# Croatian (BCS): bako



## Oletta

Hello everyone,

What is the meaning of the word *bako *where it is refered to in the Croatian Language Corpus (http://riznica.ihjj.hr/philologic/RiznicaWlistB.html)http://riznica.ihjj.hr/philologic/RiznicaWlist? Here  are some examples from the Corpus:

1.  Natrag, *bako*!
2. Dè,* bako*, sad ću ja!
3.  «Daj u ime božjeg dara,
*Bako*, meni prenoćiti!
4. Hajdete vi, *bako*, kući i prodjite me se s tom vašom diobom...
5. E, *bako* moja, možete ići kući, od diobe ne ima ništa, kad niesu sve stranke došle.
6.    *Bako* moja pogrbljena ...
7.  "Hoćete li, *bako*, kupiti luči?"- pita djevojče.
8. "Ne budali,*bako*!"- odgovori Stribor,- "otkud bi ti za svoga sina znala?

etc...

Thank you in advance!


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## TriglavNationalPark

My Croatian skills are limited, but I believe this is the vocative form of "baka" (grandmother).


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## WannaBeMe

Yes, "bako" is vocative of "baka" (grandma)


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## Oletta

Hmm, does it only refer to a grandmother?


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## TriglavNationalPark

Oletta said:


> Hmm, does it only refer to a grandmother?


 
I believe "baka" can sometimes refer to other elderly women (depending on the context), just like the word "granny" in English.


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## Oletta

Thank you TriglavNationalPark


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## Athaulf

TriglavNationalPark said:


> I believe "baka" can sometimes refer to other elderly women (depending on the context), just like the word "granny" in English.



True, but it would be unusual (and possibly impolite) to call a woman _"bako"_ unless she's actually your grandmother. There could be some exceptions -- for example, an old woman might acquire the nickname _baka_ in her neighborhood or extended family, and she might like everyone to call her like that. Still, if you hear someone saying _"bako"_ to a woman, it will nearly always be her grandkids.


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## slavic_one

Athaulf said:


> True, but it would be unusual (and possibly impolite) to call a woman _"bako"_ unless she's actually your grandmother. There could be some exceptions -- for example, an old woman might acquire the nickname _baka_ in her neighborhood or extended family, and she might like everyone to call her like that. Still, if you hear someone saying _"bako"_ to a woman, it will nearly always be her grandkids.



Wouldn't agree with you. You can freely call an really old women "baka".


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## Oletta

slavic_one said:


> Wouldn't agree with you. You can freely call an really old women "baka".


 Could you give me an example of the proper context, in vocative, please?


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## whitelilyfairy

I'm with slavic_one. 
Bako, biste li se molim Vas pomaknuli? (Bako, could you please move over?) If granny is standing in your way for example.


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## Athaulf

slavic_one said:


> Wouldn't agree with you. You can freely call an really old women "baka".





whitelilyfairy said:


> i'm with slavic_one.
> bako, biste li se molim Vas pomaknuli? (bako, could you please move over?) *if granny is standing in your way for example*



You're right, it is sometimes used like that. Still, I feel like it might sound too familiar and patronizing if I addressed a random old woman like that. Also, it should be emphasized that the use of _baka_ varies across different regions of Croatia; in some places, people use totally different words even for their own grandmas.

I'm really curious about this: would you ever use _bako_ to address a random old lady who looks affluent, elegant, and well-educated? Or would you use it just for folkish-looking grannies?


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## dihydrogen monoxide

I would agree with Athaulf's post #7. There is a synonym for baka, which is baba. Baba to Croatian speakers is rather a strange way to call someone's grandmother. Its meaning is pejorative term for a woman. But in Bosnia it's completely normal to use baba for grandmother.


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## shifter78

Wow, this is interesting for me. In Slovak we have for old man:


> _báčik_ -a, _báči_ -ho m. ‹maď < slovan› zastaráv. uj(k)o


which came from Hungarian and into Hungarian from a slavic language according to the dictionary. Most probably it came from south slavic via dimminutive of Bako -> bačik and on the way changed the gender (because Hungarians confuse genders, they do not have them).
Old woman is babka.


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## Oletta

shifter78 said:


> Wow, this is interesting for me. In Slovak we have for old man:
> which came from Hungarian and into Hungarian from a slavic language according to the dictionary. Most probably it came from south slavic via dimminutive of Bako -> bačik and on the way changed the gender (because Hungarians confuse genders, they do not have them).
> Old woman is babka.


That's also interesting for me. Thank you. Could you give me the author and title of this dictionary please?

Pozdrav,
Oletta


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## slavic_one

Oletta said:


> Could you give me an example of the proper context, in vocative, please?



Any example that you want! 
e.g. the one whitelilyfairy gave, but really anything..
Bako, kako je danas? or Bako, znate li put do tu i tu..?


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