Biblical Language and Dialect: On 'Moravianisms' in Two Translations from the Early Czech National Revival
Abstract
The article deals with two little-known biblical prints that were published in Brno in the 1790s. Both texts originated in the Roman Catholic environment and were intended for the "common people".
They are characterized by the author's tendency to take generous liberties in translation. The contents are, firstly, the New Testament translated by the priest and Professor at the University of Olomouc (Olmütz) František Polášek (1757-1818); and, secondly, the Psalter of King David, whose translator is not known.
Josef Dobrovský (1753-1829), a personal friend of Polášek, noted the presence of 'Moravianisms'. The article uses a number of examples to show the kinds of dialectisms that can be found in the two texts, and what their functions were.
It is remarkable that language elements with significant influences of regional dialect found their way into the prestigious text of the Holy Scriptures.