Silesian or Upper Silesian (Silesian: Ślůnsko godka, Czech: Slezský jazyk, Polish: Język śląski) is a Slavic language or dialect spoken in the region of Silesia. The ISO 639-3 language code is szl¹.

Distribution

Silesian speakers currently live in the region of Upper Silesia, which is split between southwestern Poland and the northeastern Czech Republic. At present Silesian is commonly spoken in the area between historical border of Silesia on the east, and a line from Syców to Prudnik on the west, as well as in the Rawicz area. Until 1945 Silesian was also spoken in enclaves in Lower Silesia, as Lower Silesian language was spoken by the ethnic German majority population of that region at the time.

According to the last official census in Poland (2002), about 60,000 people declared Silesian as their native tongue, and over 173,000 people declared Silesian nationality². There are also about 100,000 Silesian (Cieszyn Silesian) speakers living in the Czech Republic; Cieszyn Silesian is also commonly spoken in the Polish part of Cieszyn Silesia. Speakers of Cieszyn Silesian dialect usually identify themselves on the nationality level as Poles³. According to the last official census in Czech Republic, 10,878 people in declared Silesian nationality^{citation needed}.

The recognition of Silesian

In 2003, the National Publishing Company of Silesia (Narodowa Oficyna Śląska) commenced operation⁴. This publisher was started by the Alliance of People of the Silesian Nation (Związek Ludności Narodowości Śląskiej). It prints books about Silesia and books in Silesian language.

In July 2007, the Silesian language was recognized by an ISO Joint Advisory Committee⁵, Library of Congress⁶⁷⁸, International Information Centre for Terminology and SIL International. The language was assigned ISO code: SZL^9101112.

On 6 September 2007, 23 politicians of the Polish parliament announced a bill to give the Silesian language official status as a regional language¹³.

The first official National Dictation contest of the Silesian language (Ogólnopolskie Dyktando Języka Śląskiego) took place in August 2007¹⁴.

On 30 January 2008 and in June 2008, two organizations promoting Silesian language were started: Pro Loquela Silesiana and "Tôwarzistwo Piastowaniô Ślónskij Môwy "Danga"¹⁵.

On 26 May 2008, Silesian Wikipedia was officially started¹⁶.

On 30 June 2008 in the edifice of the Silesian Parliament in Katowice, a conference took place on the status of Silesian language. This conference was a forum for politicians, linguists, representatives of interested organizations, and persons who deal with the Silesian language. The conference was titled "Silesian - still a dialect or a language after all?" ("Śląsko godka - jeszcze gwara czy jednak już język"?)¹⁷.

Writing

Steuers Silesian alphabet

The attempts at codification of Silesian are numerous. One of the first alphabets created specifically for Silesian was Steuer's Silesian alphabet, used by Felix Steuer to write his poems in Silesian. The alphabet consists of 30 graphemes and eight digraphs.

Letters: A, B, C, Ć, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, Ł, M, N, Ń, O, P, R, S, Ś, T, U, Ů, W, Y, Z, Ź, Ż

Digraphs: Au, Ch, Cz, Dz, Dź, Dż, Rz, Sz

Tadzikowy muster

This alphabet came into being in the 1990s. It was created by Ted Jeczalik (Tadzik Jeczalik, Tadeusz Jaczalik)¹⁸, from the United States. Jeczalik was one of jurors of the National Dictation contest of the Silesian language / Ogólnopolskie Dyktando Języka Śląskiego. His alphabet is based on the standard Latin alphabet/English alphabet (compatible with ISO) and consists of 26 graphemes and 15 digraphs. Instead of special diacritcs, the apostrophe is used.

Phonetic Silesian alphabet

In 2006 a new Silesian alphabet was proposed. It is widely used on the internet, including by the Silesian Wikipedia. It consists of 32 graphemes and four digraphs.

Letters: A, B, C, Ć, Č, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, Ń, O, P, R, Ř, S, Ś, Š, T, U, Ů, W, Y, Z, Ź, Ž

Digraphs: Ch, Dz, Dź, Dž.

Polish alphabet for Silesian

Silesian is also written in an adaptation of the Polish alphabet.¹⁹ It contains 30 graphemes and 7 digraphs.

Letters: A, B, C, Ć, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, Ł, M, N, Ń, O, Ó, P, R, S, Ś, T, U, W, Y, Z, Ź, Ż

Digraphs: Ch, Cz, Dz, Dź, Dż, Rz, Sz

It is widely used, as Silesians in Poland are taught in Polish schools and they know only the Polish way of writing. This method is used in approximately half of Silesian-language web pages and books.²⁰ Writing Silesian in this alphabet is rather problematic, as there is not a one-to-one correspondence between graphemes and phonemes.

Example

The Lord's Prayer in Silesian, Polish and Czech.

Dialects of Silesian language

Grave inscription at Lutheran cemetery in Střítež (Frýdek-Místek District) near Český Těšín. The inscription, which say "Rest in Peace", is in Cieszyn Silesian Dialect.

The Silesian language has many local dialects:

• Cieszyn Silesian dialect
• Niemodlin Silesian dialect
• Gliwice Silesian dialect
• Jabłonków Silesian dialect
• Kluczbork Silesian dialect
• Prudnik Silesian dialect
• Opole Silesian dialect
• Lach Silesian dialect
• Sulkovian Silesian dialect

Dialect vs language

Opinions are divided between Polish linguists whether Silesian is a distinct language or a dialect of Polish. The issue can be contentious as some Silesians consider themselves to be a nationality within Poland. Linguists from Poland, for example; Jan Niecisław Baudouin de Courtenay (19th-20th century)²¹ Jolanta Tambor²², Tomasz Wicherkiewicz²³ and Tomasz Kamusella²⁴²⁵ support its status as a language.

International linguists such as Reinhold Olesch²⁶²⁷ and Gerd Hentschel from Germany, Ewald Osers (1949)²⁸²⁹ also support the status of Silesian as a Slavic language.

Culture

The Silesian language has recently seen an increased use in culture, for example:

• TV and radio stations (for example: TV Silesia, Sfera TV, Slonsky Radio³⁰, Radio Piekary³¹);
• music groups (for example: Hasiok, Dohtor Miód, FEET);
• theatre ³² (for example: "Polterabend" in Silesian Theatre³³);
• film (for example: Święta Wojna (Holy War), Grzeszny żywot Franciszka Buły (Sinful Life of Franciszek Buła));
• books (for example: Silesian Bible).

Curiosity

The oldest known Silesian sentence

The Book of Henryków (1270) is the earliest document to include a sentence written in the Silesian language, although it may also be interpreted as Polish or Czech³⁴

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Category:Silesian language

Wikinews has related news:

Silesian language granted ISO code

Wikibooks has a book on the topic of

Silesian

• Lower Silesian language
• Wymysorys

References

External links

Silesian language edition of Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

• (Silesian) Pů našymu
• (Silesian) Slonsko Lauba
• (Silesian) Slunskoeka