Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'revile'

English Word: revile

Key Russian Translations:

• оскорблять [ɐˈskorbʲlʲɪtʲ] - [Formal, Used in serious contexts like legal or public discourse]
• ругать [rʊˈɡatʲ] - [Informal, Used in everyday conversations or emotional outbursts]
• поносить [pɐˈnosʲɪtʲ] - [Informal, Plural forms applicable, Often implies prolonged criticism]

Frequency: Medium (Common in literature, media, and interpersonal communication, but not as frequent as basic verbs like "говорить").

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and nuanced contexts; for 'оскорблять', it's B2, while 'ругать' might be B1 due to its simplicity).

Pronunciation (Russian):

оскорблять: [ɐˈskorbʲlʲɪtʲ]

ругать: [rʊˈɡatʲ]

поносить: [pɐˈnosʲɪtʲ]

Note on оскорблять: The stress falls on the second syllable; be cautious with the soft sign (ʲ) which affects pronunciation in spoken Russian.

Note on ругать: This verb often has a guttural 'r' sound; variations in regional accents may soften it.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To criticize or insult someone abusively.

Translation(s) & Context:

• оскорблять - Used in formal settings, such as legal disputes or public speeches, to denote intentional verbal abuse.
• ругать - Common in informal, everyday contexts like family arguments, implying emotional scolding.

Usage Examples:

• Он оскорблял своего оппонента во время дебатов. (He reviled his opponent during the debate.)

  English Translation: He insulted his opponent during the debate in a highly abusive manner.

• Мать ругала детей за их поведение на улице. (The mother reviled the children for their behavior on the street.)

  English Translation: The mother scolded the children angrily for their street behavior, showing emotional frustration.

• В интернете люди часто поносят знаменитостей в комментариях. (People often revile celebrities in online comments.)

  English Translation: People frequently insult celebrities in comments, often in a prolonged and hateful way.

• Политик оскорблял конкурентов, чтобы выиграть выборы. (The politician reviled his rivals to win the election.)

  English Translation: The politician used abusive language against his rivals as a strategy to gain votes.

• Друзья ругали друг друга в шутку, но иногда это переходило в серьёзные споры. (Friends reviled each other in jest, but it sometimes turned into serious arguments.)

  English Translation: Friends insulted each other playfully, though it could escalate into real conflicts.

Meaning 2: To express strong contempt or disdain verbally.

Translation(s) & Context:

• поносить - Applied in contexts involving ongoing criticism, such as in literature or social media, often with a sense of mockery.
• оскорблять - Used when the contempt is more direct and formal, like in professional settings.

Usage Examples:

• Критики поносили фильм за его слабый сюжет. (Critics reviled the film for its weak plot.)

  English Translation: Critics expressed strong contempt for the film due to its poor storyline.

• Она оскорбляла традиции, не понимая их ценности. (She reviled the traditions without understanding their value.)

  English Translation: She insulted the traditions ignorantly, showing disdain in a verbal attack.

• В газете поносили правительство за коррупцию. (The newspaper reviled the government for corruption.)

  English Translation: The newspaper harshly criticized and mocked the government over corruption issues.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

These verbs are primarily first-conjugation verbs in Russian, which follow regular patterns but have variations based on tense, aspect, and person. 'Оскорблять' and 'ругать' are imperfective verbs, while 'поносить' can be used in both imperfective and perfective forms.

Note: These verbs do not change based on gender in the infinitive form but conjugate regularly for person and number.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Клеветать (klevetat' - to slander; similar but implies falsehood)
  • Бранить (branit' - to scold; less intense than ругать)
  • Осуждать (osuzhdat' - to condemn; more formal and moralistic)
• Antonyms:
  • Хвалить (khalit' - to praise)
  • Защищать (zashchishchat' - to defend)

Related Phrases:

• Оскорблять кого-то в лицо (oskorbljat' kogo-to v litso) - To revile someone to their face; used in direct confrontations.
• Ругать почём зря (rugat' pochem zrya) - To revile someone without restraint; implies excessive criticism in informal settings.
• Поносить на всех углах (ponosit' na vsekh uglakh) - To revile everywhere; a common idiom for spreading negative talk publicly.

Usage Notes:

'Revile' corresponds most closely to 'оскорблять' in formal English-Russian translation, but 'ругать' is preferred in casual speech to capture emotional intensity. Be mindful of context: in Russian, these verbs often imply a personal attack, unlike milder English equivalents. For learners, choose 'ругать' for everyday scenarios and 'оскорблять' for legal or written contexts. Grammatically, ensure correct aspect usage—imperfective for ongoing actions.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'оскорблять' in informal chats, which sounds overly dramatic. Correct: Opt for 'ругать' instead. Example of error: *Я оскорбляю друга за опоздание* (I revile my friend for being late) – Sounds formal. Correct: Я ругаю друга за опоздание. Explanation: 'Ругать' fits casual contexts better.
• Mistake: Confusing conjugations, e.g., saying 'он оскорбляется' instead of 'он оскорбляет' (which means 'he is being insulted'). Correct: Use 'оскорбляет' for active voice. Explanation: Russian verbs have reflexive forms that change meaning, so pay attention to prefixes.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, reviling or public criticism (as in 'ругать') is often seen in heated debates or family dynamics, reflecting the value placed on direct expression. However, in professional settings, it can lead to social repercussions, emphasizing the cultural norm of 'krugovaya poruka' (collective responsibility), where public insults are frowned upon.

Related Concepts:

• Клевета (kleveta - slander)
• Обида (obida - offense)
• Критика (kritika - criticism)