I was on a website and found the phrase "jsem z toho jelen". But when they pronounced the phrase it was somthing like toy sem sta-hoy-yelen. Is this talking about the same phrase because is sounds completely different than it is written. It supposed to be "like a deer in the headlights", or I am like a deer. Any insight? :?
Hi Bradley, The phonetic transcription of the phrase as you put it is about right. It's just that the syllables are broken differently (not a big deal) and the third vowel is actually to be 'o', not 'a'. Czech spelling is supposed to be pretty much phonetic, but 'j' in Czech corresponds to /y/ in English and spelled isolated, 'z' (preposition) does really sound more like /s/. In Josef Fronek's Czech English dictionary, edited in Britain, this phrase is translated as 'I am completely (OR totally) at sixes and sevens over this'... Jirka
"jsem z toho jelen" looks different from "sem sto-hoy-yelen" because Czech has another pronunciation of letters than English
= to jsem z toho jelen, i.e. I am confused (literally, it makes a deer out of me, it turns me to a deer)
Thanks to all for your help. I will use it frequently in my Czech lesson I am having tonight. Pozdrov Pan Buh
Aha, so that's ok (I'm 23 and don't beleive in god like about 60 % people in the Czech Republic). EDIT: Please add in your Profile / Location the country name since I had to google to find out "Racine, Wi" is "The City of Racine - Wisconsin - USA"
