Breakdown of Старые образа висели над столом.
стол
table / desk
старый
old
над
above / on (working on something)
висеть
to hang
образ
image / character
Questions & Answers about Старые образа висели над столом.
Why is the plural of образ written here as образа instead of the regular образы?
This is exactly what your current lesson covers: semantic differentiation in plurals. The noun образ has two plural forms with different meanings. Образа specifically refers to religious icons, as in this sentence. The regular plural образы is used for images, forms, or characters in literature.
How does the pronunciation of образа differ from образы?
The stress shifts completely. The plural for icons is pronounced образа́ with the stress on the final -а. The plural for images or literary characters keeps the stress on the first syllable: о́бразы, just like the singular о́браз.
Could we use the verb вешали instead of висели to mean 'hung'?
No, because вешать (to hang) is a transitive verb that requires a direct object, meaning a person is actively placing an object on a wall. Висеть is an intransitive verb that describes the state of the object itself already hanging there. Since the icons are the subject and they are in a static state, you must use висели.
Why is the instrumental case used for над столом?
The preposition над (above or over) always takes the instrumental case to indicate location. Here it describes the static position of where the icons were hanging.
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