O predvidljivosti slovenskega naglaševanja s stališča sodobnega uporabnika slovenščine

slovenian

2026

volume 71, issue 1/2

contemporary codification of Slovenian   fixed stress type   Slovenian stress system   stress types   tone and stress accents

Slavistično društvo Slovenije
(Obvezni izvod spletne publikacije)

The article examines issues related to stress assignment in Slovenian and explains the fundamental principles of accentuation in the Slovenian language from a synchronic perspective, which help learners understand and acquire Slovenian word stress. The standard Slovenian language does not have a simple rule governing stress placement; stress is learned together with the meaning of each word. Relevant scholarly works, reference manuals, and the accentological framework of Jože Toporišič are critically analysed. The author demonstrates that the traditional normative approach is overly dependent on Central Slovenian speech, often lacks empirical support, and insufficiently reflects actual language use. Contemporary research confirms that tonal stress is not universally learnable and therefore cannot constitute a binding element of the standard language. A strong tendency toward a fixed stress type in Slovenian is identified, which facilitates the acquisition of word stress. The article also addresses the predictability of stress patterns in both Slovenian and foreign proper names, with particu-lar attention to place names, surnames, and personal proper names. It concludes by proposing guidelines for a modern codification that must follow actual usage rather than privilege a single regional variety.

20.10.2026