jezyku

Języku is the locative and vocative singular form of the Polish noun język, which means language or tongue. The base noun can refer to a natural language (for example, język polski, język angielski), the anatomical tongue, or, in a broader sense, a system of signs used for communication within a community. The form języku appears in contexts that require the locative case or, in some stylistic uses, the vocative.

Grammar and forms

Język is a masculine, inanimate noun. Its singular declension is: Nominative język, Genitive języka, Dative językowi, Accusative język, Instrumental językiem, Locative języku, Vocative języku. Consequently, the form języku is used after prepositions that govern the locative case (such as w and o) and in direct address in certain registers. Typical locative constructions include phrases like w języku polskim (in the Polish language) and o języku angielskim (about the English language).

Usage

In everyday and academic usage, język often denotes both spoken languages and the tongue as an anatomical organ. It also appears in compound terms such as język programowania (programming language) or język literacki (literary language). The distinction between senses is usually clear from context, with adjectives and qualifiers indicating whether the reference is to a specific language, to the organ, or to a metaphorical system of communication.

Etymology and related terms

Język derives from the Proto-Slavic lexical family related to speech and language. Related concepts include językoznawstwo (linguistics), językoznawca (linguist), and językowy (adjective form relating to language).

See also

Język, Językoznawstwo, Język polski, Język angielski.