Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'misfit'

English Word: misfit

Key Russian Translations:

• неприкаянный /nʲɪ.prʲɪˈkaɪ.nɨj/ - [Informal, often used in everyday conversation to describe emotional or social disconnection]
• изгой /ɪzˈgoj/ - [Formal, literary contexts for someone ostracized or excluded from society]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in literature, films, and discussions about social dynamics, but not in casual everyday speech)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, per CEFR; requires understanding of nuanced emotional vocabulary; for 'неприкаянный', it may be slightly easier, while 'изгой' could approach B2 due to its formal connotations)

Pronunciation (Russian):

неприкаянный: /nʲɪ.prʲɪˈkaɪ.nɨj/

Note on неприкаянный: The stress is on the third syllable; be mindful of the soft 'нʲ' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers due to its palatalization.

изгой: /ɪzˈgoj/

Note on изгой: The 'й' at the end is a soft palatal approximant; pronounce it lightly, similar to the 'y' in "yes," but ensure the stress is on the second syllable.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

A person who is not suited or well-adjusted to their social environment or group.

Translation(s) & Context:

• неприкаянный - Used in informal settings to describe someone feeling emotionally adrift or out of place in daily life, such as in personal stories or modern media.
• изгой - Applied in formal or literary contexts to denote a social outcast, often with a sense of permanence or societal rejection, like in historical or philosophical discussions.

Usage Examples:

• В новом коллективе он ощущал себя неприкаянным, как будто не вписывался в команду.

  In the new team, he felt like a misfit, as if he didn't fit into the group.

• Эта история о неприкаянном подростке, который борется с одиночеством в большом городе.

  This story is about a misfit teenager struggling with loneliness in a big city.

• Изгой общества, он предпочитал уединение, избегая контактов с другими.

  As a misfit in society, he preferred solitude, avoiding contact with others.

• Несмотря на свой талант, она оставалась неприкаянной в консервативной среде, где не ценили её идеи.

  Despite her talent, she remained a misfit in the conservative environment, where her ideas were not valued.

• В классической литературе изгой часто символизирует борьбу с несправедливостью.

  In classical literature, a misfit often symbolizes the struggle against injustice.

A thing that does not fit properly (less common usage of 'misfit').

Translation(s) & Context:

• неприкаянный - Rarely used in this sense; more metaphorical for objects that seem out of place.
• изгой - Not typically used; instead, words like 'неподходящий' might apply, but it's less direct.

Usage Examples:

• Эта деталь в механизме оказалась неприкаянной, из-за чего вся система сломалась.

  This part in the mechanism turned out to be a misfit, causing the entire system to break.

• В коллекции этот артефакт выглядит как изгой, не вписываясь в общий стиль.

  In the collection, this artifact looks like a misfit, not fitting into the overall style.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'неприкаянный' (adjective):

This is an adjective that follows standard Russian adjective declension patterns. It agrees in gender, number, and case with the noun it modifies. Below is a table of its forms:

For 'изгой' (noun, masculine, 1st declension):

This noun has standard masculine noun inflections. It changes by case but is invariable in number as a singular noun in most contexts.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • отшельник (otshel'nik) - More neutral, implies voluntary isolation.
  • чужестранец (chuzhestranets) - Emphasizes foreignness or alienation.
• Antonyms:
  • интегрированный (integrirovannyi) - Well-integrated into society.
  • признанный (priznannyi) - Recognized or accepted member of a group.

Related Phrases:

• Чувствовать себя неприкаянным - Feeling like a misfit; used to express emotional unease in social settings.
• Стать изгоем - To become a misfit; often in contexts of exclusion or rebellion.
• Неприкаянная душа - A wandering or misfit soul; a poetic phrase for someone without a sense of belonging.

Usage Notes:

'Misfit' translates most directly to 'неприкаянный' in informal, emotional contexts, while 'изгой' is better for formal or literary uses. Choose 'неприкаянный' when emphasizing internal feelings of not fitting in, as in personal narratives. Be aware of gender agreement for adjectives like 'неприкаянный'. In Russian, these words often carry a connotation of melancholy, which may not be as strong in English 'misfit'.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'неприкаянный' as a noun instead of an adjective, e.g., saying "Он неприкаянный" without a noun, which is incorrect.
  Correct: "Он неприкаянный человек" (He is a misfit person).
  Explanation: Russian adjectives must modify a noun; always pair it appropriately to avoid grammatical errors.
• Mistake: Confusing 'изгой' with 'иностранец' (foreigner), leading to misuse in social contexts.
  Correct: Use 'изгой' only for social outcasts, not literal foreigners.
  Explanation: 'Иностранец' refers to someone from another country, while 'изгой' implies rejection by society.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'изгой' often evoke themes from literature, such as in the works of Dostoevsky, where misfits represent existential struggles and societal alienation. This reflects Russia's historical emphasis on individualism versus collectivism, helping users understand the deeper emotional weight these terms carry in contexts like Soviet-era stories or modern Russian cinema.

Related Concepts:

• одиночество (loneliness)
• чужеземец (outsider)
• изгнание (exile)