Sample English reduplicative compounds on the model of flim-flam and higgledy-piggledy are analyzed for the interplay of formal features (alliteration, vowel alternation, rhyme), semantics (as parts and wholes), and obscure origins. Loans, new coinages, internal realignment, register, and affect are discussed. Inadequacies in earlier lexicographical, especially etymological, treatment are remedied.

The author introduces the Slavonic material leading to the reconstruction of Common Slavonic *gornostajь/*gornostalь‘ermine, Mustela erminea’ and discusses the existing etymological explanations of the word.

The author discusses possible motivations for naming the ermine in Slavonic, adopts and further elaborates on the etymology of Common Slavonic *gornostajь/*gornostalьgiven by Černych (< Indo-European *gher- ‘warm, hot; get warm’), which eventually leads to a new, alternative solution based on the connection with the Indo-European root *erH- ‘blacken, get/be black’.

The paper deals with the word order of reflexive sě, which is an item on the boundary between a pronominal form and a discrete morpheme. In the first part of the study, we investigate the (en)clitic status of sě in eight books of the oldest complete Czech Bible translation. The analysis focuses only on sě that is dependent on a finite verb: it identifies all possible word order positions of sě in a clause and interprets them in the light of the main competing positions of Czech (en)clitics during the development of the language: 1. the postinitial position, i.e. when an (en)clitic is located after first word/phrase; 2. the contact (verb-adjacent) position, i.e. when an (en)clitic is located immediately before (preverbal position) or after (postverbal position) its syntactically or morphologically superordinate item.

In this part of the paper, the distribution of clause positions of the reflexive pronoun sě is analyzed statistically. Specifically, the impact of both stylistic factors and the length of the element in the initial position are investigated. The authors also discuss the possible influence of the word order of the Latin pretext (the Vulgate) on the Old Czech translation.

This paper examines Cicero’s use and introduction of direct speech in nine selected letters to Atticus. It shows that despite the informal traits found in the letters, Cicero is not innovative in his choice of means to introduce direct speech. The paper also notes transitional zones on the margin of the domain of direct speech and the interplay of intervening voices. In this way, it contributes to improving the knowledge of direct speech in classical Latin, which is a necessary starting point for research into its development. The analysis is divided into two parts. This part is aimed at the theoretical background, use and introduction of direct speech in the letters to Atticus.

This paper examines Cicero’s use and introduction of direct speech in nine selected letters to Atticus. It shows that despite the informal traits found in the letters, Cicero is not innovative in his choice of means to introduce direct speech. The paper also notes transitional zones on the margin of the domain of direct speech and the interplay of intervening voices. In this way, it contributes to improving the knowledge of direct speech in classical Latin, which is a necessary starting point for research into its development. The analysis is divided into two parts. This part is aimed at the examination of indirect speech, mixed quotations and the interplay between different voices present in the selected letters.

The present article deals with the Tajik language used in modern public inscriptions (sign-boards, sign-posts, billboard advertisements, political banners, etc.) documented in about 400 photographs taken in Tajikistan by various individuals in recent years. Some sociolinguistic problems are discussed (especially in the case of multilingual inscriptions) as well as morphology, vocabulary, word-formation and syntax of the texts in question.