Slovene is a South Slavic language primarily spoken in Slovenia, where it is the official language. It is also used by Slovene communities in neighboring countries like Italy, Austria, and Hungary. Slovene has several dialects, which can vary significantly across regions. The language uses the Latin alphabet and has a rich literary tradition dating back to the 16th century. Notable works include those by Franz Miklošič and Ivan Cankar. Slovene is known for its complex grammar, including a dual grammatical number, which distinguishes between two items and more than two.