What is the meaning of the word "trivial"? We are accustomed to using it exclusively in a negative way. But is it right to consider the expression "trivial" as a synonym for "banal", "primitive" or even "vulgar"? Where did this seemingly foreign word come from? In this article, we will consider several versions of the origin of the term, its further metamorphoses and rooting in the Russian language. Let's remember in what cases it is appropriate to use this word. And also we will study the question of why some pedants from science consider the words "sugar", "saltpeter" or "strawberry" to be trivial expressions as well.
The first version of the origin of the term
All researchers agree that "triviality" is a Latin word with a Russian ending inherent in nouns. The closest translation of the term trivialis is "by the three roads". What was at the crossroads in the ancient settlements of Europe? Historians claim that it was a place for fairs or a tavern. In such places, ordinary people gathered, discussed the news that everyone heard, and debates were held not at the highest oratorical level. Therefore, first in French, and then in other dialects, the expression "trivialis", that is, "crossroads at three roads", acquired an allegorical meaning. On the one hand, this is something simple, uncomplicated. But on the other - repeatedly repeated after smart people, worn out, beaten, unoriginal. Previously, in Russian, the term carried the semantic load "everyday", "ordinary", but then gradually acquired a negative connotation - "vulgar".
The second version of the origin of the term
Other researchers see the noble trivium at the root of the word "triviality". This is one of the levels of medieval classical education. When the boy mastered reading, writing and counting, he could enter, in modern terms, the "preparatory department" of the university. There he studied the "trivium" - the three free arts. Grammar is the basis of all knowledge. It included the study of literature and even mastering the art of versification. Rhetoric, according to Raban Mavr, made it possible to correctly and succinctly express one's thoughts (both in writing and in front of an audience), and also introduced the student to the basics of jurisprudence. It is also the art of drafting official documents and record keeping. And finally, dialectics, or logic, is the science of all sciences. Ability to think and debate. This free art was comprehended with the help of the works of Aristotle in the translation of Boethius. As you can see, there is nothing shameful in this origin of the word “trivial”. On the contrary, the one who mastered the trivium was already considered an extraordinary, learned person.
Term vulgarization
Where did it come from that “triviality” is something banal, devoid of originality and novelty, something in which there is no flight of either thought or spirit? Do not forget that the trivium was only the first (and lowest) level in the education system of the Middle Ages. Next, the student studied "quadrivium" (quadrivium). This level included the four liberal arts—music, arithmetic, geometry, and astronomy. It should be assumed that the medieval studios also had their own "hazing", expressed in a dismissive attitude towards the still "uncouth" comrades from junior courses. In the mouth of a well-trained cleric, a "trivial man" is one who has mastered only the trivium. That is, we are talking about a half-educated education.
"Triviality": Meaning in Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics
In these branches of human knowledge, the term does not always have a negative connotation. If some substances or living organisms received their name even before the introduction of scientific nomenclature, which provides for the name of objects in accordance with their chemical composition, molecular structure or phylogenetic data, then they are considered "trivial". These are sugar (α-D-glucopyranosyl-β-D-fructofuranoside), baking soda (sodium bicarbonate), strawberry (strawberry) or (caustic buttercup). In mathematics, triviality is some numbers that are close to zero. As well as arithmetic equations operating with these numbers.
Use in colloquial speech
But "triviality" as a scientific term is an exception to the rule. In colloquial use, this word carries a clear semantic load. These are banal statements, beaten, worn out maxims. In relation to clothing, the term can mean mediocrity, lack of style and originality. Also something simple or taken for granted is said to be trivial. The synonym for this expression in this case is "common place". Sometimes shallow, banal thoughts are called trivial, when a person operates with stereotyped concepts. In Russian, this word has a connotation of vulgarity and earthiness. To say about a person that he is sheer triviality means to say that he is boring and uninteresting. Therefore, before calling your interlocutor that way, think about it, because he may be offended.
Triviality is a term used in many scientific fields, having as its common meaning the understanding of extreme simplification. Lacking a universal terminological definition, the meaning of the word triviality is interpreted with appropriate amendments regarding the context of use. In the field of exact sciences, triviality usually denotes the simplest concepts in its class; in the humanities, this term usually takes on the function of an adjective, defining the features of an individual.
So in the context of a person's characteristics, triviality implies a certain simplification of his thinking, actions, approach to life, level of intelligence and other characteristics in relation to which it is used.
What it is
In a personal context, triviality is understood as the lack of a person's creativity, a living mind that allows him to transform information, to comprehend something new. This leads to the fact that his behavior is stereotyped, thoughts are quotes of other people's opinions, jokes have long lost their relevance. Such a situation often arises due to the lack of intellectual or environmental opportunities to enrich one's baggage and, as a result, judgments become uninteresting and hackneyed, there is no originality in the decision, building one's life and the expressed point of view. In addition, the humor of such personalities is simplified, and sometimes quite vulgar.
Triviality can be considered synonymous with banality, it corresponds to the level of development of an elementary school or a medieval person. Since the Middle Ages, the meaning of triviality has been reduced to understanding and proclaiming banal things that are accessible to everyone who has completed the initial stage of education. This arose as a criterion for literacy and human understanding of the surrounding reality, but in the modern world, the triviality of behavior no longer depends on education. The concept received new extensions, concerning not only knowledge, but also the ability to navigate the situation, creatively process it, create something exceptional and fresh.
The triviality of thought processes and results leading to this implies a certain lack of exactingness and lack of interest in one's own thoughts and desires. That is, such a person will not think about the situation for a long time, but will use a ready-made solution, will not analyze the course of his thoughts and check them for correctness or destructiveness, most likely he will stop at the first one. Such rigidity, without pauses for reflection, active mental activity cannot give a new impetus and development of the situation, moreover, it impoverishes knowledge. Knowledge is meant as such a global category, because new assumptions and opportunities always arise in the process of thinking about the previous categories, criticizing one's own actions and other people's judgments. Without this, a trivial, predictable approach destroys the possibility of restructuring experience.
The thought process of a trivial person is not distinguished by his own exactingness, therefore, the things he often states are perceived by others as bad taste, nonsense, or even extreme vulgarity. They don’t sit at trivial lectures, don’t watch such films and communicate with such people is also quite rare, because any person has a desire to learn new things, play the mind, discoveries, which is impossible with constant chewing of irrelevant information.
All template ideas, actions, decisions are born from triviality. It is she who popularizes the already well-known thoughts, making them sound like a refrain in the heads, excluding the possibility of getting out of the influence of stereotypical thinking. On the positive side, triviality preserves old beliefs and traditions, in principle, any traditions developed by positive behavior, which greatly simplifies a person's life. It is quite problematic in each specific situation to disassemble it into components and look for a new original solution or even consciously come to the old one - this takes a lot of time and can sometimes be expensive in situations where a quick response is needed. So triviality is a kind of resource that saves strength and mental energy, but this is relevant only in repetitive situations that do not have a key semantic or life value.
Negative statements related to triviality do not in any way reflect its stabilizing and unifying function, but only condemn its everyday and petty orientation. It is impossible to completely exclude this quality, which is present in the character of every person, since otherwise it is a hello society to chaos and misunderstanding. The household daily level is the base that helps to unite all people of different ages, beliefs, intellectual and social levels.
Of course, in order to get new emotions, expand their experience, people strive for creative and unlimited personalities, for originals, but not everyone has the opportunity to constantly be near such a gushing source. Therefore, over time, having received a new emotional as well as mental experience, a person takes a break in order to integrate new information into his usual trivial world.
At this stage of the development of society, we can talk about the individual level of trivial perception. So, having a completely diverse experience, the ability to focus in their development on any things and choose a social circle that does not depend on their territorial location (mobile and social networks), people gradually erased the line. Perhaps what is familiar, familiar and even already boring for a person who is in the same conditions with you will become innovative ideas and unique experiences for another. Now it is impossible to establish one standard for absolutely all people, as it was in the Middle Ages.
But in order to navigate in your originality or triviality, you can carefully look at the ideas and trends that are hovering in the immediate circle of communication and evaluate what new you, as a person, bring to the understanding of this. This trait can be both developed and overcome in order to add a little predictability to yourself and fit into the established company, it is better to increase your triviality in their eyes by saying a few jokes specific to these people. Such a small share of the manifestation of commonness will allow you to quickly enter the general circle, to be accepted as one of your own. If you get the feeling that your favorite company is getting bored of talking to you, and your speeches finish earlier, then it makes sense to load your thinking before you speak. Simple practices like questioning your thesis or connecting two theories will help bring freshness to your eyes.
- TRIVIAL
[from Latin trivialis ordinary] battered, vulgar, devoid of freshness and ... - TRIVIAL in the Encyclopedic Dictionary:
oh, oh, flax, flax Non-original, banal. Trivial thought. Triviality - 1) a property of the trivial; 2) trivial expression, trivial ... - TRIVIAL in the Encyclopedic Dictionary:
, -th, -th; -flax, -flax (book). Unoriginal, banal. Trivial thought. II n. triviality, -and, ... - TRIVIAL in the Full accentuated paradigm according to Zaliznyak:
trivial, trivial, trivial, trivial, trivial, trivial, trivial, trivial, trivial, trivial, trivial, trivial, trivial, trivial, trivial, trivial, trivia trivial, trivial, trivial, trivial, trivial, trivial, trivial, trivial, trivial, trivial, ... - TRIVIAL in the Thesaurus of Russian business vocabulary:
- TRIVIAL in the New Dictionary of Foreign Words:
(fr. trivial lat. trivia-lis ordinary) battered, vulgar, devoid of freshness and ... - TRIVIAL in the Dictionary of Foreign Expressions:
[fr. trivial hackneyed, vulgar, devoid of freshness and ... - TRIVIAL in the Russian Thesaurus:
Syn: alphabetic, simple, elementary, primitive (amplified), ordinary Ant: unusual, extraordinary, extraordinary, ... - TRIVIAL in the Dictionary of synonyms of Abramov:
cm. … - TRIVIAL in the dictionary of Synonyms of the Russian language:
Syn: alphabetic, simple, elementary, primitive (amplified), ordinary Ant: unusual, extraordinary, extraordinary, ... - TRIVIAL in the New explanatory and derivational dictionary of the Russian language Efremova:
- TRIVIAL in the Spelling Dictionary:
trivial; cr. f. -linen, … - TRIVIAL in the Dictionary of the Russian Language Ozhegov:
unoriginal, banal Trivial … - TRIVIAL in Dahl's Dictionary:
French vulgar, vulgar. -ness, ... - TRIVIAL in the Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language Ushakov:
trivial, trivial; trivial, trivial, trivial (Latin trivialis, lit. located at the crossroads of three roads, street) (book). Beaten, vulgar, devoid of freshness and ... - TRIVIAL in the New Dictionary of the Russian Language Efremova:
adj. Deprived of freshness and originality, battered, ... - TRIVIAL in the Big Modern Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language:
adj. Deprived of freshness and originality, battered, unoriginal, ... - JOHN VISHENSKY in the Orthodox Encyclopedia Tree:
Open Orthodox Encyclopedia "TREE". John Vishensky (XVII century), monk, one of the energetic opponents of the union. Born at the end... - ABSINTHE in the Dictionary of Alcoholic Beverages.
- HARRY MORGAN in the Literary Encyclopedia:
(Eng. Harry Morgan) - the hero of the novel by E. Hemingway "To have and not to have" (1937). Prototypes G.M. Grigorio Fuentes, the captain of Hemingway's sailboat, are considered ... - FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, TSB.
- SIMILARITY THEORY in the Great Soviet Encyclopedia, TSB:
theory, the doctrine of the conditions for the similarity of physical phenomena. P. t. is based on the doctrine of the dimensions of physical quantities (see Dimension analysis ... - SYNONYMS
Synonyms - words of close, adjacent, almost the same meaning. The process of creating new forms, new, differentiated categories in thought corresponds to the creation of new ones in language ... - LONGINUS, NEOPLATONIST in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
(Dionysius Cassius) - Neoplatonist of the 3rd century, student of Ammonius Sacca, teacher of Porfiry, then mentor and adviser to the Palmyra queen Zeinab (Zenovia), after ... - VISHENSKY JOHN in the Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Euphron:
monk, one of the energetic opponents of the union. Born in the late 16th or early 17th century. in the Galician city of Cherry and …
Hello, dear readers of the blog site. Trivial is a term used in the form of an adjective or adverb. The list of applications is long.
The meaning may differ depending on the context of the sentence. This makes it difficult to understand in some cases.
Definition - what is it
The meaning of the word "trivial" may vary. Many people use the term for negative connotations. But it's just inaccurate synonym for the following words:
- banal;
- primitive;
- vulgar.
The correct meaning of the word triviality is the designation degree of simplification anything.
It is used in mathematics, other sciences and in the usual colloquial style. The term does not have a universal, precise definition.
Familiarization with the section of the explanatory dictionary in the Russian language does not allow you to understand the meaning in context. It is necessary to understand the origin of the term using a simple example.
Usage in the modern world
The term is used in science. Sometimes with a negative connotation. In chemistry, they are designated by the word "trivial" substances, the molecular elements of which were discovered before the use of modern designations. Example:
- drinking soda;
- sugar and more.
Triviality is banality, simplicity
Without exception, all researchers agree that “trivial” is unequivocally of Latin origin (trivialis). Its translation is simple: on three roads. A crossroads is implied. Settled on it:
- tavern (small tavern);
- trade fairs;
- inns.
Their main purpose: to give shelter to tired travelers, to gather ordinary people for debates and discussion of news. A distinctive feature was the contingent of such establishments. not at the highest level.
As a result, the expression “ trivialis". It meant something simple, banal, uncomplicated. But at the same time: many times repeated after other, more authoritative and intelligent people.
Earlier in Russian, the word had the following meaning:
- normal;
- everyday.
Over time, the meaning has changed, acquired a negative connotation. When used, it means "vulgar". The term with the prefix "not" has the opposite meaning.
Non-trivial is unusual, original.
There is also an alternative interpretation of the term.
Non-trivial is a smart, interesting person
Some researchers express thoughts about the origin of the word from the Latin "trivium". The term denoted one of the classes of education in the Middle Ages. Education then meant knowledge of reading, writing and counting. After passing the exam, a young man could enter the preparatory course of the university. Where he studied 3 different sciences:
- grammar;
- rhetoric;
- dialectic (logic).
In this version, triviality does not initially mean anything negative. On the contrary, the term refers to obtaining a certain level of education - “ trivium". In ancient times, this was the designation of the three free arts. Grammar was the basis of all knowledge at that time.
The study of rhetoric made it possible to express thoughts briefly but succinctly. , gave the foundations of logic. At the dawn of the emergence of the term trivium denoted an intelligent, extraordinary person. But over time the value changed to the opposite.
Negative connotation of the term
There was a kind of "hazing" among students in the Middle Ages. After receiving a "trivial" education, the student moved to the next level. It was designated "quadrivium", included 4 types of art:
- mathematics;
- geometry;
- astronomy;
- music.
After reaching the “quadrivium” level, the student treated the rest of the students with disdain, calling them trivial.
In such a case, the word was used to refer to the negative. implied dropout who have not completed their higher education.
The modern meaning of the word triviality
The above value is an exception to the rule. In colloquial speech, journalistic style, the word is used in one sense: battered, unoriginal. Non-trivial - , the opposite meaning is implied. New, original.
Often called trivial thoughts, clichés - with which a person thinks. In Russian, it is used in a pejorative sense. Point out a person to his triviality- to designate the banality, stereotypedness of his thinking.
Therefore, it is important to use the word with caution. Some will take it as an insult. For a better understanding of the term, you should watch the lecture:
Over time, perhaps the meaning of the word will change again or disappear. Language tends to change, established expressions become a thing of the past. New terms are being replaced. The meaning of the word "trivial" today is clear.
Good luck to you! See you soon on the blog pages site
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The section is very easy to use. In the proposed field, just enter the desired word, and we will give you a list of its meanings. I would like to note that our site provides data from various sources - encyclopedic, explanatory, word-building dictionaries. Here you can also get acquainted with examples of the use of the word you entered.
The meaning of the word trivial
trivial in the crossword dictionary
Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language, Vladimir Dal
trivial
French vulgar, vulgar. -ness, vulgarity.
Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. D.N. Ushakov
trivial
trivial, trivial; trivial, trivial, trivial (Latin trivialis, lit. located at the crossroads of three roads, street) (book). Battered, vulgar, devoid of freshness and originality. Trivial habits. Trivial (adv.) to joke.
Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. S.I. Ozhegov, N.Yu. Shvedova.
trivial
Aya, oh; -flax, -flax (book). Unoriginal, banal. Trivial thought.
noun triviality, -i, f.
New explanatory and derivational dictionary of the Russian language, T. F. Efremova.
trivial
adj. Deprived of freshness and originality, battered, vulgar.
Examples of the use of the word trivial in the literature.
Fully possible plant on Abalkin, even with everything trivial and yes, nyama understood, and yes, use such a strong thought, which is the initiator.
The old ballad too often suffers from insignificance of thought and poverty of expression, also because the apparent simplicity of the ballad stanza gave rise to a strong temptation to write carelessly and trivial.
It was about this, about the impending inevitable bargaining with Stalin, that Beaverbrook and Harriman were now thinking, pretending to listen attentively. trivial Cripps reasoning.
After several decades of lecturing and hammering into student heads, in general trivial and the correct idea that His Majesty Fact dominates history, I quite unexpectedly came to the conclusion that historical facts are a consequence, and certainly not the cause of what happened.
Even impenetrable, by definition, the golden shell was considered here as the most trivial object of attack.
The conflict in the souls of a vicious circle of people turned out to be quickly exhausted, and the writer, in order to avoid marking time, moves the arrows to the path trivial an action movie in which psychology is replaced by escapes, abductions, asylums for insane people, where healthy people are hidden, climbing over walls and similar rock-combault leapfrog.
Between us, to say, I would never stage this play: some trivial farce.
Several were on the agenda trivial issues: a request for a zoning order, an application for a road loan bond, and a proposal for Fort Moxy to participate in a joint school program.
Pretty drawing trivial- the image of a bird of paradise, the sweet-singing Kalavinka, but there are two unique features that I have not seen on any other Indian shawl.
After all, it was not for nothing that the commander of an entire squadron, a man who had significant military resources at his disposal, could not arrange trivial the abduction of a cautious adventuress, and it is difficult to suspect the count's lack of organizational skills.
He described everyday life, money scams, dramatic feelings, and therefore was known as trivial, vulgar, and his cheerful face, easy manner, the excitement in which he was constantly found, seemed to confirm judgments of this kind.
It cannot be said that surviving when the end of the world has come is trivially.
The Christian morality of forgiveness, in any case, professes the geometric ideal of individual survival, but apparently there are some less trivial geometries that set the motivation for our actions, if we so often and confidently bypass this ideal.
Well, okay, even though I’m not an expert on the Golovanov problem, it’s hard for me to judge, it’s quite possible that Abalkin’s plan is completely trivial, and it makes no sense to use such big words as the initiator.
Contrary to expectations, to nothing essential but the most trivial conclusions, this study did not lead.
