Sousedstvím

Sousedstvím is the instrumental singular form of the Czech noun sousedství, which denotes the concept of a neighborhood or the adjacent relationship between places or people. The term combines the root soused- (neighbor) with the suffix -ství, forming an abstract noun that can refer to both physical proximity and social ties.

In everyday use, sousedství can refer to different aspects. Geographically, it describes a local area within a town or village—the nearby district or the immediate environment around a dwelling. Socially, it encompasses the network of relations among residents, including mutual assistance, shared spaces, and everyday interaction typical of a community. The concept is often linked with notions of citizen participation, local identity, and the culture of neighborliness.

The use of the instrumental form sousedstvím occurs in grammatical constructions that require the instrumental case, such as phrases indicating means, accompaniment, or relation, for example when describing actions carried out by or through neighborly relations. It is less common in everyday speech than the nominative sousedství, but it appears in formal writing, descriptions of urban planning, ethnographic notes, and sociological discussions about community life.

Etymologically, sousedství derives from soused- (neighbor) with the suffix -ství, a common way in Czech to form abstract nouns that express a state, condition, or quality. The concept remains important in discussions of how communities form, maintain, and navigate shared spaces and social expectations.