Silesian: Polish Dialect or Separate Slavic Language?

The Silesian language is consided by linguists and historians to be either a dialect of Polish or a separate Slavic language.  According to my research, most feel it is not a language…yet. However, in 2007, the Library of Congress officially added Silesian to its list of languages.  The International Linguistic Organization has registered the Silesian language and assigned it the ISO code "szl".

Silesian is very closely related to Polish. Spoken in Upper Silesia, a region located in the southwestern part of Poland and the northeastern part of the Czech Republic, approximately 60,000 Polish people and approximately 100,000 Czech people claim Silesian as their native language.

In 2006, the Silesian alphabet was modified and Silesian is still used in literature, radio, TV and printed press. The language currently has no official status.

In the same region, there is a variant of German spoken called Silesian German. After World War II, the use of Silesian German was forbidden and most of the Silesian German culture died out once Silesia became part of Poland in 1945.

The differences in written Silesian and Polish can be seen below.

Silesian	Polish
Uojcze nasz, kery jeżeś we ńebje, bydź pośwjyncůne mjano Twoje. Przińdź krůlestwo Twoje, bydź wola Twoja, jako we ńebje, tak tyż na źymji. Chlyb nasz kożdodźynny dej nům dźiśej. A uodpuść nům nasze winy, jako a my uodpuszczůmy naszym wińńikům. A ńy wůdź nos na pokuszyńy, nale zbow nos uode złygo. Amyn.	Ojcze nasz, któryś jest w niebie, święć się imię Twoje, przyjdź królestwo Twoje, bądź wola Twoja jako w niebie tak i na ziemi. Chleba naszego powszedniego daj nam dzisiaj. I odpuść nam nasze winy, jako i my odpuszczamy naszym winowajcom. I nie wódź nas na pokuszenie, ale zbaw nas ode złego. Amen.