Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'spurn'

English Word: spurn

Key Russian Translations:

• отвергать /ɐtˈvʲerɡətʲ/ - [Formal, used in contexts of rejection or refusal]
• презирать /prʲɪˈzʲirətʲ/ - [Informal, implies contempt or disdain]

Frequency: Medium (commonly used in literature, formal writing, and everyday conversations involving rejection, but not as frequent as basic verbs like "сказать").

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and nuanced emotional contexts. For 'отвергать', it's B2; for 'презирать', it's B2-C1 due to its stronger connotations.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

отвергать: /ɐtˈvʲerɡətʲ/

Note on отвергать: The stress is on the second syllable ('vʲer'), and the 'г' is pronounced as a voiced velar fricative. Be mindful of the palatalized 'тʲ' at the end, which is a common challenge for English speakers.

презирать: /prʲɪˈzʲirətʲ/

Note on презирать: Stress falls on the third syllable ('zʲir'), with palatalization on 'рʲ' and 'зʲ'. This verb often has a more emphatic pronunciation in spoken Russian to convey disdain.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: To reject something or someone with disdain or contempt

Translation(s) & Context:

• отвергать - Used in formal or neutral contexts, such as rejecting an offer or idea, often in professional or literary settings.
• презирать - Used in emotional or informal contexts to express strong dislike or scorn towards a person or action.

Usage Examples:

• Она отвергает все его предложения, считая их неуместными.

  She spurns all his proposals, considering them inappropriate.

• В обществе часто презирают тех, кто игнорирует традиции.

  In society, people often spurn those who ignore traditions.

• Он отвергает помощь друзей, полагая, что справится сам.

  He spurns the help of his friends, believing he can manage on his own.

• Презирая слабость, она отказывается от компромиссов в переговорах.

  Scorning weakness, she spurns compromises in negotiations.

Meaning 2: To treat with contempt or ignore deliberately

Translation(s) & Context:

• презирать - Common in interpersonal contexts, emphasizing emotional rejection.
• отвергать - More formal, often in decision-making or evaluative scenarios.

Usage Examples:

• Презирая его поведение, она решила больше не общаться с ним.

  Spurning his behavior, she decided not to communicate with him anymore.

• Комитет отвергает любые идеи, которые не соответствуют их стандартам.

  The committee spurns any ideas that don't meet their standards.

• Он презирает моду и предпочитает классический стиль.

  He spurns fashion and prefers a classic style.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'отвергать' and 'презирать' are verbs, which in Russian undergo conjugation based on tense, aspect, person, and number. 'Отвергать' is an imperfective verb, while 'презирать' is also imperfective. Russian verbs have regular and irregular patterns; these follow somewhat regular patterns but require attention to stem changes.

Note: These verbs are imperfective, so they describe ongoing or repeated actions. For perfective aspects (e.g., 'отвергнуть' for 'отвергать'), separate forms exist, which are irregular and must be learned individually.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • отклонять (similar to 'отвергать', but more neutral in rejection)
  • игнорировать (implies ignoring rather than active rejection)
  • непризнать (formal, used in legal or official contexts)
• Antonyms:
  • принимать (to accept)
  • уважать (to respect)
  • одобрять (to approve)

Related Phrases:

• Отвергать любовь - To spurn love (a phrase often used in romantic or emotional contexts to describe rejecting affection).
• Презирать слабость - To spurn weakness (common in motivational or philosophical discussions, implying contempt for vulnerability).
• Отвергать традиции - To spurn traditions (used in cultural debates, highlighting rejection of customary practices).

Usage Notes:

'Spurn' corresponds closely to 'отвергать' in formal English-Russian translations, emphasizing rejection with a sense of disdain, while 'презирать' adds a layer of emotional contempt. Use 'отвергать' in professional or neutral scenarios, such as business refusals, and 'презирать' for personal or interpersonal contexts. Be cautious with verb aspect in Russian; pair with perfective forms like 'отвергнуть' for completed actions. English learners should note that Russian verbs conjugate based on subject, so always match the form to the sentence's subject for grammatical accuracy.

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Using 'отвергать' interchangeably with 'презирать' without considering tone. For example, an English speaker might say "Я отвергаю его" when meaning strong contempt, but this sounds neutral. Correct: Use 'презирать' for emotional disdain, e.g., "Я презираю его" instead of the incorrect "Я отвергаю его" in emotional contexts. Explanation: 'Отвергать' is more about refusal, while 'презирать' conveys active scorn, leading to miscommunication in social interactions.
• Mistake: Forgetting conjugation, e.g., saying "Он отвергает" incorrectly as "Он отверга" in plural contexts. Correct: Always conjugate properly, e.g., "Они отвергают". Explanation: Russian requires subject-verb agreement, unlike English, which can lead to basic grammatical errors for beginners.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, verbs like 'презирать' often carry historical connotations from literature (e.g., in Dostoevsky's works), where spurning societal norms reflects themes of rebellion or moral superiority. This can add depth to expressions of individualism, but it's less common in everyday polite conversation, where direct rejection might be softened to avoid conflict.

Related Concepts:

• отклонение (rejection)
• презрение (contempt)
• неприятие (non-acceptance)