JAZYK A ETNICKÁ IDENTITA GORALOV NA HORNEJ ORAVE (NA PRÍKLADE GORALSKÝCH OBCÍ NOVOŤ A ORAVSKÁ POLHORA)

Language is frequently identified as one of the key ethnicity’s components. When it comes to researching ethnic minorities, researchers very often point their attention to the language itself. This study analyses the relationship between identity and language of Goral people living near Polish borders. The research was carried out in two Goral villages called Novoť and Oravská Polhora. The primary group of respondents were young people from this area. This research aims to resolve questions of ethno-identification and ethno-linguistic situation such as: Do Goral people consider the Goral dialect to be their mother language? Do residents of the area consider themselves to be Gorals? Is the Goral dialect their sole ethno-identification characteristic?