Slovene language

Brižinski_spomeniki_3

Dialects

Slovenian_vowel_chart

Jozef_Nahtigal_tombstone_in_Dobrova_Slovenia

== Slovene Language ==

The Slovene language, also known as Slovenian (slovenski jezik or slovenščina), is a South Slavic language spoken by approximately 2.5 million people, primarily in Slovenia, where it is the official language. It is one of the 24 official and working languages of the European Union.

History[edit | edit source]

The Slovene language has a rich history that dates back to the 9th century. The earliest known written records in Slovene are the Freising manuscripts, which are religious texts written in the Latin alphabet around the year 1000. The development of the language was significantly influenced by the Reformation, during which Primož Trubar published the first Slovene books in the 16th century.

Dialects[edit | edit source]

Slovene is known for its diverse dialects, which are divided into approximately 50 distinct dialects grouped into seven main dialect groups: Carinthian, Upper Carniolan, Lower Carniolan, Littoral, Rovte, Styrian, and Pannonian.

Phonology[edit | edit source]

Slovene phonology includes a range of vowel and consonant sounds. It has a distinctive pitch accent system, which is a feature shared with some other South Slavic languages. The language has six vowel phonemes and a variety of consonant phonemes, including palatalization.

Grammar[edit | edit source]

Slovene grammar is characterized by a complex system of inflection. It has three grammatical genders (masculine, feminine, and neuter), six cases (nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, locative, and instrumental), and three numbers (singular, dual, and plural). The dual form is a notable feature that is preserved in Slovene but has been lost in most other Slavic languages.

Writing System[edit | edit source]

The Slovene language uses the Latin alphabet, with 25 letters. The alphabet includes the standard 26 letters of the Latin script, minus the letter 'w', and includes the additional letters 'č', 'š', and 'ž'.

Literature[edit | edit source]

Slovene literature has a long tradition, with notable authors such as France Prešeren, who is considered the greatest Slovene poet. His work "Zdravljica" is the national anthem of Slovenia. Other significant authors include Ivan Cankar, Josip Jurčič, and Srečko Kosovel.