Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'negligibly'

English Word: negligibly

Key Russian Translations:

• незначительно [nʲɪzˈnatɕɪtəlnə] - [Formal, Adverb, Used in academic or scientific contexts]
• несущественно [nʲɪsʊˈʂɛstvʲɪnnə] - [Formal, Adverb, Often in legal or technical discussions]

Frequency: Medium (Common in written Russian, especially in scientific, technical, and formal texts, but less frequent in everyday spoken language)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of adverbial forms and nuanced vocabulary, with "незначительно" being standard but context-dependent)

Pronunciation (Russian):

незначительно: [nʲɪzˈnatɕɪtəlnə]

несущественно: [nʲɪsʊˈʂɛstvʲɪnnə]

Note on незначительно: The stress falls on the third syllable ("nat"), and the soft sign (ь) affects the preceding consonant, making it palatalized. Pronunciation can vary slightly in fast speech.

Note on несущественно: The "ш" sound is retroflex, which may be challenging for English speakers; practice with native audio for accuracy.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: In a way that is so small, unimportant, or insignificant as to have no real effect or be unworthy of consideration.

Translation(s) & Context:

• незначительно - Used in formal contexts to describe minimal impact, such as in scientific reports or statistics.
• несущественно - Applied in legal or analytical discussions where something is irrelevant or negligible in outcome.

Usage Examples:

• Изменения в температуре были незначительны, поэтому они не повлияли на эксперимент.

  The changes in temperature were negligibly small, so they did not affect the experiment.

• Цена акций выросла незначительно за последний квартал, что не вызвало паники на рынке.

  The stock price rose negligibly over the last quarter, which did not cause any panic in the market.

• Несущественно, что задержка была минимальной; проект всё равно сдал сроки.

  It was negligibly insignificant that the delay was minimal; the project still missed its deadlines.

• В расчётах ошибка была незначительна, но она всё же повлияла на конечный результат.

  The error in the calculations was negligibly small, but it still affected the final outcome.

• Несущественно, что данные изменились незначительно; анализ требует точности.

  It was negligibly unimportant that the data changed slightly; the analysis demands precision.

Secondary Meaning: Used to emphasize something as practically non-existent or irrelevant in a comparative sense.

Translation(s) & Context:

• незначительно - In everyday formal speech, to downplay differences or effects.

Usage Examples:

• Разница в весе незначительна, но для атлетов она может быть критичной.

  The difference in weight is negligibly small, but for athletes, it can be critical.

• Несущественно, что эффект был незначительным; мы всё равно учли его в отчёте.

  It was negligibly irrelevant that the effect was small; we still accounted for it in the report.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "незначительно" and "несущественно" are adverbs derived from adjectives ("незначительный" and "несущественный"), and as adverbs in Russian, they do not inflect for case, number, or gender. They remain invariant in most contexts, which simplifies their use compared to nouns or verbs.

For comparison, if we consider the root adjectives:

The adverbs themselves do not change, making them straightforward for learners.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • минимально (minimally) - Often used interchangeably but implies a baseline minimum.
  • почти не (almost not) - More casual and emphatic in negation.
• Antonyms:
  • значительно (significantly)
  • существенно (substantially)

Related Phrases:

• незначительное изменение - A negligibly small change (used in scientific contexts to describe minor variations).
• несущественная деталь - A negligibly unimportant detail (common in legal or narrative discussions, implying it's not worth focusing on).
• почти незначительно повысить - To raise something negligibly (a phrase in economic reports for minimal increases).

Usage Notes:

"Negligibly" corresponds most closely to "незначительно" in Russian, which is preferred in formal writing for precision. Use "несущественно" when emphasizing irrelevance in debates or analyses. Both are neutral in tone but lean formal; avoid in casual conversation. When choosing between translations, consider context: "незначительно" for quantitative scenarios (e.g., measurements), and "несущественно" for qualitative ones (e.g., opinions). Grammatically, these adverbs typically modify verbs or adjectives without changing form.

Common Errors:

• Confusing with adjectives: Learners often misuse "незначительный" (the adjective) instead of the adverb, e.g., saying "Изменения незначительный" instead of "Изменения незначительны". Correct: Use the adverb form directly, like "Изменения были незначительны".
• Overusing in informal settings: English speakers might translate "negligibly" as "незначительно" in casual talk, but it's awkward; opt for simpler phrases like "почти не". Example of error: "Я незначительно устал" (incorrectly formal); Correct: "Я почти не устал".
• Neglecting stress: Mispronouncing stress in "незначительно" can alter meaning; always stress the third syllable to avoid confusion with similar words.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture and language, words like "незначительно" reflect a precision-oriented mindset, often seen in scientific and philosophical traditions influenced by figures like Tolstoy or Soviet-era academics. They emphasize rationality and minimalism, where even small details can have deeper implications in literature or debate, contrasting with more emotive English expressions.

Related Concepts:

• минимальный (minimal)
• незначительный эффект (insignificant effect)
• существенный фактор (significant factor)