Zvanému

Zvanému is a grammatical form in Czech (and Slovak) derived from the verb zvat, meaning “to call” or “to name.” It functions as the past passive participle used as an adjective, with the sense “called” or “named.” The form zvanému is not a standalone lemma; it is the inflected form of zvaný that appears in certain cases.

Morphology and usage

Zvanému is the dative singular masculine (and neuter) form of the participle zvaný. This means it is used when the modified noun is in the dative case, for example in sentences that involve directing something to the person who is referred to by a name. In practice, zvanému often appears in formal or literary contexts to identify a person by the name or designation by which they are known, sometimes in appositive phrases such as tomuto zvanému pánovi or muži zvanému Jan. It can also occur in more complex relative constructions where the descriptor is in the dative.

Semantics and style

The meaning of zvanému centers on identification by name or designation rather than on a strict legal or official title. It conveys the idea of “the person called X” or “the man named Y.” In modern everyday Czech, speakers may prefer more direct phrasing such as “tomu muži, který se jmenuje X,” but zvanému remains common in historical, legal, or formal prose and in phrases where conciseness or a certain register is desired.

Etymology and linguistic context

Zvaný comes from zvat with the adjectival suffix -ý, forming a past passive participle that behaves like an adjective. Its Slovak counterpart operates under the same principles. The form zvanému reflects standard Slavic inflection patterns for masculine/neuter dative singular.

Notes

As a declined form, zvanému does not stand alone as a lexical entry; it is a surface form used within larger noun phrases.