Letter Ů
There are two ways in Czech to write long : ú or ů.
Historically, long /ú/ changed into the diphthong /ou/ . In 1848 ou at the beginning of word-roots was changed into ú in words like ouřad. Thus, the letter ú is written at the beginning of words and word-roots only: úhel (angle), trojúhelník (triangle), except in loanwords: skútr (scooter).
Long /ó/ changed into the diphthong /uo/ . The letter o in the diphthong was sometimes written as a ring above the letter u: ů, e.g. kóň > kuoň > kůň (horse). Later, the pronunciation changed into but the grapheme /ů/ has remained. It is similar to German orthography change from ue into ü. It never occurs at the beginning of words: dům (house), domů (home, homeward).
Read more about this topic: Czech Orthography, Principles
Famous quotes containing the word letter:
“And the one bird singing alone to his nest,
And the one star over the tower.
I thought of our little quarrels and strife,
And the letter that brought me back my ring;
And it all seem’d then, in the waste of life,”
—“Owen” “Meredith” (1831–1891)