Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'vilify'

English Word: vilify

Key Russian Translations:

• Очернять /ɐˈt͡ɕɛrnʲɪtʲ/ - [Formal, used in written or serious contexts]
• Клеветать /klʲɪˈvʲetətʲ/ - [Formal, often implies legal slander]

Frequency: Medium (This word and its translations are not everyday vocabulary but appear in discussions of media, politics, or ethics.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of Russian verb conjugations and nuanced contexts, as per CEFR standards.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

Очернять: /ɐˈt͡ɕɛrnʲɪtʲ/

Клеветать: /klʲɪˈvʲetətʲ/

Note on Очернять: The stress is on the second syllable; be careful with the palatalized 'ч' sound, which can be tricky for beginners.

Note on Клеветать: Pronounce the 'в' as a soft 'v' sound; this verb has a rhythmic flow in speech.

Audio: []

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To speak ill of someone or something, defaming their character or reputation

Translation(s) & Context:

• Очернять - Used in formal contexts like journalism or legal discussions to describe deliberate character assassination.
• Клеветать - Applied when the defamation involves false statements, often with potential legal consequences.

Usage Examples:

• Журналисты часто очерняют политиков в своих статьях, чтобы повлиять на общественное мнение.

  Journalists often vilify politicians in their articles to influence public opinion.

• Не стоит клеветать на коллег; это может привести к судебным разбиратствам.

  Don't vilify your colleagues; it could lead to legal proceedings.

• В интернете люди легко очерняют знаменитостей, не задумываясь о последствиях.

  On the internet, people easily vilify celebrities without thinking about the consequences.

• Клеветать на кого-то в СМИ – это серьезное нарушение, которое может быть наказано законом.

  Vilifying someone in the media is a serious offense that can be punished by law.

• Социальные сети позволяют очернять оппонентов анонимно, что делает проблему еще хуже.

  Social media allows people to vilify opponents anonymously, which makes the problem even worse.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

Both "Очернять" and "Клеветать" are verbs in Russian, which means they undergo conjugation based on tense, aspect, person, and number. Russian verbs are imperfective by default unless specified. "Очернять" is imperfective, while "Клеветать" can be used in imperfective contexts.

For "Очернять" (imperfective verb):

For "Клеветать" (imperfective verb), the conjugation follows a similar pattern:

These verbs do not have irregular forms but follow standard first-conjugation patterns. Note that past tense changes based on gender.

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

• Synonyms:
  • Порочить (to discredit; milder and more general than очернять)
  • Обидеть (to offend; used in emotional contexts, less formal)
• Antonyms:
  • Хвалить (to praise)
  • Защищать (to defend)

Related Phrases:

• Очернять репутацию - To vilify someone's reputation; often used in professional or public contexts.
• Клеветать в прессе - To slander in the press; implies media involvement and potential harm.
• Распространять клевету - To spread vilification; a common phrase in legal or ethical discussions.

Usage Notes:

"Vilify" translates most accurately to "очернять" when emphasizing ongoing defamation, and "клеветать" when it involves false accusations. In Russian, these verbs are typically used in formal writing or speech; avoid them in casual conversations to prevent sounding overly dramatic. Choose "очернять" for general reputation damage and "клеветать" for legally actionable claims. Grammatically, both are imperfective verbs, so they pair well with aspects of time or repetition, e.g., "он всегда очерняет других" (he always vilifies others).

Common Errors:

• Mistake: Confusing "очернять" with "чернить" (a less common variant); learners might overuse it. Correct: Use "очернять" in standard contexts, as "чернить" is archaic. Example of error: "Я черню его" (incorrect modern usage) vs. Correct: "Я очерняю его".
• Mistake: Forgetting gender agreement in past tense; e.g., saying "она очернял" instead of "она очерняла". Explanation: Russian past tense verbs agree with the subject’s gender, so always adjust endings accordingly.
• Mistake: Using "клеветать" interchangeably with "очернять" without context; this can dilute meaning. Correct: Reserve "клеветать" for false statements only.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, vilification through words like "очернять" or "клеветать" carries significant weight due to historical contexts, such as Soviet-era propaganda and defamation laws. Defaming someone publicly can lead to lawsuits under modern Russian law, reflecting a cultural emphasis on protecting personal honor and reputation.

Related Concepts:

• Клевета (slander)
• Обида (offense)
• Репутация (reputation)