Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'incompatibility'

English Word: incompatibility

Key Russian Translations:

• Несовместимость (nʲɪsɐvmʲɪˈstʲiməsʲtʲ) - [Formal, used in technical, medical, or legal contexts]
• Несоответствие (nʲɪsəɐtˈvʲetstvʲɪjə) - [Informal, when emphasizing mismatch or discrepancy]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in specialized fields like technology, science, and relationships, but not in everyday casual conversation)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of abstract concepts and noun declensions, though the vocabulary itself is not overly complex for learners at this level)

Pronunciation (Russian):

Несовместимость: nʲɪsɐvmʲɪˈstʲiməsʲtʲ

Несоответствие: nʲɪsəɐtˈvʲetstvʲɪjə

Note on Несовместимость: The stress falls on the fourth syllable ("sti-"), which can be tricky for English speakers due to the consonant clusters; pronounce it smoothly without pausing.

Note on Несоответствие: This word has a softer 't' sound in Russian, represented as [tʲ], which is palatalized; it's common in rapid speech to shorten the vowel in unstressed syllables.

Audio: []

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. The state of two or more things not being able to coexist or function together due to fundamental differences.

Translation(s) & Context:

• Несовместимость - Used in formal contexts like medicine (e.g., drug interactions) or technology (e.g., software conflicts), emphasizing inherent opposition.
• Несоответствие - Applied in informal or everyday situations, such as personality clashes or mismatched expectations.

Usage Examples:

• Несовместимость этих лекарств может привести к серьезным побочным эффектам.

  The incompatibility of these medications can lead to serious side effects.

• В браке часто возникает несовместимость характеров, если партнеры не обсуждают проблемы.

  Incompatibility of personalities often arises in marriage if partners don't discuss issues.

• Несоответствие требований клиента и возможностей системы вызвало задержку проекта.

  The incompatibility between the client's requirements and the system's capabilities caused the project delay.

• Из-за несовместимости форматов файлов, документ не открылся в программе.

  Due to the incompatibility of file formats, the document didn't open in the program.

• Несоответствие вкусов в еде иногда становится причиной споров в семье.

  Incompatibility of tastes in food sometimes becomes a reason for arguments in the family.

2. A lack of harmony or suitability, often in relationships or systems.

Translation(s) & Context:

• Несовместимость - Preferred in professional or scientific contexts to denote systemic issues.
• Несоответствие - More common in personal or social contexts, highlighting subjective mismatches.

Usage Examples:

• Несовместимость интересов компаний помешала слиянию.

  The incompatibility of the companies' interests prevented the merger.

• В этой паре несовместимость взглядов на жизнь стала причиной развода.

  In this couple, incompatibility of life views led to divorce.

• Несоответствие навыков сотрудника и требований вакансии сделало его непригодным для должности.

  The incompatibility between the employee's skills and the job requirements made him unsuitable for the position.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "Несовместимость" and "Несоответствие" are feminine nouns in Russian, which means they follow the standard declension patterns for first-declension nouns. They exhibit changes based on case, number, and gender agreements. "Несовместимость" is invariant in its root but changes endings, while "Несоответствие" follows a similar pattern with slight variations in spelling.

Note: These nouns do not change in the plural form as frequently as some others, but always agree with adjectives and verbs in gender and number.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Несоответствие (similar to the main translation but with a nuance of "discrepancy" rather than total incompatibility)
  • Противоречие (contradiction; used when there's a direct conflict)
• Antonyms:
  • Совместимость (compatibility; directly opposite in meaning)
  • Соответствие (correspondence; implies harmony or match)

Related Phrases:

• Техническая несовместимость - Technical incompatibility; refers to issues in hardware or software integration.
• Брачный несовместимость - Marital incompatibility; used in discussions of relationship dynamics.
• Несовместимость вкусов - Incompatibility of tastes; common in cultural or personal preference contexts.

Usage Notes:

"Несовместимость" is the most precise translation for "incompatibility" in formal settings, such as medical or technical discussions, where it denotes an inherent inability to coexist. In contrast, "Несоответствие" is better for informal or subjective mismatches. English learners should note that Russian nouns like these must agree in case with surrounding words; for example, use the genitive case after prepositions like "из-за" (due to). When choosing between translations, opt for "Несовместимость" in scientific contexts and "Несоответствие" in everyday conversations to ensure naturalness.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using the nominative form in all cases, e.g., saying "из-за несовместимость" instead of "из-за несовместимости".
  Correct: "Из-за несовместимости" (genitive case required after "из-за").
  Explanation: This error stems from not recognizing case changes, which can make the sentence grammatically incorrect in Russian.
• Mistake: Confusing "Несовместимость" with "Несоответствие" in formal contexts, leading to understatement of severity.
  Correct: Use "Несовместимость" for absolute incompatibility.
  Explanation: "Несоответствие" implies a milder mismatch, so it might downplay the issue in professional scenarios.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, concepts like "несовместимость" often appear in discussions of relationships or societal changes, reflecting a historical emphasis on collectivism. For instance, in literature and media, incompatibility in marriages might symbolize broader social discord, as seen in classic works by authors like Tolstoy, where personal incompatibilities mirror societal tensions.

Related Concepts:

• Конфликт (conflict)
• Противоречие (contradiction)
• Соответствие (correspondence)