# All Slavic languages: "guild"



## biala

Could you tell me Slavic words for "guild" (the medieval association of craftsmen),
and its etymology. I know that in English and other Germanic languages the origin is as "gold", I wondered whether it is the same in Slavic languages.


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## TriglavNationalPark

Slovenian uses the term *ceh*. According to Marko Snoj's _Slovenski etimološki slovar_, *ceh* comes from Middle German "zëche" or "zëch", which refers to "an order" or "an association of tradesmen with common goals." Snoj states that the word is related to the Anglo-Saxon term teoh, but that its ultimate etymology isn't clear.

*Gilda* is a less common synonym of *ceh*, while modern-day equivalents include *združenje obrtnikov, obrtna zbornica*, etc.


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## biala

Thanks a lot. As far as I know also the medieval Polish word was also Cech (I don't know if I spell it correct though, I didn't find it in my dictionary). Could you tell me what is the literal meaning of *združenje obrtnikov, obrtna zbornica? *Is it something like a circle of comerades? (sorry I'm only guessing from my bit knowledge of Russian and Polish, however it's very partial and I know there are many "false friends").


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## Eunos

The best suiting word to translate <<guild>> in Bulgarian is <<гилдия>> but I can`t find its etymology. It means an association of people who are specialists in  certain area. There are synonyms like <<колегия>> the word comes from <<колега>>. <<колега>> means <<co-worker>>. There are a lot of synonyms of this word in Bulgarian and if it`s necessary I`ll post them.
 Also there is also the word <<еснаф>> which comes from turkish language. It comes from back then where Bulgaria was under Ottoman slavery and It was used to call a group of craftsmen from the lowest level at the certain craftsmanship to the highest.


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## bibax

Czech, Slovak, Polish: *cech*
Russian, Ukrainian, Belarussian: *цех, цэх*

All from OHG zeche, now die *Zeche* means 'spending, bill' (also in Czech).

In contemporary Czech *cech* means a section of a large factory.

*Združenje obrtnikov* is a descriptive term like 'the association of craftsmen' in English, *sdružení řemeslníků* in Czech.


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## biala

Thank you both very much. (гилдия is probably of the same origin as "guild" - the Germanic languages "gold" or "gelt"- money).


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## itreius

BCS

*ceh*, *gilda*

_Ceh_ however also means _bill_, _cost_.


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## biala

thank you. That is very interesting.


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## Duya

itreius said:


> BCS
> *ceh*, *gilda*
> .



...or _esnaf_ (chiefly Bos. and Serb.). Haven't heard of _gilda_.


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## biala

This is interesting because in Hebrew - which is of course not Slavic at all, "snif" means a branch (of a bank or a company for example). The ancient version of the word meant originally a small stick that is connected to a bigger one, and later - any small thing that is connected to a bigger one. I don't know if there is a connection to the Turkish-originated "esnaf" (Turkish is not Semitic language but there is some common vocabulary that entered through Arabic).


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## Duya

_Hrvatski Jezični Priručnik_ sort of confirms your hunch:


> *èsnāf* m 〈G esnáfa〉
> 
> _reg. pov. _staleško i stručno udruženje obrtnika na balkanskim zemljama u doba Osmanskog Carstva; štiti njihove interese; _ceh_ (u zapadnim zemljama)
> 
> tur. ← arap. 〈mn〉 äṣnāf


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## biala

​Hvála. I learned a lot today..


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