THE RELATION «VILLAGE–TOWN» IN SLOVAKIA TODAY

At present the relationship between towns and villages in Slovakia is characterised by considerable differentiation processes which are conditioned both socially and territorially. Following the changes concerning the spheres of policy, society and economy there have also occurred distinctive social changes connected with the reduction of jobs as well as the changes of ownership of agricultural land and production technology. These social and economic changes which have had their impact above all upon the central and eastern regions of Slovakia, are also related to changes in the social structure of the inhabitants in towns and villages and their economic dependence. Increased unemployment and going abroad in search of work are also reflected in the social situation of the inhabitants and in the linguistic changes — the language-internal mutual influence of the original areas of dialects and the cross-linguistic influence — the penetration of words of foreign origin into the Slovak language, which is also connected with the processes of integration into European structures.