotation.
• Особенность - Applied in formal or analytical settings, such as psychology or literature, to denote a unique trait without judgment.

Usage Examples:

• Его причуда — всегда носить разноцветные носки, что раздражает его коллег.

  His idiosyncrasy is always wearing mismatched socks, which annoys his colleagues.

• Эта особенность характера делает её непредсказуемой в социальном общении.

  This idiosyncrasy of her character makes her unpredictable in social interactions.

• Причуда старого профессора — писать все заметки от руки, несмотря на современные технологии.

  The old professor's idiosyncrasy is writing all his notes by hand, despite modern technology.

• Как особенность культуры, такая причуда может быть воспринята как эксцентричность.

  As a cultural idiosyncrasy, such a trait might be perceived as eccentricity.

• Её причуда — коллекционировать редкие книги — превратилась в настоящую страсть.

  Her idiosyncrasy of collecting rare books has turned into a real passion.

An unusual feature or habit specific to an individual

Translation(s) & Context:

• Причуда - Informal, often in everyday or humorous descriptions of personal quirks.
• Особенность - Formal, used in professional or academic discussions about personality traits.

Usage Examples:

• Причуда ребёнка — спать с игрушками — со временем исчезла.

  The child's idiosyncrasy of sleeping with toys faded over time.

• Эта особенность в его поведении делает его выделяющимся среди друзей.

  This idiosyncrasy in his behavior makes him stand out among friends.

• Причуда писателя — работать только ночью — повлияла на его творчество.

  The writer's idiosyncrasy of working only at night influenced his creativity.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'Причуда' and 'Особенность' are feminine nouns in Russian, which means they follow standard feminine declension patterns. 'Причуда' is irregular in some forms due to its roots, while 'Особенность' is more regular.

Note: These nouns do not change for verb conjugations as they are not verbs, but they must agree in case, number, and gender with adjectives or verbs in a sentence.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Странность (strannost' - slight peculiarity, often with a sense of oddity)
  • Каприз (kapriz - whim, more temporary than a deep trait)
  • Эксцентричность (ekstsentricbnost' - eccentricity, emphasizing social deviation)
• Antonyms:
  • Норма (norma - norm, standard behavior)
  • Обыденность (obydennost' - ordinariness, lack of uniqueness)

Related Phrases:

• Странная причуда - A strange idiosyncrasy; used to describe an odd personal habit.
• Особенность характера - A character idiosyncrasy; common in psychological or literary contexts.
• Причуда судьбы - An idiosyncrasy of fate; an idiomatic expression for a quirky twist of destiny.

Usage Notes:

'Причуда' is the more idiomatic choice for everyday English 'idiosyncrasy' in informal Russian speech, as it captures the whimsical aspect, while 'Особенность' is better for formal or neutral contexts like academic writing. Be mindful of the feminine gender when using these words in sentences; for example, adjectives must agree (e.g., 'странная причуда' for 'strange idiosyncrasy'). In Russian culture, these words often appear in literature to describe character depth, so they're useful for storytelling. If multiple translations apply, choose based on context: use 'Причуда' for light-hearted quirks and 'Особенность' for deeper traits.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'Причуда' in formal writing as a direct synonym for 'idiosyncrasy' without considering tone. Incorrect: В его особенность — ... (This mixes forms incorrectly). Correct: В его причуде... Explanation: 'Причуда' should be in the proper case; always check agreement with the sentence structure.
• Mistake: Confusing with 'привычка' (habit), which is more routine-based. Incorrect: Его причуда — ежедневно есть яблоки (implies a quirky habit, but might be too mild). Correct: Его привычка — ежедневно есть яблоки. Explanation: 'Idiosyncrasy' implies uniqueness, not just repetition, so use 'Причуда' only for distinctive traits.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'Причуда' often appear in literature (e.g., in works by Chekhov or Dostoevsky) to highlight human eccentricity, reflecting a societal appreciation for individualism amidst collectivism. This can help English speakers understand how 'idiosyncrasy' plays into Russian portrayals of character, where such traits are sometimes seen as endearing or profound rather than odd.

Related Concepts:

• Характер (character)
• Темперамент (temperament)
• Эксцентричность (eccentricity)