Czechoslovak language
Encyclopedia
The Czechoslovak language (Czech
jazyk československý) was a political sociolinguistic
concept used in Czechoslovakia
in 1920–1938 for the definition of the state language of the country which proclaimed its independence as the republic of two nations, Czechs and Slovaks
.
and, on the same day, a set of constitutional laws
. The Language Act (Jazykový zákon ) 122/1920 Sb. z. a n., on the grounds of § 129 of the Constitutional Charter (Czech
Ústavní listina Československé republiky) has set the principles of the language regulations, where § 1 has ruled out that the Czechoslovak language
is the state, or official language of the republic.
In practice, in the international documents this role was played by the Czech language. Meanwhile, the Constitution of 1920 and its derivative acts allowed the usage of minority languages provided they were spoken by not less than 20% of the local population of certain areas.
Officially the 1920 constitution was superseded on 9 May 1948 with the Ninth-of-May Constitution
where the concept of the official language was omitted.
by students of the Lutheran Lyceum in Bratislava
, also called the „Society for the Czechoslovak language and literature“, became an important entity in the Slovak national movement.
In 1836, Ľudovít Štúr
, the leader of the Slovak
national revival in the 19th century wrote a letter to the important Czech historian František Palacký
. Stating that the Czech language used by the Protestants in Upper Hungary
had become incomprehensible for the ordinary Slovaks, Štúr proposed to create a unified Czechoslovak language, provided that the Czechs would be willing to use some Slovak words – just like Slovaks would officially accept some Czech words.
However in the first half of the 20th century the radical concept of „czechoslovakism“ has set forward the Czech language as the literary norm, while the Slovak language
was considered to be a local dialect, as well as the Moravian language
. The concept of Czechoslovakism was necessary in order to justify the establishment of Czechoslovakia towards the world, because otherwise the statistical majority of the Czechs as compared to Germans would be rather weak.
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
jazyk československý) was a political sociolinguistic
Sociolinguistics
Sociolinguistics is the descriptive study of the effect of any and all aspects of society, including cultural norms, expectations, and context, on the way language is used, and the effects of language use on society...
concept used in Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
in 1920–1938 for the definition of the state language of the country which proclaimed its independence as the republic of two nations, Czechs and Slovaks
Slovaks
The Slovaks, Slovak people, or Slovakians are a West Slavic people that primarily inhabit Slovakia and speak the Slovak language, which is closely related to the Czech language.Most Slovaks today live within the borders of the independent Slovakia...
.
Language legislation in the First Czechoslovak Republic
On February 29, 1920 the National Assembly adopted the Czechoslovak ConstitutionCzechoslovak Constitution of 1920
After World War I, Czechoslovakia established itself and as a republic and democracy with the establishment of the Constitution of 1920. The constitution was adopted by the National Assembly on 29 February 1920 and replaced the provisional constitution adopted on 13 November 1918.The introduction...
and, on the same day, a set of constitutional laws
Organic law
An organic or fundamental law is a law or system of laws which forms the foundation of a government, corporation or other organization's body of rules. A constitution is a particular form of organic law for a sovereign state....
. The Language Act (Jazykový zákon ) 122/1920 Sb. z. a n., on the grounds of § 129 of the Constitutional Charter (Czech
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
Ústavní listina Československé republiky) has set the principles of the language regulations, where § 1 has ruled out that the Czechoslovak language
„jazyk československý jest státním, oficielním jazykem republiky“
is the state, or official language of the republic.
In practice, in the international documents this role was played by the Czech language. Meanwhile, the Constitution of 1920 and its derivative acts allowed the usage of minority languages provided they were spoken by not less than 20% of the local population of certain areas.
Officially the 1920 constitution was superseded on 9 May 1948 with the Ninth-of-May Constitution
Ninth-of-May Constitution
The Ninth-of-May Constitution was a constitution of Czechoslovakia in force from 1948 to 1960. It came into force on May 9, shortly after the communist seizure of power in the country on 25 February 1948. It replaced the 1920 Constitution...
where the concept of the official language was omitted.
History
The „Czech-Slav Society“ created in 1829History of Bratislava
This page gives an overview of the history of Bratislava – the capital of Slovakia and the country's largest city.-Prehistory:In the area where present-day Bratislava lies, three skeletons of the Pliopithecus vindobonensis were found in the borough Devínska Nová Ves in 1957, dating 25–15...
by students of the Lutheran Lyceum in Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
, also called the „Society for the Czechoslovak language and literature“, became an important entity in the Slovak national movement.
In 1836, Ľudovít Štúr
Ludovít Štúr
Ľudovít Štúr , known in his era as Ludevít Velislav Štúr, was the leader of the Slovak national revival in the 19th century, the author of the Slovak language standard eventually leading to the contemporary Slovak literary language...
, the leader of the Slovak
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
national revival in the 19th century wrote a letter to the important Czech historian František Palacký
František Palacký
František Palacký was a Czech historian and politician.-Biography:...
. Stating that the Czech language used by the Protestants in Upper Hungary
Upper Hungary
Upper Hungary is the usual English translation for the area that was historically the northern part of the Kingdom of Hungary, now mostly present-day Slovakia...
had become incomprehensible for the ordinary Slovaks, Štúr proposed to create a unified Czechoslovak language, provided that the Czechs would be willing to use some Slovak words – just like Slovaks would officially accept some Czech words.
However in the first half of the 20th century the radical concept of „czechoslovakism“ has set forward the Czech language as the literary norm, while the Slovak language
Slovak language
Slovak , is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages .Slovak is the official language of Slovakia, where it is spoken by 5 million people...
was considered to be a local dialect, as well as the Moravian language
Moravian language
Moravian is the form of the Czech language spoken in Moravia, a historical region in the east of the Czech Republic. While generally viewed as a regional variant of Czech, part of Moravians claim it to be a separate language....
. The concept of Czechoslovakism was necessary in order to justify the establishment of Czechoslovakia towards the world, because otherwise the statistical majority of the Czechs as compared to Germans would be rather weak.
See also
- Czech languageCzech languageCzech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
- Slovak languageSlovak languageSlovak , is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages .Slovak is the official language of Slovakia, where it is spoken by 5 million people...
- History of the Czech languageHistory of the Czech languageThe Czech language developed at the close of the 1st millennium from common West Slavic. Until the 19th century, it was known as Bohemian.- Proto-Czech :...
- History of the Slovak language
Links
- The Constitutional Charter of Czechoslovak Republic of 1920