Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'libellous'

English Word: libellous

Key Russian Translations:

• клеветнический (/klʲɪvʲɪtʲˈnʲitɕɪskʲɪj/) - [Formal]
• очернительский (/ɐtɕɪrnʲɪˈtʲɛlʲskʲɪj/) - [Formal, often used in legal or journalistic contexts]

Frequency: Medium (This word and its translations are encountered in formal writing, legal discussions, and media, but not in everyday casual conversation.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian adjective forms and formal vocabulary. The first translation may be slightly easier than the second for learners.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

клеветнический: /klʲɪvʲɪtʲˈnʲitɕɪskʲɪj/

очернительский: /ɐtɕɪrnʲɪˈtʲɛlʲskʲɪj/

Note on клеветнический: The stress falls on the third syllable; be mindful of the palatalized 'л' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning: Tending to defame, slander, or damage someone's reputation through false statements.

Translation(s) & Context:

• клеветнический - Used in formal legal or ethical discussions, such as in court cases involving defamation.
• очернительский - Applied in contexts like journalism or media criticism, emphasizing deliberate character assassination.

Usage Examples:

• Эта статья содержит клеветнический материал, который может нанести ущерб репутации автора.

  This article contains libellous material that could harm the author's reputation.

• В газете опубликовали очернительский текст, обвиняющий политика в коррупции без доказательств.

  The newspaper published a libellous text accusing the politician of corruption without evidence.

• Клеветнические заявления в социальных сетях часто приводят к судебным искам.

  Libellous statements on social media often lead to lawsuits.

• Очернительский подход в критике фильмов может дискредитировать работу режиссера.

  A libellous approach in film criticism can discredit the director's work.

• Избегайте клеветнических высказываний, чтобы не нарушить закон о защите чести и достоинства.

  Avoid libellous statements to not violate the law on the protection of honor and dignity.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both translations are adjectives, which in Russian typically inflect based on gender, number, and case. They follow the standard first-declension adjective patterns, with some irregularities in spelling due to consonant clusters.

Note: These adjectives do not change in predicative position and follow regular patterns, but learners should pay attention to soft signs and vowel alternations in different cases.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • диффамационный (diffamatsionnyy) - More neutral, often used in academic contexts.
  • порочащий (porochashchiy) - Emphasizes discrediting, with a slight informal tone.
• Antonyms:
  • похвальный (pohvalnyy) - Meaning praiseworthy or complimentary.
  • защитный (zashchitnyy) - Meaning protective or defensive.

Related Phrases:

• клеветническое заявление - A libellous statement; often used in legal contexts to refer to defamatory claims.
• очернительная кампания - A smear campaign; implies a coordinated effort to damage someone's reputation.
• клевета в СМИ - Libel in the media; highlights the role of journalism in spreading false information.

Usage Notes:

The Russian translations for 'libellous' carry a strong legal connotation, similar to English, and are typically used in formal settings like courtrooms or media ethics discussions. Choose 'клеветнический' for straightforward defamation cases, while 'очернительский' is better for scenarios involving intentional character assassination. Be cautious with gender and case agreements in sentences, as Russian adjectives must match the nouns they modify. In everyday speech, less formal synonyms might be preferred to avoid sounding overly legalistic.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using the adjective in the wrong case, e.g., saying "клеветнический заявление" instead of "клеветническое заявление" (should be neuter to agree with "заявление").
  Correct: Ensure proper inflection based on the noun's gender and case.
  Explanation: Russian requires adjective-noun agreement, which English speakers often overlook.
• Mistake: Confusing with similar words like "клевета" (noun meaning slander), leading to incorrect sentence structure, e.g., "Это клеветнический" instead of "Это клеветническое утверждение."
  Correct: Use the full phrase for clarity.
  Explanation: 'Клеветнический' is an adjective and needs a noun to modify; standalone use can make the sentence incomplete.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture and legal systems, concepts like 'клевета' (slander) have deep roots in historical contexts, such as Soviet-era censorship and modern defamation laws. Terms like 'очернительский' often evoke memories of state-controlled media propaganda, making them sensitive in discussions about freedom of speech and press ethics.

Related Concepts:

• клевета
• диффамация
• порочащий материал