Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'ostracize'

English Word: ostracize

Key Russian Translations:

• Изолировать (/ɪzəlʲɪrəˈvatʲ/) - [Formal, used in social or professional contexts]
• Бойкотировать (/bəjkətʲɪrəˈvatʲ/) - [Informal, often in protest or everyday social situations]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in discussions of social dynamics, but not as frequent as basic verbs like "сказать")

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate, per CEFR; requires understanding of social nuances and verb conjugation; for "Бойкотировать," it may be B1 if familiar with loanwords)

Pronunciation (Russian):

Изолировать: /ɪzəlʲɪrəˈvatʲ/

Note on Изолировать: The stress falls on the third syllable ("va"), and the 'лʲ' represents a palatalized 'l', which can be tricky for English speakers—similar to the 'l' in "million." Pronunciation may vary slightly in rapid speech.

Бойкотировать: /bəjkətʲɪrəˈvatʲ/

Note on Бойкотировать: Derived from English "boycott," the initial 'Б' is pronounced as a soft 'b,' and the word often retains a foreign flavor in Russian. Watch for the stressed 'o' sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To exclude or banish someone from a social group, often as a form of punishment or rejection.

Translation(s) & Context:

• Изолировать - Used in formal contexts, such as professional or societal exclusion, to emphasize isolation.
• Бойкотировать - Applied in informal or protest-related scenarios, implying active rejection or avoidance.

Usage Examples:

• Русский: В школе его изолировали от одноклассников из-за его поведения.

  English: In school, he was ostracized from his classmates because of his behavior.

• Русский: Активисты решили бойкотировать компанию, чтобы выразить протест.

  English: Activists decided to ostracize the company to express their protest.

• Русский: После скандала, общество начало изолировать его от публичных событий.

  English: After the scandal, society started ostracizing him from public events.

• Русский: В интернете пользователи часто бойкотируют тех, кто нарушает нормы сообщества.

  English: On the internet, users often ostracize those who violate community norms.

• Русский: Родители изолировали ребенка от негативного влияния друзей.

  English: The parents ostracized the child from the negative influence of friends.

Meaning 2: To deliberately avoid or shun someone in a social setting.

Translation(s) & Context:

• Изолировать - In personal relationships, to indicate emotional or physical distancing.
• Бойкотировать - In casual or group dynamics, often with a sense of collective action.

Usage Examples:

• Русский: Друзья начали изолировать его, чтобы защитить себя от конфликтов.

  English: Friends started ostracizing him to protect themselves from conflicts.

• Русский: В офисе коллеги бойкотировали нового сотрудника из-за его грубости.

  English: In the office, colleagues ostracized the new employee because of his rudeness.

• Русский: Социальные сети могут быстро изолировать кого-то за спорные посты.

  English: Social media can quickly ostracize someone for controversial posts.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both primary translations are verbs, which follow standard Russian conjugation patterns. "Изолировать" and "Бойкотировать" are first-conjugation verbs, meaning they are regular but require attention to aspects (perfective and imperfective forms).

For "Изолировать" (imperfective), it changes based on tense, person, and number. Here's a basic conjugation table for the present tense:

The perfective form is "Изолировать" in some contexts, but it's often paired with prefixes like "Вы-" for completion.

For "Бойкотировать," it's similar:

These verbs are regular, but English learners should note aspectual pairs for accurate usage.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Отделить (otdelit' - to separate, with a more physical connotation)
  • Исключить (isklyuchit' - to exclude, often in formal or institutional contexts)
• Antonyms:
  • Принять (prinjat' - to accept, implying inclusion)
  • Включить (vkljuchit' - to include, especially in groups)

Related Phrases:

• Социальная изоляция (sotsial'naya izolyatsiya) - Social isolation; refers to the state of being ostracized in society.
• Бойкот продукта (boykot produkta) - Boycott of a product; used when collectively avoiding something as a form of protest.
• Изгнание из группы (izgnanie iz gruppy) - Banishment from a group; a more severe form of ostracism.

Usage Notes:

"Изолировать" is a more neutral and formal equivalent to "ostracize," often used in psychological or social discussions, while "Бойкотировать" carries a connotation of active protest, similar to its English origin. Choose "Изолировать" for everyday social exclusion and "Бойкотировать" for organized actions. Be mindful of verb aspects in Russian—pair with perfective forms like "Выделить" for completed actions. In formal writing, these words maintain a standard register, but in spoken Russian, they can vary by region.

Common Errors:

• Error: Confusing the imperfective and perfective aspects, e.g., using "Изолировать" when a completed action is needed. Incorrect: "Я изолировал его вчера" (if implying ongoing action). Correct: Use "Я изолировал его" with context, or pair with "Вы-" for perfection. Explanation: Russian verbs require aspect to convey completion, unlike English "ostracize," which is neutral.

• Error: Overusing "Бойкотировать" in non-protest contexts. Incorrect: "Я бойкотирую друга за опоздание" (sounds overly dramatic). Correct: Use "Изолировать" for casual shunning. Explanation: "Бойкотировать" implies collective or ideological rejection, so it's not ideal for personal disputes.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, ostracism like "Изолировать" can evoke historical contexts, such as the Soviet-era social exclusions or modern online cancellations, reflecting themes of collectivism and conformity. "Бойкотировать" often ties to political movements, like boycotts during the Cold War, highlighting Russia's history of protest and resistance.

Related Concepts:

• Изгнание (izgnanie - exile)
• Социальное отвержение (sotsial'noe otverzhenie - social rejection)
• Бойкот (boykot - boycott)