Croatian language

Croatian language is a South Slavic language spoken primarily in Croatia, as well as by Croatian minorities in some neighboring countries. It is one of the official languages of the European Union and also of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Croatian is mutually intelligible with Serbian, Bosnian, and Montenegrin, but it has its own standard form and dialects.

History

The history of the Croatian language dates back to the 9th century with the development of Old Church Slavonic, which was used as the liturgical language. The Croatian language itself began to develop its own distinct identity in the 11th century with the first known written documents. The most significant early Croatian texts include the Baška Tablet, an inscription carved in the Glagolitic script dating from the end of the 11th century, and the Vinodol Codex, a legal document from the 13th century.

During the Croatian National Revival in the 19th century, efforts were made to standardize the Croatian language, emphasizing its differences from Serbian. The modern standard language is based on the Shtokavian dialect, one of the three major dialects in Croatia, alongside Chakavian and Kajkavian.

Dialects

The Croatian language has three main dialects:

• Shtokavian: The basis of the standard Croatian language, also spoken in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro.
• Chakavian: Spoken primarily on the Adriatic islands and along the Croatian coast.
• Kajkavian: Spoken in the northwestern part of Croatia, around the capital city of Zagreb.

Writing System

Croatian is written in the Latin alphabet, but it has several special characters (č, ć, đ, š, ž) not found in the standard Latin alphabet. Historically, Croatian was also written in the Glagolitic alphabet, especially in religious contexts.

Grammar

Croatian grammar is highly inflected, meaning that the form of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives changes in relation to their role in the sentence (case), number (singular or plural), and gender. Croatian verbs are conjugated in different tenses, moods, and aspects to convey different meanings.

Vocabulary

The Croatian vocabulary is mainly of Slavic origin, but it has also borrowed words from other languages, especially Latin, Italian, Hungarian, German, and Turkish, due to historical interactions. The Croatian language has a rich set of dialectal words and expressions, with significant differences even between regions close to each other.

Official Status

Croatian is the official language of Croatia and one of the official languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is also recognized as a minority language in Serbia, Montenegro, and Austria. Croatian is one of the 24 official languages of the European Union.

Education and Media

Croatian is taught in schools as the first language in Croatia and in some schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is also offered as a course at universities around the world. Croatian media, including newspapers, magazines, television, and radio stations, operate primarily in the Croatian language.

Cultural Significance

The Croatian language is an integral part of the national identity and cultural heritage of the Croatian people. It has a rich literary tradition, with medieval texts, Renaissance literature, and modern works contributing to the European cultural landscape.