Slovene language

Slovene (/ˈsloʊviːn/ ^ⓘ SLOH-veen or /sloʊˈviːn, slə-/ sloh-VEEN, slə-) or Slovenian (/sloʊˈviːniən, slə-/ ^ⓘ sloh-VEE-nee-ən, slə-; slovenščina [slɔˈʋèːnʃtʃina]) is a South Slavic language of the Balto-Slavic branch of the Indo-European language family. Most of its 2.5 million speakers are the inhabitants of Slovenia, the majority of them ethnic Slovenes. As Slovenia is part of the European Union, Slovene is also one of its 24 official and working languages. Its grammar is highly fusional, and it has a dual grammatical number, an archaic feature shared with some other Indo-European languages. Two accentual norms (one characterized by pitch accent) are used. Its flexible word order is often adjusted for emphasis or stylistic reasons, although basically it is an SVO language. It has a T–V distinction: the use of the V-form demonstrates a respectful attitude towards superiors and the elderly, while it can be sidestepped through the passive form.