Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'preponderate'

English Word: preponderate

Key Russian Translations:

• преобладать /prʲɪɐbləˈdatʲ/ - [Formal, often used in written or academic contexts]
• иметь перевес /ˈimʲetʲ pʲɪrʲeˈvʲes/ - [Informal, literal expression in everyday speech]

Frequency: Medium (This word and its translations are commonly encountered in formal writing, discussions on statistics, or scientific contexts, but not in casual daily conversations.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and nuanced usage, though basic forms can be grasped at A2 level for simpler translations like 'иметь перевес'.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

преобладать: /prʲɪɐbləˈdatʲ/

иметь перевес: /ˈimʲetʲ pʲɪrʲeˈvʲes/

Note on преобладать: The stress falls on the third syllable ('da'), which can be tricky for English speakers due to Russian's complex vowel reductions. Pronounce it with a soft 'r' sound.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Primary Meaning: To be greater in number, amount, influence, or importance; to dominate or prevail.

Translation(s) & Context:

• преобладать - Used in formal or analytical contexts, such as describing statistical trends or natural phenomena.
• иметь перевес - Applied in informal or metaphorical situations, like in debates or personal comparisons.

Usage Examples:

• В этом регионе преобладают горы, что влияет на климат.

  In this region, mountains preponderate, which affects the climate.

• В опросе преобладали мнения в пользу реформ.

  In the survey, opinions in favor of reforms preponderated.

• Эта команда имеет перевес в счете благодаря лучшей стратегии.

  This team has a preponderance in the score due to a better strategy.

• Преобладают ли положительные отзывы о новом фильме?

  Do positive reviews preponderate for the new film?

• В диете моего друга мясо имеет перевес над овощами.

  In my friend's diet, meat preponderates over vegetables.

Secondary Meaning: To exceed in weight or influence (less common in modern usage).

Translation(s) & Context:

• преобладать - In contexts involving physical or metaphorical weight, such as in physics or rhetoric.

Usage Examples:

• В составе смеси преобладают тяжелые элементы.

  In the mixture, heavy elements preponderate.

• Его аргументы преобладают в дискуссии из-за убедительности.

  His arguments preponderate in the discussion due to their persuasiveness.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

преобладать is a verb of the first conjugation in Russian, which means it follows regular patterns but has some irregularities in imperfective aspects. It is imperfective and can be paired with its perfective counterpart "преобладавать" in certain contexts.

иметь перевес is a phrase involving the verb "иметь" (to have), which is irregular. "Иметь" conjugates as: имею, имеешь, имеет, имеем, имеете, имеют. "Перевес" is a masculine noun that declines as follows: Nominative - перевес, Genitive - перевеса, Dative - перевесу, etc. It is invariant in plural forms but follows standard second-declension patterns.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: доминировать (to dominate, more emphatic); превалировать (to prevail, similar but slightly more formal); контролировать (to control, in power contexts)
• Antonyms: подчиняться (to submit); уступать (to yield, with a connotation of giving way); отставать (to lag behind, in competitive scenarios)

Related Phrases:

• Преобладать в чём-то - To preponderate in something (e.g., used for describing dominance in a field, like "Преобладать в науке" meaning "To preponderate in science").
• Иметь перевес над кем-то - To have a preponderance over someone (e.g., in arguments or competitions, implying a clear advantage).
• Преобладающее большинство - The preponderating majority (a common phrase in politics or statistics).

Usage Notes:

"Преобладать" directly corresponds to the formal English sense of "preponderate" and is ideal for contexts involving superiority in quantity or influence, such as in reports or analyses. In contrast, "иметь перевес" is more idiomatic and conversational, often used when emphasizing a tangible advantage. Be mindful of Russian's aspect system: use the imperfective "преобладать" for ongoing actions and its perfective form for completed ones. In formal writing, prefer "преобладать" over "иметь перевес" for precision. Grammatically, ensure subject-verb agreement and appropriate prepositions, like "в" for "in" contexts.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using "преобладать" in the wrong tense, e.g., saying "преобладал" when a present tense is needed. Correct: "Преобладает" for ongoing predominance. Explanation: Russian verbs require strict tense alignment, unlike English's flexible auxiliaries.
• Error: Confusing with synonyms, e.g., using "доминировать" interchangeably, which implies more aggressive control. Correct: Stick to "преобладать" for neutral preponderance. Explanation: This can alter the nuance, making the statement sound more forceful.
• Error: Omitting aspect in phrases, e.g., "иметь перевес" without proper verb conjugation. Correct: "Имеет перевес" for third-person singular. Explanation: Neglecting conjugation leads to grammatical errors in Russian sentences.

Cultural Notes:

While "преобладать" itself doesn't carry strong cultural connotations, it often appears in Russian discourse around historical events, such as the preponderance of certain ideologies during the Soviet era. For instance, it might describe how Russian cultural influences preponderate in post-Soviet states, reflecting themes of national identity and resilience in literature or media.

Related Concepts:

• доминирование
• превалирование
• баланс сил