Russian Translation(s) & Details for 'vituperate'

English Word: vituperate

Key Russian Translations:

• ругать [rʊˈɡatʲ] - [Informal, often used in everyday speech for verbal abuse or scolding]
• осуждать [ɐˈsuʒdətʲ] - [Formal, used in more serious or official contexts for condemnation]
• очернять [ɐˈt͡ɕɛrnʲətʲ] - [Semi-formal, implies defamation or blackening someone's reputation]

Frequency: Medium (This verb and its translations are commonly encountered in literature, media, and conversations, but not as frequent as basic vocabulary.)

Difficulty: B2 (Intermediate; requires understanding of verb conjugations and contextual nuances. For 'ругать', it's B1; for 'осуждать', it's B2 due to its formal tone.)

Pronunciation (Russian):

ругать: [rʊˈɡatʲ]

осуждать: [ɐˈsuʒdətʲ]

очернять: [ɐˈt͡ɕɛrnʲətʲ]

Note on ругать: The stress is on the second syllable; be careful with the soft 'tʲ' sound, which is a common challenge for English speakers. It can vary slightly in rapid speech.

Note on осуждать: Pronunciation may soften in casual speech, with the 'zh' sound [ʒ] being similar to the 's' in "measure".

Audio: []

Meanings and Usage:

To harshly criticize or verbally attack someone

Translation(s) & Context:

• 'ругать' - Used in informal settings, such as family disputes or casual arguments, to express strong disapproval.
• 'осуждать' - Applied in formal contexts like debates or legal discussions, emphasizing moral judgment.
• 'очернять' - Employed when the criticism involves damaging someone's image, often in media or public discourse.

Usage Examples:

• Он ругает своего коллегу за опоздание на встречу.

  He vituperates his colleague for being late to the meeting.

• В газете осуждают политиков, обвиняя их в коррупции.

  The newspaper vituperates politicians, accusing them of corruption.

• Она очерняет бывшего партнера в социальных сетях, распространяя ложные слухи.

  She vituperates her ex-partner on social media by spreading false rumors.

• Родители ругают детей за плохое поведение, но стараются делать это конструктивно.

  Parents vituperate their children for bad behavior but try to do it constructively.

• Критики осуждают фильм за его спорные сцены, но признают его художественную ценность.

  Critics vituperate the film for its controversial scenes while acknowledging its artistic value.

To engage in bitter verbal abuse

Translation(s) & Context:

• 'ругать' - Common in heated arguments, often with emotional intensity.
• 'очернять' - Used when the abuse aims to harm reputation, such as in slander cases.

Usage Examples:

• Во время спора они начали ругать друг друга, не сдерживая эмоций.

  During the argument, they started vituperating each other without holding back emotions.

• Журналист очерняет известного актёра, публикуя необоснованные обвинения.

  The journalist vituperates the famous actor by publishing unfounded accusations.

• В интернете люди ругают бренды за плохое обслуживание, оставляя гневные отзывы.

  Online, people vituperate brands for poor service, leaving angry reviews.

Russian Forms/Inflections:

All key translations are verbs, which undergo conjugation based on tense, aspect, person, and number in Russian. 'Ругать' and 'осуждать' are imperfective verbs, while 'очернять' can be used in both imperfective and perfective forms.

For 'ругать' (to vituperate/scold):

For 'осуждать', it follows a similar pattern but is more formal and less irregular.

'Очернять' has a perfective counterpart 'очернить', which changes based on context (e.g., очерню in future).

Russian Synonyms/Antonyms:

Synonyms:

• критиковать (kritikovat' - to criticize, but less intense)
• поносить (ponosit' - to revile, often with contempt)
• бранить (branit' - to scold, similar to ругать but slightly more archaic)

Antonyms:

• хвалить (khalit' - to praise)
• защищать (zashchishchat' - to defend)

Related Phrases:

• Ругать почём зря - Meaning: To vituperate without restraint (used for excessive scolding).
• Осуждать публично - Meaning: To publicly vituperate or condemn someone in a formal setting.
• Очернять репутацию - Meaning: To vituperate someone's reputation, often through slander.

Usage Notes:

'Ругать' is the most direct equivalent to 'vituperate' in informal contexts, but it carries a connotation of emotional outburst, unlike the more calculated 'vituperate' in English. Use 'осуждать' for formal or written scenarios to match a professional tone. Be cautious with word choice based on context: 'очернять' implies legal or ethical implications, such as defamation. In Russian, these verbs often require an object (e.g., кого-то ругать), and aspect (imperfective vs. perfective) must be considered for ongoing vs. completed actions.

Common Errors:

English learners often confuse 'ругать' with 'осуждать' by using 'ругать' in formal contexts, which can sound too casual. For example, incorrect: "Я ругаю правительство в официальном докладе" (I vituperate the government in an official report) – instead, use 'осуждать': "Я осуждаю правительство...". Another error is neglecting verb conjugation; beginners might say "Я ругать" instead of "Я ругаю", which is grammatically incorrect and sounds unnatural.

Cultural Notes:

In Russian culture, vituperation like 'ругать' is often seen in family dynamics or public debates, reflecting a value on direct expression of discontent. However, excessive use can be viewed as rude, especially in hierarchical settings, where formal alternatives like 'осуждать' are preferred to maintain respect.

Related Concepts:

• Критика (kritika - criticism)
• Ссора (ssora - quarrel)
• Дефамация (defamatsiya - defamation)