Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'schlock'

English Word: schlock

Key Russian Translations:

• хлам [xlam] - [Informal, Colloquial]
• дешёвка [dʲɪˈʂɵfka] - [Informal, Often used for cheap, low-quality items]
• пошлость [poˈʂlostʲ] - [Formal, Emphasizing vulgarity or tackiness]

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday conversations about consumer goods but not as frequent as basic vocabulary).

Difficulty: B1 (Intermediate; Requires understanding of colloquialisms and basic noun inflections for 'хлам' and 'дешёвка', while 'пошлость' may approach B2 due to its nuanced connotations).

Pronunciation (Russian):

хлам: [xlam] (The 'x' is a voiceless velar fricative, similar to the 'ch' in Scottish 'loch').

дешёвка: [dʲɪˈʂɵfka] (Note the palatalized 'dʲ' and the soft 'ɵ' sound, which can be challenging for beginners).

пошлость: [poˈʂlostʲ] (Emphasize the stressed 'o' and the palatalized 'tʲ' at the end).

Note on хлам: Be careful with the initial 'x' sound, as it's not present in English; it may be mispronounced as a 'k' sound by learners.

Note on дешёвка: The word often carries a derogatory tone, so pronunciation in context matters for conveying emotion.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Low-quality, cheap, or inferior goods, often in a commercial context (e.g., merchandise, movies).

Translation(s) & Context:

• хлам - Used in informal, everyday situations to describe junk or worthless items, such as at a flea market.
• дешёвка - Applied in casual conversations for bargain items that are subpar, emphasizing poor value for money.

Usage Examples:

• Не покупай этот хлам; он сломается через неделю.

  Don't buy this schlock; it will break in a week.

• В этом магазине только дешёвка, ничего стоящего.

  In this store, it's all schlock; nothing of value.

• Этот фильм — чистая пошлость, без художественной ценности.

  This film is pure schlock, without any artistic merit.

• Я выбросил весь хлам из гаража, чтобы навести порядок.

  I threw out all the schlock from the garage to clean up.

Meaning 2: Something tacky, vulgar, or of poor taste, especially in cultural or artistic contexts.

Translation(s) & Context:

• пошлость - Used in more formal or critical discussions, such as in literature or art reviews, to denote tastelessness.
• хлам - Less common here, but can be used informally for outdated or kitschy items.

Usage Examples:

• Его юмор — сплошная пошлость, не стоит смотреть.

  His humor is total schlock; it's not worth watching.

• В музее выставлена коллекция пошлости из 90-х.

  The museum has an exhibit of schlock from the 90s.

• Эта книга полна пошлости, но некоторые находят в ней шарм.

  This book is full of schlock, but some find charm in it.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

For 'хлам' (a masculine noun, first declension), it follows standard Russian noun inflections. It is regular and changes by case and number.

For 'дешёвка' (feminine noun, first declension), it is also regular:

'Пошлость' (feminine abstract noun) is invariable in most contexts and does not change significantly.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: мусор (musor) - more neutral for trash; отходы (othody) - emphasizes waste; ветошь (vetosh') - for rags or worn-out items.
• Antonyms: качество (kachestvo) - quality; шедевр (shedevr) - masterpiece, especially in artistic contexts.

Related Phrases:

• старый хлам - Old schlock (Refers to outdated or worthless items, often in decluttering contexts).
• дешёвая пошлость - Cheap schlock (Used for low-brow entertainment or goods with no depth).
• хлам на распродаже - Schlock on sale (Common in market or online shopping scenarios).

Usage Notes:

'Schlock' translates variably in Russian based on context: 'хлам' is best for physical junk, while 'пошлость' suits cultural critiques. Use 'дешёвка' for commercial settings. These words are informal and carry negative connotations, so avoid in formal writing. When choosing among translations, consider the audience—'пошлость' implies intellectual vulgarity, whereas 'хлам' is more literal.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using 'хлам' interchangeably with 'мусор' without context, leading to confusion (e.g., saying "Этот мусор — хлам" redundantly). Correct: Use 'хлам' for specifically worthless items, not general waste. Example of error: "Я ем хлам" (incorrect for food); Correct: "Я ем фастфуд, который как хлам" (to imply poor quality).

• Error: Misinflecting 'дешёвка' in sentences, such as using the wrong case (e.g., "Купить дешёвка" instead of "Купить дешёвку"). Correct: Always adjust for case, like "Купить дешёвку на рынке".

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'пошлость' often echo literary critiques from authors like Nabokov, who used it to describe superficiality. 'Хлам' reflects everyday attitudes toward consumerism in post-Soviet societies, where distinguishing quality from mass-produced goods is a common theme.

Related Concepts:

• мусор
• отходы
• ветошь