The Skalica town dialect – skaličtina

The Skalica town dialect – colloquially referred to as skaličtina – is a dialect form of the Slovak language used primarily in non-public communication, but also in public, by the inhabitants of the city of Skalica and many natives who have moved away.
Today’s form of the Skalica town dialect is an inseparable part of the linguistic development of Slovak, and it is an image of local belonging; it offers testimony about the cultural-historical, social and other relations of the inhabitants of Skalica among themselves and to their immediate or broader surroundings. A wealth of recorded material, such as books, magazines, documents, city chronicles, correspondence, and current communication on social networks, proves the use of the language in the entire communication space. It is used in traditional and modern art forms – songs, celebratory wishes, folk poetry, and amateur theatre. It is actively practised in the customs and traditions of the family cycle, such as baptism, first Holy Communion, confirmation, wedding and funeral.
In addition to the inhabitants of Skalica, the West Slovak Printing House in Skalica activities also contribute to the preservation of the dialect. From the time of its historical beginnings, the printing house printed important works related to skaličtina and some documents directly in skaličtina. Currently, it publishes the magazine ”Skalický Obzor” containing articles, reports, interviews, essays, portraits of personalities, and various information, all directly related to Skalica. At the same time, the printing house produces different educational products (for example, the card game Memory) and original literature in the dialect by contemporary authors Anton Dinka, Milan Tomšej, Dušan Krivský, and Želmíra Macháčková. Discussions are organised with authors writing in skaličtina about Skalica and the people of Skalica.
Even today, the Skalica town dialect has an exceptional position in the communication of the inhabitants; it contributes to strengthening the regional identity, and the existence of this language element is a valuable part of the intangible cultural heritage of the language community in Slovakia.