# na mnoha místech



## shimon

*Hello friends, I have another question:
na mnoha místech Slovenska = in numerous parts/places of Slovakia
I expected the adjective to be mnoh*ých. thanks for your help


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## winpoj

Na mnohých místech would be OK but the writer chose to use the indefinite numeral "mnoho".


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## bibax

*mnoho míst = mnohá místa*

*mnohá místa* is declined regularly, like dobrá místa;

*mnoho míst* is declined similarly like pět, šest, ... míst;

nom. acc.: *mnoho míst*
dative: *k mnoha místům* .......... instead of *k mnohu míst*
locative: *na mnoha místech* ..... instead of *na mnoze míst*
instr.: *s mnoha místy* .............. instead of *s mnohem míst*

This phenomenon is called _*attraction*_ (atrakce, přitažení) - it is the noun that is declined, the numeral has only one form (mnoha, pěti, ...) in all cases other than nominative/accusative.

The Old Czechs used to say: k mnohu míst, s pětí míst. The numeral was declined (mnoho like město, pět like kost) and the noun was always in gen. plural.


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## bibax

I must warn you, I have a pretty thick book full of such peculiarities and singularities. The title of the book is something like "Grammar of the Czech language".


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## shimon

Mnohé díky, Bibax. These peculiarities are very interesting.


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## shimon

I think I’ve come to a complicated point in the study of čeština and need to resume my conclusion on the base of what I’ve learnt from all of you in this lesson, asking of you whether I’m right or not.
  1) “na mnohých místech” would be ok if I choose to use the adjective “mnohý = numerous”, which follows the regular declension of adjectives, while the governed name follows its own nominal declension:
  Non/Acc mnohá místa, Gen mnohých míst, Dat mnohým místům, Loc na mnohých místech, Instr. s mnohými místy
  2) I might as well choose the indefinite numeral “mnoho” (which has one special form “mnoha” for all case other than Nom and Acc) while the governed noun follows its own nominal declension :
  Nom/Acc mnoho míst, Gen mnoha míst, Dat k mnoha místům, Loc na mnoha místech,  Instr. s mnoha místy
  3) I could consider “mnoho” as a singular neuter noun (like m̌esto) governing the plural genitive of a following noun:
  Nom/Acc mnoho míst, Gen mnoha míst, Dat k mnohu míst, Loc na mnoze míst, Instr. s mnohem míst


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## ilocas2

shimon said:


> I think I’ve come to a complicated point in the study of čeština and need to resume my conclusion on the base of what I’ve learnt from all of you in this lesson, asking of you whether I’m right or not.
> 1) “na mnohých místech” would be ok if I choose to use the adjective “mnohý = numerous”, which follows the regular declension of adjectives, while the governed name follows its own nominal declension:
> Non/Acc mnohá místa, Gen mnohých míst, Dat mnohým místům, Loc na mnohých místech, Instr. s mnohými místy
> 2) I might as well choose the indefinite numeral “mnoho” (which has one special form “mnoha” for all case other than Nom and Acc) while the governed noun follows its own nominal declension :
> Nom/Acc mnoho míst, Gen mnoha míst, Dat k mnoha místům, Loc na mnoha místech,  Instr. s mnoha místy
> 3) I could consider “mnoho” as a singular neuter noun (like m̌esto) governing the plural genitive of a following noun:
> Nom/Acc mnoho míst, Gen mnoha míst, Dat k mnohu míst, Loc na mnoze míst, Instr. s mnohem míst



1) and 2) are correct, 3) is wrong, the word "mnoho" can't be a noun.


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## bibax

The third way is not wrong. We can call it archaic, bookish or obsolete, but certainly not completely wrong.

Mnoho is not a noun, but is declined like město (if we need to decline it).

Maybe it is not a good idea to overload a begginer with too much information but I can't help it.

Examples of the third way (found on the Web):

_Během cesty *na mnoze míst* byly postaveny divadelní dekorace a vesničané byli převlečení vojáci Potěmkinových pluků.

Obrázky jako tento jsou pravděpodobně k vidění *na mnoze mist*.
_


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## werrr

bibax said:


> *mnoho míst = mnohá místa*


I dare to dispute this. There is semantical difference, at least in the frequentative sense.

The variant with *mnohý* is typically used in the sense *any of many*.

Compare:

Mnoho závodníků může zvítězit.
Mnohý závodník může zvítězit.
Mnozí závodníci mohou zvítězit.​
Of course, the difference is negligible in most context and the variant with *mnoho* is universal in the non-literary understanding.



			
				shimon said:
			
		

> I think I’ve come to a complicated point...
> 1) “na mnohých místech” would be ok if I choose to use the adjective “mnohý = numerous”...
> 2) I might as well choose the indefinite numeral “mnoho”...
> 3) I could consider “mnoho” as a singular neuter noun...


4) You can use adverb *mnohde*.


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