Czech Culture

Slovanská Podporující Jednota Státu Texas

Česká Část

ROČNÍK 109 ZÁŘÍ 22 22.listopad.2021 Podpora ★ Lidskost ★ Bratrstvi´

BENEVOLENCE HUMANITY BROTHERHOOD

Uředni orgán SPJST ★ Založené roku 1897

Učme se česky Let Us Study Czech

Lekce sedmnáctá Lesson 17

Množné číslo Forming plurals

The nominative plural of masculine animate nouns has, for both hard and soft stems, the ending i, which softens the hard consonants before it.

had - hadi čert - čerti pán - páni voják - vojáci Čech - Češi doktor - doktoři

S S S

There are two other endings for animate masculine nouns in the nom. pl. - ové - personal names, such as Václavové, which means several people with the name Václav.

Other examples: Ital - Italové Srb - Srbové (one syllable names) Polák - Poláci Maďar - Maďaři Čech - either Češi or Čechové pán - panové syn - synové člen - členové biskup - biskupové filosof - filosofové There is much fluctuation in the usage of the plural i and ové. Perhaps one rule of thumb to follow is to use the ové form when speaking and writing formally.

S S S

All nouns ending in -tel, denoting office, position, or occupation, are made plural by the simple addition of é.

Examples: učitel - učitelé přítel - přátelé stavitel - stavitelé občan - občané krajan - krajané Američan - Američané Slovan - Slované pohan - pohani anděl - andělé host - hosté žid - židé soused - sousedé člověk - lidé manžel - manželové

Exception: German - Germáni

Nouns ending in -ista: houslista - houslisté šachista - šachisté pianista - pianisté

S S S

There are a number of nouns that usually go in pairs, such as nůžky, brýle, etc., somewhat like our words - sheep, deer, etc. There is no singular form for these words.

Examples: peníze šaty kleště nůžky dveře hodiny noviny kalhoty housle rodiče brýle

S S S

Proper names, places, countries, etc.:

Čechy Mariánské Lázně Teplice Karlovy Vary

Feasts: Vánoce Velikonoce narozeniny jmeniny

S S S

There exist some of the old dual number plural in Czech:

ruka - ruce noha - nohy prs - prsa rameno - ramena koleno - kolena oko - oči ucho - uši S S S

Can you translate this verse? Read out loud.

Bubeníček Tluče bubeníček, tluče na buben, a svolává hochy: “Hoši pojďte ven! Zahrajem si na vojáky, máme flinty i bodáky, holá, hůra, hej, nikdo nemeškej!”

—SPJST—

S S S

Exercise Write the nominative plural of these words:

bratr sestra kupec soused chlapec přitel Američan houslista

S S S

Form sentences of your own with the plural of the following words. Pronounce all the words out loud. Be sure and look up all words you don’t know the meaning of. Translate the sentence you write in Czech into English: Robert učitel Čech pán syn člen manžel voják filosof stavitel občan host soused

CESAT offers online Czech Christmas carol lessons through December

Czech Ex-Students of Texas (CESAT) is pleased to announce the Schulenburg Public Library will offer free Czech Christmas carol lessons online through December at 9 a.m.

Individuals - from the comfort of their homes - will be able to learn the words for Czech Christmas carols and the melodies to these carols.

To receive an invitation to the online meeting, please email your request to schulenburgpubliclibrary@yahoo.com. Submitted by, Thadious Polasek Lodge 67, Schulenburg —SPJST—

You’re invited to visit TCGS Gift Shop during our Christmas Open House

Each year, Texas Czech Genealogical Society staffs its Gift Shop, located in the lower level of the SPJST Home Office at 520 North Main Street, Temple for 10 days in early December to help folks with their Christmas shopping. In 2021, we will be open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from November 29 through December 10. In addition to our beautiful glass Christmas ornaments, you will find an array of other gift possibilities - all related to our Czech culture - such things as Czech crystal and pottery, books, aprons, jewelry, Czech glass nail files, maps, dictionaries, textiles, spa wafers, poppy seed and other items available for your enjoyment or for gift-giving. If possible, please call 512-971-4284 to let us know which day you plan to visit, as we will be following covid protocol.

This article is the final one that introduces our 2021 Christmas ornaments related to a legend, a symbol, or a tradition. There is still time to place an order for shipment to your home as we plan to ship until December 10.

Today’s offering consists of three of our newest ornaments along with a few of the most popular ornaments from the past. Some of them are in short supply, and when they are sold, they will be gone forever, so order today!

The Symbol of the Angel and Bell No. CW-521 - $16

For centuries, bells have been rung to announce the arrival of the CHRISTmas season. They symbolize the announcement of the birth of Christ when bells tolled and many angels in heaven sang praises to God and declared, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14). This soft blue frosted ornament reminds us of the clanging of bells and the singing of the angels that was experienced that first CHRISTmas day. The Symbol of the Hummingbird No. CW-821- $15

The hummingbird symbolizes love, joy, wonder and beauty.Hummingbirds are fascinating creatures which have been around since ancient times. Looking at a hummingbird from one direction may show its throat to be red, blue or green. From another angle, it may be cold black. Their color depends on how light filters through their feathers and is only partly caused by pigmentation. Hummingbirds spend their breeding season in the United States after which they fly to Central and South America. A hummingbird weighs about the same as a nickel, yet it flies over five hundred miles, nonstop, to cross the Gulf of Mexico. They can do things no other birds can. Their wings beat approximately eighty times per second and their extra flexible joints enable them to go from full speed to a full stop in the blink of an eye and to fly backwards. This unique ability teaches us that we can look back at our past without dwelling on it as we move forward. As the hummingbird hovers to drink nectar, we are reminded to savor each moment in life.

The Legend of the Panda No. CW-1121 - $10

Pandas originated in China and are considered a “national treasure”. The Chinese government has even given them as gifts to other countries’ governments! This popular legend describes how the panda got its black markings: Pandas were originally as white as snow. A group of panda cubs became friends with four female shepherds who watched their flocks in the mountains near the village. One day as the girls were playing with a panda cub, a leopard appeared and tried to attack the cub. The young girls threw themselves between the leopard and the panda to save it, but they were all killed by the leopard. The pandas in the area were saddened by their deaths and held a service to honor them. The pandas spread black branches of the ashes on their arms in mourning. As tree gave protecthey wept, they wiped their eyes with tion to the birds their paws and covered their ears to and it also problock out the sound of the crying as they vided shelter to hugged each other. As they did these other animals things, the black ash blackened their fur. during the chilling, wet, winter months. In more They did not wash it off and today, pandas are covered with black markings. Noah’s Ark recent times, No. OR 207 - $11 other varieties of

The story of trees are used as Noah’s Ark and Christmas trees. the great flood, found in the Book of Genesis, Wreath is common to the No. OR-204 - $15 religions of Juda- The wreath symbolizes the eternal ism, Christianity, nature of love - never ceasing and never Islam and the ending. It is one continuous round of afBaha'i Faith. It fection. Because they are circular in tells of extreme punishment for human shape, symbolizing eternity, the circle of wickedness in the form of an enormous life, and endless flood. God saved only Noah (a righteous hope, people began man), his family and pairs of each anito use them at mal, bird, and crawling creature on Christmas. earth. They all took refuge in an ark Wreaths combine which Noah built while the waters rose. several Christmas After the waters subsided, God prom- symbols including holly, fruit, mistleised never again to cause such a flood. toe, evergreens, The Guardian Angel tinsel, or other items, all of which retain No. OR-203 - $22 their own symbolism on the wreath.

Angels sym- The wreath has no beginning and no bolize purity, end, symbolizing God Himself. peace and love and are a com- For questions or to place an order, forting presence please contact Nancy Machu at nbmafor all of us. An- chu@gmail.com or 512-971-4284. The gels announced officers and chairmen of the Texas the news of the Czech Genealogical Society thank you birth of Jesus, for your friendship and patronage in who was God’s 2021 and wish you and those dear to you gift for all the a most wonderful CHRISTmas season people of the and a healthy, happy 2022. world. Our Submitted by, guardian angels Nancy Machu help to keep each of us on the right path Lodge 20, Granger in life, guiding us through life’s many —SPJST— experiences and uncertainties.

The Christmas Tree No. OR-201 - $18

Fir trees are widely recognized symbols of the Christmas season. In ancient times, the fir tree symbolized nature’s triumph over the deadly cold and darkness of winter. Christians began using fir trees to represent Christ’s gift of eternal life. The tree also became known for its nurturing attributes. The large