Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'ordain'

English Word: ordain

Key Russian Translations:

• назначить [nəznəˈtʲitʲ] - [Formal, used in official or administrative contexts]
• рукоположить [rʊkəpələˈʐɨtʲ] - [Formal, specific to religious or ecclesiastical contexts]
• предназначить [prʲɪdnəznəˈtʲitʲ] - [Formal, implying predestination or assignment of fate]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in legal, religious, and administrative texts, but not everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual nuances; for 'рукоположить', it may be B2 due to its specialized religious connotations)

Pronunciation (Russian):

назначить: [nəznəˈtʲitʲ] (Stress on the third syllable; the 'щ' sound is a soft, palatalized 'sh')

Note on назначить: This verb has a soft 'т' in the infinitive, which softens further in conjugated forms; beginners may confuse it with similar verbs like 'назвать'.

рукоположить: [rʊkəpələˈʐɨtʲ] (Stress on the fourth syllable; the 'ж' is a voiced palatal fricative)

Note on рукоположить: Pronunciation varies slightly in ecclesiastical settings; the initial 'р' is rolled.

предназначить: [prʲɪdnəznəˈtʲitʲ] (Stress on the fourth syllable; the prefix 'пре-' adds a prefix stress pattern)

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To appoint or confer holy orders (religious context)

Translation(s) & Context:

• рукоположить - Used in formal religious ceremonies, such as ordaining a priest.

Usage Examples:

• Церковь рукоположила нового священника в прошлом году.

  The church ordained a new priest last year.

• Его рукоположили в епископы после долгих лет обучения.

  He was ordained as a bishop after years of training.

• В православной традиции рукоположение является священным обрядом.

  In Orthodox tradition, ordination is a sacred rite.

• Молодой монах был рукоположен в монастыре во время праздника.

  The young monk was ordained in the monastery during the festival.

Meaning 2: To appoint to a position or decree officially

Translation(s) & Context:

• назначить - Common in secular, administrative contexts, such as government or business appointments.
• предназначить - Implies a sense of destiny or pre-assignment, often in planning or fate-related scenarios.

Usage Examples:

• Правительство назначило нового министра образования.

  The government ordained a new minister of education.

• Судья предназначил ему роль лидера в проекте.

  The judge ordained him as the leader in the project.

• В контракте было назначено, что он станет CEO через год.

  The contract ordained that he would become CEO in a year.

• Судьба предназначила ей путь ученого с самого детства.

  Fate ordained her path as a scholar from childhood.

• Компания назначила его на должность, требующую высокой ответственности.

  The company ordained him to a position requiring high responsibility.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations are verbs, which follow standard Russian conjugation patterns. 'Назначить' and 'предназначить' are first-conjugation verbs, while 'рукоположить' is less common and follows perfective aspect rules.

Note: These verbs are imperfective in base form and can have perfective counterparts (e.g., назначить is perfective; for ongoing actions, use назначивать). 'Рукоположить' is irregular in religious contexts and does not change in some fixed phrases.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • установить (ustanovit' – to establish, with a focus on permanence)
  • призвать (prizvat' – to call or summon, often for duty)
  • объявить (obyavit' – to declare, in formal announcements)
• Antonyms:
  • уволить (uvolit' – to dismiss or remove from position)
  • отменить (otmenit' – to cancel or revoke)

Related Phrases:

• назначить на должность - To appoint to a position; used in professional contexts to indicate official assignment.
• рукоположение в сан - Ordination into holy orders; a phrase common in religious ceremonies, implying a lifelong commitment.
• предназначено судьбой - Ordained by fate; an idiomatic expression for something predestined in life or stories.

Usage Notes:

'Ordain' corresponds most closely to 'назначить' in secular contexts and 'рукоположить' in religious ones. Always consider the formality: 'назначить' is neutral but formal, while 'предназначить' adds a connotation of inevitability. In Russian, verbs like these require agreement with gender, number, and case in sentences. For English learners, choose 'рукоположить' only for ecclesiastical settings to avoid misuse in everyday language.

• Grammar note: These are transitive verbs, so they often require a direct object (e.g., "назначить кого-то").
• Context guidance: In legal documents, 'назначить' is preferred; in literature, 'предназначить' for thematic depth.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse 'назначить' with 'назвать' (to name), leading to sentences like "Я назначил его Иваном" (incorrect for ordination; correct would be "Я назвал его Иваном" for naming). Instead, use "Я назначил его на должность" for proper ordination context. Another error is omitting aspect: saying "Я назначаю" when a completed action is needed—use "Я назначу" for future perfective.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, 'рукоположить' carries deep historical and religious significance, rooted in Orthodox traditions dating back to the Byzantine era. It symbolizes not just appointment but a spiritual calling, often tied to community and national identity, as seen in Russian literature like Dostoevsky's works.

Related Concepts:

• короновать (koronovat' – to crown, related to ceremonial appointments)
• избрать (izbrat' – to elect, as an alternative to appointment)
• посвятить (posvyatit' – to dedicate, often in a vocational sense)