Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'pagan'

English Word: pagan

Key Russian Translations:

• языческий [ˈjazɨt͡ɕɪskʲɪj] - [Adjective, Formal, used in historical or cultural contexts]
• язычник [ˈjazɨt͡ɕnʲɪk] - [Noun, Formal, refers to a follower of pagan beliefs]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in historical, religious, or cultural discussions, but not in everyday casual conversation)

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate, as it requires understanding of cultural and historical contexts; for языческий, it's straightforward adjective usage; for язычник, noun inflection adds slight complexity)

Pronunciation (Russian):

языческий: [ˈjazɨt͡ɕɪskʲɪj]

Note on языческий: The stress is on the first syllable; the 'я' sound is like 'ya' in 'yard', and the 'ч' is a soft palatal fricative. Be cautious with the vowel reductions in fast speech.

язычник: [ˈjazɨt͡ɕnʲɪk]

Note on язычник: Stress on the first syllable; the ending '-ник' is common in masculine nouns and may soften in informal speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Relating to ancient or non-Abrahamic religions, often as an adjective (e.g., describing beliefs or practices)

Translation(s) & Context:

• языческий - Used in formal discussions of history, anthropology, or religion, such as describing ancient rituals or pre-Christian traditions.

Usage Examples:

• В древней Руси существовали языческие обряды. (V drevney Rusi sushchestvovali yazycheskie obryady.)

  In ancient Rus, pagan rituals existed.

• Языческий мир был полон мифов и легенд. (Yazycheskiy mir byl polon mifov i legend.)

  The pagan world was full of myths and legends.

• Многие языческие фестивали сохранились до наших дней. (Mnogie yazycheskie festivali sokhranilis' do nashikh dney.)

  Many pagan festivals have survived to this day.

• Языческий храм в лесу был местом поклонения. (Yazycheskiy khram v lesu byl mestom pokloneniya.)

  The pagan temple in the forest was a place of worship.

• В её книге описывается языческая культура древних славян. (V eyo knige opisyvaetsya yazycheskaya kul'tura drevnikh slavyan.)

  In her book, the pagan culture of ancient Slavs is described.

Meaning 2: A person who follows pagan beliefs, as a noun (e.g., referring to an individual)

Translation(s) & Context:

• язычник - Applied in historical or ethnographic contexts, often to describe followers of polytheistic religions, with a neutral or slightly archaic tone.

Usage Examples:

• В средневековье язычники часто подвергались преследованиям. (V srednevekov'e yazychniki chasto podvergalis' presledovaniyam.)

  In the Middle Ages, pagans were often persecuted.

• Он изучал жизнь язычника в дохристианскую эпоху. (On izuchal zhizn' yazychnika v dokhristianskuyu epokhu.)

  He studied the life of a pagan in the pre-Christian era.

• Современные язычники возрождают древние традиции. (Sovremennye yazychniki vozrozhdayut drevnie traditsii.)

  Modern pagans are reviving ancient traditions.

• Язычник в деревне сохранял старые верования. (Yazychnik v derevne sokhranyal starye verovaniya.)

  The pagan in the village preserved old beliefs.

• Историк описал, как язычник взаимодействовал с христианами. (Istorik opisas, kak yazychnik vzaimodeystvoval s khristianami.)

  The historian described how a pagan interacted with Christians.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For языческий (adjective), it follows standard Russian adjective declension patterns, which are regular for most forms. Adjectives in Russian agree in gender, number, and case with the nouns they modify.

For язычник (noun, masculine, 2nd declension), it has regular noun inflections. It changes based on case and number, with no irregularities.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • идолопоклоннический (idolopoklonnichiskiy) - More specific to idol worship, often used interchangeably but with a connotation of primitive practices.
  • политеистический (politeisticheskiy) - Emphasizes polytheism, suitable in academic contexts.
• Antonyms:
  • христианский (khristianskiy) - Refers to Christian beliefs.
  • монотеистический (monoteisticheskiy) - Highlights monotheistic religions.

Related Phrases:

• Языческая культура (Yazycheskaya kul'tura) - Refers to pagan culture, often in historical discussions.
• Языческий обряд (Yazycheskiy obryad) - Means pagan ritual, used for describing ancient ceremonies.
• Возрождение язычества (Vozrozhdenie yazychestva) - Signifies the revival of paganism, common in modern spiritual movements.

Usage Notes:

Use языческий as an adjective when describing concepts, objects, or periods related to non-monotheistic religions, similar to how "pagan" is used in English. It is more formal and avoids pejorative tones. For the noun язычник, reserve it for individuals or groups, ensuring it fits historical contexts to avoid offense. In modern Russian, these terms are neutral but may carry cultural sensitivity; choose based on context—e.g., use in academic writing versus casual conversation. Note that Russian adjectives must agree in gender, number, and case, which differs from English's invariant "pagan."

Common Errors:

• Error: Using языческий without proper agreement, e.g., saying "языческий женщина" instead of "языческая женщина" (for feminine noun).

  Correct: Языческая женщина (Yazycheskaya zhenshchina) - The adjective must match the noun's gender.

  Explanation: Russian requires adjective-noun agreement; this mistake often comes from direct English translation habits.

• Error: Confusing язычник with язык (language), leading to misuse like "языкник" as a blend.

  Correct: Use язычник only for religious context, not language-related terms.

  Explanation: These are homophonic roots; learners should focus on context to differentiate.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like языческий and язычник often evoke pre-Christian Slavic traditions, such as those involving nature worship or polytheistic deities like Perun. This reflects Russia's complex history of pagan influences before the adoption of Christianity in 988 AD, and these words can carry a sense of nostalgia or national identity in literature and folklore.

Related Concepts:

• религия (religiya)
• мифология (mifologiya)
• древнеславянский (drevneslavyanskiy)