Z dejín nášho jazyka. Predspisovné obdobie 3. Staršie predspisovné obdobie
From the History of Our Language. The Pre-Standard Period 3. The Earlier Pre-Standard Period

Summary/Abstract: In the pre-standard period of Slovak we distinguish twofundamental stages: the earlier period (12th to 16th century) and the later period (17th to 18th century). The feature which characterises the older period is above all the development of Slovak in its oral form (oral literature). Cultivation of the native language was connected also with new social conditions, among them the emergence of towns. Here a socially and linguistically diverse population gathered, thus stimulating in many ways the development of new genres. Vocabulary was extended with the evolution of crafts, as new instruments and products were named, and a special situation was created in the marketplaces. At that time the official language of the higher social layers was Latin. Its use was promoted by the development of towns, since that is where the legal, administrative and educational organs of ecclesiastical and secular power were concentrated.

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