Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'splutter'

English Word: splutter

Key Russian Translations:

• бормотать [bɐrmɐˈtatʲ] - [Informal; often used for mumbling or speaking indistinctly]
• заикаться [zɐjˈkatsə] - [Informal; typically for stammering or hesitant speech due to excitement]

Frequency: Medium (Common in everyday spoken Russian, especially in casual contexts, but not as frequent as basic verbs like "говорить")

Difficulty: B1 Intermediate (Requires understanding of verb conjugations and nuances; бормотать may be easier for beginners, while заикаться involves more irregular patterns)

Pronunciation (Russian):

бормотать: [bɐrmɐˈtatʲ]

Note on бормотать: The stress falls on the third syllable ("tatʲ"), which can be tricky for English speakers due to Russian's mobile stress patterns. Pronounce the "р" as a soft, rolled sound.

Audio: []

заикаться: [zɐjˈkatsə]

Note on заикаться: The initial "з" is soft and voiced; the word ends with a palatalized "цə," which might sound like a quick "tsa" to English ears. Avoid overemphasizing the vowels.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To speak rapidly and indistinctly, often due to excitement or nervousness (e.g., like spluttering in English).

Translation(s) & Context:

• бормотать - Used in informal settings, such as casual conversations or when someone is muttering to themselves.
• заикаться - Applied in contexts involving hesitation or emotional overload, like public speaking or arguments.

Usage Examples:

• Он бормотал что-то под нос, не давая никому вставить слово.

  He was spluttering something under his breath, not letting anyone get a word in.

• В возбуждении она заикалась, пытаясь объяснить свою идею.

  In her excitement, she spluttered while trying to explain her idea.

• Дети бормотали скороговорку, соревнуясь в скорости.

  The children spluttered a tongue twister, competing for speed.

• Он заикался от страха, когда увидел неожиданного гостя.

  He spluttered from fear when he saw the unexpected guest.

Meaning 2: To make a sputtering sound, like an engine or liquid (less common for 'splutter' but possible in literal contexts).

Translation(s) & Context:

• бормотать - Rarely used here; more for speech, but can imply a bubbling sound in poetic contexts.
• пыхтеть - [Additional translation for this meaning] [pɨxˈtʲetʲ] - Used for mechanical or liquid sounds, in informal or descriptive writing.

Usage Examples:

• Мотор пыхтел и бормотал, прежде чем завелся.

  The engine spluttered and muttered before starting.

• Кофеварка пыхтела, издавая бормочущие звуки.

  The coffee maker spluttered, making mumbling sounds.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both primary translations are verbs, which undergo regular conjugation in Russian. бормотать is a first-conjugation verb, while заикаться is more irregular due to its reflexive form (-ся). Below is a table for бормотать in present tense; заикаться follows similar patterns but with reflexive endings.

For заикаться: It is a reflexive verb, so it always ends in -ся. Example: заикаюсь (I splutter), заикаешься (You splutter). It does not change in past tense forms as drastically as non-reflexive verbs.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms: бормотать - лепетать (lepetatʲ, to babble), мямлить (mʲamlʲitʲ, to mumble); заикаться - запинаться (zapʲiˈnatsə, to stutter)
• Antonyms: говорить чётко (govorʲitʲ ˈtɕɵtkə, to speak clearly), articulate speech like произносить отчётливо (proiznosʲitʲ ɐtˈtɕɵtlʲivə)

Note: лепетать often implies childish or incoherent speech, while запинаться is more about pausing mid-sentence.

Related Phrases:

• бормотать под нос - To mutter under one's breath; used for quiet, indistinct speaking in frustration.
• заикаться от волнения - To splutter from excitement; common in emotional contexts like storytelling.
• пыхтеть и бормотать - To splutter and mutter; refers to mechanical sounds combined with speech, e.g., in comedic descriptions.

Usage Notes:

бормотать and заикаться are not direct one-to-one matches for 'splutter' in English; бормотать emphasizes mumbling, while заикаться focuses on stammering. Use бормотать in casual, everyday scenarios to convey indistinct speech, but avoid it in formal writing. For 'splutter' related to sounds, пыхтеть might be more appropriate. English learners should note that Russian verbs require agreement in person, number, and tense, so always conjugate based on the subject. When choosing between translations, opt for заикаться if nervousness is involved.

Common Errors:

• Error: Using бормотать in formal contexts, e.g., saying "Он бормотал на встрече" instead of "Он говорил невнятно." Correct: "Он говорил невнятно" or stick to бормотать only in informal settings. Explanation: бормотать sounds too casual and may imply rudeness in professional environments.

• Error: Forgetting the reflexive -ся in заикаться, e.g., saying "Он заикает" instead of "Он заикается." Correct: "Он заикается." Explanation: заикаться is inherently reflexive in Russian, so omitting -ся changes the meaning or makes it grammatically incorrect.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like заикаться can carry connotations of emotional vulnerability, often depicted in literature (e.g., in Dostoevsky's works) to show characters' inner turmoil. бормотать might evoke humor in folk tales, where characters mutter to themselves, reflecting a cultural appreciation for expressive, imperfect speech as a human trait.

Related Concepts:

• мямлить (to mumble incoherently)
• запиниться (to hesitate in speech)
• произношение (pronunciation)