In the master’s thesis, the use of the Slovene language among children of Slovene origin in Argentina was presented, as well as the role the Slovene language plays in their everyday life and communication. In the theoretical part, the reasons for Slovene emigration to Argentina were outlined and placed in a historical context, with a particular emphasis on the third wave of emigration, the formation of the Slovene community in Argentina, issues of language maintenance in the diaspora, bilingualism, and the factors influencing the transmission and use of Slovene among younger generations.
In the empirical part, a qualitative study was conducted on a sample of adult representatives of Slovene Argentinians and children, in which the collected data on their use of the Slovene language were analysed. The study examined linguistic features, the status of Slovene in Argentina, the role of Spanish in communication, the factors influencing the use of Slovene, and the significance of Slovene for Slovene Argentinians. It was found that children primarily use Slovene the family environment and within the Slovene community, while their speech exhibits various linguistic particularities, stylistic features, and influences from Spanish. The research also demonstrated that Slovene holds an important symbolic and identity-related role and that its maintenance is significantly supported by the family and the Slovene community. The analysis of actual language use reveals not only the structural particularities of Slovene in the diaspora, but also the social and cultural processes that shape the linguistic identity of the individual.
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