- Forum >
- Topic: Czech >
- "Jsi hoch?"
33 Comments
"Kluk" sounds informal, "chlapec" more formal (you can read it in studies or newspapers) and "hoch" sounds archaic.
187
This is useful, JanLyko. But if kluk is informal, chlapec formal and hoch archaic, what should I choose for a neutral word with no such connotations? Is there another word for boy that is current and neither formal nor informal?
Strange, I can see your next post in my Inbox, but not here. Anyways, "jinoch" is much older, derived from root "jun-", the same way as English "young", German "jung" and Russian "юный".
Which reminds me of "junák", another archaic synonym.
Don't worry, all of them are undoubtedly masculines used for boys, not for girls.
If you do not write an official document, I'd stick with kluk.
BTW, user MagicofLA reminded elsewhere word jinoch which is even more archaic than hoch.
- 187
Thanks, much appreciated. Jinoch? Just how archaic is it? In Middle English (1300-1400) the word girl meant a young person of either sex. I don't want to make that mistake!
It much (MUCH!) less archaic then Middle English (or Old Czech). It is in fact not archaic at all. It is bookish or dated but it still gets its use.
And hoch is even less "archaic". If anything, then it is dated/unfashionable https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wiktionary:Obsolete_and_archaic_terms#Classifications_of_old_words but only in some contexts. You will hear "hoši" used quite often when cheering during sport.
I noticed the second one had a Polish cognate; does that have to do with their level of formality?
- 325
I think it just means that it's a common Slavic root. For me as a Polish native "kluk" and "hoch" sound completely foreign and one wouldn't know what they mean as there is no similar equivalent in Polish, while the meaning of "chlapec" is obvious and instantly recognisable for us (even though our version of the word is slightly different).
"Hoch" is also and quite often being used in "naši hoši" (our boys) meaning our team (football, hockey, volleyball, you name it).
Hoch rarely used(heard) except by older generation 70+. Not sure why it's being taught here, surely better more useful things/words to learn
I'd like to know the word. What if I came across an elderly Czech speaker and didn't know what hoch meant?
I can see why it's useful to know, but maybe putting it in the earliest tiers of the Czech tree with no notation is less than optimal.
I already know some Czech and I'm actively taking a Czech class now. Some of the word choices are strange. I think Google translate is being used sometimes. This should have been "Jsi kluk? "
I once met someone with the surname of "Hoch" and was always curious about its derivation. This all is nice to know.
Please note that Hoch is also a relatively common German surname. Means high/tall/big.
I have always understood "hoch" to be equivalent to the slightly archaic word "a youth" meaning a young man, lad, boy. The seznam slovnik has it...however it has been marked incorrect.
hoch is a boy, not a young man (mladík, mládenec)
I would questions the translations of lad offered by the mentioned dictionary. Anyway, do not use simple translational dictionaries for these purposes (like learning words). At least when there are several possible translations. Often each of them is only valid in specific contexts. You need dictionaries that explain the words. Like what Merriem-Webster or similar do in English. When I learn English words, the said dictionary is not enough for me either.
Even though, to be fair, the definitions in the main dictionaries I checked do differ. The most recent one just says
hoch, -a m (6. mn. -ších)
chlapec, kluk: mají hocha a děvče; — expr. na shledanou, hoši!; naši hoši se vyznamenali sportovci ap.; — nemá dosud hocha;
so a boy (the same as kluk, chlapec), our boys our lads (for sportsmen and similar), a boyfriend
Something is wrong with "hoch" when I play sound. More like "hush" in English.
There is some extra frication there but I would not describe it as "hush" at all. I think it is still usable.
There isa bug in the transcription of hoch, do you read it with 'h' at the end or more like 'sh'
If you have the new male sound then that one is correct. If you have the old female sound then there is some extra noise in it, but the main consonant is correct too. Check the previous discussion here.
"hoch" is pronounced the say way as Scottish "loch" and the final co sonant is the same as in German "ch". Check our Tips and notes of the first lessons and try forvo.com for some recordings.
Because it did not sound like a question, I answered this listening exercise as "you are a boy" which was rejected. I've been having trouble throughout this course distinguishing questions from statements where the word order does not seem to make it clear and/or it is not a written exercise with a question mark to emphasise the sense. What am I missing please?
In "type what you hear" exercises you are literally to type what you hear. If you hear something in Czech, you must type in Czech. There is no translation involved.
The meaning question vs. declaration is either distinguished by the rising intonation at the end or by the question mark. Please understand that you do not need this information for the type what you hear exercise.
I thought I had to translate but perhaps I have misread the instruction?
