Abstrakt
There are about 1700 place names (in the area of Bohemia) containing the words draha. In many cases the word functions as a name on its own (Draha) or it can be specified by a preposition (e.g.
Za drahy). There are also many forms which are derived from the original forms (e.g. dražka, dražičky).
The word "draha" has got several meanings, as for examle 'a piece of land owned by the village, i.e. in common use, where people can graze their animals", or "fallow land used as a pasture", "barrens", or "a narrow strip of land between fields used to take the cattle to the grazing area". The word "dráha" (about 800 place names") means "a long and narrow path or road, or a piece of land of this shape"; "railroad".
Both words originate from Proto-Slavic word "draga" (road), which in turn comes from Proto-Indoeuropean *dʰreǵ (to pull). The aim is to show how language users interpret these place names (usually on the basis of other, similar sounding words, e.g. expensive "drahý", or auction sale "dražba") and to look into the relation between the original (etymologic) meaning of the words and the meaning ascribed to them by people (folk etymological).