English words you want to translate wrong

Remember how we learned English words, drawing parallels in their pronunciation with our language? Well there, localization - localization (localisation) or object - obdzhekt (object). It's cool when everything is the same. But there are a number of words, traitors of this wonderful principle of consonance. A series of words that sound or are written similarly, but mean something else. In linguistics, this is called “interlanguage homonyms and paronyms” or “false friends of a translator”. Let's collect the top of the most unexpected inconsistencies.

Accurate - accurate, clear. But not neat. And even a person can not be described like this. More precisely:
I am really accurate in my calculations . It sounds adequate.
I am a very accurate person. - I am a very accurate person. This already sounds strange and strange, and even more like “russicism” than a real combination.
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Artist - artist, sculptor. Yes, you are already in the comments write that you can translate the word as an artist in the sense of "creative person." But we are accustomed to the value of the artist as a singer, lead. And for carriers artist , first of all, it is associated with the visual arts.

Band - music band, orchestra, tape, radio wave band. In principle, you can translate the word as “gang”, but no longer as a criminal group, but as a group of people. But for this there is a more popular word “gang” .



Baton - baton, wand (for the conductor or for the baton), baton. That is, it will be unusual for bearers to hear this word in the sense of the usual type of bread. For such purposes, they will say “ French bread ”. And only experienced cooks will understand you right away if you still decide to say baton on the type of bread.

Blank - pass, space, dash, blank cartridge and a bunch of other values. But obviously not the form. Although there is a little close meaning in meaning - an empty lottery ticket.

Bucket - bucket, tub, bucket, bucket. In general, not a bunch of flowers. For such purposes there is a bunch of flowers .

Cabinet - glass cabinet, chest of drawers, wardrobe and even the government. And the office in which we work or study (something that looks like an office) is called study .

Climax - interchange, climax, highest point, climax. In general, obviously not how I would like to translate in the first place.

Complexion - color or shade, the structure of the skin. That is, not at all the structure of the body. But only skin, remember!

Data - well, then you yourself know that this is data, facts, indicators, all sorts of there, and not a date.

Direction - direction, area, disposal, management. That is, not the directorate, as a governing body, namely, a management method.

Fabric - fabric, texture, fabrication and even construction. But not a factory.

Fundament - ass, buttocks (yes!). In general, quite far from the foundation ( foundation, basis, and so on).

Heroine is a heroine. Not heroin. Look, do not confuse (even the B-2 even in Russian could confuse us a little in their song “Fellini”!).

Italic (s) - italics, and it’s not Italian, but simply italics.

Insult - insult, insult. In medicine, it can still mean hemorrhage, but for the word "stroke" in English, stroke or blood stroke is more often used.

Liquor is not a liquor, but there is a direct connection with alcohol. In a sense, it is quite strong alcoholic beverages. And for liqueur there is the English word liqueur (even more French).



Marsh - swamp or marsh. Do not confuse with the English march - march !

Mayor - Mayor. Not the major, but the mayor. Major in English will be major .

Metropolitan - subway, you thought. But no, this is such a big city, metropolis, capital or something related to a big city, capital (adjective) , and not a metro or subway ( metro, subway, and so on).

Parole is not a password, but we know for a long time that a password is a password . And the translation of parole sounds like “the early release of the prisoner from prison”!

Physic - medicine, drug, laxative. And only one letter separates physic from physics as a science - physics .

Physician - it is formed from the previous word and means the doctor, the doctor. A physicist will be in English physicist .

Preservative is a preservative. In general, do not rush to translate it immediately as condom - they have too different areas of application.

Prospect - view, panorama, perspective, opportunity, not avenue. Avenue is an avenue as a type of street, and a booklet is a handout.

Receipt - sounds like a recipe. But do not be deceived, this is a receipt, revenue. Although a long time ago the word was associated with culinary recipes, now for such cases there is a recipe .

Restroom - toilet, toilet. Of course, there you can relax (in your own way). But in the sense of rest from work, study, and so on, there is a recreation room .

Robe - robe, mantle, cassock, robe. A robe to work in English will be overalls .

Scenery is a landscape, a view , but definitely not a script.

A servant is not a cupboard or a sideboard. A servant or servant.



Stake - stake, pillar, bet. And this word is not related to food ( steak ), although it is very similar in sound.

Talon - long claw or nail, deck. But the Russian word "coupon" is translated as coupon or ticket .

Tip is a tip, tip, hint, tip. In short, there are still many meanings, among which there is no Russian word “type” ( type ).

Trap is not a trap, but a trap . As Admiral Akbar shouted in the famous Star Wars scene: “ It's a trap! "

Valet is not a card jack ( knave, Jack ), but a footman, servant or hotel employee who will drive your car to the parking lot.

Vine is not wine. This is a vine, a whip. Although it is not so difficult to confuse in speech, because wine is only slightly different in pronunciation. So it is important to monitor the context.

Wallet is another word that is sometimes confused with Russian “jack”. But it's a wallet or purse !

We, of course, know that this list can be continued for quite a long time. And, most likely, we will do it, but next time, in order not to bore you too much in this article. By the way, you can suggest your own words in the comments, perhaps they will fall into the next selection!

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