Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'prejudicial'

English Word: prejudicial

Key Russian Translations:

• вредный /vʀʲednɨj/ - [Formal, used in legal or general contexts to indicate something harmful or detrimental]
• предвзятый /prʲidvzaʲtɨj/ - [Formal, specifically for contexts involving bias or preconceived notions]

Frequency: Medium (commonly encountered in legal, academic, and formal writing, but less frequent in everyday conversation)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of nuanced legal and social contexts, with some irregular inflections making it challenging for learners)

Pronunciation (Russian):

вредный: /vʀʲednɨj/

Note on вредный: The 'р' is a trilled alveolar sound, which can be tricky for English speakers; stress falls on the first syllable.

предвзятый: /prʲidvzaʲtɨj/

Note on предвзятый: The 'дв' cluster is pronounced softly; stress is on the third syllable, and it may vary slightly in fast speech.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Harmful or detrimental, especially in legal or practical contexts (e.g., prejudicial to a case)

Translation(s) & Context:

• вредный - Used in formal settings like court proceedings or discussions of risks; implies potential damage or negative impact.

Usage Examples:

• Это решение может быть вредным для исхода судебного процесса.

  This decision could be prejudicial to the outcome of the court case.

• Вредный эффект от таких действий часто недооценивается.

  The prejudicial effect of such actions is often underestimated.

• Вредный для здоровья образ жизни должен быть изменен.

  A prejudicial lifestyle to one's health should be changed.

• Вредный климат в офисе влияет на продуктивность сотрудников.

  The prejudicial office environment affects employee productivity.

Meaning 2: Showing prejudice or bias (e.g., prejudicial attitudes)

Translation(s) & Context:

• предвзятый - Applied in social or ethical contexts to describe preconceived judgments; often used in discussions of fairness or discrimination.

Usage Examples:

• Предвзятый подход судьи может повлиять на вердикт.

  A prejudicial approach by the judge could influence the verdict.

• Его предвзятые мнения о группе людей были основаны на стереотипах.

  His prejudicial opinions about the group were based on stereotypes.

• Предвзятый комментарий в СМИ вызвал общественный резонанс.

  The prejudicial comment in the media sparked public outrage.

• Предвзятые решения в компании приводят к несправедливости.

  Prejudicial decisions in the company lead to unfairness.

• Предвзятый анализ данных искажает реальность.

  A prejudicial analysis of data distorts reality.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "вредный" and "предвзятый" are adjectives in Russian, which means they inflect based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives follow a standard adjectival declension pattern, but they can be irregular in some forms. Below is a table for each:

Note: These adjectives do not change in short form usage (e.g., "вреден"), which is less common but possible in certain contexts.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • вредоносный (vredonosnyy) - More emphatic, implying actively harmful, often in technical contexts.
  • опасный (opasnyy) - Similar to вредный, but with a focus on danger rather than detriment.
  • предубежденный (predubezhdennyy) - Close to предвзятый, emphasizing deep-seated bias.
• Antonyms:
  • полезный (poleznyy) - Beneficial or advantageous.
  • объективный (obektivnyy) - Unbiased or impartial, directly opposing предвзятый.

Related Phrases:

• вредный эффект - A harmful effect; used in discussions of consequences, e.g., in environmental or health contexts.
• предвзятый взгляд - A biased view; common in debates about fairness or media analysis.
• вредный для общества - Prejudicial to society; refers to actions or policies that harm communal well-being.

Usage Notes:

"Вредный" best corresponds to the legal or practical sense of "prejudicial," focusing on harm, while "предвзятый" aligns more with the bias aspect. In Russian, choose "вредный" for contexts involving tangible damage and "предвзятый" for emotional or judgmental scenarios. Be mindful of the formal register; these words are rarely used in casual speech. Grammatically, ensure adjectives agree in gender, number, and case with the nouns they modify, as shown in the inflections table.

• When translating, avoid direct word-for-word substitution; consider the broader context to select the appropriate translation.
• In legal texts, "вредный" is preferred for its precision in Russian jurisprudence.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse "вредный" with "вред" (harm, a noun), leading to incorrect usage. For example:

• Error: Using "вред" as an adjective, e.g., "вред случай" (incorrect, as it should be "вредный случай").
• Correct: "Вредный случай" - Explanation: "Вредный" is the proper adjectival form; using the noun alone changes the meaning.
• Another error: Mixing up "предвзятый" with "предубежденный," treating them as identical; "предвзятый" is more about active bias, while "предубежденный" implies a deeper prejudice. Correct usage: Choose based on context to avoid overgeneralization.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like "предвзятый" often tie into historical contexts of social justice, such as during the Soviet era when accusations of bias in trials were common. This reflects a broader emphasis on collective fairness in Russian society, where individual prejudices can be seen as threats to social harmony.

Related Concepts:

• предубеждение (prejudice)
• дискриминация (discrimination)
• вредоносность (harmfulness)