This article revisits the paper O slovenščini v šoli in zunaj nje na Tržaškem (Pertot 1995) and examines the paradox described as “continuity in discon-tinuity”. Although political developments have formally consolidated the status of Slovene in Italy and improved its prestige – such as Slovenian independence, European integration and protective legislation – the actual use of the language has not evolved in a linear manner. The hypothes-is is that some of the main challenges identified three decades ago have not been resolved, but rather reshaped in response to new social, cultural and technological frameworks. Contemporary studies suggest that Slovene has achieved a certain consolidation in formal domains, but is increasingly withdrawing from informal contexts. The analysis shows that formal reco-gnition of the status did not lead to a wider use of the minority language; instead, the period of greatest institutional progress coincided with new forms of linguistic vulnerability.
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