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Silesian can also mean from or related to Silesia, Lower Silesia or Upper Silesia.
Silesian (Upper Silesian) is spoken by the Silesian ethnic group (both Polish, Silesian and German nationalities) living in the region of Upper Silesia. It must not be confused with the Silesian dialect of German ( Lower Silesian) spoken by the Silesian people in the same region. Cataloged in Ethnologue as dialect of Polish, Upper Silesian.
Majority of Slavic linguists consider it as a dialect of Polish, however some people regard it as a separate language belonging to the West Slavic branch of Slavic languages, together with Polish, Upper and Lower Sorbian, and other Lekhitic languages) as well as Czech and Slovak.
According to the last census in Poland (2002) some 70,000 people declared Silesian as their first language, and some 170,000 people declared Silesian nationality. However, the total number of Silesian speakers (the majority of whom do not consider it as a separate language) exceeds 2 million.
There are also about 100,000 Silesian speakers living in the Czech Republic. Besides, about 40,000 thousand people in Czech Republic declared Silesian nationality.
Opinions are divided between speakers and linguists as to whether Silesian is a distinct language or another dialect of Polish. The issue of whether Silesian is a dialect or a language can be contentious since some Silesians consider themselves to be a distinct ethnic minority or nationality within Poland and some people disagree with this.
When classified as a dialect, it is the most prominent regional dialect of the Polish language which is classified in the West Slavic branch of Slavic languages.
When classified as a language, it is considered closely related to Polish and then Czech with some influence from German.
Silesian is spoken in the region of Silesia in south-western PolandThe Republic of Poland a country in Central Europe, lies between Germany to the west, the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south, Ukraine and Belarus to the east, and the Baltic Sea, Lithuania and Russia (in the form of the Kaliningrad Oblast exclave) t and north-eastern Czech RepublicThe Czech Republic ( Czech: Ceska republika is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The republic borders Poland to the north, Germany to the northwest and west, Austria to the south, and Slovakia to the east. Historic Prague, a major tourist attraction and in a couple of place all around the world. At present the Silesian is commonly spoken in the area between historical border of Silesia on the east, and line Sycow - PrudnikPrudnik German Neustadt is a town in south-western Poland with inhabitants (1995), situated in the Opole Voivodship. on the west, as well as in RawiczRawicz is a town in central Poland with 21,500 inhabitants (1995). Situated in the Greater Poland Voivodship (since 1999), previously in Leszno Voivodship (1975-1998). Rawitsch was founded by Protestant refugees from Silesia during the Thirty Years War. area ( Chazacy ). Until 1945 Silesian was spoken in enclaves in Lower Silesia.