Abstract
The book presents a comprehensive analysis of the origin, development and current use of a specific feature of Spoken Czech called prothetic v-. A hypothesis of an early origin of this feature is presented.
Methodological aspects of the research on linguistic variation are focused. From this perspective the previous literature on prothetic v- is critically analyzed.
The main part of the book is concerned with the quantitative reserach on the use of prothetic v- in five Czech cities: Prague, Plzeň, České Budějovice, Hradec Králové and Brno. In this research, variationist sociolinguistic methods are employed and the aim is to uncover which linguistic and social factors influence the use of prothetic v-.
The results point to an on-going decline of prothetic v- both in the regions which are on the border of the area where this feature has been historically used (e.g. Brno) and in the cities in the heart of this area (e.g.
Prague).