Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'intractable'

English Word: intractable

Key Russian Translations:

• непримиримый /nʲɪprʲimʲɪˈrʲimɨj/ - [Formal, often used in serious or official contexts]
• упрямый /ʊˈpramɨj/ - [Informal, commonly used in everyday conversations]

Frequency: Medium (This word and its translations appear regularly in Russian literature, debates, and discussions, but not as commonly as everyday vocabulary.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate level; requires understanding of adjective inflections and nuanced contexts, suitable for learners with a solid grasp of basic Russian grammar.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

непримиримый: /nʲɪprʲimʲɪˈrʲimɨj/

Note on непримиримый: The stress falls on the fourth syllable ("rʲimɨj"), which can be tricky for English speakers due to the palatalized consonants. Practice with native speakers for accuracy.

упрямый: /ʊˈpramɨj/

Note on упрямый: The initial "у" is pronounced as a short "oo" sound, similar to "book" in English, and the word has a soft ending that doesn't change much in casual speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Not easily managed or controlled (e.g., referring to a difficult situation or person)

Translation(s) & Context:

• непримиримый - Used in formal contexts, such as negotiations or descriptions of conflicts, to imply an unyielding stance.
• упрямый - Applied in informal settings, like family discussions, to describe someone who is stubbornly resistant.

Usage Examples:

• Его непримиримая позиция в переговорах помешала достигнуть соглашения.

  His intractable position in the negotiations prevented reaching an agreement.

• Эта упрямая проблема с техникой требует профессиональной помощи.

  This intractable problem with the equipment requires professional help.

• В детстве он был очень упрямым и не слушал советы родителей.

  As a child, he was very intractable and didn't listen to his parents' advice.

• Неожиданная непогода сделала путешествие непримиримым испытанием.

  The unexpected bad weather made the journey an intractable challenge.

• Её упрямый характер часто приводит к конфликтам на работе.

  Her intractable nature often leads to conflicts at work.

Meaning 2: Stubborn or unyielding in behavior (e.g., personal traits)

Translation(s) & Context:

• упрямый - Common in everyday language for describing personal stubbornness, especially in informal or emotional contexts.
• непримиримый - Used more abstractly in formal writing, such as in psychology or politics, to denote ideological rigidity.

Usage Examples:

• Его упрямый отказ изменить планы разочаровал всю команду.

  His intractable refusal to change plans disappointed the entire team.

• В политике непримиримые лидеры редко достигают компромисса.

  In politics, intractable leaders rarely achieve compromise.

• Эта упрямая привычка к позднему вставанию мешает ей в учёбе.

  This intractable habit of sleeping in is hindering her studies.

• Непримиримый конфликт интересов разделил семью надвое.

  The intractable conflict of interests split the family in two.

• Он остался упрямым, несмотря на все уговоры друзей.

  He remained intractable despite all the persuasion from his friends.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "непримиримый" and "упрямый" are adjectives in Russian, which inflect based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives follow standard patterns for most cases, but they can be irregular in certain forms.

Note: These adjectives do not change in short form (e.g., for predicates), and they follow regular adjectival patterns without major irregularities.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • трудный (difficult) - Often interchangeable in contexts of challenges, but less emphatic on stubbornness.
  • неподатливый (unyielding) - Used for materials or abstract concepts, with a slight nuance of resistance.
• Antonyms:
  • уступчивый (yielding)
  • гибкий (flexible)

Related Phrases:

• непримиримая борьба - An intractable struggle; refers to a relentless conflict with deep emotional or ideological undertones.
• упрямый как осёл - Stubborn as a mule; a common idiom for describing extreme intransigence in informal settings.
• трудный в обращении - Intractable in handling; used for objects or situations that are hard to manage.

Usage Notes:

"Intractable" translates most accurately to "непримиримый" in formal contexts and "упрямый" in everyday speech. Choose "непримиримый" for abstract or professional scenarios, as it conveys a sense of ideological rigidity, while "упрямый" is better for personal traits to avoid sounding overly formal. Be mindful of Russian adjective agreement with nouns in gender, number, and case. For example, if describing a female subject, use "непримиримая". In spoken Russian, these words often appear in negative constructions, like "не быть упрямым", to soften the tone.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "непримиримый" in casual conversations, which can sound overly dramatic. Correct: Opt for "упрямый" instead, e.g., Incorrect: "Он непримиримый друг." Correct: "Он упрямый друг." Explanation: "Непримиримый" is better for formal contexts, while "упрямый" fits informal ones to match natural speech patterns.

• Error: Forgetting adjective inflections, such as using the masculine form with a feminine noun. Correct: Incorrect: "Её непримиримый решение." Correct: "Её непримиримая решение." (Though "решение" is neuter, ensure agreement.) Explanation: Russian requires strict grammatical agreement, which English learners often overlook, leading to unnatural phrasing.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "упрямый" often reflect the historical value placed on perseverance and resilience, as seen in literature by authors like Tolstoy. "Непримиримый" may evoke memories of Soviet-era debates, symbolizing ideological steadfastness, which can add a layer of historical connotation in modern discussions.

Related Concepts:

• стойкий (resilient)
• непреклонный (unbending)
• конфликт (conflict)