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Glite Dictionary
Church Slavic language

Church Slavic language

9.9
A Slavic language used in Orthodox church services, based on Old Church Slavonic from the 9th century
  • noun
  • Literature
translation icon : eslavo eclesiástico
  • The Church Slavic language is still used in many Orthodox services.

Examples

  • The liturgy was conducted entirely in Church Slavic language.

  • Many ancient manuscripts are written in Church Slavic language.

  • Scholars study the Church Slavic language to understand the origins of Slavic textual tradition.

  • Many scholars study the Church Slavic language for its historical significance.

  • Scholars study the Church Slavic language to understand the origins of Slavic textual tradition.

  • The liturgy was conducted entirely in Church Slavic language.

  • Many scholars study the Church Slavic language for its historical significance.

Synonyms

Church Slavic
vsChurch Slavic language
  • Literature
9.9

A literary Slavic language that Orthodox churches use for worship and Bible translation

is based on the ninth century Bible translation that formed its original model
Old Church Slavic
vsChurch Slavic language
  • Literature
9.9

An old written Slavic language used to translate the Bible for early Christians in the ninth century

is a liturgical form later shaped from that early ninth century version
Old Church Slavonic
vsChurch Slavic language
  • Literature
9.9

An early Slavic language used in the ninth century to translate the Bible and other church texts

is the liturgical language used in worship later based on those translations
Old Bulgarian
vsChurch Slavic language
  • Literature
9.9

A very old Slavic language used in the 9th–11th centuries for early Bible translations

is the liturgical form tied directly to the ninth century translation
Old Bulgarian language
vsChurch Slavic language
  • Literature
9.9

A first Slavic written language used to translate the Bible and church texts in the Middle Ages

is used specifically in Orthodox worship rather than general community language

Surface Forms

Church Slavic language singular
Church Slavic languages plural

Morphology

church + Slavic + language

The phrase is a direct combination of 'church' (religious institution) + 'Slavic' (relating to Slavic peoples) + 'language', which a B1 learner would naturally interpret as a Slavic language associated with church use. The specialised historical detail (Old Church Slavonic origin) is additional background, but the core meaning 'the Slavic language used in church/liturgy' is compositionally derivable from the constituents.

Etymology

Church Slavic language comes from the 9th century, when the Bible was put into an early Slavic so people could hear it in church. Because that language was used in 'church services' for many centuries, the name now means the special Slavic language used in Orthodox churches.