The Slovene Language in Official Use and Official Publications from the Middle of the 18th until the Middle of the 19th Century

Abstract

Civil authorities, organized in the middle of the 18th century, came in their official business in a direct contact with inhabitants. In countries, inhabited by the Slovenes, who were not versed in German language, the need was shown to employ clerks with the knowledge of the Slovene language. At the same time individual patents and laws issued by the government began to be translated and published in the Slovene language. Official publications in Slovene acquired a larger scope only after the French-Austrian wars. The use of the Slovene language in state administration was limited to oral communication; it did not become established as an official language in written correspondence with clients because officials did not largely have such a good command of it. The administration was also averse to its usage. At the time of the French Revolution, in 1848, the Slovenes demanded the introduction of the Slovene language as an official language, but their demands were not fulfilled then.