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Ethnologue: Languages of the World
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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Europe > Slovenia > Slovene

Slovene

A language of Slovenia

ISO 639-3: slv

Population  1,730,000 in Slovenia (1991 census). Population total all countries: 1,909,050.
Region  Carniola, south Styria and Carinthia. Lower Carniola in Dolenjsko; Upper Carniola in Gorenjska; Primorski in West Slovenia; Stajerski in Styria. Also in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Canada, Croatia, Hungary, Italy, Serbia, United States.
Alternate names   Slovenian, Slovenscina
Dialects  Lower Carniola, Upper Carniola, Stajerski, Primorski, Prekmurski. The literary dialect between the 2 main dialects, based on Dolenjsko. Dialects diverse.
Classification  Indo-European, Slavic, South, Western
Language use  National language.
Language development  Fully developed. Bible: 1584–1996.
Writing system  Latin script.
Comments  SVO.

Also spoken in:

Austria

Language name   Slovene
Population  18,000 in Austria (2001 census).
Region  Southwest, Carinthia (Kärnten) and Steiermark (Styria).
Alternate names  Slovenian, “Windisch”
Language use  Official regional language in southern Carinthia. Some speak Standard Slovene well; some use it only in church. Most do not consider themselves Slovenians, but Carinthians, belonging to the German culture. Also use Standard German.
Comments  Separated by the Karawanken Mountains from the larger group of Slovenes in Slovenia. Formerly called “Windisch” pejoratively, an archaic form of Slovene, heavily influenced by German. Some use dialects; others are losing dialect knowledge. Many speakers go to church, where they hear Standard Slovene.
 

Hungary

Language name   Slovene
Population  3,190 in Hungary (2001 census).
Region  Near Slovenia border.
Alternate names  Slovenian
Dialects  Prekmurski.
Language development  Taught in primary and secondary schools.
 

Italy

Language name   Slovene
Population  100,000 in Italy (Vincent 1987).
Region  Northeast, Trieste and Gorizia provinces near Slovenia border.
Alternate names  Slovenian
Dialects  Primorski, Cividale, Resia.
Language use  Official language.
Language development  Slovene schools.