Slovenian dialects
Encyclopedia
Slovene dialects are the regional spoken varieties of Slovene, a South Slavic language. Spoken Slovene is often considered to have at least 48 dialect
s (narečja) and subdialects (govori). The exact number of dialects is open to debate, ranging from as many as 50 to merely 7. Slovene dialects are part of the South Slavic dialect continuum
, linked with Croatian
to the south and bordering Friulian
and Italian
to the west, German
to the north, and Hungarian
to the east.
in the early 19th century, followed by Jan Niecisław Baudouin de Courtenay (focusing on Resia
, Venetian Slovenia
, Cerkno
, and Bled
), Karel Štrekelj (focusing on the Karst
), and Ivan Scheinig (focusing on Carinthia
). This was followed by efforts by Ivan Grafenauer
(Gail Valley), Josip Tominšek (Savinja Valley
), and others. Efforts before the Second World War were spearheaded by Lucien Tesnière
, Fran Ramovš, and Aleksander Isachenko, and after the war by Tine Logar
and Jakob Rigler. Eventually, the classification proposed by Fran Ramovš was accepted with corrections and additions by Tine Logar
and Jakob Rigler, published in 1983 as the Karta slovenskih narečij (Map of Slovenian Dialects).
es. Linguistic factors include language contact
with non-Slavic languages to some extent, phonological
and prosodic
elements in particular, and to a lesser extent word-formational, lexical
, and inflectional
elements. Specifically, the primary distinguishing linguistic features are 1) preservation or loss of pitch accent
, 2) reflexes of nasal *ę, nasal *ǫ, jat, and the yer
s, and 3) (to a lesser extent) vowel inventory, diphthongization, and degree and type of vowel reduction.
, and Jakob Rigler (from which the first Slovene term listed in parentheses is taken) and other sources.
The various dialects are so different from each other that a speaker of one dialect may have a very difficult time understanding a speaker of another, particularly if they belong to different regional groups. In such communication, standard Slovene is used per convention.
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
s (narečja) and subdialects (govori). The exact number of dialects is open to debate, ranging from as many as 50 to merely 7. Slovene dialects are part of the South Slavic dialect continuum
Dialect continuum
A dialect continuum, or dialect area, was defined by Leonard Bloomfield as a range of dialects spoken across some geographical area that differ only slightly between neighboring areas, but as one travels in any direction, these differences accumulate such that speakers from opposite ends of the...
, linked with Croatian
Croatian language
Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...
to the south and bordering Friulian
Friulian language
Friulan , is a Romance language belonging to the Rhaeto-Romance family, spoken in the Friuli region of northeastern Italy. Friulan has around 800,000 speakers, the vast majority of whom also speak Italian...
and Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
to the west, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
to the north, and Hungarian
Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
to the east.
History of classification
The first attempts to classify Slovenian dialects were made by Izmail SreznevskyIzmail Sreznevsky
Izmail Ivanovich Sreznevsky was a towering figure in 19th-century Slavic studies.His father, Ivan Sreznevsky, was a prolific translator of Latin poetry who taught at the Demidov Lyceum in Yaroslavl before moving to Kharkov University. It was in Kharkov that Sreznevsky graduated in philology and...
in the early 19th century, followed by Jan Niecisław Baudouin de Courtenay (focusing on Resia
Resia
Resia is a comune in the Province of Udine in the Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. It is located in the Alpine valley with the same name, about 90 km northwest of Trieste and about 35 km north of Udine, on the border with Slovenia and around 20 km from the border with Austria...
, Venetian Slovenia
Venetian Slovenia
Venetian Slovenia is a small mountainous region in northeastern Italy . Most of the region is located in the Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, in the area between the towns of Cividale del Friuli, Tarcento and Gemona ....
, Cerkno
Cerkno
Cerkno is a small town and a municipality in the Littoral region of Slovenia.It has around 2,000 inhabitants and is the administrative centre of the Cerkno hills...
, and Bled
Bled
Bled is a municipality in northwestern Slovenia in the region of Upper Carniola. The area, within the Julian Alps, is a popular tourist destination.-History:...
), Karel Štrekelj (focusing on the Karst
KARST
Kilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
), and Ivan Scheinig (focusing on Carinthia
Carinthia
Carinthia may refer to:*Carinthia , a state of the Republic of Austria*Slovenian Carinthia, a traditional region of Slovenia*Koroška statistical region, the statistical region of Slovenia*March of Carinthia, in the Holy Roman Empire...
). This was followed by efforts by Ivan Grafenauer
Ivan Grafenauer
Ivan Grafenauer was a Slovenian literary historian and ethnologist of Carinthian Slovene origin.He was born in the village of Micheldorf near Hermagor in Carinthia, now part of Austria. At that time, Micheldorf was the westernmost Slovene-inhabited village, not only in Carinthia, but in all the...
(Gail Valley), Josip Tominšek (Savinja Valley
Savinja
The Savinja is a river in northeast Slovenia which flows mostly in the Upper and Lower Savinja valley and through the cities of Celje and Laško. The Savinja is the main river of the Savinja Alps . It flows into Sava River at the town of Zidani Most. It has often flooded, such as in the 1960s,...
), and others. Efforts before the Second World War were spearheaded by Lucien Tesnière
Lucien Tesnière
Lucien Tesnière was one of the most prominent and influential French linguists.Tesnière was born in Mont-Saint-Aignan on May 13, 1893...
, Fran Ramovš, and Aleksander Isachenko, and after the war by Tine Logar
Tine Logar
Tine Logar, also known as Valentin Logar was a Slovenian historical linguist, dialectologist, and university professor...
and Jakob Rigler. Eventually, the classification proposed by Fran Ramovš was accepted with corrections and additions by Tine Logar
Tine Logar
Tine Logar, also known as Valentin Logar was a Slovenian historical linguist, dialectologist, and university professor...
and Jakob Rigler, published in 1983 as the Karta slovenskih narečij (Map of Slovenian Dialects).
Criteria for classification
The division of Slovenian into dialects is based on various non-linguistic and linguistic factors. Non-linguistic factors include settlement patterns and geographical features (rivers, mountains) that helped shape various isoglossIsogloss
An isogloss—also called a heterogloss —is the geographical boundary of a certain linguistic feature, such as the pronunciation of a vowel, the meaning of a word, or use of some syntactic feature...
es. Linguistic factors include language contact
Language contact
Language contact occurs when two or more languages or varieties interact. The study of language contact is called contact linguistics.Multilingualism has likely been common throughout much of human history, and today most people in the world are multilingual...
with non-Slavic languages to some extent, phonological
Phonology
Phonology is, broadly speaking, the subdiscipline of linguistics concerned with the sounds of language. That is, it is the systematic use of sound to encode meaning in any spoken human language, or the field of linguistics studying this use...
and prosodic
Prosody (linguistics)
In linguistics, prosody is the rhythm, stress, and intonation of speech. Prosody may reflect various features of the speaker or the utterance: the emotional state of the speaker; the form of the utterance ; the presence of irony or sarcasm; emphasis, contrast, and focus; or other elements of...
elements in particular, and to a lesser extent word-formational, lexical
Lexicon
In linguistics, the lexicon of a language is its vocabulary, including its words and expressions. A lexicon is also a synonym of the word thesaurus. More formally, it is a language's inventory of lexemes. Coined in English 1603, the word "lexicon" derives from the Greek "λεξικόν" , neut...
, and inflectional
Inflection
In grammar, inflection or inflexion is the modification of a word to express different grammatical categories such as tense, grammatical mood, grammatical voice, aspect, person, number, gender and case...
elements. Specifically, the primary distinguishing linguistic features are 1) preservation or loss of pitch accent
Pitch accent
Pitch accent is a linguistic term of convenience for a variety of restricted tone systems that use variations in pitch to give prominence to a syllable or mora within a word. The placement of this tone or the way it is realized can give different meanings to otherwise similar words...
, 2) reflexes of nasal *ę, nasal *ǫ, jat, and the yer
Yer
The letter yer of the Cyrillic alphabet, also spelled jer or er, is known as the hard sign in the modern Russian and Rusyn alphabets and as er golyam in the Bulgarian alphabet...
s, and 3) (to a lesser extent) vowel inventory, diphthongization, and degree and type of vowel reduction.
Regional groups
The main regional groups are:- The Upper Carniolan dialect groupUpper Carniolan dialect groupThe Upper Carniolan dialect group is a group of closely related dialects of Slovene. The Upper Carniolan dialects are spoken in spoken in most of Upper Carniola and in Ljubljana.-Phonological and morphological characteristics:...
(gorenjska narečna skupina), spoken in most of Upper CarniolaUpper CarniolaUpper Carniola is a traditional region of Slovenia, the northern mountainous part of the larger Carniola region. The centre of the region is Kranj, while other urban centers include Jesenice, Tržič, Škofja Loka, Kamnik, and Domžale.- Historical background :...
and in LjubljanaLjubljanaLjubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
. Among other features, this group is characterized by monophthongal stressed vowels, an acute semivowel, pitch accentPitch accentPitch accent is a linguistic term of convenience for a variety of restricted tone systems that use variations in pitch to give prominence to a syllable or mora within a word. The placement of this tone or the way it is realized can give different meanings to otherwise similar words...
, standard circumflex shift, and two accentual retractions with some exceptions. It features narrowing of o and e in preaccentual position, akanyeAkanyeAkanye or akanje is a phonological phenomenon in Slavic languages in which speakers pronounce the sound a instead of o. The most familiar example is probably Russian akanye...
(reduction of o to a) in postaccentual position, and strong syncope. There is a partial development of g to [γ], preservation of bilabial w, and general hardening of soft l and n. - The Lower Carniolan dialect groupLower Carniolan dialect groupThe Lower Carniolan dialect group is a group of closely related dialects of Slovene. The Lower Carniolan dialects are spoken in most of Lower Carniola and in the eastern half of Inner Carniola....
(dolenjska narečna skupina), spoken in most of Lower CarniolaLower CarniolaLower Carniola was a kreis of the historical Habsburg crown land of Carniola from 1849 till 1919 and is nowadays a traditional region of Slovenia. Its center is Novo Mesto, while other urban centers include Kočevje, Grosuplje, Krško, Trebnje, Mirna, Črnomelj, Semič, and Metlika.-See also:* Upper...
and in the eastern half of Inner Carniola. Among other features, this group is characterized by pitch accentPitch accentPitch accent is a linguistic term of convenience for a variety of restricted tone systems that use variations in pitch to give prominence to a syllable or mora within a word. The placement of this tone or the way it is realized can give different meanings to otherwise similar words...
, extensive dipththongization (ei, ie, uo), an a-colored semivowel, shift of o > u, and partial akanyeAkanyeAkanye or akanje is a phonological phenomenon in Slavic languages in which speakers pronounce the sound a instead of o. The most familiar example is probably Russian akanye...
. - The Styrian dialect groupStyrian dialect groupThe Styrian dialect group is a group of closely related dialects of Slovene. The Lower Carniolan dialects are spoken in central and eastern Slovenian Styria and in the Lower Sava Valley and Central Sava Valley....
(štajerska narečna skupina), spoken in central and eastern Slovenian Styria and in the Lower Sava Valley and Central Sava Valley. Among other features, this group is characterized by loss of pitch accentPitch accentPitch accent is a linguistic term of convenience for a variety of restricted tone systems that use variations in pitch to give prominence to a syllable or mora within a word. The placement of this tone or the way it is realized can give different meanings to otherwise similar words...
, tonemically high and lengthened accented syllables, lengthening of accented short syllables, and frequent development of a > , and u > ü in the eastern part of the territory. - The Pannonian dialect groupPannonian dialect groupThe Pannonian dialect group , or northeastern dialect group, is a group of closely related dialects of Slovene. The Pannonian dialects are spoken in northeastern Slovenia , and among the Hungarian Slovenes.-Phonological and morphological characteristics:Among other features, this group is...
(panonska narečna skupina), or northeastern dialect group, spoken in northeastern Slovenia (PrekmurjePrekmurjePrekmurje is a geographically, linguistically, culturally and ethnically defined region settled by Slovenes and lying between the Mur River in Slovenia and the Rába Valley in the most western part of Hungary...
, in the eastern areas of Slovenian Styria), and among the Hungarian SlovenesHungarian SlovenesHungarian Slovenes are an autochthonous ethnic and linguistic Slovene minority living in Hungary. The largest groups are the Rába Slovenes in the Rába Valley in western Hungary between the town of Szentgotthárd and the borders with Slovenia and Austria. They speak the Prekmurje dialect of Slovene...
. Among other features, this group is characterized by loss of pitch accentPitch accentPitch accent is a linguistic term of convenience for a variety of restricted tone systems that use variations in pitch to give prominence to a syllable or mora within a word. The placement of this tone or the way it is realized can give different meanings to otherwise similar words...
, non-lengthened short syllables, and a new acute on short syllables. - The Carinthian dialect groupCarinthian dialect groupThe Carinthian dialect group is a group of closely related dialects of Slovene. The Carinthian dialects are spoken by Carinthian Slovenes in Austria, in Slovenian Carinthia, and in the northwestern parts of Slovenian Styria along the upper Drava Valley, and in the westernmost areas of Upper...
(koroška narečna skupina): spoken by Carinthian SlovenesCarinthian SlovenesCarinthian Slovenes are the Slovene-speaking population group in the Austrian State of Carinthia. The Carinthian Slovenes send representatives to the National Ethnic Groups Advisory Council...
in Austria, in Slovenian Carinthia, and in the northwestern parts of Slovenian Styria along the upper DravaDravaDrava or Drave is a river in southern Central Europe, a tributary of the Danube. It sources in Toblach/Dobbiaco, Italy, and flows east through East Tirol and Carinthia in Austria, into Slovenia , and then southeast, passing through Croatia and forming most of the border between Croatia and...
Valley, and in the westernmost areas of Upper CarniolaUpper CarniolaUpper Carniola is a traditional region of Slovenia, the northern mountainous part of the larger Carniola region. The centre of the region is Kranj, while other urban centers include Jesenice, Tržič, Škofja Loka, Kamnik, and Domžale.- Historical background :...
on the border with ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. Among other features, this group is characterized by late denasalization of *ę and *ǫ, a close reflex of long yatYatYat or Jat is the thirty-second letter of the old Cyrillic alphabet. Its name in Old Church Slavonic is jěd’ or iad’ . In the common scientific Latin transliteration for old Slavic languages, the letter is represented by e with caron: .The yat represented a Common Slavic long vowel...
and open reflex of short yatYatYat or Jat is the thirty-second letter of the old Cyrillic alphabet. Its name in Old Church Slavonic is jěd’ or iad’ . In the common scientific Latin transliteration for old Slavic languages, the letter is represented by e with caron: .The yat represented a Common Slavic long vowel...
, lengthening of old acute syllables and short neo-acute syllables, and an e-like reflex of the long semivowel and ə-like reflex of the short semivowel. - The Littoral dialect groupLittoral dialect groupThe Littoral dialect group is a group of very heterogeneous dialects of Slovene. The Littoral dialects are spoken in most of the Slovenian Littoral and in the western part of Inner Carniola; they are also spoken by Slovenes in the Italian provinces of Trieste and Gorizia, and...
(primorska narečna skupina), spoken in most of the Slovenian Littoral (except for the area around Tolmin and CerknoCerknoCerkno is a small town and a municipality in the Littoral region of Slovenia.It has around 2,000 inhabitants and is the administrative centre of the Cerkno hills...
, where Rovte dialects are spoken) and in the western part of Inner Carniola; it is also spoken by Slovenes in the Italian provinces of TriesteProvince of TriesteThe Province of Trieste is a province in the autonomous Friuli-Venezia Giulia region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Trieste.It has an area of 212 km², and a total population of 236,520...
and GoriziaProvince of GoriziaThe Province of Gorizia is a province in the autonomous Friuli–Venezia Giulia region of Italy.-Overview:Its capital is the city of Gorizia. It belonged to the Province of Udine between 1924 and 1927 and the communes of Sonzia, Plezzo, Bergogna, Caporetto, Tolmino, Circhina, Santa Lucia d'Isonzo,...
, and in the mountainous areas of eastern FriuliFriuliFriuli is an area of northeastern Italy with its own particular cultural and historical identity. It comprises the major part of the autonomous region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, i.e. the province of Udine, Pordenone, Gorizia, excluding Trieste...
(Venetian SloveniaVenetian SloveniaVenetian Slovenia is a small mountainous region in northeastern Italy . Most of the region is located in the Italian region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, in the area between the towns of Cividale del Friuli, Tarcento and Gemona ....
and ResiaResiaResia is a comune in the Province of Udine in the Italian region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. It is located in the Alpine valley with the same name, about 90 km northwest of Trieste and about 35 km north of Udine, on the border with Slovenia and around 20 km from the border with Austria...
). This group includes very heterogeneous dialects. Among other features, it is characterized by diphthongization of yatYatYat or Jat is the thirty-second letter of the old Cyrillic alphabet. Its name in Old Church Slavonic is jěd’ or iad’ . In the common scientific Latin transliteration for old Slavic languages, the letter is represented by e with caron: .The yat represented a Common Slavic long vowel...
> ie and o > uo, and late denasalization of *ę and *ǫ. The western dialects in this group have preserved pitch accentPitch accentPitch accent is a linguistic term of convenience for a variety of restricted tone systems that use variations in pitch to give prominence to a syllable or mora within a word. The placement of this tone or the way it is realized can give different meanings to otherwise similar words...
whereas the others have a non-tonal stress accentStress (linguistics)In linguistics, stress is the relative emphasis that may be given to certain syllables in a word, or to certain words in a phrase or sentence. The term is also used for similar patterns of phonetic prominence inside syllables. The word accent is sometimes also used with this sense.The stress placed...
. - The Rovte dialect groupRovte dialect groupThe Rovte dialect group is a group of closely related dialects of Slovene. The Rovte dialects are spoken in the mountainous areas of west-central Slovenia, on the border between the Slovenian Littoral, Upper Carniola, and Inner Carniola, in a triangle between the towns of Tolmin, Škofja Loka, and...
(rovtarska narečna skupina), spoken in the mountainous areas of west-central Slovenia, on the border between the Slovenian LittoralSlovenian LittoralThe Slovenian Littoral is a historical region of Slovenia. Its name recalls the historical Habsburg crown land of the Austrian Littoral, of which the Slovenian Littoral was a part....
, Upper CarniolaUpper CarniolaUpper Carniola is a traditional region of Slovenia, the northern mountainous part of the larger Carniola region. The centre of the region is Kranj, while other urban centers include Jesenice, Tržič, Škofja Loka, Kamnik, and Domžale.- Historical background :...
, and Inner Carniola, in a triangle between the towns of TolminTolminTolmin is a small town and municipality in the Littoral region of Slovenia.-Geography:Tolmin, the old town that gave the name to the entire area , is the largest settlement in the Upper Soča Valley , as well as its economic, cultural and administrative centre. It is located on a terrace above the...
, Škofja LokaŠkofja Loka-Art colony:Before the civil war in the former Yugoslavia the Serbian town of Smederevska Palanka and the town of Škofja Loka held art colonies Groharijeva kolonija run by an art teacher from elementary school Olga Milošević in Smederevska Palanka. Now, after the split of SFR Yugoslavia, the two...
, and VrhnikaVrhnikaVrhnika is a town and a municipality in Slovenia. It is situated on the Ljubljanica River, 21 km from Ljubljana along the A1 motorway.-History:...
. Among other features, this group is characterized by shortening of long diphthongal ie and uo, akanyeAkanyeAkanye or akanje is a phonological phenomenon in Slavic languages in which speakers pronounce the sound a instead of o. The most familiar example is probably Russian akanye...
, and general development of g to [γ]. - The Mixed Kočevje subdialectsMixed Kočevje subdialectsMixed Kočevje subdialects is a catch-all category for the Slovene dialects of heterogeneous origin now spoken in the Kočevje region. The native Kočevje German population was resettled during the Second World War and the area was subsequently resettled by Slovenian speakers from various areas and...
(mešani kočevski govori), a catch-all category for the Slovene dialects of heterogeneous origin now spoken in the Kočevje regionGottschee CountyGottschee County refers to the former German speaking region in the Duchy of Carniola , a crownland of the Habsburg Empire, located in modern day Slovenia...
.
List of dialects
The following grouping of dialects and subdialects is based on the 1983 map of Slovene dialects by Fran Ramovš, Tine LogarTine Logar
Tine Logar, also known as Valentin Logar was a Slovenian historical linguist, dialectologist, and university professor...
, and Jakob Rigler (from which the first Slovene term listed in parentheses is taken) and other sources.
- Upper Carniolan dialect groupUpper Carniolan dialect groupThe Upper Carniolan dialect group is a group of closely related dialects of Slovene. The Upper Carniolan dialects are spoken in spoken in most of Upper Carniola and in Ljubljana.-Phonological and morphological characteristics:...
(gorenjska narečna skupina):- Upper Carniolan dialectUpper Carniolan dialectThe Upper Carniolan dialect is a major Slovene dialect in the Upper Carniolan dialect group. It is spoken in most of Upper Carniola...
(gorenjsko narečje, gorenjščina)- Eastern Upper Carniolan subdialectEastern Upper Carniolan subdialectThe Eastern Upper Carniolan subdialect is a Slovene subdialect in the Upper Carniolan dialect group...
(vzhodnogorenjski govor, vzhodna gorenjščina)
- Eastern Upper Carniolan subdialect
- Selca dialectSelca dialectThe Selca dialect is a Slovene dialect in the Upper Carniolan dialect group. It is spoken in the Selca Sora Valley, north of a line from Porezen to Mount Lubnik , and south of a line running west of Zgornje Bitnje to north of Dražgoše to west of Zgornja Sorica.-Phonological and morphological...
(selško narečje, selščina)
- Upper Carniolan dialect
- Lower Carniolan dialect groupLower Carniolan dialect groupThe Lower Carniolan dialect group is a group of closely related dialects of Slovene. The Lower Carniolan dialects are spoken in most of Lower Carniola and in the eastern half of Inner Carniola....
(dolenjska narečna skupina):- Lower Carniolan dialectLower Carniolan dialectThe Lower Carniolan dialect is a major Slovene dialect in the Lower Carniolan dialect group. It is one of the two central Slovene dialects and was the original foundation for standard Slovene along with the Ljubljana urban dialect...
(dolenjsko narečje, dolenjščina)- Eastern Lower Carniolan subdialectEastern Lower Carniolan subdialectThe Eastern Lower Carniolan subdialect is a Slovene subdialect in the Lower Carniolan dialect group. It is spoken south of the Lower Sava Valley dialect in the watersheds of the Mirna and Temenica rivers, east of a line running from west of Trebnje and west of Novo Mesto to the lower Krka Valley...
(vzhodnodolenjski govor, vzhodna dolenjščina)
- Eastern Lower Carniolan subdialect
- North White Carniolan dialectNorth White Carniolan dialectThe North White Carniolan dialect is a Slovene dialect in the Lower Carniolan dialect group. It is spoken in northern White Carniola north of the line from Kanižarica to Črnomelj...
(severnobelokranjsko narečje) - South White Carniolan dialectSouth White Carniolan dialectThe South White Carniolan dialect is a Slovene dialect in the Lower Carniolan dialect group. It is spoken in southern White Carniola south of the line from Podzemelj to Črnomelj to Kanižarica...
(južnobelokranjsko narečje, južna belokranjščina) - Kostel dialectKostel dialectThe Kostel dialect is a Slovene dialect in the Lower Carniolan dialect group. It is spoken in western White Carniola, bordering the former Kočevje linguistic island to the east and the Kolpa River to the south...
(kostelsko narečje, kostelska belokranjščina, kostelščina)
- Lower Carniolan dialect
- Styrian dialect groupStyrian dialect groupThe Styrian dialect group is a group of closely related dialects of Slovene. The Lower Carniolan dialects are spoken in central and eastern Slovenian Styria and in the Lower Sava Valley and Central Sava Valley....
(štajerska narečna skupina, štajerščina):- Central Savinja dialectCentral Savinja dialectThe Central Savinja dialect is a Slovene dialect in the Styrian dialect group. It is spoken in the central Savinja Valley in the basins of the Bolska, Paka, and Hudinja rivers east of the Upper Savinja dialect and west of the Central Styrian dialect, south of the Mežica and South Pohorje dialects,...
(srednjesavinjsko narečje, srednja savinjščina) - Upper Savinja dialectUpper Savinja dialectThe Upper Savinja dialect is a Slovene dialect in the Styrian dialect group. It is spoken in the upper Savinja Valley and along the Dreta River, extending eastwards to east of Mozirje and Nazarje, up to the Solčava subdialect northwest of Luče in Solčava and the Logar Valley...
(zgornjesavinjsko narečje, zgornja savinjščina)- Solčava subdialectSolčava subdialectThe Solčava subdialect is a Slovene subdialect in the Styrian dialect group. It is a subdialect of the Upper Savinja dialect spoken around Solčava and the Logar Valley. It is the westernmost of the dialects in the Styrian dialect group.-Phonological and morphological characteristics:The Solčava...
(solčavski govor)
- Solčava subdialect
- Central Styrian dialectCentral Styrian dialectThe Central Styrian dialect is a Slovene dialect in the Styrian dialect group. It is spoken in the watersheds of the Voglajna and upper Sotla rivers in the south and the Central Dravinja Valley in the north, extending from Štore in the west to Rogatec in the east, and from Spodnja Polskava and...
(srednještajersko narečje, osrednja štajerščina) - South Pohorje dialectSouth Pohorje dialectThe South Pohorje dialect is a Slovene dialect in the Styrian dialect group. It is spoken south of the Drava River, starting east of Ruše and extending through Maribor to just before Zlatoličje, and extending as far south as the Slovenske Konjice area...
(južnopohorsko narečje, štajerska pohorščina)- Kozjak subdialectKozjak subdialectThe Kozjak subdialect is a Slovene subdialect in the Styrian dialect group. It is a subdialect of the South Pohorje dialect, which it greatly resembles, and is the northernmost member of the Styrian dialect group...
(kozjaški govor)
- Kozjak subdialect
- Kozje-Bizeljsko dialectKozje-Bizeljsko dialectThe Kozje-Bizeljsko dialect , also known as the Brežice-Kozje dialect or the Bizeljsko-Sotla dialect is a Slovene dialect in the Styrian dialect group...
(kozjansko-bizeljsko narečje) - Lower Sava Valley dialectLower Sava Valley dialectThe Lower Sava Valley dialect is a Slovene dialect in the Styrian dialect group, bordering on the Lower Carniolan dialect group. It is spoken in the Sava Valley from Litija to Brežice and along the lower course of the Savinja River...
(posavsko narečje, posavščina)- Zagorje-Trbovlje subdialectZagorje-Trbovlje subdialectThe Zagorje-Trbovlje subdialect is a Slovene subdialect in the Styrian dialect group. It is a subdialect of the Lower Sava Valley dialect and is spoken in the Central Sava Valley, including the settlements of Zagorje ob Savi, Trbovlje, and Hrastnik.-Phonological and morphological...
(zagorsko-trboveljski govor) - Laško subdialectLaško subdialectThe Laško subdialect is a Slovene subdialect in the Styrian dialect group. It is a subdialect of the Lower Sava Valley dialect, extending from east of Zidani Most nearly to Jurklošter, and in the areas of Rimske Toplice and Laško....
(laški govor) - Sevnica-Krško subdialectSevnica-Krško subdialectThe Sevnica-Krško subdialect is a Slovene subdialect in the Styrian dialect group. It is a subdialect of the Lower Sava Valley dialect, extending along both banks of the Sava River from Zidani Most to just before Brežice, and then continuing on the right bank to the Croatian border...
(sevniško-krški govor)
- Zagorje-Trbovlje subdialect
- Central Savinja dialect
- Pannonian dialect groupPannonian dialect groupThe Pannonian dialect group , or northeastern dialect group, is a group of closely related dialects of Slovene. The Pannonian dialects are spoken in northeastern Slovenia , and among the Hungarian Slovenes.-Phonological and morphological characteristics:Among other features, this group is...
(panonska narečna skupina):- Prekmurje dialectPrekmurje dialectPrekmurian, also known as the Pannonian-Slovene, East-Slovene, or Wendish , is the easternmost separate dialect of Slovene, spoken in the Prekmurje region of Slovenia and by the Hungarian Slovenes in Vas county in western Hungary...
(prekmursko narečje, prekmurščina). - Slovenian Hills dialectSlovenian Hills dialectThe Slovenian Hills dialect is a Slovene dialect in the Pannonian dialect group. It is spoken in the Slovenian Hills between the Drava and Mura rivers east of a line from Maribor to Šentilj v Slovenskih Goricah and west of a line from Radenci to Gradišče....
(goričansko narečje, goričanščina) - Prlekija dialectPrlekija dialectThe Prlekija dialect is a Slovene dialect in the Pannonian dialect group. It is spoken in the Prlekija region, southwest of the Mura River, bounded on the north by a line from Radenci to Zlatoličje to Spodnja Polskava, on the west from there to Majšperk, and then on the south along the Dravinja...
(prleško narečje, prleščina) - Haloze dialectHaloze dialectThe Haloze dialect is a Slovene dialect in the Pannonian dialect group. It is spoken in the Haloze Hills south of the line defined by the Dravinja and Drava rivers, extending to the Croatian border, bounded on the west by a line running from southeast of Majšperk to Donačka Gora and the Macelj...
(haloško narečje, haloščina)
- Prekmurje dialect
- Carinthian dialect groupCarinthian dialect groupThe Carinthian dialect group is a group of closely related dialects of Slovene. The Carinthian dialects are spoken by Carinthian Slovenes in Austria, in Slovenian Carinthia, and in the northwestern parts of Slovenian Styria along the upper Drava Valley, and in the westernmost areas of Upper...
(koroška narečna skupina, koroščina):- North Pohorje–Remšnik dialectNorth Pohorje–Remšnik dialectThe North Pohorje–Remšnik dialect is a Slovene dialect in the Carinthian dialect group. It is spoken east of the Mežica dialect on both sides of the Drava River, extending westwards to east of Dravograd, and eastwards to west of Fala and west of Selnica ob Dravi. It also extends northwards across...
(severnopohorsko-remšniško narečje) - Mežica dialectMežica dialectThe Mežica dialect is a Slovene dialect in the Carinthian dialect group. It is spoken in the triangle bounded by Črna na Koroškem, Dravograd, and Mislinja...
(mežiško narečje, mežiščina) - Jaun Valley dialectJaun Valley dialectThe Jaun Valley dialect is a Slovene dialect in the Carinthian dialect group. It is primarily spoken in the Jaun Valley of Austria as well as in Strojna and Libeliče, Slovenia. It is spoken west of a line from Diex to Völkermarkt to Eberndorf, east of Sittersdorf, and north of the Ebriach dialect...
(podjunsko narečje, podjunščina) (Austria) - Ebriach dialectEbriach dialectThe Ebriach dialect is a Slovene dialect in the Carinthian dialect group. It is spoken in Austrian Carinthia around Bad Eisenkappel, in the watershed of the Vellach River and Ebriach Creek , and Jezersko.-Phonological and morphological characteristics:...
(obirsko narečje, obirščina) (Austria) - Rosental/Rož dialect (rožansko narečje, rožanščina) (Austria)
- Gail Valley dialectGail Valley dialectThe Gail Valley dialect is the westernmost Slovene dialect in the Carinthian dialect group. It is spoken in Austrian Carinthia in the Gail Valley east of Hermagor and west of Faak am See , in the upper Canal Valley along the Fella River to east of Pontebba and, together with the Kranjska Gora...
(ziljsko narečje, ziljščina) (Austria, Italy)- Kranjska GoraKranjska GoraKranjska Gora is a town and a municipality on the Sava Dolinka River in the Upper Carniola region of northwest Slovenia, close to the Austrian and Italian borders.Kranjska Gora is best known as a winter sports town, being situated in the Julian Alps...
subdialect (kranjskogorski govor)
- Kranjska Gora
- North Pohorje–Remšnik dialect
- Littoral dialect groupLittoral dialect groupThe Littoral dialect group is a group of very heterogeneous dialects of Slovene. The Littoral dialects are spoken in most of the Slovenian Littoral and in the western part of Inner Carniola; they are also spoken by Slovenes in the Italian provinces of Trieste and Gorizia, and...
(primorska narečna skupina):- Resia(n) dialectResian dialectThe Resian dialect is a distinct dialect of Slovene spoken in the Resia Valley, Province of Udine, Italy, close to the border with Slovenia...
(rezijansko narečje, rezijanščina) (Italy) - SočaSocaThe Soča or Isonzo is a 140 km long river that flows through western Slovenia and northeastern Italy. An Alpine river in character, its source lies in the Trenta Valley in the Julian Alps in Slovenia, at an elevation of around 1,100 metres...
dialect (obsoško narečje) - Torre/Ter Valley dialect (tersko narečje, terščina) (Italy)
- Natisone/Nadiža ValleyNatisoneThe Natisone is a river that flows for some time as a border river between Slovenia and Italy, continues in Slovenia and then crosses the border and continues in Eastern Friuli, in north-eastern Italy...
dialect (nadiško narečje, nadiščina) (Italy) - Gorizia HillsGoriškaGoriška is a traditional region in western Slovenia on the border with Italy. The name means "the Gorizia region" because it is named after Gorizia, Italy. It is part of the wider traditional region of the Slovenian Littoral . Its principal urban center is Nova Gorica...
dialect (briško narečje, briščina) - KarstKARSTKilometer-square Area Radio Synthesis Telescope is a Chinese telescope project to which FAST is a forerunner. KARST is a set of large spherical reflectors on karst landforms, which are bowlshaped limestone sinkholes named after the Kras region in Slovenia and Northern Italy. It will consist of...
dialect (kraško narečje, kraščina)- Banjšice subdialect (banjski govor)
- IstriaIstriaIstria , formerly Histria , is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea. The peninsula is located at the head of the Adriatic between the Gulf of Trieste and the Bay of Kvarner...
n dialect (istrsko narečje, istrščina)- Rižana subdialectRižana subdialectThe Rižana subdialect is a Slovene subdialect in the Littoral dialect group. It is spoken in Italy in the settlements of Aquilinia and Muggia south of Trieste, and in Slovenia in the Rižana Valley from Koper eastwards, including the settlements of Bertoki, Dekani, Osp, Črni Kal, Presnica,...
(rižanski govor) - Šavrini Hills subdialectŠavrini Hills subdialectThe Šavrini Hills subdialect is a Slovene subdialect in the Littoral dialect group. It is spoken south of a line from Koper to south of Zazid...
(šavrinski govor, šavrinščina)
- Rižana subdialect
- Inner Carniolan dialect (notranjsko narečje, notranjščina)
- Ćićarija/ČičarijaĆićarijaĆićarija is a mountainous plateau in the northern and north-eastern part of Istria peninsula, 45 km long and 10–15 km wide. It mostly lies in Croatia, while its northern part lies in Slovenia...
dialect (čiško narečje)
- Resia(n) dialect
- Rovte dialect groupRovte dialect groupThe Rovte dialect group is a group of closely related dialects of Slovene. The Rovte dialects are spoken in the mountainous areas of west-central Slovenia, on the border between the Slovenian Littoral, Upper Carniola, and Inner Carniola, in a triangle between the towns of Tolmin, Škofja Loka, and...
(rovtarska narečna skupina, rovtarščina):- TolminTolminTolmin is a small town and municipality in the Littoral region of Slovenia.-Geography:Tolmin, the old town that gave the name to the entire area , is the largest settlement in the Upper Soča Valley , as well as its economic, cultural and administrative centre. It is located on a terrace above the...
dialect (tolminsko narečje, tolminščina)- BačaBacaBaca may refer to:*Geovany Baca , Honduran boxer*Susana Baca , Afro-Peruvian singer*Bakkah, also transliterated Baca, is another name for Mecca, Saudi Arabia*Baca County*BACA, Bikers Against Child Abuse...
subdialect (baški govor)
- Bača
- CerknoCerknoCerkno is a small town and a municipality in the Littoral region of Slovenia.It has around 2,000 inhabitants and is the administrative centre of the Cerkno hills...
dialect (cerkljansko narečje, cerkljanščina) - Poljane dialect (poljansko narečje, poljanščina)
- Škofja LokaŠkofja Loka-Art colony:Before the civil war in the former Yugoslavia the Serbian town of Smederevska Palanka and the town of Škofja Loka held art colonies Groharijeva kolonija run by an art teacher from elementary school Olga Milošević in Smederevska Palanka. Now, after the split of SFR Yugoslavia, the two...
dialect (škofjeloško narečje, škofjeloščina) - Črni Vrh dialectČrni Vrh dialectThe Črni Vrh dialect is a Slovene dialect in the Rovte dialect group. It is spoken Črni Vrh, the upper Idrijca Valley, Hotedršica, and Rovte.-Phonological and morphological characteristics:...
(črnovrško narečje, črnovrščina) - HorjulHorjulHorjul is a small town and a municipality in the Inner Carniola region of Slovenia.The origin of the name Horjul is unclear; various theories have tried to derive it from a Romance or Celtic root....
dialect (horjulsko narečje, horjulščina)
- Tolmin
- Mixed Kočevje subdialectsMixed Kočevje subdialectsMixed Kočevje subdialects is a catch-all category for the Slovene dialects of heterogeneous origin now spoken in the Kočevje region. The native Kočevje German population was resettled during the Second World War and the area was subsequently resettled by Slovenian speakers from various areas and...
(mešani kočevski govori)
The various dialects are so different from each other that a speaker of one dialect may have a very difficult time understanding a speaker of another, particularly if they belong to different regional groups. In such communication, standard Slovene is used per convention.