# construct



## patriciachingiz

Hello! I would appreciate advice on how to express a "construct", as in the expression "Feminism is a mostly Western construct." I thought perhaps "Феминизм преимущенственно западное понятие". Does that capture it?

Thank you


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## Rosett

"Изобретение".
"Люди, поверхностно знакомые с историей, уверены, что инквизиция — чисто западное изобретение."


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## rusita preciosa

patriciachingiz said:


> "Феминизм - преимущенственно западное понятие".


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## Rosett

rusita preciosa said:


>


"Construct," literally, stands for "построение." But we do not speak like that in the given context. There is an established expression:

"Aug 17, 2012 - Феминизм - чисто западное изобретение, начиная с железной леди."
"Демократии в Китае не было никогда, это западное изобретение".
"Современная рыночная экономика: - западное изобретение".
"...в конце концов марксизм — это западное изобретение."
"Толерантность - это западное изобретение".
"Да и понятие религия – западное изобретение. На Руси – вера."
"Jan 9, 2015 - Изначально сам коммунизм, как западное изобретение, имеет мало общего с русской душой, для этого достаточно почитать манифест ..."


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## rusita preciosa

Rosett said:


> "Construct," literally, stands for "построение."


You are mistaken - it is always better to use a single language dictionary rather than bilingual.

Here are the WR definitions (I marked in red the ones in red are appropriate for the context):

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2017
con•struct /_v._ kənˈstrʌkt; _n._ ˈkɑnstrʌkt/  v. [~ + object]

to build or form by putting together parts:to construct a house from prefabricated parts.

n. [countable]

something constructed or built.
a product of thought:a theoretical construct.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2017
con•struct  ( kən strukt*′*; kon*′*strukt), v.t.

to build or form by putting together parts;
frame;
devise.
Mathematics[Geom.]to draw (a figure) fulfilling certain given conditions.

n.

something constructed.
an image, idea, or theory, esp. a complex one formed from a number of simpler elements.

Изобретение in English is *invention*.


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## Rosett

rusita preciosa said:


> You are mistaken - it is always better to use a single language dictionary rather than bilingual.
> 
> Here are the WR definitions (I marked in red the ones in red are appropriate for the context):
> 
> WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2017
> con•struct /_v._ kənˈstrʌkt; _n._ ˈkɑnstrʌkt/  v. [~ + object]
> 
> to build or form by putting together parts:to construct a house from prefabricated parts.
> 
> n. [countable]
> 
> something constructed or built.
> a product of thought:a theoretical construct.
> *con•struc•tor, con•struct•er,* n. [countable]See  -stru-.
> 
> WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2017
> con•struct  ( kən strukt*′*; kon*′*strukt), v.t.
> 
> to build or form by putting together parts;
> frame;
> devise.
> Mathematics[Geom.]to draw (a figure) fulfilling certain given conditions.
> 
> n.
> 
> something constructed.
> an image, idea, or theory, esp. a complex one formed from a number of simpler elements.
> 
> Изобретение in English is *invention*.


You may be generally correct, esp. out-of-context, but to render "Western construct" we use "западное изобретение" in Russian. There is plenty of modern examples around.


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## rusita preciosa

I disagree


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## Rosett

rusita preciosa said:


> I disagree


Bring your proof, please.


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## Vadim K

I would agree with russita preciosa. The Enlgish word _Construct_ should be translated into Russian as _Понятие_.

My LDCE says that a construct is "_an idea formed by combining pieces of knowledge_"_._ Example - "the central constructs of role theory".

I have also looked up the internet and clicking on the first link I have found the following example of what "_construct_" is about.

EXAMPLES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSTRUCTS
-Anxiety
-Love
-Conformity
-Intelligence
-Learning and memory

Sure that all the above (anxiety, love, etc.) are "_понятия_" rather than "_изобретения_".

On the other hand in accordance with Wikipedia "_понятие_" is "_отраженное в мышлении (an idea) единство (formed by combining)  свойств, связей и отношений предметов и явлений (pieces of knowledge)_". So the definition of "_понятие_" is quite close to the definition of "_construct_".


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## Maroseika

I'd suggest one more variant: чисто западная идея.


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## Cheburator

Patriciachingiz, as your native language is English, perhapse you could help us better understand the meaning of the word "construct" in this sentence. The disputed Russian options are all OK, but may be divided into 2 groups:
1) понятие; идея
2) изобретение
Group 2 (изобретение) might imply a sligth disapproval here (like "it came from the West and we don't like it"), and that is the main difference between Russian translations, since Group 1 (понятие, идея) doesn't imply any disapproval. So, if the word "construct" might imply a disapproval in English, I would use "изобретение", otherwise - "понятие" or "идея" would be a better option.


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## Vovan

"*Конструкт*" is often used in scientific and/or philosophical texts in Russia.
Strictly speaking, "конструкт" is always part of a particular theory. When out of a well-defined context, it is "*концепт*" (which is, of course, synonymous to "*понятие*").

In less scientific texts, one can say "*теоретический конструкт*", "*теоретический концепт*" - in order to make everything perfectly clear.

An example:
Мониторинг как теоретический концепт в научном знании не имеет точного однозначного толкования.​


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## Rosett

Vovan said:


> "*Конструкт*" is often used in scientific and/or philosophical texts in Russia.
> Strictly speaking, "конструкт" is always part of a particular theory. When out of a well-defined context, it is "*концепт*" (which is, of course, synonymous to "*понятие*").
> 
> In less scientific texts, one can say "*теоретический конструкт*", "*теоретический концепт*" - in order to make everything perfectly clear.
> 
> An example:
> Мониторинг как теоретический концепт в научном знании не имеет точного однозначного толкования.​


В то время как _конструкт _и _концепт _- прекрасные термины универсального назначения, стоило бы вначале поискать "конструкт" и "концепт" в сочетании с термином "феминизм" в политической сфере и увидеть, как эти термины на самом деле сочетаются. А на деле сочетаются они примерно так:
"... в фокусе феминизма третьей волны находятся дискурсивные конструкты, ..."
"Радикальный феминизм утверждает, что «женственность» - это всего лишь социальный конструкт, набор признаков, созданных для угнетения женщин."
"Политика борьбы за равноправие при этом строится на конструктах «истинно женского», производящих категорию «женщина» и наполняющих ее смыслом. В самом общем плане феминизм второй волны называют «радикальным феминизмом» – идеологией принципиальных различий двух миров: мира женщин и мира мужчин[16] - "
То есть, русский "конструкт" лежит в иной плоскости, пересекаясь с "феминизмом" лишь по линии дискурса в некоторых теоретических разработках, но никоим образом не может служит основой для определения типа: "Феминизм - это западный конструкт".
Ключевым словом в заданной фразе является "Western," которое и определяет заранее линию перевода.


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## Vovan

*Rosett*, the OP does not contain any _definition_. However, I agree with you that feminism is not only a theoretical notion but a social phenomenon as well.
Anyway, I only wrote for the sake of the thread which is called "construct".

As for definitions of scientific subjects, they may well be "defined" with "конструкт":
_Социально-генетическая психология - теоретический конструкт, созданный В.В. Рубцовым, который объясняет психическое развитие ребенка через совместную деятельность._​


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## Sobakus

_Понятие_ and _изобретение_ correspond perfectly to _construct_ and _invention_. There's no overlap between the two notions unless one misunderstands one of them. The fact that there's such a collocation as "западное изобретение" doesn't mean that everything containing the word "западное" must be followed by the word "изобретение".


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## Rosett

Sobakus said:


> _Понятие_ and _изобретение_ correspond perfectly to _construct_ and _invention_. There's no overlap between the two notions unless one misunderstands one of them.


Some foreros affirm that _конструкт _corresponds perfectly to _construct_. However, _феминизм_ is not _конструкт_ by its nature (see above.) And_ понятие_ corresponds perfectly to:

1. idea, notion, conception
иметь понятие о чём-л. — have an idea, _или_ a notion, of smth.
не иметь (ни малейшего) понятия о чём-л. — have no idea / notion of smth., have not the slightest / faintest / remotest idea / notion of smth.
растяжимое понятие — loose concept
2. _филос. _concept

and never corresponds to _construct_.


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## Rosett

Cheburator said:


> Group 2 (изобретение) might imply a sligth disapproval here (like "it came from the West and we don't like it"), and that is the main difference between Russian translations, since Group 1 (понятие, идея) doesn't imply any disapproval. So, if the word "construct" might imply a disapproval in English, I would use "изобретение", otherwise - "понятие" or "идея" would be a better option.


Just check it out:
"Sundaraman, on the contrary, believes that _feminism is a Western construct_ with negative connotations, which poses a threat to Indian society, traditions and ..."
"15 мар. 2005 г. - One of the most stupid, irrational and unfounded accusations thrown at feminists in the developing world is that _feminism is a Western construct_ ..."
"Further among the charges against Islamic feminism is that _feminism is a Western construct_ contrary to Islamic interests."
"The overwhelming response I received was that "_feminism" is a Western construct_ espousing an individualism in direct opposition to island-based communal way of living."
"19 мар. 2014 г. - _feminism is a Western construct_ which does not resonate with African womanhood. Oduyoye, a Ghanaian theologian, struggles with the use of ...
"The insistence on that _feminism is a “western” construct_ also continues to devalue and undermine non-western women's use of feministic strategies for their own ..."

Such a "construct" is far away from being highly praised in the world where it is intended to be delivered and heard.


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## Rosett

Maroseika said:


> I'd suggest one more variant: чисто западная идея.


It's not "чисто," it's "mostly." Compare with the OP, please.


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## Rosett

Vovan said:


> *Rosett*, the OP does not contain any _definition_. However, I agree with you that feminism is not only a theoretical notion but a social phenomenon as well.
> Anyway, I only wrote for the sake of the thread which is called "construct".
> 
> As for definitions of scientific subjects, they may well be "defined" with "конструкт":
> _Социально-генетическая психология - теоретический конструкт, созданный В.В. Рубцовым, который объясняет психическое развитие ребенка через совместную деятельность._​


What does it have to do with _feminism_ either way?


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## Vovan

*Rosett,* feminism itself is a construct in a wider discourse about political movements. And as such, it can well be translated with "конструкт".

By the way, one of your examples clearly shows that "feminism as a construct" is seen as a notion/concept/word/idea:
_Feminism is a Western construct with negative connotations._​For "connotations" occur in regard to notions/concepts/words/ideas, not inventions:
_to connote (of a word) - to imply or suggest (an idea or feeling) in addition to the literal or primary meaning_​


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## Natalia-de-lunares

To mi mind the version "Феминизм -- преимущественно западный концепт" is the best!!! "Концепт" is the same that "понятие" or "идея" but said with the language of scince!

And more versions that I could propose are "Концепция (or идея) феминизма имеет преимущественно западные корни". It's a little more far from the original but it's a version too I think.


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## Rosett

Vovan said:


> *Rosett,* feminism itself is a construct in a wider discourse about political movements. And as such, it can well be translated with "конструкт".
> 
> By the way, one of your examples clearly shows that "feminism as a construct" is seen as a notion/concept/word/idea:
> _Feminism is a Western construct with negative connotations._​For "connotations" occur in regard to notions/concepts/words/ideas, not inventions:
> _to connote (of a word) - to imply or suggest (an idea or feeling) in addition to the literal or primary meaning_​


Of course, all those examples go with "construct" with negative connotations, except of the fact that this is a Western construct.


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## Rosett

Natalia-de-lunares said:


> To mi mind the version "Феминизм -- преимущественно западный концепт" is the best!!! "Концепт" is the same that "понятие" or "идея" but said with the language of scince!
> 
> And more versions that I could propose are "Концепция (or идея) феминизма имеет преимущественно западные корни". It's a little more far from the original but it's a version too I think.


Концепция (or идея) феминизма may be a construct, or even a concept in a wider discourse (please see above what Vovan said,) but a "Western" modifier tears this concept down to западное изобретение in the optics of Russian acceptance.


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## patriciachingiz

Everyone, thank you so much! I have learned so much! What I understand is that it depends on the context, of course, and what you have written has given me a sense for that. You are the best! Спасибо всем!


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