# posvátno



## slavicist89

Dear all,

I'm a little stuck with the word 'posvátno', as the Czech dictionary ABZ.cz offers the definition 'jádro všech náboženství', but I can't think of an equivalent in English for this! The context is Halík's speech, 'Katolická církev v České Republice po roce 1989', where he is discussing how current research claiming that the Czech Republic is a highly 'atheist' country in fact only explores a certain type of faith. Here is the sentence and my guess at a translation of it:

"Nezjišťují ony výzkumy pouze identifikaci s církví a s tradiční církevní formou religiozity jakožto - sáhneme-li ke klasické definici Durkheimově - souboru ritů a přesvědčení, *vztahujících se k posvátnu*? Nemáme se ptát ještě po jiné oblasti "spirituality" a "religiozity" české společnosti, jež zdaleka nemusí být identická s tím, co zpravidla zkoumá klasická sociologie náboženství?"


"Do those surveys not merely explore identification with the Church and the traditional form of religion specific to the Church, such as (if we go by Durkheim’s classic definition) a collection of beliefs and practices *relating to the sacred*? Shouldn’t we inquire about other elements of Czech ‘spirituality’ and ‘religiosity’ which do not by any means have to be the same as what is usually investigated by classical religious sociology?"


Do you think 'sacred' is a suitable translation here? I have also come across the word in other phrases on Google, such as 'Cesta k posvátnu'; 'Bádání v posvátnu' - do you think this definition would fit these instances, too?

 Thank you in advance,

Slavicist89


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## werrr

Not bad translation at all.

You may try also nouns like *sanctity, sacredness* or *reverentiality*.


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## Provensalstinar

"Posvátno" means something like "sacred area of life". English translation of Durkheim's _The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life_, uses these words. 

"A religion is a unified system of beliefs and practices relative* to sacred things*, i.e., things set apart and forbidden--beliefs and practices which unite in one single moral community called a Church, all those who adhere to them."

Your translation "the sacred" is very good.


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## morior_invictus

Hi slavicist,
*
Posvátno* (_Greek_ hágios, _Hebr._ kádoš / qodesh, _Lat._ sacer) = the Sacred (Nathan Söderblom - author of this theory) = the Holy (Rudolf Otto) = "likeness of nature with the Lord" - the ineffable core of religion.  

Your translation is not very good - it`s perfect!


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## slavicist89

Thank you, all three of you, for your valuable advice! That helps me a lot. All best wishes, Slavicist.


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