Languages of Slokais Islands
Slokais Islands has several official languages as well as several languages spoken by a sizeable amount of the population. The official languages of Slokais Islands are English, Slokasian, and Spanish. All 3 are required on all official government documents and street signs, and all 3 have at least 60% of the population being able to speak at least two and 87% being able to speak at least one. All 3 were made the official language by the 1974 Language Management Act.
Most Common Languages[edit | edit source]
Language statistics are captured during every census to help with the management and regulation of language services. In 2022, the most spoken native language was English with 42.8% identifying English as there primary language.
| Language | % of Primary Speakers | Total % of Speakers | Most Notable Province |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | 42.8% | 87.4% | North Princeton: (98.5%) |
| Spainsh | 39.5% | 64.3% | Victoria: (93.5%) |
| Slokasian | 17.8% | 57.8% | Colorado: (89.2%) |
| Arabic | 14.9% | 23.8% | South Kaijan: (97.9%) |
| Haean | 1.8% | 12.9% | Northern Isles: (62.8%) |
| French | 0.5% | 8.9% | New Liverpool: (15.7%) |
| Tribal Language | 1.1% | 3.4% | Eastern Isles: (72.7%) |
Language Policy[edit | edit source]
Since 1974, Slokais has had three official languages. English, Spanish, and Slokasian. President Howard Xiang instituted the policy in response to both Slokasian speakers who demanded their language be made an official one. Additionally, groups associated with each language believed the fact that legalization would lead to school districts making their language part of the curriculum. Since 1974, all three languages have been widely displayed together in both public and private settings. In addition, it is required that all students must study at least 2 of the three languages, with both being designated as core classes. A 3rd language may also be taken as a "Non-Native Language Class". Each of the three languages is also regulated by the Ministry of Education, with official pronunciations and grammar rules being taught. Although for each language, dialects still exist particularly older Slokasians.
English Language in Slokais Islands[edit | edit source]
The English Language has been spoken since the 1800s when it was introduced by Sanctaria. English was traditionally considered the language of government and business. In 1891, politicians debated if English should be made the official language, although the proposition was rejected. Despite this, English became widely taught, and by the 1950s, 50% spoke only English. After 1974, the number of people who could only speak English decreased significantly. Today, the English language remains the prominent language with 87% considering themselves speakers. This has led to English being the primary language of communication and considered the most formal language. As of 2022, only 5.1% spoke the English language with many of those being older Slokasians in rural areas who grew up being taught only English. Additionally, some nationalism among Blancos Slokasians has led to some refusing to speak or learn any other language. A decision that led to lawsuits when local institutions displayed only English. The English language is regulated by the Committee for the English Language in Slokais, which decides official pronunciation and proper grammar for the government.
Northern Isles Dialect[edit | edit source]
Northern Isles Dialect is a regional dialect of English recognized as a required language for govermeant materials in the Northern Isles. This is due to the dialect being significantly different from standard English. The language is considered a combination of English, Haean and local indigenous languages. For example "Hunting" becomes "heonting" and "office" becomes "opiseutel". The language is spoken primarily in the Fara'awa Islands by those who immigrated from Haesan during the 1970s.
Spanish Language in Slokais Islands[edit | edit source]
The Spanish Language was introduced by the Costeno in the 1500s, there was initially conflict between Spanish speakers and tribal language and Slokasian speakers. When the Province of San Fernando was set up, Spanish was made the exclusive language of governance and business. This led to Spanish being spoken be a greater number of traditional Slokasian speakers. When San Fernando was ceded to Sanctaria in the 1820s, Spanish was briefly made an official language before quickly losing official status. After independence, the Spanish made a return to being spoken as the most popular informal language. In the 1950s, Juan Costa declared Spanish and English as the two official languages and began to limit the teaching of other languages in school. As part of Costa's subjection of the Minjian faith, Spanish was taught to convert to Catholicism to remove them from the original language of the Minjian faith's texts. During the 1970s, Spanish was formalized by the Commission for the Spanish Language in Slokais. The Commission also led to Spanish becoming the second most spoken language, via education of both students and adults.
Victoria Dialect[edit | edit source]
The Victoria Dialect is a major sub-group of the Spanish language found primarily in Victoria Province. Originally, when the province was settled on-masse in the 1700s, many settlers came from other Costenoian colonial states such as Aredoa, creating a language less similar to traditional Spanish. Although this influence has become less common over the centuries, certain words and phrases are different as well as mannerisms and tone. Today, the Dialect is the most prominent in rural areas where internal migration has occurred less.