False Friends in Slavic Languages

• is a complete false friend in Bosnian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Serbian and Upper Sorbian.
• is a true friend in Ukrainian.
• has additional meanings in Polish and Russian.

• The Belarusian meaning ‘stale’ is shared by Polish czerstwy, Russian чёрствый and Ukrainian черствий.
• The meaning ‘fresh’ (not present in Belarusian ‘чэрствы’) is attested in Czech čerstvý, Polish czerstwy, Slovak čerstvý and Upper Sorbian čerstwy.
• The meaning ‘sturdy’ (not present in Belarusian ‘чэрствы’) is attested in Bosnian čvrst, Croatian čvrst and Serbian чврст.
• The meaning ‘hard, dry’ (not present in Belarusian ‘чэрствы’) is attested in Russian чёрствый.
• The meaning ‘dry pastries’ (not present in Belarusian ‘чэрствы’) is attested in Polish czerstwy.
• The meaning ‘nimble’ (not present in Belarusian ‘чэрствы’) is attested in Bulgarian чевръст.

NB: No information yet for Kashubian, Macedonian, Slovenian and Lower Sorbian.