Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'persecution'

English Word: persecution

Key Russian Translations:

• Преследование /prʲɪsʲlʲɪˈdovanʲjə/ - [Formal, Singular, Used in legal, historical, or political contexts]
• Гонение /ɡɐˈnʲenʲjə/ - [Formal, Plural possible, Often implies religious or ideological oppression]

Frequency: Medium (Common in news, literature, and discussions on human rights, but not everyday conversation).

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of abstract concepts and noun inflections. For 'Преследование', it's B2; for 'Гонение', it's also B2 due to similar grammatical complexity.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

Преследование: /prʲɪsʲlʲɪˈdovanʲjə/

Note on Преследование: The stress is on the fourth syllable ('do-'), and the initial 'prʲ' sound involves a soft 'r' which can be tricky for English speakers. Pronounce it with a quick, palatalized 'r' as in 'prey'.

Гонение: /ɡɐˈnʲenʲjə/

Note on Гонение: The 'ɡ' is a hard 'g' as in 'go', and the ending '-enie' is a common nominal suffix; be careful with the soft 'nʲ' which softens the preceding vowel.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

1. The act of harassing or oppressing a person or group, often based on race, religion, or beliefs.

Translation(s) & Context:

• Преследование - Used in formal contexts like legal documents or historical narratives, e.g., describing state-sponsored oppression.
• Гонение - Applied in contexts involving ideological or religious persecution, often with a historical connotation.

Usage Examples:

• В истории России было много случаев политического преследования диссидентов.

  In Russian history, there were many cases of political persecution of dissidents.

• Жертвы религиозного гонения часто ищут убежища в других странах.

  Victims of religious persecution often seek refuge in other countries.

• Преследование на основе расы является нарушением международных прав человека.

  Persecution based on race is a violation of international human rights.

• В современном обществе гонение меньшинств всё ещё происходит в скрытых формах.

  In modern society, persecution of minorities still occurs in subtle forms.

• Правозащитники документируют случаи преследования журналистов в авторитарных режимах.

  Human rights activists document cases of persecution of journalists in authoritarian regimes.

2. Persistent pursuit or harassment, as in a non-literal sense (e.g., in investigations).

Translation(s) & Context:

• Преследование - In investigative or metaphorical contexts, such as legal pursuits.

Usage Examples:

• Полиция организовала преследование подозреваемого по городу.

  The police organized the pursuit of the suspect through the city.

• В фильме показано преследование героя его прошлыми ошибками.

  The film depicts the persecution of the hero by his past mistakes.

• Преследование должников банком может быть жёстким и беспощадным.

  The persecution of debtors by the bank can be harsh and relentless.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'Преследование' and 'Гонение' are neuter nouns in Russian, which means they follow standard neuter declension patterns. They are third-declension nouns and do not have gender variations but change based on case, number, and context.

Note: 'Преследование' is regular in its inflections, but 'Гонение' can sometimes vary in plural forms depending on context. These nouns do not change for gender but must agree in case with other elements in the sentence.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Гонение (similar to the main term, but often with a religious nuance)
  • Опричнина (historical term for oppression, with a specific connotation to Ivan the Terrible's era)
  • Давление (pressure, when implying systematic harassment)
• Antonyms:
  • Защита (protection)
  • Поддержка (support)
  • Свобода (freedom)

Related Phrases:

• Политическое преследование - Political persecution; used in discussions of authoritarian regimes.
• Религиозное гонение - Religious persecution; common in historical or human rights contexts.
• Преследование меньшинств - Persecution of minorities; refers to systemic oppression based on identity.
• Массовое гонение - Mass persecution; implies large-scale events, like in genocides.

Usage Notes:

'Преследование' directly corresponds to 'persecution' in formal English contexts and is preferred in legal or official Russian usage. 'Гонение' is more idiomatic for historical or religious themes. Both words are typically used in written language or formal speech; avoid them in casual conversations. Grammatically, ensure they agree in case with the sentence subject. When choosing between translations, use 'Преследование' for modern contexts and 'Гонение' for biblical or traditional narratives.

Common Errors:

• Confusing case endings: English learners often use the nominative form everywhere, e.g., saying "о преследование" instead of "о преследовании". Correct: Use genitive for prepositions like "о" (about). Error example: "Я боюсь преследование" (wrong); Correct: "Я боюсь преследования".
• Mixing with similar words: Learners might confuse 'Преследование' with 'Преследование' as a verb form of 'presledovat' (to pursue), leading to incorrect verb-noun usage. Error: "Он преследование врагов" (wrong); Correct: "Он организует преследование врагов".
• Overusing in informal settings: Treating it as everyday vocabulary, e.g., in casual talk, which sounds unnatural. Instead, use simpler terms like 'давление' for minor harassment.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, terms like 'Преследование' and 'Гонение' carry heavy historical weight, often linked to events such as the Soviet-era purges or religious persecutions under tsarist rule. For instance, 'Гонение' echoes the persecution of Christians in early Russian history, evoking themes of resilience and martyrdom in literature and folklore.

Related Concepts:

• Дискриминация (discrimination)
• Репрессии (repressions)
• Тирания (tyranny)
• Права человека (human rights)