Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'imminence'

English Word: imminence

Key Russian Translations:

• неизбежность [nʲɪɪzˈbʲɛʐnəsʲtʲ] - [Formal, used in philosophical or serious contexts]
• близость [blʲɪˈzosʲtʲ] - [Informal, often for temporal proximity]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in literature, news, and discussions but not in everyday casual speech)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate, as it involves abstract concepts and requires understanding of Russian noun declensions; for 'неизбежность', it's more challenging due to its formal usage, while 'близость' is slightly easier)

Pronunciation (Russian):

неизбежность: [nʲɪɪzˈbʲɛʐnəsʲtʲ]

Note on неизбежность: The stress is on the third syllable; be careful with the soft 'н' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers.

близость: [blʲɪˈzosʲtʲ]

Note on близость: The 'з' is pronounced as a soft 'z', and the word ends with a palatalized 't'; common in faster speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

The state of being about to happen or inevitable

Translation(s) & Context:

• неизбежность - Used in formal contexts, such as discussing unavoidable events or philosophical inevitability, e.g., in legal or scientific writing.
• близость - Applied in everyday contexts for something approaching in time, like weather forecasts or personal plans.

Usage Examples:

• Русский пример: Война была неизбежностью, учитывая растущее напряжение. [Translation: The war was an imminence, considering the growing tension.]

• Русский пример: Близость бури заставила нас отменить пикник. [Translation: The imminence of the storm made us cancel the picnic.]

• Русский пример: Неизбежность изменений в климате обсуждается на глобальном уровне. [Translation: The imminence of climate changes is discussed on a global level.]

• Русский пример: Близость дедлайна мотивировала команду работать быстрее. [Translation: The imminence of the deadline motivated the team to work faster.]

• Русский пример: В его речах подчеркивалась неизбежность прогресса. [Translation: In his speeches, the imminence of progress was emphasized.]

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'неизбежность' and 'близость' are feminine nouns in Russian, which means they follow the standard feminine declension patterns. 'Неизбежность' is a third-declension noun and changes based on case and number, while 'близость' is more straightforward but still inflects. Here's a table for their key inflections:

Note: These nouns do not have irregular forms, but always pay attention to the soft endings in instrumental case, which can be a common point of difficulty.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: предопределенность (predetermined nature, often used in fate-related contexts), неминуемость (unavoidability, similar but more emphatic)
• Antonyms: отдаленность (remoteness, implying something far off in time), невозможность (impossibility, for something that won't happen)

Related Phrases:

• Неизбежная судьба - Inevitable fate (used in discussions of destiny or historical events)
• Близость опасности - Imminence of danger (common in thrillers or safety warnings)
• Неизбежность перемен - Imminence of change (often in political or social contexts)

Usage Notes:

'Неизбежность' is the more precise translation for 'imminence' in formal or abstract senses, emphasizing something unavoidable, whereas 'близость' is better for temporal proximity and is more casual. English users should note that Russian nouns like these must agree in case, number, and gender with other words in the sentence. For example, choose 'неизбежность' in philosophical texts but 'близость' in everyday conversations. If the context involves urgency, pair it with verbs like 'подходить' (to approach) for added nuance.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing 'неизбежность' with 'необходимость' (necessity), leading to sentences like "Неизбежность еды" (meaning "Imminence of food"), which should be "Необходимость еды" if referring to something essential. Correct: Use 'неизбежность' only for unavoidable events, e.g., "Неизбежность войны" instead of implying it's just needed.

• Error: Forgetting declension, such as using 'неизбежность' in genitive as 'неизбежность' instead of 'неизбежности'. Correct: In a phrase like "из-за неизбежности" (because of the imminence), ensure the genitive form is used, as in "из-за неизбежности войны".

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, concepts like 'неизбежность' often tie into themes of fate and historical inevitability, as seen in works by authors like Leo Tolstoy in "War and Peace," where the imminence of events reflects a deterministic view of history. This can add a layer of philosophical depth, making the word more than just a temporal descriptor.

Related Concepts:

• судьба (fate)
• угроза (threat)
• изменения (changes)