Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'perverse'

English Word: perverse

Key Russian Translations:

• упрямый [ʊˈprjamɨj] - [Informal, often used in everyday conversations]
• извращенный [ɪzvraˈʂʲennɨj] - [Formal, may imply moral or psychological deviation]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in literature, discussions, and media, but not as ubiquitous as basic adjectives)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of adjective inflections and nuanced contexts; varies by translation—e.g., 'упрямый' is B1, while 'извращенный' is B2 due to its connotations)

Pronunciation (Russian):

упрямый: [ʊˈprjamɨj] (Stress on the second syllable; the 'ы' sound is a soft, centralized vowel, similar to the 'i' in 'bit' but more relaxed.)

Note on упрямый: Be cautious with the rolled 'r' sound, which is common in Russian but may be challenging for English speakers. Variations in regional accents might soften it.

Audio: []

извращенный: [ɪzvraˈʂʲennɨj] (Stress on the third syllable; the 'щ' sound is a voiceless palatal fricative, like 'sh' in 'she' but more sibilant.)

Note on извращенный: The word has a somewhat harsh pronunciation due to the consonant clusters, which can emphasize its negative connotation. Regional variations in Siberia might alter the vowel length.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Stubborn or obstinate, showing deliberate resistance to reason or authority.

Translation(s) & Context:

• упрямый - Used in informal settings to describe someone who is unreasonably persistent, e.g., in arguments or daily decisions.
• извращенный - Less common for this meaning; applied in more formal or psychological contexts, but not ideal for everyday stubbornness.

Usage Examples:

• Он всегда упрямый, как осёл, и не слушает чужие советы.

  He is always perverse, like a donkey, and doesn't listen to others' advice.

• Её упрямый характер часто приводит к конфликтам в семье.

  Her perverse nature often leads to conflicts in the family.

• В переговорах он проявил себя упрямым, отказываясь от компромисса.

  In negotiations, he showed himself as perverse, refusing any compromise.

• Упрямый ребёнок не хотел есть овощи, несмотря на уговоры.

  The perverse child didn't want to eat vegetables, despite the pleas.

Meaning 2: Deviating from what is normal, accepted, or moral; often implying perversion or abnormality.

Translation(s) & Context:

• извращенный - Best for contexts involving moral or ethical deviation, such as in psychology or literature.
• упрямый - Rarely used for this meaning; more for stubbornness than abnormality.

Usage Examples:

• Его извращенные идеи шокировали общество.

  His perverse ideas shocked society.

• В фильме показано извращенное поведение главного героя.

  The film depicts the perverse behavior of the main character.

• Извращенный вкус к искусству сделал его изгоем в кругу друзей.

  His perverse taste in art made him an outcast among friends.

• Она считала его извращенным за необычные хобби.

  She considered him perverse for his unusual hobbies.

• Извращенный подход к проблеме только усугубил ситуацию.

  The perverse approach to the problem only worsened the situation.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'упрямый' and 'извращенный' are adjectives, which in Russian inflect based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives agree with the nouns they modify and follow standard adjectival declension patterns, which are regular for these words.

Note: These adjectives do not have irregular forms; they follow the standard first-declension pattern for hard-stem adjectives in Russian.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • упрямый: настойчивый (persistent) - More neutral, implies determination without negativity.
  • упрямый: своенравный (headstrong) - Similar but often used for willful behavior in children.
  • извращенный: выродившийся (degenerate) - Stronger connotation, used in formal or literary contexts.
• Antonyms:
  • For упрямый: послушный (obedient)
  • For извращенный: нормальный (normal)

Related Phrases:

• Упрямый как бык - Literally: "Perverse like a bull"; Used to describe extreme stubbornness; English equivalent: "Stubborn as a mule".
• Извращенный вкус - "Perverse taste"; Refers to unconventional or abnormal preferences in art or culture.
• Упрямиться в решении - "To become perverse in a decision"; Means to dig in one's heels on a choice.

Usage Notes:

'Perverse' in English often carries a negative connotation of deliberate contrariness, which aligns closely with 'упрямый' in informal Russian contexts. However, 'извращенный' is better for moral or psychological deviations and should be used sparingly to avoid offense. In Russian, always ensure adjectives agree in gender, number, and case with the noun they modify. For example, choose 'упрямый' for everyday stubbornness but opt for 'извращенный' in formal writing. Be mindful of cultural sensitivity, as these words can escalate conflicts if overused.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'упрямый' interchangeably with 'извращенный' without context. For instance, English learners might say "извращенный ребенок" for a stubborn child, which implies abnormality rather than just obstinacy.

  Correct: Use 'упрямый ребенок' instead. Explanation: 'Извращенный' has a stronger negative moral implication, so it can mislead in simple contexts.

• Error: Forgetting to inflect the adjective, e.g., saying "упрямый женщина" instead of "упрямая женщина".

  Correct: Always match gender and case, as in "упрямая женщина". Explanation: Russian grammar requires agreement, and this is a common pitfall for speakers of non-inflected languages like English.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'упрямый' often reflect the value placed on resilience and individualism, stemming from historical contexts like rural life or Soviet-era perseverance. However, 'извращенный' can carry echoes of 20th-century psychological theories influenced by Freud, making it a loaded term in discussions of morality or art.

Related Concepts:

• настойчивость (persistence)
• вызов (challenge)
• аномалия (anomaly)