So... how different are they?
And please, spare us the wiki cut-and-paste.
And please, spare us the wiki cut-and-paste.
Czech vs Slovak
That's interesting... so I imagine there's a bit of a linguistic rivalry, with Czech occupying the more sophisticated, classier end of the spectrum, whilst Slovak gravitating towards a more literal, non-frills side.
So, does that mean Czech uses words like, say, 'poultry' instead of 'chicken'?
Perhaps this split has something to do with former Czechoslovakia, and how the western part (i.e. Bohemia and Moravia) was under German influence for decades and became the Czech Republic, while the eastern part was under Hungarian influence for decades and became Slovakia.
So, does that mean Czech uses words like, say, 'poultry' instead of 'chicken'?
Perhaps this split has something to do with former Czechoslovakia, and how the western part (i.e. Bohemia and Moravia) was under German influence for decades and became the Czech Republic, while the eastern part was under Hungarian influence for decades and became Slovakia.
<<So... how different are they?
And please, spare us the wiki cut-and-paste. >>
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Mutual intelligibility
Speakers of Czech and Slovak usually understand both languages in their written and spoken form, thus constituting a language diasystem, though some dialects or heavily accented speech in either language might present difficulties to speakers of the other (in particular, Czech speakers may find Eastern Slovak dialects difficult to comprehend). Younger generations of Czechs living after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993 (therefore generally less familiar with Slovak) might also have some problems with a certain number of words and expressions which differ considerably in the two languages, and with false friends. Nevertheless, these differences do not impede mutual intelligibility significantly.
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Relationships to other languages
The Slovak language is a descendant of Proto-Slavic language, itself a descendant of Proto-Indo-European. It is closely related to the other West Slavic languages, primarily to Czech, but it also has some striking similarities with other Slavic languages, primarily the Southern Slavic languages and Old Church Slavonic. It has been also influenced by German, English, Latin and Hungarian.
Czech
Most dialects of Czech and Slovak are mutually intelligible (see Differences between Slovak and Czech languages). Eastern Slovak dialects are less intelligible with Czech; they differ from Czech and from other Slovak dialects, and mutual contact between speakers of Czech and speakers of the eastern dialects is limited.
Since the dissolution of Czechoslovakia it has been allowed to use Czech in TV broadcasting and - like any other language of the world - during court proceedings (Administration Procedure Act 99/1963 Zb.). From 1999 to August 2009, the Minority Language Act 184/1999 Z.z., in its section (ยง) 6, contained the variously interpreted unclear provision saying that "When applying this act, it holds that the use of the Czech language fulfills the requirement of fundamental intelligibility with the state language" ; the state language is Slovak and the Minority Language Act basically refers to municipalities with more than 20% ethnic minority population (there are no such Czech municipalities in Slovakia). Since 1 September 2009 (due to an amendment to the State Language Act 270/1995 Z.z.) a language "fundamentally intelligible with the state language" (i.e. the Czech language) may be used in contact with state offices and bodies by its native speakers and documents written in it and issued by bodies in the Czech Republic are officially accepted.
Czech and Slovak have a long history of interaction and mutual influence well before the creation of Czechoslovakia in 1918. Literary Slovak shares significant orthographic features with Czech, as well as technical and professional terminology dating from the Czechoslovak period, but there are phonetic, grammatical and vocabulary differences.
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From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopaedia.
And please, spare us the wiki cut-and-paste. >>
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Mutual intelligibility
Speakers of Czech and Slovak usually understand both languages in their written and spoken form, thus constituting a language diasystem, though some dialects or heavily accented speech in either language might present difficulties to speakers of the other (in particular, Czech speakers may find Eastern Slovak dialects difficult to comprehend). Younger generations of Czechs living after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993 (therefore generally less familiar with Slovak) might also have some problems with a certain number of words and expressions which differ considerably in the two languages, and with false friends. Nevertheless, these differences do not impede mutual intelligibility significantly.
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Relationships to other languages
The Slovak language is a descendant of Proto-Slavic language, itself a descendant of Proto-Indo-European. It is closely related to the other West Slavic languages, primarily to Czech, but it also has some striking similarities with other Slavic languages, primarily the Southern Slavic languages and Old Church Slavonic. It has been also influenced by German, English, Latin and Hungarian.
Czech
Most dialects of Czech and Slovak are mutually intelligible (see Differences between Slovak and Czech languages). Eastern Slovak dialects are less intelligible with Czech; they differ from Czech and from other Slovak dialects, and mutual contact between speakers of Czech and speakers of the eastern dialects is limited.
Since the dissolution of Czechoslovakia it has been allowed to use Czech in TV broadcasting and - like any other language of the world - during court proceedings (Administration Procedure Act 99/1963 Zb.). From 1999 to August 2009, the Minority Language Act 184/1999 Z.z., in its section (ยง) 6, contained the variously interpreted unclear provision saying that "When applying this act, it holds that the use of the Czech language fulfills the requirement of fundamental intelligibility with the state language" ; the state language is Slovak and the Minority Language Act basically refers to municipalities with more than 20% ethnic minority population (there are no such Czech municipalities in Slovakia). Since 1 September 2009 (due to an amendment to the State Language Act 270/1995 Z.z.) a language "fundamentally intelligible with the state language" (i.e. the Czech language) may be used in contact with state offices and bodies by its native speakers and documents written in it and issued by bodies in the Czech Republic are officially accepted.
Czech and Slovak have a long history of interaction and mutual influence well before the creation of Czechoslovakia in 1918. Literary Slovak shares significant orthographic features with Czech, as well as technical and professional terminology dating from the Czechoslovak period, but there are phonetic, grammatical and vocabulary differences.
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From Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopaedia.
n-former,
I realize that you were probably trying to be, er, humourous.........
... but I'm actually looking for that elusive, fuzzy, and subjective answer that woud capture the difference in an organic way.
In other words, I'm looking for a description that will convey the cultural connotations and social nuances that accompany that linguistic split... a description that will give me an "inside view" on the matter and let me know of the "street opinion" about it.
"Slovak is quite simply the poor Slovak's Czech."
Georgina's answer was exactly was I was looking for.
In only 8 words, she gave me more understanding of the issue than your 5 paragraphs of text. Why? Because it was a human observation that was organic.
I don't need your help to cut and paste text from wikipedia for me, I can consult wikipedia myself and I have... and I was not satisfied with the answer.
That is way I came here and wanted to hear from a live person, not an article.
That wikipedia article was cold, objective, soulless, and synthetic.
It was no use.
Regards.
I realize that you were probably trying to be, er, humourous.........
... but I'm actually looking for that elusive, fuzzy, and subjective answer that woud capture the difference in an organic way.
In other words, I'm looking for a description that will convey the cultural connotations and social nuances that accompany that linguistic split... a description that will give me an "inside view" on the matter and let me know of the "street opinion" about it.
"Slovak is quite simply the poor Slovak's Czech."
Georgina's answer was exactly was I was looking for.
In only 8 words, she gave me more understanding of the issue than your 5 paragraphs of text. Why? Because it was a human observation that was organic.
I don't need your help to cut and paste text from wikipedia for me, I can consult wikipedia myself and I have... and I was not satisfied with the answer.
That is way I came here and wanted to hear from a live person, not an article.
That wikipedia article was cold, objective, soulless, and synthetic.
It was no use.
Regards.
Czech is almost diglossic, the grammar of the spoken language and the grammar of the written language are different, just like in Swiss German.
In Slovak, you write as you speak, as in English, no need to use 2 different grammars, one for writing and one for speech. So, in this sense, Slovak is more modern, Czech is troublesome.
In Slovak, you write as you speak, as in English, no need to use 2 different grammars, one for writing and one for speech. So, in this sense, Slovak is more modern, Czech is troublesome.
I hate Czech pronunciation, especially the intonation, it sounds very Russian.
Slovak on the other hand is so musical:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E0VOsdRB8s
Slovak on the other hand is so musical:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4E0VOsdRB8s