An empirical research, conducted by the author among university students and the working population in Prague at the beginning of 1999, showed that second person singular address forms are gradually spreading at the expense of second person plural address forms among young Czechs, especially university students. The number of various social groups whose members use second person singular address forms as a mark of fellowship is growing. The confusion and uncertainty in choosing address forms which were observed in the interviewed Czech speakers can also be interpreted as a signal of oncoming changes in address forms usage in contemporary Czech.
Many respondents found it difficult to address persons of their age by second person plural address forms as well as use second person singular forms when addressing (significantly) older people, even when offered second person singular terms by the older speaker. Plural address forms between schoolmates or workmates of the same age are widely perceived as an unnecessary barrier between communication partners. On the other hand, the usage of reciprocal plural address forms in a formal, office environment is unanimously perceived as most appropriate.