Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'picket'

English Word: picket

Key Russian Translations:

• пикет (/pʲɪˈkʲɛt/) - [Formal, Noun; Used in contexts of protests, strikes, or physical stakes]
• заостренный кол (/zɐɐsˈtrʲenɨj kol/) - [Informal, Noun; Primarily for the physical stake meaning, less common in modern usage]

Frequency: Medium (Common in political, labor, or historical contexts, but not everyday conversation; appears in news and literature occasionally).

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate) for the primary translation "пикет" due to its specific cultural connotations; A2 (Beginner) for "заостренный кол" as it follows basic noun patterns.

Pronunciation (Russian):

пикет: /pʲɪˈkʲɛt/

заостренный кол: /zɐɐsˈtrʲenɨj kol/

Note on пикет: The stress is on the second syllable; the soft 'к' sound (/kʲ/) can be challenging for English speakers, as it involves palatalization. Pronounce it with a light 'y' glide before the 'k'.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: A pointed stake or post used for fencing or support (Noun).

Translation(s) & Context:

• пикет - Used in historical or literal contexts, such as military or agricultural settings; formal and precise.
• заостренный кол - Informal alternative, often in descriptive or everyday language for a sharpened wooden stake.

Usage Examples:

• Они использовали пикет для укрепления забора. (They used a picket to reinforce the fence.)

  English Translation: They used a picket to reinforce the fence.

• В саду были воткнуты заостренные колья, похожие на пикет. (In the garden, sharpened stakes were driven in, resembling a picket.)

  English Translation: In the garden, sharpened stakes were driven in, resembling a picket.

• Этот пикет устоял против ветра благодаря своей прочности. (This picket withstood the wind due to its strength.)

  English Translation: This picket withstood the wind due to its strength.

• Мастер сделал заостренный кол из дерева для временного ограждения. (The craftsman made a sharpened stake from wood for temporary fencing.)

  English Translation: The craftsman made a sharpened stake from wood for temporary fencing.

Meaning 2: A person or group protesting outside a workplace during a strike (Noun).

Translation(s) & Context:

• пикет - Standard term for organized protests or picket lines; formal and widely used in media and legal contexts.

Usage Examples:

• Работники устроили пикет у завода, требуя повышения зарплаты. (The workers organized a picket outside the factory, demanding higher wages.)

  English Translation: The workers organized a picket outside the factory, demanding higher wages.

• Полиция разогнала пикет протестующих у правительственного здания. (The police dispersed the picket of protesters outside the government building.)

  English Translation: The police dispersed the picket of protesters outside the government building.

• Во время забастовки пикет стал символом их единства. (During the strike, the picket became a symbol of their unity.)

  English Translation: During the strike, the picket became a symbol of their unity.

• Организаторы пикета использовали плакаты для привлечения внимания. (The organizers of the picket used posters to draw attention.)

  English Translation: The organizers of the picket used posters to draw attention.

• Пикет продолжался несколько часов, несмотря на дождь. (The picket lasted several hours, despite the rain.)

  English Translation: The picket lasted several hours, despite the rain.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

"Пикет" is a masculine noun in Russian, following the standard second declension pattern. It has regular inflections based on case and number. "Заостренный кол" is a phrase where "кол" is also a masculine noun with similar patterns.

For "заостренный кол", the adjective "заостренный" agrees with "кол" and changes accordingly (e.g., заостренного кола in genitive singular).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • пикетирование (piketirovaniye) - More specific to the act of picketing in protests.
  • заборный столб (zabornyy stolb) - For the stake meaning, implying a fence post.
• Antonyms:
  • снятие пикета (snyatiye piketa) - Literally "removal of the picket," implying the end of a protest.
  • мирное разрешение (mirnoye razresheniye) - For protest contexts, meaning "peaceful resolution."

Related Phrases:

• Организовать пикет (Organize a picket) - A common phrase for setting up a protest; used in labor disputes.
• Пикет у здания (Picket outside the building) - Refers to demonstrations at specific locations; implies public assembly.
• Заостренный пикет для забора (Sharpened picket for a fence) - Descriptive phrase for physical stakes in construction.

Usage Notes:

"Пикет" directly corresponds to the English "picket" in both meanings but is more commonly used in Russian for protest contexts due to its historical ties to Soviet-era labor movements. Use "пикет" in formal or written language; avoid in casual conversation unless discussing current events. For the physical meaning, "заостренный кол" is a safer choice to avoid confusion. When choosing between translations, consider the context: protests (пикет) vs. objects (заостренный кол). Grammatically, ensure proper case agreement in sentences.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using "пикет" interchangeably for both meanings without context, e.g., saying "Я купил пикет для сада" (I bought a picket for the garden), which might confuse listeners who think of protests.
  Correct: Use "заостренный кол" for the object. Explanation: Russian speakers associate "пикет" primarily with activism, so clarify with additional words.
• Mistake: Incorrect inflection, e.g., saying "в пикет" instead of "на пикете" for "at the picket."
  Correct: Use the prepositional case "на пикете." Explanation: Prepositions in Russian require specific cases, and errors here can make the sentence ungrammatical.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, "пикет" often carries connotations of dissent and social activism, stemming from its use in Soviet and post-Soviet protests. It symbolizes resistance against authority, as seen in historical events like the 1990s labor strikes, and is frequently depicted in literature and films as a tool for voicing grievances in a society with a history of censorship.

Related Concepts:

• митинг (miting) - Rally or meeting.
• забастовка (zabastovka) - Strike.
• протест (protest) - Protest in general.