MessageI had read in various books that Czech had words without vowels
particularly those with an /r/, and that /r/ in them played the part of a
vowel. This is not true.
I was in Prague recently and, without knowing Czech, I listened to people
talking. I never had the impression they had words with /r/ as a vowel. In
order to ascertain my point, however, I needed some document everybody could
consult.
Fortunately I found this site: www.locallingo.com/countries/czech_republic/
language/lessons/
Go to the tongue-twister section, and listen to the first one: "Stick your
finger through your throat." whatever that means.
It is spelled: <Strc prst skrz krk.> [The <c> of <strc> has a chevron: /tS/
and is the equivalent of Eng. <ch> as in <church>.]
Now, if you listen to the speaker you will notice that each of these four
words had the vowel schwa, and that each schwa is predictable: