Following settlement by our ancestors, Slovene divided strongly into dialects. When in the 16th century it also became a standard language, the main dialect groups had already become well established: according to Ramovš, there are seven of these. All of them, in addition to the general characteristics of all dialects, had their own specific features. The role of the central, Carniolan standard dialect was to win as many adherents as possible to Slovene. With a few exceptions, Slovenes accepted that the standard language should be written in the Latin alphabet with, where possible, the letters having the phonetic value they had in Latin. With regard to pronunciation, the eight vowel system that was characteristic particularly of the Upper Carniolan dialect gradually came to be accepted, while the consonants owed more to Lower Carniolan; the morphology leant also on the Carinthian and Syrian dialects, while the vocabulary was Carniolan, partly saved from excessive Germanisation, but with the standard language also being affected by pan-Slavism. In retained dynamic stress, which was easier and more acceptable to its speakers. Ultimately, standard Slovene became the official language of the Republic of Slovenia.
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