"Jsem malá modrá věc."

Translation: I am a small blue thing.

[EinatAdar]

I'm sure I left a comment admiring the reference. Well done course creators!

[a-m-j]

I missed it...

[EinatAdar]

It's a Suzanne Vega song.

[Ploomich]

or a "the smurfs" one (:

[Ollyfer]

Thanks a lot, I didn't know that! The only song of her I knew hitherto was »Luka«, and I didn't know it was hers, I just knew the title.

Will leave a link for those who come across and too didn't get the reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPkhoZzsono

[AgnusOinas]

That Luka song of hers always reminds me of the Prague metro (subway) where one station is literally named "Luka" (it actually means "Meadows", roughly). I used to replace that name with nearby stations when I sang along - "My name is Hůrka..."

[timothymckeon]

suzanne vega! <3

[nueby]

I am curious: Is this too challenging to translate when one does not get the reference? I would have thought that all that's required is some confidence in knowing the four Czech words.

The opposite exercise [with the excess comma] discussion (to avoid duplication): https://www.duolingo.com/comment/24562041. When the comma-less reverse spawns a discussion, I will link it.

[ion1122]

I had no touble translating without knowing the cultural reference. Actually, sentences that are a bit weird are a good idea in a language program. They force you to use your knowledge of grammar and vocabulary alone to translate, rather than guessing based on extra-linguistic knowledge.

[Carrie533002]

I agree. And it helps to use your imagination. Which is a slightly forgotten craft.

[Ollyfer]

I couldn't believe that someone was able to learn a language by heart without a sense of creativity. It helps a lot in navigating through a language one from a certain point of knowledge doesn't speak fluently yet.

[a-m-j]

No. I did not get the reference at all, but I had no trouble with the sentence.

[Panchete1]

I don't get the reference? Anyway I hadn't any problem with the sentence. I thought about a blue pen cap.

[Lee63091]

Does blue also have the connotation of sadness in Czech culture?

[AgnusOinas]

No, not at all. If you say something like "Je celá modrá" (She's all blue), the most likely interpretation would be that she's freezing. And yellow has nothing to do with cowardice - if you describe someone as yellow in Czech, he/she probably has hepatitis.