лях

See also: ля̄х

Russian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [lʲax]

Etymology 1

Inherited from Old East Slavic лѧхъ (lęxŭ), from Proto-Slavic *lęxъ, from *lęděninъ.

Noun

лях • (ljax) m anim (genitive ля́ха, nominative plural ля́хи, genitive plural ля́хов, feminine ля́шка)

1. (historical, now sometimes slightly derogatory or ironic, ethnic slur) Pole, Polish man, Polack

   Synonym: (regular term) поля́к (polják)

   • (Can we date this quote?), “Preobrazhensky Regiment March”, anonymous lyricist, anonymous composer:

     Славны были наши деды,
     Помнят их и швед, и лях!

     Slavny byli naši dedy,
     Pomnjat ix i šved, i ljax!

     Our forefathers are glorious:
     The Swedes and Poles remember them!

Declension

Declension of лях (anim masc-form velar-stem accent-a) 

	singular	plural
nominative	ля́х ljáx	ля́хи ljáxi
genitive	ля́ха ljáxa	ля́хов ljáxov
dative	ля́ху ljáxu	ля́хам ljáxam
accusative	ля́ха ljáxa	ля́хов ljáxov
instrumental	ля́хом ljáxom	ля́хами ljáxami
prepositional	ля́хе ljáxe	ля́хах ljáxax

Descendants

• → Armeno-Kipchak: լեհ (leh), լեխ (lex, “Pole”), Լեհ (Leh, “Poland”)
• → Karaim: leh / лех (“Pole”)
• → Crimean Tatar: Leh / Лех (“Poland”)

Further reading

• Vasmer, Max (1964–1973) “лях”, in Oleg Trubachyov, transl., Этимологический словарь русского языка [Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language] (in Russian), Moscow: Progress

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

ля́х • (ljáx) f inan

1. genitive plural of ля́ха (ljáxa)

Ukrainian

Etymology

Inherited from Old Ruthenian лѧхъ (ljax), from Old East Slavic лѧхъ (lęxŭ), from Proto-Slavic *lęxъ, from *lęděninъ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [lʲax]

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

лях • (ljax) m pers (genitive ля́ха, nominative plural ля́хи, genitive plural ля́хів, feminine ля́шка, diminutive ляшо́к)

1. (historical, now sometimes slightly derogatory or ironic) Pole, Polish man, Polack

   Synonym: (regular term) поля́к (polják)

Declension

Declension of лях (pers velar masc-form accent-a)

	singular	plural
nominative	лях ljax	ля́хи ljáxy
genitive	ля́ха ljáxa	ля́хів ljáxiv
dative	ля́хові, ля́ху ljáxovi, ljáxu	ля́хам ljáxam
accusative	ля́ха ljáxa	ля́хів ljáxiv
instrumental	ля́хом ljáxom	ля́хами ljáxamy
locative	ля́хові, ля́ху ljáxovi, ljáxu	ля́хах ljáxax
vocative	ля́ше ljáše	ля́хи ljáxy

Further reading

• Bilodid, I. K., editor (1970–1980), “лях”, in Словник української мови: в 11 т. [Dictionary of the Ukrainian Language: in 11 vols] (in Ukrainian), Kyiv: Naukova Dumka
• Shyrokov, V. A., editor (2010–2023), “лях”, in Словник української мови: у 20 т. [Dictionary of the Ukrainian Language: in 20 vols] (in Ukrainian), volumes 1–14 (а – префере́нція), Kyiv: Naukova Dumka; Ukrainian Lingua-Information Fund, →ISBN