# All Slavic languages: toes



## texpert

Hi, 

what words do your languages use for particular toes? 

The Czech names are: 

1. palec 
2. druhý prst (článek) 
3. třetí prst (článek) 
4. čtvrtý prst (článek) 
5. malík, malíček 

However, it must be said, there is a strong opinion group that resists this rather medical terminology and have them as follows: 

1. palec 
2. ukazovák 
3. prostředník 
4. prsteník 
5. malík 

(derived from the fingers on hands). I'm thankful for as many contributions as possible even if they should repeat themselves. 

Thank you. 
txp


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## trance0

In Slovene for fingers on hands:

1. palec
2. kazalec
3. sredinec
4. prstanec
5. mezinec 

As for toes, I am not sure, but I think it`s similar to Czech:

1. palec
2. drugi prst
3. tretji prst
4. četrti prst
5. mezinec


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## TriglavNationalPark

trance0 said:


> In Slovene:
> 
> 1. palec
> 2. kazalec
> 3. sredinec
> 4. prstanec
> 5. mezinec


 
These are used for toes? 

I believe they only apply to fingers. Even SSKJ defines *sredinec*, for example, as "srednji prst na roki" (*prst na roki* = finger).

EDIT: Never mind; I just saw trance0's update.  Of course, *palec* and *mezinec* are used for toes.


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## phosphore

In Serbian, there are "palac (na nozi)" and "mali prst (na nozi)". Other toes are just "prsti (na nozi)", I think.

For fingers, we have "palac", "kažiprst", "srednji prst" or, in some cases, "srednjak", "domali prst", "mali prst".


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## texpert

I appreciate your contributions. 

Since last summer, I've been inquiring my compatriots about names for toes. People with a good command of English, German or French (and possibly other tongues) seem to be immune from giving names to the the middle three, yet the majority of others transpose the fingers into toes (_index toe, middle toe, ring toe_). Among the transposers there were two proofreaders and several authors. When raising objections, I occasionaly meet a fierce resistence - _of course it's ukazovák (index toe), use your brain!_. 

It sort of became a pastime.


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## domkrat

texpert said:


> what words do your languages use for particular toes?


Ha! Good question! 

Well, for fingers on the hand we have:
1. большой
2. указательный
3. средний
4. безымянный
5. мезинец

I think for the toes we would use the same names, only one should then say "на ноге" (on the foot). However, I have never heard toes called either "указательный" or "безымянный".
(Imagine "указательный палец на ноге" - this would sound hilarious)

So, for the toes I would say:

1. *большой* палец (на ноге)
2. ? 
3. средний(?) палец (на ноге)
 4. ?
 5. *мезинец* (на ноге)

P.S. Well, thinking about it... I suppose I could also say "указательный" and "безымянный", simply by analogy with the fingers. But this would sound kind of humorous.


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## texpert

It sounds funny indeed. As much, in fact, that I did not even consider to consult the know-it-all Wiki. 

Well, here it comes:

Big toe (hallux) 
*Index toe *
Middle toe 

Still, most of encyclopedias I'd skimmed through have followed the "_big toe - 0 - 0 - 0 - little toe"_ pattern.


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## Ærie Descent

I don't know how live this thread still is, but here's my 10 cents:

(in Bulgarian)
thumb = палец
index finger = показалец
middle finger = среден пръст
4. безименен пръст
little finger (pinky) = малък пръст (кутре)

Same for the toes.


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## Blacklack

domkrat said:


> Well, for fingers on the hand we have:
> ...5. мезинец
> 
> So, for the toes I would say:
> 
> ...5. *мезинец* (на ноге)


It's мизинец.


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## texpert

Did I get it right that RU and BG have a "no-name" finger?


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## Russianer

texpert said:


> Did I get it right that RU and BG have a "no-name" finger?


 
In Russian there is a name for a finger: 
А finger is "палец" (палец руки)" in Russian language.

finger= палец (palets) in Russian.
forefinger= указательный палец(ukazatel'nyi palets)
thumb= большой палец (bol'shoy palets)
middle finger= средний палец (sredniy palets)
ring-finger= безымянный палец (bezymyannyi palets)
little finger= мизинец (mizinets)
****************************
A toe = палец ноги (in Russian)
little toe=мизинец ноги.
foot's thumb = большой палец ноги.
foot's middle finger= средний палец ноги.
foot's fourth finger= четвертый палец ноги.
foot's second finger= второй палец ноги.


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## Transatlantic

phosphore said:


> In Serbian, there are "palac (na nozi)" and "mali prst (na nozi)". Other toes are just "prsti (na nozi)", I think.
> 
> For fingers, we have "palac", "kažiprst", "srednji prst" or, in some cases, "srednjak", "domali prst", "mali prst".


 
I think you're right. I'd only ever refer to the big toe (palac) and the pinky toe (mali prst) by using their specific names. 

I guess the next one I'd be tempted to name would be the middle toe (srednji prst). I have no idea how I'd refer to the other toes, but I suspect I might just number them. I guess "domali prst" would not be that bad for the fourth toe, but "kažiprst" would sound extremely silly to me for the index toe. (Btw., I never really say "index toe" in English for similar reasons). 

One thing I'd add is that I'd use "nožni" (the adjective referring to "foot" or "leg") to talk about the toes if I needed to specify that I meant toes, not fingers.


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## phosphore

Right, "nožni prsti" is fine.


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## Ærie Descent

texpert said:


> Did I get it right that RU and BG have a "no-name" finger?



Yes, that's the translation of what the ring-finger is called in Bulgarian.


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## domkrat

Blacklack said:


> It's мизинец.


Oh, it's true. I'm so sorry.


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