EN
Drawing on an analysis of 70,000 verse lines by twelve selected authors, the study attempts to analyze the context in which violations of the metrical norm in 19th-century Czech syllabotonic (i.e. accentual-syllabic) trochee and iamb occur. First, basic information concerning Czech quantity and stress is provided; next, attention is turned to the history of 19th-century Czech verse, especially with regard to the prosodic struggles between the supporters of syllabotonic and quantitative versification. The main aim is to examine whether the violation of a metrical norm may result in compensation for this violation, either by quantity or a prepositional phrase. The study demonstrates that: i) the distribution of long syllables in n-syllable units of 19th-century Czech verse is not accidental, ii) the violation of a metrical norm is compensated for by quantity or a preposition; iii) the preference for a specific compensation type depends on additional factors, e.g. the author’s style or the historical context, i.e. on an overall tolerance for the frequency of violation of the metrical norm.