Slovakia
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Slovakia (SK)
ECRML
Signed
2001
Ratified
2001
In Force
2002
FCNM
Signed
1995
Ratified
1995
In Force
1998
Country Description
Slovakia regularly conducts national language censuses, with the last one taking place in 2021. The Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic showed that in 2021, 81.77% of the Slovakian population considered Slovak their mother tongue, followed by Hungarian (8.48%), Romani (1.48%), and Ruthenian (0.71%).
Contradicting official ECRML documentation, Slovakia explicitly noted in its sixth periodical report for the ECRML that “Regarding the Yiddish language, we note that the Charter does not apply to this language in the Slovak Republic.”
Slovakia is an exception when it comes to official data on sign language users – the last census specifically included an option for “Slovak sign language” under “Mother Tongue”, which 1 835 people selected.
Pan-National Official Language(s)
This category only includes languages that are official throughout the whole country (with the exception of Belgium) - languages that are e.g. regionally 'co-official' are not listed here but can be identified in the categories below wherever a relevant legal document is listed. A future update could include lists of co-official languages, as well.
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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Slovak
Slavic
|
Slovenský jazyk | Whole country | 1992 (furthered in 1995) | Slovakian Constitution / Law on the State Language (Zákon o štátnom jazyku) | / | 4 456 102 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 1 (National) | ||
|
Slovakian Sign Language (SPJ)
Sign Language
|
Slovenský posunkový jazyk | Whole country | 1995 | Act No. 149/1995 Coll. Act of the National Council of the Slovak Republic on Sign Language for Deaf People / Zákon Národnej rady Slovenskej republiky o posunkovej reči nepočujúcich osôb | 1 835 | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 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 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bulgarian
Slavic
|
Bălgarski ezik | Scattered | 1999 | Act No. 184/1999 Coll., on the Use of Languages of National Minorities / 184/1999 Z. z. Časová verzia predpisu účinná od 01.09.2024 | 907 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | Unlisted | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Croatian
Slavic
|
Hrvatski /Gradišćanskohrvatski | Bratislava region | 1999 | Act No. 184/1999 Coll., on the Use of Languages of National Minorities / 184/1999 Z. z. Časová verzia predpisu účinná od 01.09.2025 | 923 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | Unestablished | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Czech
Slavic
|
Čeština | Bratislava region | 1999 | Act No. 184/1999 Coll., on the Use of Languages of National Minorities / 184/1999 Z. z. Časová verzia predpisu účinná od 01.09.2026 | 33 864 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 5* (Dispersed) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
German
Germanic
|
Deutsch | 1 municipality, Bratislava and Košice regions | 1999 | Act No. 184/1999 Coll., on the Use of Languages of National Minorities / 184/1999 Z. z. Časová verzia predpisu účinná od 01.09.2027 | 3 959 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 5* (Dispersed) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Hungarian
Uralic
|
Magyar nyelv | 511 municipalities, Nitra, Trnava, Banská Bystrica, Košice and Bratislava regions | 1999 | Act No. 184/1999 Coll., on the Use of Languages of National Minorities / 184/1999 Z. z. Časová verzia predpisu účinná od 01.09.2028 | 462 175 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 2 (Provincial) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Polish
Slavic
|
Polski | Scattered | 1999 | Act No. 184/1999 Coll., on the Use of Languages of National Minorities / 184/1999 Z. z. Časová verzia predpisu účinná od 01.09.2029 | 3 821 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 6b* (Threatened) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Romani
Indo-Aryan
|
Rromani ćhib | 57 municipalities, Kežmarok, Gelnica, Vranov nad Topľou and Revúca, Prešov region | 1999 | Act No. 184/1999 Coll., on the Use of Languages of National Minorities / 184/1999 Z. z. Časová verzia predpisu účinná od 01.09.2030 | 100 526 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | Carpathian Romani - 5* (Developing), Vlax Romani - 5* (Dispersed) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Russian
Slavic
|
Russkiy | Scattered | 2015 | Government Resolution No. 618/2015 to update the ECRML | 4 947 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | Unestablished | Part II | |||
|
Rusyn / Ruthenian
Slavic
|
Rusîn'skyj jazyk | 68 municipalities, Prešov region | 1999 | Act No. 184/1999 Coll., on the Use of Languages of National Minorities / 184/1999 Z. z. Časová verzia predpisu účinná od 01.09.2030 | 38 679 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 6a* (Vigorous) | Part II & Part III | |||
|
Serbian
Slavic
|
Srpski | Scattered | 2015 | Government Resolution No. 618/2015 to update the ECRML | 1 229 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | Unlisted | Part II | |||
|
Ukrainian
Slavic
|
Ukrainska mova | 18 municipalities, Prešov and Košice regions | 1999 | Act No. 184/1999 Coll., on the Use of Languages of National Minorities / 184/1999 Z. z. Časová verzia predpisu účinná od 01.09.2030 | 7 608 (given) | Mother Tongue | 2021 | 4 (Educational) | Part II & Part III |
Non-ECRML Languages – Source Overview
Languages marked with ✓ appear in that source.
Languages listed in multiple sources may have differing data – see the detail tables below.
Non-ECRML Languages (Ethnologue)
Languages listed with an 'established status' in Ethnologue. The data on legal recognition, national number, and endangerment level was taken from Ethnologue, reflecting its 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Chakavian
Slavic
|
Čakavski | Bratislavsky region: Cunovo, Chorvatsky Grob, Devinska Nova Ves, Jarovice | / | / | / | 3 000 | Users | 2021 | 6b (Threatened) | ||
|
English
Germanic
|
English | / | / | / | / | 1 422 900 | Users | 2023 | 4 (Educational) | ||
|
French
Romance
|
Français | / | / | / | / | 115 600 | Users | 2022 | 5* (Dispersed) |
Recognised Minorities
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