The keyword phrase "holiday 17 november" functions grammatically as a noun phrase. In this construction, the word "holiday" serves as the head noun, which establishes the core subject. The date "17 november" acts as a post-nominal modifier, a specific adjectival element that clarifies and defines which particular holiday is the topic of discussion.
This date specifically refers to the Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day, a public holiday in both the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The observance commemorates two distinct and pivotal events in the nations' histories. The first occurred in 1939, when a student demonstration against Nazi occupation led to the storming of universities, the execution of student leaders, and the internment of over 1,200 students in concentration camps. The second event took place on the same date in 1989, when a student-led demonstration against the communist regime was violently suppressed, sparking the citizen-led protests that became the Velvet Revolution and led to the collapse of one-party rule.
Recognizing the term as a noun phrase is crucial for its syntactical use and semantic interpretation. As a complete nominal unit, it can function as a subject, object, or complement within a larger sentence, allowing it to be the central focus of analysis. This grammatical structure supports its role in identifying and exploring a specific, historically significant national observance, connecting the linguistic form directly to its profound cultural and political meaning.
