What a bash it'll be...
Welcome to SoundCzech, our Czech-language series through music. In this edition: slang used by young people to describe partying, slang any person in their late teens or early twenties who has ever gone clubbing or to a party in Prague will have used or come across. The song is by popular hip hop group Gipsy.cz.
The word "mela" means a row: a "mela" can be a whirlwind of a fight as in bar-room brawl. The word was even used in the translation of the title of the film Kung Fu Hustle, which in Czech they called Kung Fu Mela. The sense that Gipsy.cz or others use it though means a blast of a party or a bash or a beano. It can have somewhat negative connotations, the same way that after every heavy party one can expect a hangover. The word "mela" is actually rather archaic, not used all that often, but a similar popular expression also used in the song by Gipsy.cz means pretty much the same: "to bude maso". "Maso", as you may know, is the Czech word for meat, and what it means is that something is going to be very heavy, perhaps a bit of a slaughter. Don't be surprised to hear teens on the tram or bus laugh and jostle each other in anticipation of a big night: "To bude maso" is quite common.
A similar, even more popular slang word is "nářez", the root of which means "to saw", as in wood (rezat), but is also slang for a "thrashing", "nařezat". If you say "to bude nářez" it means you're preparing for a fun night. But it can also be used in a negative sense in everyday life: if something doesn't turn out the way you expected, you flunk a high school or university exam, make a mess of at a job interview, or fail your driving test.
In such a situation you might sigh and tell your friends or girlfriend "to byl teda nářez" - that was really bad, I really took a beating.
Regarding partying, a successful night might be fondly remembered as "to byla pařba" what a party that was, what a binge! "Pařit" is slang for boozing, and "jdeme pařit" - "let's go drinking" is a familiar invitation among friends who've known each other for a long time. You probably won't say it to your mother-in-law, but can to close friends.
Gipsy.cz also sing about the negative consequences of such evenings, not without wryness and humor: "to bude maso" is after all a figurative massacre. The band will grab its instruments and play all night but tomorrow, Gipsy.cz sing, tomorrow will be worse....
The episode featured today was first broadcast on November 10, 2007.
