Czech and Slovak in the mirror of Czech-Slovak relations in the 19th and 21st centuries

Abstract

Czech and Slovak are two close West Slavic languages spoken by two close peoples - Czechs and Slovaks. The socio-historical circumstances led to the emergence of a special coexistence and the creation of a specific passive bilingualism, which was applied in the so-called semi-communication. That semi-communicativeness and passive Czech-Slovak bilingualism was strengthened by the joint broadcasting of Czechoslovak Radio and Czechoslovak Television. After 1989, a new period of democratic development of Czech and Slovak society and language begins. The return to democracy, a new social and economic situation, and new international contacts caused a whole series of changes in both languages as well. Expressions connected with the communist past gradually disappeared from both languages, and expressions that had ceased to be used in the 1950s returned to active use in both languages. On January 1, 1993, based on a law of the Federal Assembly, the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic ceased to exist and two new independent states appeared on the map of Europe - the Slovak Republic and the Czech Republic. The paths of the two nations parted peacefully, but they did not stop communicating with each other. Even today, Czechs and Slovaks get along well without major problems, although the younger generations, who were socialized linguistically only after the division of the former Czechoslovakia, may have certain difficulties in communication. To a large extent, Czech-Slovak passive bilingualism and semi-communicative competence persist. However, some research shows that especially the young and the youngest generation of Czech and Slovak speakers understand the second language less and less. During the 20th century, both Czechs and Slovaks went through dramatic twists of fate, they came together and parted ways, but they were always actually together. And Czech and Slovak naturally reflected these twists. They entered the 20th century as languages not quite fully legal and despised by many (Czech was only a regional language, Slovak within Hungary a language intended for gradual Magyarization), they entered the 21st century as official languages of two separate equal states and as official languages of the European Union.