Culture

Unit 27, “Culture” (Култура), presents a dialogue in which Peter and Boris discuss Bulgarian culture — from the Cyrillic alphabet’s origins to Bulgarian history, the golden century of literature, patriotism, writers and poets such as Botev, Ivan Vazov, and Slaveykov, the popular book Bay Ganyu by Aleko Konstantinov, and contemporary art exhibitions. Grammar notes cover the treatment of noun loans in Bulgarian and a detailed analysis of noun formation, including noun compounds, noun suffixes, stem extensions, and final suffixes with extensive examples organized by consonant and vowel patterns.

Basic Sentences

Петър

English	Bulgarian (Cyrillic)
lecture	сказка, сказки
Yesterday I was at a lecture at the university.	Вчера бях на сказка в университета.
theme, topic	тема, теми
culture	култура
The topic was Bulgarian culture.	Темата беше българската култура.
imagine	представя си - представям си (P-I)
alphabet	азбука
Russia	Русия
Imagine, until now I didn’t know that Bulgaria gave Russia the alphabet.	Представи си, до сега не знаех, че България е дала азбуката на Русия.

Борис

English	Bulgarian (Cyrillic)
century	век, векове
literature	книжнина
Did they talk about the golden century of Bulgarian literature?	Говориха ли за златния век на българската книжнина?

Петър

English	Bulgarian (Cyrillic)
history	история
gradually	постепенно
vanish	изчезна - изчезвам (F-I)
Yes, just think! Bulgarian history begins during the seventh century and afterwards everything gradually vanishes.	Да, помисли си, българската история започва през седмия век и после постепенно всичко изчезва.

Борис

English	Bulgarian (Cyrillic)
slavery	робство
destroy, annihilate	унищожа - унищожавам (P-I)
You think that during the [period of] slavery everything Bulgarian was destroyed, but it is not so.	Ти мислиш, че през робството всичко българско е било напълно унищожено, но не е така.
(monk’s) cell	килия, килии
pertaining to cell	килиен, килийна
monastic schools	килийни училища
play	изиграя - изигравам (P-I)
The monastic schools then played their role.	Килийните училища са изиграли тогава своята роля.
preserve	запазя - запазвам (P-I)
National literature such as songs and stories was also preserved.	Народната литература, като песни и приказки, се е запазила също.
outside, foreign	външен, външна
influence	влияние, влияния
No kind of outside influence succeeded in destroying it.	Никакво външно влияние не е успяло да я унищожи.

Петър

English	Bulgarian (Cyrillic)
difference	разлика, разлики
Yes, but there is a big difference between that time and now.	Да, но разликата между онова време и сега е голяма.

Борис

English	Bulgarian (Cyrillic)
doubt	съмнение
percentage	процент, проценти
literacy (f.)	грамотност
Without doubt; take as an example the percentage of literacy now.	Без съмнение; вземи като пример процента на грамотността сега.

Петър

English	Bulgarian (Cyrillic)
progress	напредък
tremendous	грамаден, грамадна
Yes, the progress is tremendous.	Да, напредъкът е грамаден.
Tell me what kind of a culture there was in the ninth century?	Кажи ми, каква е била тази култура през деветия век?

Борис

English	Bulgarian (Cyrillic)
exclusively	изключително
ecclesiastic	черковен, черковна
Exclusively ecclesiastic up to the end of the enslavement.	Изключително черковна до към края на робството.
patriotism	патриотизъм
develop (oneself)	развия се - развивам се (P-I)
Patriotism developed a great deal in Bulgaria at that time.	Тогава патриотизмът в България се развива много.
create	създам - създавам (P-I)
reflect	отразя - отразявам (P-I)
It created the new literature and was reflected in it.	Това създава новата литература и се отразява в нея.
poem	стихотворение, стихотворения
Botev	Ботев
production	творчество
Ivan Vazov	Иван Вазов
Take the poems of Botev or the complete works of Ivan Vazov.	Вземи стихотворенията на Ботев или цялото творчество на Иван Вазов.

Петър

English	Bulgarian (Cyrillic)
Who are they?	Кои са те?

Борис

English	Bulgarian (Cyrillic)
writer	писател, писатели
poet	поет, поети
They are our first writers and poets.	Те са нашите първи писатели и поети.

Петър

English	Bulgarian (Cyrillic)
collection	сбирка, сбирки
I have the collected works of Slaveykov.	Аз имам сбирката на Славейков.

Борис

English	Bulgarian (Cyrillic)
few	малцина
Slaveykov is one of the few in whom there is [the] influence of western culture.	Славейков е един от малцината, в когото има влияние от западната култура.
generally taken	общо взето
On the whole our literature is completely Bulgarian.	Общо взето нашата литература е напълно българска.
inspiration	вдъхновение
motive	мотив, мотиви
adversity	неволя, неволи
[Its] inspiration, motives — everything comes from Bulgarian life with all its joys and sorrows.	Вдъхновение, мотиви, всичко идва от българския живот с всичките му неволи и радости.

Петър

English	Bulgarian (Cyrillic)
Yes, I understand completely.	Да, разбирам напълно.
Bay Ganyu (a popular book)	бай Ганьо
I recently read Bay Ganyu.	Напоследък четох Бай Ганьо.
Who wrote it?	Кой го е писал?

Борис

English	Bulgarian (Cyrillic)
author	автор, автори
The author of Bay Ganyu is Aleko Konstantinov.	Авторът на Бай Ганьо е Алеко Константинов.

Петър

English	Bulgarian (Cyrillic)
You mentioned art.	Ти спомена изкуство.
Ivan wants us to buy some pictures here (‘from here’).	Иван иска да купим някои картини от тук.

Борис

English	Bulgarian (Cyrillic)
pertaining to art	художествен, художествена
exhibit	изложба, изложби
There is a general art exhibit on now (‘at the moment’).	В момента има обща художествена изложба.
Let’s go see it!	Хайде да отидем да я видим!
art	художество
It will give you [some] idea about our art.	Това ще ти даде идея за нашето художество.

Петър

English	Bulgarian (Cyrillic)
Fine. Let’s go!	Добре, хайде да вървим!

Grammar Notes

Note 27.1 — Treatment of Noun Loans

Nouns recently borrowed from other languages are part and parcel of the Bulgarian language. However, many of them structure differently and may be given separate notice. Since they have not been part of the language for long, they do not enter into compounds as readily or have the same range of possible suffixes. They may be divided into two groups: (1) Those taken over with only minor pronunciation differences and assigned to a gender class according to their shape, (2) Those to which endings have been added. Nouns in both groups may serve as the basis for adjectives and in some cases verbs, with appropriate suffixes. Examples are:

Group 1 (minor pronunciation changes): артист, балет, балкон, билет, декоратор, документ, гастрол, гише, идея, кафе, контра, магазин, момент, пакет, партер, резултат, сандвич, сцена, смокинг, театър, тип

Group 2 (with added endings): централа, декларация, дикция, герой, героиня, канцелария, критика, роля, телеграма

Many of these have been borrowed from French or Italian. /geróy/, with /g/ for /h/, shows passage through Russian. Recent loans have been included in the lists in Note 27.2.2 where appropriate.

The noun suffix most common with loans is /-iya/. The verb suffix most common is /-ir-a-/, as in /adresíram/. /-u-v-a/ is also used, as in /kritikúvam/.

Note 27.2 — Noun Formation

Note 27.2.1 — Noun compounds

Nouns which contain two roots are compounds. The two major parts of the compound are most frequently connected by /o/, as in these examples:

Bulgarian	English
главоболие	headache
гостоприемство	hospitality (‘guest reception’)
сладолед	ice cream (‘sweet ice’)
розобер	rose harvest

The suffixes which may be added are treated below in Note 27.2.2, along with nouns having a single root.

Note 27.2.2 — Noun suffixes

Many suffixes are used to form nouns. These divide into 1) stem extension suffixes and 2) final suffixes or endings. As many masculine and feminine i-nouns have no ending in the singular, the root or the stem extension suffix appears to be final in the word. For convenience we then say the ‘final suffix’ is zero.

Stem extensions may be single or multiple. For example: nepriyatnost: ne - priy - at - n - ost (prefix: ne-, root: priy-, extensions: at - n - ost).

Note 27.2.2.1 — Extensions: Constituent Elements

The primary elements of the extensions are consonants. These combine with each other and with stem extension vowels in many ways. The consonants and consonant groups involved, with vowels which may be associated with them, are organized into 18 groups (zero, [m], b, v, t, d, st, s, š, ž, Y, r, l, n, c, č, k, sk) with various vowel combinations (i, e, ə, a, u, o).

Note 27.2.2.2 — Examples of single extensions

1. zero (Direct addition of ending)

   • 1.1 Ending zero for singular: глад (hunger) — гладен (hungry)

2. /m/ (rare)

   • 2.1 /-m-o/: писмо (letter) — пиша (write)

3. /b/

   • 3.1 /-b-a/ forms nouns of abstract meaning: веселба (rejoicing) — весел (merry); спогодба (agreement) — спогодителен (reconciled); борба (struggle) — борец (fighter); свадба (wedding) — сват (match-maker)
   • 3.2 /-ob-a/ forms nouns of abstract meaning: тегоба (debt, charge) — тегля (weigh; pay)

4. /v/

   • 4.1 /-iv-o/ forms nouns indicating material of a particular nature: гориво (combustible material) — горещ (hot); четиво (selection[s] for reading) — чета (read)
   • 4.2 /-ov-/ or 4.3 /-ev/ is a frequent extension. It occurs before the plural ending /-e/ and often before other endings: /-ov-e/: град — градове (city)

5. /t/

   • 5.1 /-ot/ (rare) forms nouns of abstract meaning: живот (life) — жив (alive); тропот (sound of trampling) — тропам (stamp)
   • 5.2 /-ot-a/ and 5.3 /-et-a/ form nouns of abstract meaning: висота (height) — висок (high); простота (simplicity) — прост (simple); тъпота (stupidity) — тъп (dumb, stupid); голота (nakedness) — гол (naked)

6. /d/ (rare)

   • 6.1 /-d-a/ forms nouns of abstract meaning: правда (right) — прав (straight)

7. /st/

   • 7.1 /-ist/ forms masculine nouns indicating persons concerned with or involved in: артилерист (artilleryman) — артилерия (artillery); авантюрист (adventurer) — авантюра (venture)
   • 7.2 /-ost/ and 7.3 /-est/ form feminine nouns of abstract meaning: радост (joy) — радвам се (rejoice); болест (sickness) — боли (it hurts); свежест (freshness) — свеж (fresh)

8. /s/

   • 8.1 /es/ is an extension used before the plural ending of certain nouns: чудо (wonder) pl. чудеса — cf. чудесия (marvel); небе (heaven) pl. небеса — чудесен (wonderful)

9. /š/

   • 9.1 /-aš/ forms nouns indicating persons associated with the root concept: богаташ (rich person) — богат (rich)

10. /ž/ (rare)

    • 10.1 /-ež/: бодеж (a sharp pain) — бода (to stick)

11. /Y/ and /y/

    • The suffixes /y/ (phoneme /y/ actually occurring) and /Y/ (producing change in preceding consonant; see Note 13.1) are listed together. /Y/ is extremely frequent in combination with other extensions (see below).
    • 11.1.1 /-y-a/: вечеря (dinner) — вечер (evening); неволя (adversity) — воля (to will)
    • 11.1.2 /-iy-a/ forms place names with stress before /-iya/: България (Bulgaria) — българин (Bulgarian); Гърция (Greece) — грък (Greek); with same stress: редакция (editor’s office); окупация (occupation); география (geography). /-íy-a/ (stressed) forms abstracts: халосия (vanity) — халост (in vain); магария (asinine stubbornness) — магаре (donkey); просия (begging) — просител (petitioner)
    • 11.1.3 /-i-e/ (plural /-iy-a/) forms abstracts, nouns of place, etc.: земеделие (agriculture) — земеделец (farmer); главоболие (headache) — глава (head), боли (it hurts); предградие (suburb) — пред (in front of), град (city)
    • 11.2.1 /-Y-a/ /-d-Y/ ~ /-žd-/: нужда (need) — нуждая се (to need)
    • 11.2.2 /-Y-o/: говеждо (beef) — говедо ((one) cattle)
    • 11.2.3 /-Y-e/ /-k-Y/ ~ /-č/: поточе (small stream) — поток (stream); врабче (sparrow) — врабец (sparrow); юначе (little hero) — юнак (hero); отроче (infant) — отрок (child)

12. /r/

    • 12.1 /-ar/ forms nouns indicating persons engaged in doing something, as well as nouns indicating things pertaining to the root concept: зидар (mason) — зид (wall); цветар (florist) — цвете (blossom, flower); буквар (ABC book) — буква (letter); винар (wine-dealer) — вино (wine); бръснар (barber) — бръсна (shave); господар (master) — Господ (lord); другар (comrade) — друг (other); зъболекар (dentist) — зъб (tooth); лекар (physician) — лек (medicine)

13. /-l/

    • 13.1 /-l-o/ forms many nouns, often indicating objects: легло (bed) — лежа (to lie down); масло (butter) — мас (grease); облекло (clothing) — облека се (to dress); седло (seat) — седя (to sit)
    • 13.2 /-al-o/: огледало (mirror) — гледам (to look)
    • 13.3 /-el-o/: колело (wheel) — кола (wagon)

14. /n/

    • 14.1 /-n-e/ verbal noun. See Note 13.2
    • 14.2 /-in/ forms singular masculine nouns indicating persons. The plural ending is added to the stem without /-in/: българин (Bulgarian) pl. българи — България (Bulgaria); касапин (butcher) pl. касапи; господин (gentleman) pl. господа — Господ (lord)
    • 14.3 /-in-a/ forms nouns of several types — abstracts, names of place, collectives, etc.: добрина (goodness) — добър (good); бързина (speed) — бърз (fast); дължина (length) — дълъг (long); истина (truth); долина (valley) — долу (down); община (commune) — общ (general); градина (garden) — град (city); равнина (plain) — равен (even); малцина (a few people) — малък (small); неколцина (a few people) — няколко (several); година (year) — годишен (year’s); зеленина (verdure) — зелен (green); картина (scene, picture) — карта (card)
    • 14.4 /-en/ (rare): пръстен (ring) — пръст (finger)

15. /c/

    • 15.1 /-c-e/: винце (wine) — вино (wine); месце (meat) — месо (meat); diminutives: дръвце (sapling) — дърво (tree); селце (small village) — село (village)
    • 15.2 /-ic-a/ forms a great variety of nouns, including nouns indicating feminine corresponding to masculine: жрица (priestess) — жрец ((pagan) priest); лъвица (lioness) — лъв (lion); певица (singer (f.)) — певец (singer (m.)); хубавица (beautiful woman) — хубавец (a good-looking one); nouns of instrument: вилица (fork) — вила (pitchfork); abstract: неуредица (dissension) — ред (order); place: граница (boundary) — гранича (to border on); collective: седмица (week) — седем (seven); навалица (crowd) — навалям (crowd about); diminutives (in folktales and like): сестрица (little sister) — сестра (sister); водица (a little water) — вода (water)
    • 15.3 /-ec/, before endings /-c/ forms masculine nouns, agent nouns, nouns pertaining to, etc.