Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'minority'

English Word: minority

Key Russian Translations:

• меньшинство /mʲɪnʲɪʂɨnstvə/ - [Formal, Singular, Used in contexts like politics, sociology, or demographics]
• минорное большинство /mʲɪˈnoɾnəʊ bɐlʲʂʲɪnstvə/ - [Informal or technical, Plural, Used in statistical or mathematical discussions, though less common]

Frequency: Medium (Commonly encountered in news, academic texts, and everyday discussions about society and politics in Russian-speaking contexts)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; Requires understanding of noun declensions and formal vocabulary; For 'меньшинство', it's straightforward, but 'минорное большинство' may vary slightly in nuance)

Pronunciation (Russian):

меньшинство: /mʲɪnʲɪʂɨnstvə/

минорное большинство: /mʲɪˈnoɾnəʊ bɐlʲʂʲɪnstvə/

Note on меньшинство: The soft 'ш' sound (/ʂ/) can be challenging for English speakers; it's similar to 'sh' in 'she' but more palatalized. Pronounce it with a light stress on the second syllable.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. A group of people who are different from the larger group in a country, race, religion, etc. (e.g., ethnic or cultural minorities)

Translation(s) & Context:

• меньшинство - Used in formal contexts such as legal, political, or social discussions to refer to underrepresented groups.
• минорное большинство - Applied in informal or technical settings, like surveys, to describe a minority within a majority group.

Usage Examples:

• В России этнические меньшинства, такие как татары и чеченцы, имеют свои культурные традиции.

  In Russia, ethnic minorities such as Tatars and Chechens have their own cultural traditions.

• Правительство должно защищать права меньшинства в обществе, чтобы обеспечить равенство.

  The government should protect the rights of minorities in society to ensure equality.

• В этой компании минорное большинство сотрудников предпочитает гибкий график работы.

  In this company, a minority of employees prefers a flexible work schedule.

• Меньшинство голосов в парламенте может повлиять на принятие важных законов.

  A minority of votes in parliament can influence the adoption of important laws.

• Образование помогает интегрировать меньшинства в мультикультурное общество.

  Education helps integrate minorities into a multicultural society.

2. A smaller number or amount in comparison (e.g., numerical minority)

Translation(s) & Context:

• меньшинство - Used in quantitative contexts, such as statistics or decisions, to denote a lesser portion.

Usage Examples:

• В опросе меньшинство респондентов поддержало эту идею, но она все равно была реализована.

  In the survey, a minority of respondents supported this idea, but it was implemented anyway.

• Меньшинство участников голосования выбрало альтернативный вариант.

  A minority of voters chose the alternative option.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

'Меньшинство' is a neuter noun in the third declension, which follows standard patterns for Russian nouns. It is indeclinable in some forms but can change based on case and number. 'Минорное большинство' is an adjective-noun phrase where 'минорное' (adjective) declines.

Note: 'Меньшинство' does not have irregular forms but must agree in case with modifiers in sentences.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • малое число (maloe chyislo) - Less formal, used for numerical minorities.
  • небольшое количество (nebol'shoe kolychestvo) - General synonym for a small group, with a neutral connotation.
• Antonyms:
  • большинство (bol'shinstvo) - Directly opposite, meaning 'majority'.
  • масса (massa) - Informal, meaning 'mass' or 'the majority' in a crowd sense.

Related Phrases:

• этническое меньшинство (etnicheskoe men'shinstvo) - Ethnic minority; Refers to groups based on ethnicity or culture.
• национальное меньшинство (natsional'noe men'shinstvo) - National minority; Used in legal or political contexts for citizenship-related groups.
• меньшинство в обществе (men'shinstvo v obshchestve) - Minority in society; A phrase highlighting social integration issues.

Usage Notes:

In Russian, 'меньшинство' directly corresponds to the English 'minority' in social and political contexts, but it's more commonly used in formal writing. Choose 'меньшинство' for general discussions and 'минорное большинство' for technical ones. Be mindful of declensions to ensure grammatical agreement. It's neutral in tone but can carry connotations of vulnerability in cultural contexts. Avoid using it interchangeably with 'men’shinstvo' in plural forms without proper case adjustments.

Common Errors:

• Error: Incorrectly declining the noun, e.g., using 'меньшинство' in the genitive as 'меньшинство' instead of 'меньшинства'.

  Correct: В интересах меньшинства (V interesakh men'shinstva) - In the interests of the minority.

  Explanation: Russian nouns must change based on case; failing to do so can make sentences grammatically incorrect.

• Error: Confusing with 'большинство', leading to misuse in sentences, e.g., saying 'меньшинство выиграло' when meaning the opposite.

  Correct: Меньшинство проиграло, а большинство выиграло (Men'shinstvo proigralo, a bol'shinstvo vyigralo).

  Explanation: Ensure the context clearly distinguishes between minority and majority to avoid logical errors.

Cultural Notes:

In Russia, 'меньшинство' often refers to ethnic groups like the Tatars, Bashkirs, or indigenous peoples of Siberia, reflecting the country's diverse population. Historically, discussions around minorities have been tied to Soviet policies of multiculturalism, but contemporary issues involve integration challenges and rights protections, emphasizing the word's role in social justice narratives.

Related Concepts:

• большинство (majority)
• дискриминация (discrimination)
• мультикультурализм (multiculturalism)
• этническая группа (ethnic group)