Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'obstreperous'

English Word: obstreperous

Key Russian Translations:

• буйный /ˈbuɪnɨj/ - [Informal, often used for rowdy or unruly behavior]
• шумный /ˈʃumnɨj/ - [Common, neutral, for general noisiness]
• непослушный /nʲɪpɐˈsluʃnɨj/ - [Formal, emphasizing disobedience]

Frequency: Low (This word and its translations are not commonly used in everyday conversation but appear in descriptive or literary contexts.)

Difficulty: B2 (Upper Intermediate; requires understanding of nuanced adjectives and their inflections, though individual translations vary slightly in complexity.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

буйный: /ˈbuɪnɨj/

Note on буйный: The stress falls on the first syllable; be careful with the soft 'y' sound, which can be tricky for English speakers.

шумный: /ˈʃumnɨj/

Note on шумный: The 'ш' sound is similar to the English 'sh' in 'shoe', with stress on the first syllable; common in spoken Russian.

непослушный: /nʲɪpɐˈsluʃnɨj/

Note on непослушный: This word has a longer pronunciation; the stress is on the third syllable, and the 'щ' sound is a soft, palatalized 'sh'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Noisy and difficult to control (primary meaning)

Translation(s) & Context:

• буйный - Used in informal contexts to describe wild, uncontrollable behavior, such as in crowds or children acting out.
• шумный - Applied in everyday situations for excessive noise, like a loud party, without implying disobedience.
• непослушный - More formal, often in educational or disciplinary settings, to highlight defiance or lack of compliance.

Usage Examples:

• Дети были буйными на детской площадке, кричали и не слушали указаний.

  The children were obstreperous on the playground, shouting and not listening to instructions.

• Шумный сосед мешал спать всю ночь своим громким смехом.

  The obstreperous neighbor kept everyone awake all night with their loud laughter.

• В классе непослушный ученик постоянно прерывал урок своими вопросами.

  The obstreperous student in class kept interrupting the lesson with his questions.

• Буйный ветер и шумный дождь сделали прогулку невозможной.

  The obstreperous wind and noisy rain made the walk impossible.

• Шумный и непослушный пес отказывался возвращаться домой.

  The obstreperous dog was noisy and refused to come back home.

Secondary meaning: Stubborn or unruly in a persistent way

Translation(s) & Context:

• непослушный - Best for contexts involving persistent defiance, such as in parenting or authority situations.
• буйный - Used when the unruliness involves physical energy or chaos.

Usage Examples:

• Непослушный ребенок буйно сопротивлялся, когда его вели в школу.

  The obstreperous child stubbornly resisted being taken to school.

• Буйный протест превратился в шумный митинг на улицах.

  The obstreperous protest turned into a noisy rally on the streets.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations (буйный, шумный, непослушный) are adjectives, which inflect based on gender, number, and case in Russian. They follow standard first-declension adjective patterns, with some irregularities in certain forms.

Note: These adjectives are regular but can vary slightly in poetic or archaic usage; always adjust for agreement with the noun they modify.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: шумный (noisy), непослушный (disobedient), взрывной (explosive) - Note: взрывной implies more sudden outbursts.
• Antonyms: спокойный (calm), послушный (obedient), тихий (quiet) - These are used in contrasting contexts, such as describing well-behaved individuals.

Related Phrases:

• Буйный нрав - A rowdy or obstreperous nature (refers to someone's inherent wild temperament).
• Шумный спор - A noisy or obstreperous argument (common in heated discussions).
• Непослушный ребенок - An obstreperous child (used in parenting contexts to describe defiant behavior).

Usage Notes:

While "obstreperous" conveys a sense of noisy defiance, Russian translations like буйный are more informal and vivid, often implying physical energy, whereas шумный is neutral and focuses on sound. Choose непослушный for formal or educational contexts. Be mindful of gender and case agreements in sentences, as Russian adjectives must match the nouns they describe. In spoken Russian, these words are more common in narrative or descriptive language rather than casual chat.

• Avoid direct word-for-word translation; adapt based on context to capture the full nuance.
• In multi-word phrases, буйный might pair with nouns like "нрав" for personality traits.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse буйный with шумный, using буйный in situations where only noise is involved (e.g., saying "буйный телевизор" for a loud TV, which should be "шумный телевизор"). Correct usage: буйный implies unruliness, so use it for people or animals, not objects. Another error is forgetting inflections; for example, incorrectly saying "буйный дети" instead of "буйные дети" for plural agreement. Explanation: Russian requires adjective-noun agreement, so always check the noun's gender, number, and case.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like буйный often evoke images from literature, such as in Tolstoy's works where unruly characters represent passion or rebellion. This reflects a cultural appreciation for emotional expressiveness, but in modern contexts, it can carry negative connotations in urban settings where noise pollution is a concern.

Related Concepts:

• Взрывной
• Агрессивный
• Нервный