Editing Silesian language (section)

== Distribution ==
Silesian speakers currently live in the region of [[Upper Silesia]], which is split between southwestern Poland and the northeastern [[Czech Republic]]. At present Silesian is commonly spoken in the area between the historical border of Silesia on the east and a line from [[Syców]] to [[Prudnik]] on the west as well as in the [[Rawicz]] area.

Until 1945, Silesian was also spoken in enclaves in [[Lower Silesia]], where the majority spoke [[Silesian German|Lower Silesian]], a variety of [[Central German]]. The German-speaking population was either evacuated en masse by German forces towards the end of the war or deported by the new administration upon the Polish annexation of the Silesian [[Recovered Territories]] after its end. Before [[World War II]], most [[Slavic languages|Slavic-language]] speakers also knew German and, at least in eastern Upper Silesia, many German speakers were acquainted with Slavic Silesian.

According to the last [[Polish census of 2021|official census in Poland in 2021]], about 460,000<ref name="GUS2021"/> people declared Silesian as their [[first language|native language]], whereas in the [[Polish census of 2011|country's census of 2011]], the figure was about 510,000.<ref name="GUS2011">{{cite web|url=https://www.stat.gov.pl/cps/rde/xbcr/gus/LUD_raport_z_wynikow_NSP2011.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021013327/https://www.stat.gov.pl/cps/rde/xbcr/gus/LUD_raport_z_wynikow_NSP2011.pdf|archive-date=21 October 2012|title=Raport z wyników: Narodowy Spis Powszechny Ludności i Mieszkań 2011|trans-title=Report of results: National Census of Population and Housing, 2011.|language=pl|work=[[Central Statistical Office (Poland)|Central Statistical Office of Poland]]|date=2011}}</ref> In the censuses in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, nearly 900,000 people declared [[Silesians|Silesian nationality]]; Upper Silesia has almost five million inhabitants, with the vast majority speaking Polish in the Polish part and declaring themselves to be Poles and the vast majority speaking Czech in the Czech part and declaring themselves to be Czechs.<ref name="GUS2011"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://notes2.czso.cz/cz/sldb2011/cd_sldb2011_11_12/index_html_files/PVCR062.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120131022340/https://notes2.czso.cz/cz/sldb2011/cd_sldb2011_11_12/index_html_files/PVCR062.pdf |archive-date=31 January 2012 |title=Obyvatelstvo podle národnosti podle krajů |publisher= [[Czech Statistical Office]] }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cvvm.cas.cz/upl/nase_spolecnost/100023s_Samanova-narodnost.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060613165802/https://www.cvvm.cas.cz/upl/nase_spolecnost/100023s_Samanova-narodnost.pdf|archive-date=13 June 2006 |title=Národnost ve sčítání lidu v českých zemích |access-date=16 August 2012}}</ref><ref>[https://www.greekhelsinki.gr/bhr/english/special_issues/CEDIME-unwgm2001/un%20wgm%20slovakia%20appendix%20on%20minorities%203a%2015-5-01.doc National Minorities in the Slovak Republic] – Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic</ref>