What's the difference between основной and основный?
They both seem to translate to "basic", although the first one seems to be more common.
2 Answers
Оснóвный with stress on the second syllable is used only as technical or scientific term.
Оснóвная нить - beam thread
Оснóвный оксид - basic oxide
Основнóй is a regular word meaning main, central, fundamental, basic.
I wouldn't say is necessarily should have something to do with science or technology. It's much simpler. "Оснóвный" means "related to оснóва" (base, bottom, foundation).
The translation of основнóй above is correct.
