Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'vicinal'

English Word: vicinal

Key Russian Translations:

• соседний [sɐˈsʲedʲnɨj] - [Adjective, General use, Informal/Formal]
• вицинальный [vʲɪt͡sɨˈnalʲnɨj] - [Adjective, Technical, Formal, Used in scientific or chemical contexts]

Frequency: Low (This word and its translations are not commonly used in everyday conversation but appear in specific fields like geography or chemistry.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate, based on CEFR; requires understanding of context and adjective declensions. For 'вицинальный', it may be C1 due to its specialized vocabulary.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

соседний: [sɐˈsʲedʲnɨj]

Note on соседний: The stress is on the second syllable; be mindful of the soft 'сʲ' sound, which can be challenging for English speakers. Variations in regional accents may slightly alter vowel length.

вицинальный: [vʲɪt͡sɨˈnalʲnɨj]

Note on вицинальный: Pronounce the 'ц' as a voiceless alveolar affricate, similar to 'ts' in 'cats'. This word is less common and often borrowed from English in scientific texts.

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

Meaning 1: Adjacent or neighboring (general spatial relationship)

Translation(s) & Context:

• соседний - Used in everyday contexts to describe something next to or near another object, such as houses or areas. Common in informal and formal settings.

Usage Examples:

• В нашем доме соседний дом старый и обветшалый.

  In our house, the neighboring house is old and dilapidated. (This example shows 'соседний' in a descriptive, spatial context with an adjective phrase.)

• Соседний парк всегда полон детей по выходным.

  The neighboring park is always full of children on weekends. (Illustrates use in a plural, everyday scenario, emphasizing proximity.)

• Мы живём в соседнем районе, но часто посещаем центр города.

  We live in the neighboring district, but we often visit the city center. (Demonstrates 'соседний' with a noun in a geographical context.)

• Соседний стол в кафе был занят, так что мы сели у окна.

  The neighboring table in the cafe was occupied, so we sat by the window. (Shows informal, situational use in daily life.)

Meaning 2: Vicinal in a technical sense (e.g., in chemistry, referring to adjacent atoms or groups)

Translation(s) & Context:

• вицинальный - Used in scientific literature to describe atoms or bonds that are next to each other, such as in organic chemistry. Reserved for formal, academic, or professional contexts.

Usage Examples:

• В этой молекуле вицинальный водород играет ключевую роль в реакции.

  In this molecule, the vicinal hydrogen plays a key role in the reaction. (This highlights 'вицинальный' in a chemical description, showing its technical application.)

• Углеродные атомы в вицинальном положении влияют на стабильность соединения.

  Carbon atoms in the vicinal position affect the stability of the compound. (Illustrates use with nouns in a scientific explanation.)

• Исследование вицинальных связей помогает понять структуру белков.

  Studying vicinal bonds helps understand the structure of proteins. (Demonstrates in a research context, emphasizing abstract concepts.)

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both 'соседний' and 'вицинальный' are adjectives in Russian, which means they inflect based on gender, number, and case. Russian adjectives follow standard patterns of agreement with nouns.

For 'соседний' (irregular in some forms due to its root):

For 'вицинальный' (more regular):

These adjectives do not change in comparative forms unless modified, e.g., 'более соседний' for 'more neighboring'.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • смежный (smezhnyy) - More formal, often used in legal or architectural contexts.
  • примыкающий (primykayushchiy) - Implies direct attachment, with a slight nuance of connection.
• Antonyms:
  • удалённый (udalënnyy) - Far away or remote.
  • отдалённый (otdalënnyy) - Distant in space or time.

Related Phrases:

• соседний дом (sosédniy dom) - Neighboring house; refers to a house next door, commonly used in real estate or daily conversations.
• вицинальные связи (vitsinal'nyye svyazi) - Vicinal bonds; a technical phrase in chemistry for adjacent atomic connections.
• соседний район (sosédniy rayon) - Neighboring district; used in urban planning or when discussing local areas.

Usage Notes:

'Соседний' directly corresponds to the general English meaning of 'vicinal' as 'neighboring' and is versatile in both spoken and written Russian. However, for technical contexts like chemistry, opt for 'вицинальный' to maintain precision, as it's a borrowed term. Be aware of grammatical agreement: always decline the adjective to match the noun's gender, number, and case. In informal speech, Russians might use 'рядом' (ryadom, meaning 'nearby') as a simpler alternative, but 'соседний' implies a more specific adjacency.

Common Errors:

• English learners often forget to decline 'соседний' properly, e.g., saying 'соседний дома' instead of 'соседнего дома' (genitive case). Correct: Use the appropriate form based on case, as shown in the inflections table.
• Confusing 'вицинальный' with 'смежный': Learners might overuse 'смежный' in chemical contexts, but 'вицинальный' is more accurate for atomic adjacency. Error example: "Смежный атом" instead of "Вицинальный атом". Explanation: 'Смежный' means adjacent in a broader sense, while 'вицинальный' is specific to chemistry.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, words like 'соседний' often evoke community and proximity, reflecting the historical importance of close-knit neighborhoods in urban areas like Moscow. However, 'вицинальный' has no significant cultural connotations, as it's a technical term derived from scientific English.

Related Concepts:

• рядом (ryadom)
• прилегающий (prilegayushchiy)
• пространственный (prostranstvennyy)