Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'infancy'

English Word: infancy

Key Russian Translations:

• младенчество [mɫɐˈdʲenʲstvə] - [Formal, used in contexts referring to the earliest stage of life, such as medical or developmental discussions]
• детство [ˈdʲetstvə] - [Informal or broader, but less precise for the very early stage; used when emphasizing early childhood in everyday conversation]

Frequency: Medium (This term is commonly encountered in educational, medical, and literary contexts but not in everyday casual speech.)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, based on CEFR; requires understanding of abstract concepts and noun declensions. For 'младенчество', it's B1; for 'детство', it may be A2 for beginners.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

младенчество: [mɫɐˈdʲenʲstvə]

детство: [ˈdʲetstvə]

Note on младенчество: The stress falls on the third syllable ('dʲenʲ'), which can be tricky for English speakers due to the soft consonants; pronounce it with a clear 'l' sound at the beginning.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

The early period of childhood, often implying dependency and development.

Translation(s) & Context:

• младенчество - Used in formal contexts like psychology or medicine to describe the stage from birth to about 2 years old.
• детство - Applied in broader or informal settings, such as storytelling, to refer to early life stages up to adolescence, but it may not capture the precise infancy phase.

Usage Examples:

• В младенчестве дети быстро развиваются физически и эмоционально.

  In infancy, children develop quickly both physically and emotionally.

• Медицинские проверки в младенчестве помогают предотвратить будущие проблемы.

  Medical check-ups in infancy help prevent future problems.

• Родители должны уделять особое внимание питанию в период младенчества.

  Parents should pay special attention to nutrition during the period of infancy.

• В детстве, особенно в младенчестве, формируется основа личности.

  In childhood, especially in infancy, the foundation of personality is formed.

• Изучение поведения в младенчестве помогает психологам понять взросление.

  Studying behavior in infancy helps psychologists understand maturation.

A metaphorical or figurative sense, such as the early stages of an idea or organization.

Translation(s) & Context:

• младенчество - Used metaphorically in formal writing, e.g., for the infancy of a nation or technology.
• детство - Less common in this sense, but can be used informally for early development phases.

Usage Examples:

• Интернет был в младенчестве, когда появились первые браузеры.

  The internet was in its infancy when the first browsers appeared.

• В младенчестве компании важно инвестировать в инновации.

  In the infancy of a company, it's important to invest in innovations.

• Идея проекта находилась в младенчестве, но уже обещала успех.

  The project idea was in its infancy but already promised success.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'младенчество' and 'детство' are neuter nouns in Russian, which means they follow standard neuter declension patterns. 'младенчество' is a noun that changes based on case and number, while 'детство' is similar but more commonly used. Here is a breakdown:

Note: These nouns do not have plural forms in most contexts as they refer to abstract concepts. They follow regular patterns without irregularities.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • ранний возраст (early age) - More general, often used in scientific contexts.
  • период новорождения (neonatal period) - Specific to the very first weeks, with subtle differences in medical precision.
• Antonyms:
  • зрелость (maturity) - Refers to the adult stage, contrasting with early development.
  • старость (old age) - Indicates later life stages.

Related Phrases:

• период младенчества - The period of infancy; used in developmental psychology to discuss early growth.
• раннее детство - Early childhood; a broader phrase that overlaps with infancy in casual contexts.
• возраст младенца - Age of an infant; commonly used in parenting discussions.

Usage Notes:

Use 'младенчество' for precise, formal correspondence to 'infancy', especially in medical or educational contexts, as it emphasizes the initial dependency phase. 'детство' is more versatile but broader, so choose it when discussing early life in general. Be mindful of Russian's case system; for example, in prepositional phrases like "в младенчестве", it must be in the prepositional case. English speakers often confuse this with English's lack of declensions, so practice sentence structures for accuracy.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'детство' interchangeably with 'младенчество' without considering context. For instance, saying "в детстве ребенка" when meaning "in infancy" might imply a longer period.

  Correct: "В младенчестве ребенка" (In infancy of the child). Explanation: 'младенчество' is more specific; using 'детство' could dilute the meaning.

• Error: Forgetting declension, e.g., saying "в младенчество" instead of "в младенчестве".

  Correct: "В младенчестве". Explanation: Russian requires the correct case for prepositions, which English speakers might overlook.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'младенчество' often carries connotations of vulnerability and the importance of family support, influenced by historical contexts like Soviet-era child welfare programs. This reflects a broader cultural emphasis on collective child-rearing, which can differ from individualistic Western approaches, helping users understand the emotional weight in phrases like those in literature by authors such as Tolstoy.

Related Concepts:

• детство
• юность (youth)
• развитие (development)