VečerIndependent🔒Center3 hr. agoThe article discusses the 'Besedomat' online survey, which tests participants' ability to recognize whether a given word is real or invented (a pseudoword). The study, led by linguist Andrej Perdih from the Institute of Slovenian Language at the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts (ZRC SAZU), analyzed over 48,600 questionnaires completed by nearly 40,000 participants between November 2024 and September 2026. It highlights that vocabulary size increases with age, reaching around 61,000 words by age 75. Education level also plays a role, while factors like place of birth or gender have minimal impact. The research notes that Slovenian has undergone significant changes in recent decades, becoming the official language of Slovenia and the EU, and now faces strong influence from English rather than previously dominant languages like German or Serbian. The study emphasizes the importance of active participation in digital spaces and education to maintain the vitality of the Slovenian language.
Bias read (Center): The article presents a linguistic study without overt ideological framing. While it mentions the increasing influence of English on Slovenian, this is presented as a historical and linguistic trend rather than a politically charged issue. The focus remains on academic findings and demographic data,
What else did the WordMatrix reveal?The article discusses findings from the Besedomat project, which analyzed the vocabulary knowledge of Slovenians. It highlights that age and education level significantly influence the size of one’s vocabulary, with individuals aged up to 75 knowing around 61,000 words. Younger participants recognized modern terms like 'prokrastinacija' and 'manga,' while older participants identified more traditional words such as 'uzanca' and 'bisaga.' The study also noted slight differences between men and women in word recognition, though the difference was minimal. Linguist Andrej Perdih emphasized that the increasing influence of English on Slovenian is a natural historical trend, not necessarily negative.
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual research findings without overt ideological slant. While it mentions the influence of English on Slovenian, it frames this as a natural linguistic evolution rather than a criticism. The focus remains on academic results and linguistic trends, avoiding partisan commentary
How large is your vocabulary?The article discusses the results of the 'Besedomat' project, a word recognition survey conducted by researchers at the Institute of Slovenian Language, Faculty of Education at University of Ljubljana, UKC Ljubljana, and University of Nova Gorica. The survey involved nearly 40,000 participants who completed over 48,600 questionnaires between November 2024 and September 2026. It highlights that vocabulary size increases with age and education level, with adults aged 18 knowing around 42,000 words, rising to 54,000 at 40 and 61,000 by 75. The study also notes differences in word recognition between genders and generations, with older individuals recognizing more traditional terms like 'uzanca' and 'bisaga', while younger people recognize modern terms like 'prokrastinacija' and 'manga'. The article emphasizes that Slovenian has undergone significant changes in the past 35 years, becoming the official language of Slovenia and the EU, and now faces strong influence from English, which is seen as a natural linguistic evolution rather than a threat.
Bias read (Center): The article presents findings from a linguistic research project without overt ideological framing. While it mentions the influence of English on Slovenian, it frames this as a natural historical trend rather than a criticism of current policies or political direction. The focus remains on academic,
Slovenia
