Re: So it is true...


Peter T. Daniels <grammatim@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:439454EB.54B5@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Paul J Kriha wrote:
> >
> > <andrew_woode@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> > news:1133721014.523225.145060@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > >
> > > Paul J Kriha wrote:
> > >
> > > > BTW, did you know that the Slovak word for "Slovenia"
> > > > is exactly the same as Slovenian word for "Slovakia".
> > > > Their words for their respective countries are different.
> > > > pjk
> > > >
> > > > P.S.
> > > > The reason why I don't say what the actual Slovak word
> > > > for Slovenia (and vice versa) is is that I forgot how it's
> > > > exactly spelled. I have no idea how and where to look it up.
> > > > Any Slovaks or Slovenes listening? :-)
> > >
> > > ? In Slovene, Slovakia appears to be Slovas^ka, while Slovenia is
> > > Slovenija (adjective slovenski). In Slovak, of course, Slovakia is
> > > Slovensko (adjective slovensky') while Slovenia is Slovinsko.
> > > The nearest match is in the adjectives each country uses to describe
> > > itself, rather than what they call each other, unless I'm missing some
> > > less common synonyms. (I have very little Slovene and my Slovak is
> > > mostly passive, so that's highly possible)
> > >
> > > There does seem to be a distinct shortage of ethnonyms in the Slav
> > > world. (Serbs and Sorbs represent another one which occurs in 2
> > > places).
> > > Not sure what one can do about it at this point though...
> >
> > Okay, my mistake, there is no cross-over, the same word is
> > used to refer to their own respective languages.
> > I fished out a book called "Slovevac^ki Jezik", it's a textbook
> > of Slovenian grammar written for (as it states) Serbs and Croats.
> >
> > Slovenians call Slovenian language "slovenski jezik" or "slovens^c^ina".
> > Slovaks call Slovak language "slovensky jazyk" or "slovens^c^ina".
> >
> > Does that sound better?
>
> It looks like they sound the same ...

The noun (native names of the native languages) "slovens^c^ina"
(which is the more commonly used form) is identical in both
languages.

The adjectives "slovenski" and "slovensky" would sound
(almost?) the same.


> Does /slovenski/ by any chance mean 'my' in both languages?

If you mean literal 'my', then no.
(depending on gender and number 'my' is 'mu'j', 'moje', or 'moji'
and 'our' is 'na's^', 'nas^e', or 'nas^i')

All this multitude of Slavic/Slovanic nation/language names are
cognates with /slov-/ and /slav-/, originally meaning
speech/word/sound-of-speaking and also fame/glory
(from well/often-spoken-of).


> What do Slovenians call Slovak, and what do Slovaks call Slovenian?
> NB: those questions are ambiguous in English, but should be clear from
> context.

Yes it's ambiguous. I presume by Slovak and Slovenian
you mean languages, not people. From what Andrew said
about the names of the nations I derive:

In Slovak, Slovenian would be slovins^c^ina,
in Slovene, Slovak would be slovas^c^ina (not 100% sure here)

pjk


> --
> Peter T. Daniels


.

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