Department of Dialectology
Our mission
What we focus on is the scientific research on geographical or territorial dialects of the Slovak language as well as in typologically related Slavic and non-Slavic languages. Territorial dialects belong to non-standard language varieties following their own natural development.
The Dialectology Department is currently engaged in the process of synthesizing the appellative (i.e. general) vocabulary of Slovak dialects in the form of a nationwide Slovník slovenských nárečí [Dictionary of Slovak Dialects].
By presenting the dialect lexis in the dialect dictionary, we expand the existing knowledge about the developmental phases of the non-standard variety of the Slovak language and about the variability of the Slovak language as captured by the unique full-scale research carried out in the 20th century. At the same time, the said research is a reflection of the life and culture of our ancestors, as well as the processes influencing the formation of linguistic communities.
In the field of international linguistic comparative research, we focus primarily on Slavic languages. The research is carried out within the framework of the programme implemented by the International Committee of Slavists – namely the Slovanský jazykový atlas [Slavic Linguistic Atlas] project.
The Department of Dialectology of the Ľudovít Štúr Institute of Linguistics of the Slovak Academy of Sciences prepares for publication representative sets of texts of the three major areas of Slovak dialects (Central Slovak, West Slovak, and East Slovak dialects). The scientific edition is based on a collection of dialectal texts, which has been compiled through systematic linguistic fieldwork research in all the villages throughout the entire territory of Slovak dialects. It covers the form of the territorial dialects spoken by the indigenous population from the 1930s to the end of the 20th century.
Our researchers (year of joining the ĽŠIL SAS):
Katarína Balleková (1994), Head of Department
Jozef Bilský (2023)
Ľubica Dvornická (1988)
Adriana Ferenčíková (1961)
Martin Chochol (2002)
Gabriela Múcsková (1989 – 1995, since 2005)
Miloslav Smatana (1984)
Dagmar Šimunová (2010)
Pavol Žigo (2004 – 2014, since 2019)
Martina Macejková (internal PhD. student)
Mária Mikolajová (internal PhD. student)
Stella Ondrejčiková (internal PhD. student)
History of the department (sk)
Selected publications of the Department of Dialectology (sk)
Current projects carried out at the department