Starting Czech lessons, as I am and with a relation of Milan Kundera no less!, I am reminded of Evan Rail’s poem ‘Wanderings in Czech’. Evan, as your residual part-co-copyright holder (Tsunami, Metre Editions, 2004), I order you to contact me and nominate your fee for the reproduction of the following:
What does ‘zmrzlina’ mean?
It means ice cream.
What is wrong with this word?
It is neither cold nor sweet.
What does ‘slečno’ mean?
It is used to address a young woman,
like ‘miss’ or ‘mademoiselle’.
What is wrong with this word?
It is ugly.
What does ‘krk’ mean?
It is the word for throat.
What is wrong with this word?
It has no discernible vowel.
[Ends]
Image is of Bohumil Hrabal on some Postřižinské beer bottles, in honour of Evan’s expertise in the field of Czech beer (the beer is named for one of Hrabal’s novels, and is produced in Nymburk, where Hrabal grew up as stepson of the brewery manager.)
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