Breakdown of Следователь тщательно проверяет именно показания свидетеля.
проверять
to check
свидетель
witness
именно
exactly, precisely
следователь
the investigator
Questions & Answers about Следователь тщательно проверяет именно показания свидетеля.
Why use именно here, and could we use как раз instead?
Именно highlights precisely what is being checked out of several possibilities (specifically the testimony, not the fingerprints). It translates to 'exactly' or 'specifically'. You wouldn't use как раз here. While как раз also translates to 'exactly', it is used for coincidences, timing, or things fitting well (like 'just in time' or 'exactly my size'), not for narrowing down a specific item from a list.
Does it matter where именно goes in this sentence?
Yes, it changes the meaning entirely. A specification particle always goes immediately before the word or phrase it emphasizes. Here, it is placed before показания свидетеля, meaning 'specifically the testimony'. If you moved it to the front (Именно следователь...), it would mean 'Specifically the investigator (and not the judge) is checking'.
Why is 'testimony' translated as the plural word показания?
In Russian legal and police contexts, a person's statements or testimony is almost always referred to in the plural as показания. Although the English word 'testimony' is usually singular, Russian treats it as a collection of individual statements. Here, it is the accusative plural form of the neuter noun показание.
What is the difference between свидетель and очевидец, and why use свидетель here?