Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'instigation'

English Word: instigation

Key Russian Translations:

• подстрекательство [pɐdstʲrʲɪˈkatstvə] - [Formal, Legal contexts]
• провокация [prəvɐˈkaʦɨjə] - [Informal, Everyday or journalistic use]

Frequency: Medium (Common in legal, political, or formal discussions but not in casual everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian noun declensions and legal terminology. For 'провокация', it may be slightly easier at B1 due to its broader usage.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

подстрекательство: [pɐdstʲrʲɪˈkatstvə]

провокация: [prəvɐˈkaʦɨjə]

Note on подстрекательство: The stress falls on the fourth syllable ('kat'), which can be tricky for learners due to the word's length and consonant clusters. Pronunciation may vary slightly in rapid speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Incitement to illegal or harmful action

Translation(s) & Context:

• подстрекательство - Used in formal or legal settings, such as court cases involving encouragement of crimes (e.g., in Russian criminal law).
• провокация - Applied in broader contexts like politics or daily life, implying deliberate provocation that may not always be illegal.

Usage Examples:

• Он был арестован за подстрекательство к беспорядкам во время протеста.

  He was arrested for instigating riots during the protest.

• Её действия были классифицированы как провокация, чтобы спровоцировать конфликт.

  Her actions were classified as provocation to instigate conflict.

• Подстрекательство к насилию строго наказывается по российскому законодательству.

  Instigation to violence is strictly punished under Russian law.

• Эта провокация в СМИ привела к массовым демонстрациям.

  This provocation in the media led to mass demonstrations.

• Группа была обвинена в подстрекательстве к терроризму через онлайн-кампании.

  The group was accused of instigating terrorism through online campaigns.

Broader sense: Encouraging any action

Translation(s) & Context:

• провокация - In non-legal contexts, used for stirring up emotions or debates (e.g., in arguments or social media).

Usage Examples:

• Его слова послужили провокацией для жаркого обсуждения в аудитории.

  His words served as instigation for a heated discussion in the audience.

• Подстрекательство к позитивным изменениям иногда бывает необходимым в обществе.

  Instigation of positive changes is sometimes necessary in society.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'подстрекательство' and 'провокация' are neuter nouns in Russian, which means they follow standard neuter declension patterns. 'Подстрекательство' is less common and can be invariant in some uses, while 'провокация' has full declensions.

For 'подстрекательство' (neuter, 2nd declension):

For 'провокация' (neuter, 1st declension):

Note: These nouns do not change for gender but follow regular patterns with no irregularities.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • возбуждение (vozbuždénie) - Similar but more general, often used in legal contexts; implies stirring up emotions.
  • разжигание (razžiganié) - Focuses on igniting conflicts, with a connotation of intensity.
• Antonyms:
  • подавление (podavlenie) - Suppression or quelling of actions.
  • сдерживание (sderživanié) - Restraint or holding back.

Related Phrases:

• подстрекательство к насилию - Instigation to violence; used in legal or social discussions to describe encouraging physical harm.
• провокация конфликта - Provocation of conflict; common in diplomatic or interpersonal contexts to mean deliberately starting disputes.
• массовое подстрекательство - Mass instigation; refers to large-scale encouragement, often in protests or revolutions.

Usage Notes:

'Подстрекательство' directly corresponds to the legal sense of 'instigation' in English, such as in criminal law, and should be used in formal writing or official contexts. 'Провокация' is more versatile and can align with everyday 'instigation' but carries a nuance of deliberate trickery. Choose 'подстрекательство' for precise legal translations and 'провокация' for broader, non-legal scenarios. Be mindful of Russian's case system when using these nouns in sentences, as they must agree with prepositions and verbs.

• In informal speech, 'провокация' might be preferred to sound less technical.
• Avoid direct word-for-word translation; consider the context to select the appropriate term.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse 'подстрекательство' with 'провокация', using the former in everyday contexts where the latter is more natural. For example, a common mistake is saying "Это подстрекательство в разговоре" (incorrect for casual talk) instead of "Это провокация в разговоре" (correct). The error stems from overgeneralizing legal terms; correct usage involves checking the formality level. Another mistake is incorrect declension, like using nominative in all cases: e.g., wrong: "обвинен в подстрекательство" (should be genitive: "обвинен в подстрекательстве").

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture and law, terms like 'подстрекательство' have significant historical connotations, often linked to Soviet-era legal codes where instigating against the state was heavily penalized. This reflects Russia's emphasis on social order and collective harmony, making these words carry a weightier moral judgment than their English counterparts.

Related Concepts:

• преступление (crime)
• конфликт (conflict)
• возмущение (disturbance)