False Friends in Slavic Languages

• is a complete false friend in Bosnian, Croatian, Macedonian, Polish, Slovenian and Serbian.
• is a true friend in Czech.
• has additional meanings in Bulgarian and Russian.

• The Slovak meaning ‘matter’ is shared by Bulgarian вещ, Czech věc and Russian вещь.
• The meaning ‘message’ (not present in Slovak ‘vec’, translated as ‘správa’) is attested in Polish wieść.
• The meaning ‘thing’ (not present in Slovak ‘vec’) is attested in Russian вещь.
• The meaning ‘clever’ (not present in Slovak ‘vec’, translated as ‘šikovný’) is attested in Bosnian vješt, Croatian vješt, Macedonian вешт, Serbian вешт and Slovenian vešč.
• The meaning ‘skilful’ (not present in Slovak ‘vec’) is attested in Bulgarian вещ and Macedonian вешт.

NB: No information yet for Belarusian, Kashubian, Lower Sorbian, Upper Sorbian and Ukrainian.