Slovenia

Slovenia known as Carantania in 611AD.

The independent state of the Republic of Slovenia was declared on 25 June 1991, adopting a democratic parliamentary system. It became a member state of the European Union 1 May 2004. The Slovenian nation has had a remarkable history. Slovenia was known as the state of Carantania in 611AD. As the first democracy of Central Europe, the system was studied by leading political theorists. The Duke’s Stone Throne of Carantania is still standing in the Field of Gospa Sveta in southern Austria. This state was regarded as significant in the development of Western democracy, referred to in the writings of Thomas Jefferson's American Declaration of Independence. The Slovenian nation became a feudal state after 745AD and was ruled by the Austro-Hungarian monarchy until 1918. German was the official language of the state. In 1918 it became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, later renamed Yugoslavia. After the 2nd World War it became part of the state of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1945 to 1991. Slovenia has been subject to the political and economic domination of other countries, surrounded by the larger states of Austria, Italy, Hungary and Croatia. As result, Slovenia has lost two-thirds of its original national territory. 
The Slovenian nation and culture was subject to European trends and achievements of the last millennium bear witness to Slovenia’s role in European civilization. Two important historical documents are: the oldest Slavic documents were written in Old Slovenian, a series of liturgical texts called the Freising Manuscripts of 972 to 1,022AD. The Slovenian translation of the Bible of 1586 was one of the earliest in Europe, at the time only twelve nations had their own translation. Today Slovenia has a population of two million people, and about one-tenth of the number live in neighbouring countries; Austria, Italy, and Hungary. Slovenes living abroad including their descendants have been estimated to number around 250,000 to 400,000.

Learning activities

1. Notetaking
Text-type: timeline
Linguistic element: noun - declensions
Write a timeline of events of Slovenian history
http://www.uvi.si/slo/slovenija/kratka-predstavitev/

2. Writing a newspaper article
Text-type: profile
Linguistic element: verb - compound tenses
Write an article about Slovenia today
http://www.uvi.si/slo/slovenija/kratka-predstavitev/
http://e-uprava.gov.si/e-uprava/osloveniji.euprava

3. Designing a brochure
Text-type: brochure
Linguistic element: adjective - declension
Design a brochure with details of state symbols of Slovenia; national insignia, flag, national anthem
http://www.uvi.si/slo/slovenija/drzavni-simboli/

4. Report-writing
Text-type: report
Linguistic element: complex sentences
Write a report on the publications provided which promote Slovenia
http://www.uvi.si/slo/slovenija/publikacije/
http://www.gov.si/vrs/index.php?vie=cnt&gr1=akt&gr2=pub#1

5. Giving a talk
Text-type: radio-talk
Linguistic element: conjunctions – coordinating, subordinating
Write a talk on Slovenia in the European Union
http://www.gov.si/vrs/slovenija_in_eu/

6. Writing a review
Text-type: review
Linguistic element: adverb - manner, time
Write a review of the State Portal about the information provided
http://e-uprava.gov.si/e-uprava/en/portal.euprava

Comprehension - reading and responding

Read the text ‘Slovenščina ‘ from the web site, Slovenian Government Media and Public Relations Office,
http://www.uvi.si/slo/slovenija/kratka-predstavitev/slovenscina/

Answer the following questions in English.
1. How long did the ceremony of investiture in the Slovenian continue?
2. When was the first Slovenian book published? 
3. How many defined dialects have been identified and into how many groups? 
4. Give the names of the first two books published by Primož Trubar.
5. Which poet raised the level of the Slovenian literary language, and with which work?
6. What was one of the main arguments for the call for a plebiscite?
7. In how many universities is Slovenian taught?

Resources

Websites
http://e-uprava.gov.si/e-uprava/en/portal.euprava
http://evropa.gov.si/
http://www.gov.si/vrs/
http://www.gov.si/cvi-mi-a.html
http://www.osce.org/
http://www.randburg.com/si/general/slo3.html
http://www.thezaurus.com/sloveniana/index.htm
http://www.uvi.si/10years/contribution/
http://www.uvi.si/eng/index.html
http://www.vlada.si/index.php?lng=eng
 
Books
Bogataj, J, Sto srečanj z dediščino na Slovenskem, Prešernova družba, Ljubljana, 1992
Čepič, et al, Zgodovina Slovencev, Cankarjeva založba, Ljubljana, 1979
Božek, Z, Slovenija, Ljubljana, 1995
Dolar, J, Dvanajst velikih Slovencev, Založba Mihelač, Ljubljana, 1994
Fallon, S, Slovenia, Lonely Planet Publications, Melbourne, 2004
Kmecl, M, Zakladi Slovenije, Cankarjeva založba, Ljubljana, 1979
Pogačnik, A, Geografski Atlas Slovenije, Državna založba Slovenije, Ljubljana, 1998
Slovenija, turistični vodnik, Mladinska knjiga, Ljubljana, 1995
Tomažič, I, Etruščani in veneti, I. Tomažič, Wien, 1995
Tomažič, I, Slovenci: kdo smo? Od kdaj in odkod izviramo? Wien, Ljubljana,1999
Valvasor, J, Slava vojvodine kranjske, Mladinska knjiga, Ljubljana, 1994

Videos
Ceferin, A, Moj Obisk v Sloveniji, Grospuplje, 1997
Mlakar, A, Moja Slovenija, ZKP RTV Slovenia, 1991
Video Audio film Podobe Posočcja, Nova Gorica, 1992
Slovenija - pokrajine in ljudje, ZRC SAZU, Mladinska knjiga, Ljubljana, 1998
Smaragdna reka, RTV Slovenija, 1997
Štirje letni casi, SIM Ljubljana, 1988

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