Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'irreconcilable'

English Word: irreconcilable

Key Russian Translations:

• непримиримый [nʲɪprʲɪˈmʲirʲɪmɨj] - [Formal, Adjective used in contexts involving conflicts or disagreements]
• несовместимый [nʲɪsɐfmʲɪˈstʲimɨj] - [Formal, Often used for incompatible ideas or elements]

Frequency: Medium (Common in formal writing, political discourse, and philosophical texts, but less frequent in everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate, as it requires understanding of Russian adjective inflections; for 'непримиримый', B2; for 'несовместимый', also B2 due to similar grammatical rules)

Pronunciation (Russian):

непримиримый: [nʲɪprʲɪˈmʲirʲɪmɨj]

несовместимый: [nʲɪsɐfmʲɪˈstʲimɨj]

Note on непримиримый: The stress falls on the third syllable ('mʲirʲ'), which can be tricky for English speakers due to the palatalized consonants; pronounce it with a soft 'r' sound.

Note on несовместимый: Stress on the fourth syllable ('stʲim'), and the 's' is soft; common variations in fast speech may soften the vowels.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Unable to be reconciled or brought into agreement (e.g., in conflicts, differences, or incompatibilities).

Translation(s) & Context:

• непримиримый - Used in formal contexts like politics, philosophy, or legal discussions to describe unyielding positions.
• несовместимый - Applied in scenarios involving logical or practical incompatibilities, such as in science or relationships.

Usage Examples:

• Их непримиримые взгляды на политику привели к длительному конфликту.

  Their irreconcilable views on politics led to a prolonged conflict.

• В этом браке были несовместимые ценности, что сделало его невыносимым.

  In this marriage, there were irreconcilable values, making it unbearable.

• Непримиримый лидер отказался от любых компромиссов в переговорах.

  The irreconcilable leader refused any compromises in the negotiations.

• Несовместимые технологии не могут быть интегрированы без значительных изменений.

  Irreconcilable technologies cannot be integrated without significant changes.

• Его непримиримое отношение к критике часто создавало проблемы в команде.

  His irreconcilable attitude toward criticism often created problems in the team.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'непримиримый' and 'несовместимый' are adjectives in Russian, which means they inflect based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives follow a standard pattern of agreement with nouns. 'Непримиримый' is a regular adjective, while 'несовместимый' is also regular but may vary slightly in formal contexts.

Note: These adjectives do not change in predicative position (e.g., after 'быть'), but always agree with the noun in attributive use. They are regular and follow standard adjective paradigms in Russian grammar.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • неподдающийся примирению (Similar to 'irreconcilable', but more emphatic in persistent refusal)
  • антагонистический (Used in contexts of opposition, with a nuance of active conflict)
• Antonyms:
  • примиримый (Meaning 'reconcilable' or open to compromise)
  • совместимый (Meaning 'compatible' or able to coexist)

Related Phrases:

• непримиримая позиция - An irreconcilable stance; often used in debates or negotiations to describe an unyielding opinion.
• несовместимые элементы - Irreconcilable elements; refers to parts that cannot coexist, such as in a system or relationship.
• непримиримый конфликт - An irreconcilable conflict; a common phrase in historical or political contexts.

Usage Notes:

'Непримиримый' directly corresponds to 'irreconcilable' in contexts of personal or ideological differences, while 'несовместимый' is better for logical or practical incompatibilities. Both are formal and rarely used in casual speech; prefer them in written essays or professional settings. Grammatically, always ensure the adjective agrees with the noun in gender, number, and case. When choosing between translations, use 'непримиримый' for human-related conflicts and 'несовместимый' for abstract or object-based ones to maintain precision.

• In sentences, these adjectives often precede the noun (e.g., "непримиримый лидер").
• Avoid using them in informal contexts, as they may sound overly academic.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse 'непримиримый' with 'несовместимый', using the former for logical incompatibilities. For example:

• Error: Saying "Эти технологии непримиримые" (incorrectly implying a personal conflict) instead of "Эти технологии несовместимые" (correct for technological incompatibility).
• Correct: "Эти технологии несовместимые, поэтому их нельзя объединить." Explanation: 'Несовместимый' is the appropriate choice here, as it denotes practical mismatch, whereas 'непримиримый' suggests ideological stubbornness.
• Another error: Forgetting adjective agreement, e.g., using "непримиримый" with a feminine noun without changing to "непримиримая". Always check the noun's gender for accuracy.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'непримиримый' often appear in historical contexts, such as discussions of the Russian Revolution or Soviet-era politics, where irreconcilable ideologies (e.g., between Bolsheviks and opponents) shaped national history. This reflects a cultural emphasis on enduring conflicts and the value of steadfastness, which can be seen in literature like Tolstoy's works.

Related Concepts:

• конфликт (conflict)
• антагонизм (antagonism)
• компромисс (compromise)