Big animals and small beers
Hello and welcome to another edition of SoundCzech – Radio Prague’s Czech language course in which you can learn new phrases with the help of song lyrics. Today’s piece is from the musical Les Miserables and is one you’’ll probably recognize – Master of the House.
In Czech the literal translation of master of the house would be “pán domu” but in this case the phrase used is -the boss –or “šéf” simply because it rhymes better. The expression “šéf” comes from the English word chief and is used very often in colloquial speech. The formal expression is “vedoucí” meaning head or “ředitel” meaning director. “Šéf” is a very broad expression that denotes anyone above you in the workplace hierarchy –be he the head of a bakery or an important institution.
There are special terms used for politicians in leading posts – in other words for big shots. Some of them are labeled “papaláše”– a derogative term, dating back to the communist days, used to describe greedy bosses who abuse their power and position. Another expression you may hear to describe a big shot is “velký zvíře”– or big animal. Or else, “pan Někdo”– which translates as Mr. Somebody. As oppsed to “pan Nikdo” - Mr. Nobody. Out on a walk-about during the first term of his presidency, President Klaus once chastised a woman from the crowd who said she was so happy he’d stopped to talk to her, even if she was a nobody. Mr. Klaus frowned and proceeded to give her a self-confidence pep talk.
People who are at the other end of the scale from the big shots are the little people – the small fry – or the nobodies as the woman described herself. In Czech, if you want to say you do not have the clout to arrange something you say “na to jsem malej pán”– I am too small a master for that. A very quaint expression for small fry is “malé pivo” meaning small beer – but then, what else would you expect in the Czech Republic? If someone says “Já nejsem žádný malý pivo”– they are saying I am no small beer –no small fry –take me seriously.
Small fries at work are called “poskoci” derived from the word skok–meaning jump. A “poskok” is a person who jumps to orders and runs errands for everyone. Or else you can call them a “podržtaška” an expression meaning “hold bag” - in other words - a person who holds other peoples bags while they do business. And that’s all we have time for today. I hope today’s lesson helps you find your way around the Czech workplace – and that your boss is not an arrogant “papaláš”. This is Daniela Lazarová saying thanks for learning Czech with me and na shledanou.
