The Upper Carniolan dialect group (gorenjska nareÃÂna skupina) is a group of closely related dialects of Slovene. The Upper Carniolan dialects are spoken in most of Upper Carniola and in Ljubljana.
Standard Slovene was formed in the 18th and 19th centuries, based on both the Upper and the Lower Carniolan dialect groups, more specifically on the language of Ljubljana and adjacent areas.
Among other features, this group is characterized by monophthongal stressed vowels, an acute semivowel, pitch accent, standard circumflex shift, and two accentual retractions with some exceptions. It features narrowing of o and e in preaccentual position, akanye (reduction of o to a) in postaccentual position, and strong syncope. There is a partial development of g to , preservation of bilabial w, and general hardening of soft l and n.