European Day of Languages: Celebrating the Slovenian language

Slovenian, despite its modest number of speakers, boasts a surprisingly wide range of dialects and subdialects (more than 40). This linguistic diversity finds its origins in geographical, political, historical, and social factors. Of particular note, Slovenian stands out as one of the rare Indo-European languages that have preserved the use of the dual.

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Literature and cultural richness: a language's resilient journey

In Slovenia, literature holds a place of great prestige and reverence. The earliest known texts in the Slovenian language, the Freising Manuscripts, emerged around the first millennium A.D., making them the oldest texts in any Slavic language written in the Latin alphabet. These invaluable documents are now housed in the Bavarian State Archives in Munich.

The Slovenian language itself has a remarkable and resilient history. It struggled to survive through the centuries, as Slovenia achieved independence only as recently as 1991. For a considerable portion of its history, the Slovenian language faced challenges under foreign rule, and its preservation was a cause that Slovenians passionately fought for.

Two prominent figures in Slovenian literature are Primož Trubar, known for publishing the first book in the Slovenian language, and France Prešeren, the celebrated poet whose work "Zdravljica" (A Toast) serves as the Slovenian national anthem.

This year, Slovenia has the distinct honour of being the Guest of Honour at the renowned Frankfurt Book Fair, taking place 18 to 22 October. Embracing the theme 'A honeycomb of words,' this event will immerse visitors, literature enthusiasts, as well as professionals from the realms of literature, publishing, and culture in Slovenia's rich literary and cultural tapestry.

Do you want to learn 25 different ways of saying "gradma" in Slovenian?

Slovenian Stories, a collaborative endeavour between Google Arts & Culture and the Slovenian Tourist Board, invites you to explore Slovenia's abundant natural and cultural heritage through a captivating online journey. This immersive experience unfolds with over 60 stories and virtual tours, accompanied by a treasury of over 1,200 photographs, artworks, and frescoes. This time, we highlight the Google Arts & Culture story, which delves into the amazing variety of Slovenian dialects.

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