Poland
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Poland (PL)
ECRML
Signed
2003
Ratified
2009
In Force
2009
FCNM
Signed
1995
Ratified
2000
In Force
2001
Country Description
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Official Language(s)
To increase their visibility, recognised Sign Languages are always listed as official languages even if they are not yet technically official. The data on legal recognition was aggregated from legal documents and official sources. Wherever possible, the national number was taken from a national census or recent study/official estimate – sources are listed. The endangerment level is adopted from Ethnologue/Glottolog and further estimates of endangerment can be found on the individual language profile (e.g. by clicking on ‘Italian’).
| Language | Endonym | Geographic Area | Source | Legal Recognition | Legal Document | Source | National Number | Bases for Calculation | Estimation Date | Source | Endangerment Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Polish Slavic |
Polski | Whole country | 1924 (re-established in 1997) | Act of 31 July 1924 on the State Language and the Official Language of Government and Local Government Administrative Authorities / Ustawa z dnia 31 lipca 1924 r. o języku państwowym i języku urzędowania rządowych i samorządowych władz administracyjnych, poz. 724 (Constitution of the Republic of Poland, Art. 27/ Konstytucja RP z dnia 2 kwietnia 1997 roku (art. 27).) | / | Approx. 37 427 600 (given) | Household Language | 2021 | 1 (National) | ||
|
Polish Sign Language (PJM) Sign Language |
Polski język migowy | Whole country | 2011 | Dz.U. 2011 nr 209 poz. 1243 (Act of 19 August 2011 on sign language and other means of communication / Ustawa z dnia 19 sierpnia 2011 r. o języku migowym i innych środkach komunikowania się) | / | Approx. 50 000 (not a census) | Deaf Sign Language Users | 2026 (Website accessed) | 5 (Developing) |
ECRML-Recognised Languages
This includes languages recognised under the European Charter of Regional and Minority Languages (ECRML). The data on legal recognition was aggregated from legal documents and official sources. Wherever possible, the national number was taken from a national census or recent study/official estimate – sources are listed. The endangerment level is adopted from Ethnologue/Glottolog and further estimates of endangerment can be found on the individual language profile (e.g. by clicking on ‘Czech’).
| Language | Endonym | Geographic Area | Source | Legal Recognition | Legal Document | Source | National Number | Bases for Calculation | Estimation Date | Source | Endangerment Level | ECRML level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Armenian Armenian |
Hayeren | Warszawa, Poznań and Kraków, Gliwice | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | / | 1 847 (given) | Household Language | 2011 | 5* (Developing) | Part II & Part III | ||
|
Belarusian Slavic |
Biełaruskaja mova | South-eastern territories of Podlaskie Voivodship | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | / | Approx. 16 900 (given) | Household Language | 2021 | 5* (Developing) | Part II & Part III | ||
|
Czech Slavic |
Čeština | Mainly in the town of Zelów (Bełchatowski Poviat, Łódzkie Voivodship) | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | / | 1 451 (given) | Household Language | 2011 | 5* (Dispersed) | Part II & Part III | ||
|
German Germanic |
Deutsch | 22 municipalities | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | / | Approx. 199 000 (given) | Household Language | 2021 | 4 (Educational) | Part II & Part III | ||
|
Karaim Turkic |
Karaj tili | Warszawa and in its vicinity, in Wrocław andTrójmiasto | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | / | 1-50 (given) | Household Language | 2011 | Not listed | Part II & Part III | ||
|
Kashubian Slavic |
Kaszëbsczi (jãzëk) | 5 municipalities, Pomorskie Voivodship | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | / | Approx. 87 600 (given) | Household Language | 2021 | 6b (Threatened) | Part II & Part III | ||
|
Lemko Slavic |
Lemkivsʹkyy hovir | Traditionally, Łemkowszczyzna [Lemkos Region] i.e. Beskid Niski and part of Beskid Sądecki. In 1947 as a result of the Operation Vistula (condemned by the Senate of the Republic of Poland in 1990) they were resettled to the territories of the current place of living (the western voivodships of Poland) | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | / | 6 279 (given) | Household Language | 2011 | 6b (Threatened) | Part II & Part III | ||
|
Lithuanian Baltic |
Lietuvių kalba | Northern territories of Podlaskie Voivodship | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | / | 5 303 (given) | Household Language | 2011 | 5* (Dispersed) | Part II & Part III | ||
|
Romani Indo-Aryan |
Rromani ćhib | Warszawa, Poznań, Wrocław, Łódź, Kraków, Mielec and Puławy and in a number of smaller municipal centres | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | / | 14 468 (given) | Household Language | 2011 | Baltic Romani - 5* (Developing), Carpathian Romani - 5* (Developing), Sinte Romani - 5* (Developing), Vlax Romani - 5* (Dispersed) | Part II & Part III | ||
|
Russian Slavic |
Russkiy | Throughout the country, Old Believers (Starovery) live in Podlaskie and Warmińsko-mazurskie Voivodships | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | / | 19 805 (given) | Household Language | 2011 | 5* (Dispersed) | Part II & Part III | ||
|
Slovak Slavic |
Slovenský jazyk | Małopolskie Voivodship | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | / | 765 (given) | Household Language | 2011 | Unestablished | Part II & Part III | ||
|
Tatar Turkic |
Tatar tele | Territories of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania from the end of the 14th century | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | / | 1-50 (given) | Household Language | 2011 | Not listed | Part II & Part III | ||
|
Ukrainian Slavic |
Ukrainska mova | Due to Operation Vistula in 1947 by, almost all Ukrainians inhabiting the territories of south-eastern Poland were resettled to the lands of northern and western Poland. As a result, the biggest centres of the Ukrainian minority are currently in Warmińsko-mazurskie, Dolnośląskie and Zachodniopomorskie. Centres of the Ukrainian minority can also be found in south-eastern Podkarpackie and Małopolskie Voivodships. | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | / | 24 539 (given) | Household Language | 2011 | 5* (Dispersed) | Part II & Part III | ||
|
Yiddish Germanic |
Yidish | Mainly in big cities | 2005 | Act on National and Ethnic Minorities and Regional Languages / Ustawa o mniejszościach narodowych i etnicznych oraz o języku regionalnym | / | 90 (given) | Household Language | 2011 | 8b (Nearly extinct) | Part II & Part III |
Non-ECRML Languages
This includes languages listed with an 'established status' in Ethnologue, the Endangered Languages Project or the UNESCO World Atlas (once it is available again). The data on legal recognition, national number, and endangerment level was taken over from the original source, reflecting these sources’ current state and gaps of knowledge.
| Language | Endonym | Geographic Area | Source | Legal Recognition | Legal Document | Source | National Number | Bases for Calculation | Estimation Date | Source | Endangerment Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
English Germanic |
English | / | / | / | / | 13 237 000 | Users | 2021 | 4 (Educational) | ||
|
Esperanto Esperanto |
Esperanto | Scattered internationally. Most widely represented in Japan, China, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, United States, Brazil, Belgium, and United Kingdom (in order of number of members in the World Esperanto Association). | / | / | / | 101 000 (all users) | Users | 2004 | 3 (Wider communication) | ||
|
French Romance |
Français | / | / | / | / | 979 900 | Users | 2021 | 4 (Educational) | ||
|
Knaanic Slavic |
Leshon Knaan | / | / | / | / | No known L1 speakers | / | / | 10 (Extinct) | ||
|
Lower Silesian Slavic |
Schläsisch | Lower Silesia voivodship: scattered | / | / | / | 12 000 | Users | / | 6a* (Vigorous) | ||
|
Prussian Baltic |
Prūsiska bilā | Warmia-Masuria voivodship | / | / | / | 50, no known L1 speakers | Users | / | 9 (Dormant) | ||
|
Rusyn / Ruthenian Slavic |
Rusîn'skyj jazyk | Subcarpathia voivodship: Lemko area, scattered along Slovak border | 2005 | Minorities Act of 2 January, Article 2(4)) | / | 6 150 | Users | 2021 | 6b (Threatened) | ||
|
Silesian Slavic |
Slōnskŏ gŏdka | Silesia voivodship: scattered | / | / | / | 467 000 | Users | 2021 | 5* (Developing) | ||
|
Sudovian Baltic |
Yotvingian | Podlaskie voidvodship: Białystok, Suwałki county | / | / | / | No known L1 speakers | Users | / | 10 (Extinct) | ||
|
Upper Silesian Slavic |
Ślōnskŏ gŏdka | / | / | / | / | 60 000 (total) | Speakers | 2026 (Website accessed) | Vulnerable | ||
|
Wymysorys Germanic |
Wymysiöeryś | Silesia voivodship: Bielsko county, Wilamowice village | / | / | / | 20 | Users | 2018 | 8b (Nearly extinct) |
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