Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'vertebrate'

English Word: vertebrate

Key Russian Translations:

• позвоночное [pəzˈvo.nəʧ.nəjɪ] - [Formal, Scientific]
• позвоночный [pəzˈvo.nəʧ.nɨj] - [Formal, Adjectival form, used to describe characteristics]

Frequency: Medium (Common in scientific, educational, and biological contexts, but less frequent in everyday conversation).

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; Requires understanding of Russian noun declensions and scientific vocabulary; the adjectival form may vary slightly in difficulty).

Pronunciation (Russian):

позвоночное: [pəzˈvo.nəʧ.nəjɪ]

Note on позвоночное: The stress falls on the third syllable ("vo"), which is a common challenge for English speakers. The "ч" sound is a voiceless palatal fricative, similar to the "ch" in "loch" in Scottish English.

позвоночный: [pəzˈvo.nəʧ.nɨj]

Note on позвоночный: This is an adjective and may soften in certain contexts, but the pronunciation remains consistent across genders and cases.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Biological term for animals with a backbone or spinal column.

Translation(s) & Context:

• позвоночное - Used in formal scientific writing or discussions about animal classification, often as a noun in biological contexts.
• позвоночный - Used as an adjective to describe features or groups, such as in phrases related to anatomy or evolution.

Usage Examples:

• Позвоночные животные, такие как млекопитающие, имеют развитую нервную систему.

  Vertebrate animals, such as mammals, have a developed nervous system.

• В эволюции позвоночных произошли значительные изменения в скелетной структуре.

  In the evolution of vertebrates, significant changes occurred in skeletal structure.

• Биологи изучают позвоночное и беспозвоночное разнообразие в экосистемах.

  Biologists study vertebrate and invertebrate diversity in ecosystems.

• Позвоночный столб человека состоит из позвонков, обеспечивая поддержку тела.

  The human vertebral column consists of vertebrae, providing body support.

• Классификация позвоночных включает классы, такие как рыбы и птицы.

  The classification of vertebrates includes classes such as fish and birds.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

позвоночное is a neuter noun in Russian, which follows standard third-declension patterns for inanimate nouns. It inflects based on case, number, and gender. позвоночный is an adjective that agrees with the noun it modifies in gender, number, and case.

Note: These forms are regular, but always check context for agreement. For example, in plural forms, it becomes more general.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • позвоночный организм (more descriptive, emphasizing the organism aspect)
  • хребетный (less common, archaic variant with subtle emphasis on the spine)
• Antonyms:
  • беспозвоночное (invertebrate)
  • беспозвоночный (adjectival form for invertebrate characteristics)

Related Phrases:

• Позвоночные животные - Common phrase meaning "vertebrate animals," used in biological classifications.
• Система позвоночных - Refers to "the vertebrate system," often in anatomical discussions.
• Эволюция позвоночных - Means "evolution of vertebrates," a key topic in paleontology.

Usage Notes:

позвоночное directly corresponds to "vertebrate" in English as a noun, primarily in scientific contexts, while позвоночный is used adjectivally. Always ensure agreement with the noun it modifies (e.g., use the feminine form позвоночная for feminine nouns). In formal writing, prefer позвоночное for precision, but in everyday Russian, it might be simplified or explained. Be cautious with context: in non-scientific settings, this term could confuse learners if not paired with explanations.

• Use позвоночное when referring to the category as a whole.
• Avoid mixing with everyday terms; it's strictly academic.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse позвоночное with беспозвоночное (invertebrate) due to similar structures. For example, an incorrect usage might be: "Позвоночное включает насекомых" (Wrong: Vertebrates include insects), when it should be: "Беспозвоночные включают насекомых" (Correct: Invertebrates include insects). This error stems from misunderstanding biological classifications; always double-check the presence of a backbone in context.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian scientific literature, terms like позвоночное reflect a strong tradition of biology education influenced by 19th-century naturalists like Karl Ernst von Baer. While not inherently cultural, it underscores Russia's emphasis on natural sciences in education, often tied to environmental conservation efforts.

Related Concepts:

• млекопитающие (mammals)
• рыбы (fish)
• птицы (birds)
• беспозвоночные (invertebrates)