SZL

Szl is the ISO 639-3 code for the Silesian language, a West Slavic language spoken in the historical region of Silesia in Poland and by smaller communities in the Czech Republic and Germany. Silesian is often described as a distinct language, though its status is debated: some linguists classify it as an independent language, while others regard it as a dialect of Polish. It shares substantial grammar and lexical elements with Polish and Czech and shows contact influence from German due to long-standing historical and regional ties.

The language is typically written in the Latin alphabet and uses diacritics similar to those found in Polish and Czech. There is no single universally accepted standard orthography; multiple orthographic conventions exist for literature, media, and educational materials. Silesian has a cultural presence in regional theater, music, publications, and digital media, contributing to regional identity and language revival efforts.

In terms of vitality, estimates of speakers vary and data are not always directly comparable. Community efforts focus on transmission to younger generations, language documentation, and education through cultural organizations and minority-language programs. The szl code is used in language databases, academic research, and software tagging to identify Silesian-language content.

Notes: Szl can appear as an acronym or code in other domains, but in linguistic contexts it designates the Silesian language.