Slovanský

Slovanský is a Czech and Slovak adjective meaning “Slavic” or “Slavonic.” It is used to indicate relation to the Slavs, the Slavic languages, or Slavic cultures and history. The term appears in academic, cultural, and everyday language when describing linguistic groups, ethnography, or historical phenomena connected with Slavic peoples. In modern usage, it seldom serves as a proper noun and is not used to denote a single nation or ethnicity.

Etymology and form: Slovanský is formed from the noun Slovan (a Slav) with the adjectival suffix -ský, a common way to derive descriptors in Czech and Slovak. Related forms include slovanské (plural or neuter), slovanská (feminine), and variations that agree with gender and number. The root Slovan is cognate with terms for “Slav” in other Slavic languages, and the family of words expresses membership in the Slavic linguistic and cultural sphere.

Usage in context: In linguistics, one speaks of slovanské jazyky (Slavic languages) or slovanská jazyková rodina. In cultural and historical contexts, phrases like slovanská kultura or slovanský svět denote Slavic culture or the Slavic world. The adjective should be distinguished from the noun or ethnonyms for individual Slavic peoples or nations, such as Slovan or Slovák.

See also: Slavic languages, Slavic peoples, Slavic studies.