"We respect these people."

Translation: My si těchto lidí vážíme.

[Harcias]

We appreciate these people. That would be a more accurate translation. To respect someone is "respektovat někoho"

[VladaFu]

It is accepted.

[Artashes98]

Can a native speaker explain to all of us the idiomatic usage of Czech, e.g. why neutral English "We respect these people." is preferentially translated as "My si těchto lidí vážíme." instead of ordinary SVO word order "My si vážíme těchto lidí." This has happened throughout the course, and it has to have some idiomatic explanation, I hope.

[VladaFu]

Both two are completely fine and natural. It is all about the topic and the comment in the actual conversation. Is the new information that it is these people whom you respect or is it the fact that you respect them? Those are two different situations and lead to different word order.

There is nothing idiomatic here.

[Artashes98]

Thanks. Does it mean that Czech sentences always have some kind of stress in the meaning? What I mean is this: the English sentence "We respect these people." does not stress either Respect or These people or We, at least to my ear. It is just a narrative statement, with an equal stress on all members. I call it neutral. Do we have such completely neutral sentences in Czech? Thanks.

[VladaFu]

In English you can stress any of the words during the pronunciation of the sentence. In Czech you can do similar things, but in the default pronunciation, especially with non-default word orders, the final element is stressed and carries the new information (comment, rheme focus). However, that is extremely simplified and for more you have to study the link provided or even some more advanced literature.

[Praha2023]

Good questions and nice answers! Thanks.

[erinhk1]

Why isn't this also acceptable : Vážime si tohoto člověků

[relox84]

1) tohoto is for singular nouns. You need těchto for plural nouns.

2) člověků doesn't exist. člověk has an irregular plural lidé (genitive: lidí)

[VladaFu]

Pražský Výběr would disagree https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hODsGA113A but that is a humorous usage in a colloquial Common Czech text immitating a child. And some real children too https://www.ceskatelevize.cz/ivysilani/10662825726-tvminiuni/215562270100008

[AgentThrash]

Why is "My těchto lidí si vážime" not accepted?

[VladaFu]

Second position rule for si.

[Praha2023]

Can you begin a sentence with těchto?

[VladaFu]

yes

[Praha2023]

I haven't tried it yet, but I'm wondering if těchto lidí sí vážíme would be acceptable.

[VladaFu]

yes

[TomasRejda]

Těch as short for těchto is not accepted because it is not formal language. I'm struggling a lot with that because my parents say it like that a lot.

[AgnusOinas]

Těch is not short for těchto, it's a different word with a different meaning and both are standard language.

• Ten = that, the
• Tento, tenhle = this

Same goes for all declined forms in all genders and numbers (ta, to, ti, ty, toho, tomu, té, těm, těch and many more).

[TomasRejda]

Thank you i thought it was both things a short form aswell as it own form.

[SpeedBalls]

Why techto not tyto?

[VladaFu]

genitive

[realberggren]

I thought it would be accusative, since in the English sentence, "these people" would be a direct object of the verb. So "vážit" is +Acc and "vážit si" is + Gen?

[VladaFu]

yes

[AdrianM218751]

so does it change the meaning without the reflexive si?

[VladaFu]

yes, vážit něco means to weigh something.