Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'incongruity'

English Word: incongruity

Key Russian Translations:

• Несоответствие [/nʲɪsəɐ̯tvʲetstvʲɪje/] - [Formal, used in academic or professional contexts]
• Несовместимость [/nʲɪsəvmʲesʲtʲimostʲ/] - [Formal, emphasizes incompatibility in technical or scientific settings]

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

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate, as it involves abstract concepts and requires understanding of Russian noun declensions; for 'Несовместимость', also B2 due to similar complexity)

Pronunciation (Russian):

Несоответствие: /nʲɪsəɐ̯tvʲetstvʲɪje/

Несовместимость: /nʲɪsəvmʲesʲtʲimostʲ/

Note on Несоответствие: The stress falls on the fourth syllable ('stvʲe'), which can be tricky for learners; pronounce with a soft 't' sound. Variations in regional accents may soften the vowels.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: The state of not being in agreement, harmony, or consistency.

Translation(s) & Context:

• Несоответствие - Used in formal contexts to describe logical or situational mismatches, such as in arguments or designs.
• Несовместимость - Applied when elements cannot coexist, like in chemistry or relationships, emphasizing conflict.

Usage Examples:

• В его рассказе было явное несоответствие между описанными событиями и реальностью.

  In his story, there was a clear incongruity between the described events and reality.

• Несоответствие стилей в интерьере комнаты сделало её выглядящей хаотичной.

  The incongruity of styles in the room's interior made it look chaotic.

• Несовместимость их характеров привела к постоянным спорам в семье.

  The incongruity of their personalities led to constant arguments in the family.

• В научном отчёте было отмечено несоответствие данных эксперимента ожидаемым результатам.

  In the scientific report, an incongruity was noted between the experiment's data and the expected results.

Meaning 2: Something that is out of place or does not fit logically.

Translation(s) & Context:

• Несоответствие - Common in everyday descriptions of visual or conceptual mismatches, such as in art or social situations.

Usage Examples:

• Её яркий наряд был полным несоответствием к строгому дресс-коду мероприятия.

  Her bright outfit was a complete incongruity with the event's strict dress code.

• Несоответствие юмора в фильме сделало его смешным, но неуместным для аудитории.

  The incongruity of humor in the film made it funny but out of place for the audience.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'Несоответствие' and 'Несовместимость' are neuter nouns in Russian, following standard declension patterns for third-declension neuter nouns. They are regular and do not have irregular forms.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Неподходящесть (slight nuance: more about unsuitability in casual contexts)
  • Несоответственность (used in legal or ethical discussions, implying irresponsibility)
• Antonyms:
  • Соответствие (harmony or agreement)
  • Совместимость (compatibility)

Related Phrases:

• Логическое несоответствие - A logical incongruity, often used in debates or reasoning.
• Стилистическое несоответствие - Stylistic incongruity, referring to mismatches in design or writing.
• Несовместимость интересов - Incompatibility of interests, common in negotiations or relationships.

Usage Notes:

'Несоответствие' directly corresponds to the abstract sense of incongruity in English, making it the preferred choice for formal translations. Use it in contexts where you're discussing discrepancies in ideas, facts, or appearances. 'Несовместимость' is better for situations involving inherent conflicts, such as in science or personal relationships. Be mindful of Russian's case system; always decline the noun based on its role in the sentence (e.g., genitive for possession). In informal speech, simpler alternatives like 'неподходяще' might be used, but these translations are more formal and academic.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'Несоответствие' interchangeably with 'Несовместимость' without considering context. For example, learners might say "Несоответствие характеров" when meaning personality clashes, but 'Несовместимость' is more accurate.

  Correct: Несовместимость характеров (Incompatibility of personalities). Explanation: 'Несоответствие' implies a mere mismatch, while 'Несовместимость' suggests they cannot coexist.

• Error: Forgetting to decline the noun properly, e.g., saying "Из-за несоответствие" instead of "Из-за несоответствия".

  Correct: Из-за несоответствия. Explanation: In genitive case after prepositions like 'из-за', the noun must end in '-ия' for singular genitive.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture and literature, concepts like 'несоответствие' often appear in critiques of society or art, reflecting themes of absurdity or dissonance, as seen in works by authors like Gogol. It highlights the Russian emphasis on harmony and the discomfort caused by disruptions, which can stem from historical contexts like the Soviet era's ideological conflicts.

Related Concepts:

• Противоречие (contradiction)
• Несоответственность (inconsistency in behavior)
• Диссонанс (dissonance)