Historical Development of the Croatian Language

Introduction

Croatia has a rich linguistic history with its own distinct standardized language known as Standard Croatian, which emerged after World War II. This language is based on the Štokavian dialect (also called the Eastern, or Stokavian, dialect) used primarily in Croatia's capital Zagreb. In this article, we will explore the historical development of the Croatian language and how it evolved into the present-day Standard Croatian.

Origins of the Croatian Language

The roots of the Croatian language can be traced back to Old Church Slavonic, a religious language adopted by the Eastern Orthodox and Catholic Churches and the source of many modern South Slavic languages. Although Croats spoke a variety of regional dialects, they shared a common language that was influenced by Latin and German due to their geographical position between Italy and Central Europe.

Development of the Modern Croatian Language

Before the establishment of Standard Croatian, there were several attempts to standardize the language. For example, Ante Starčević proposed creating a standard based on the Kajkavian dialect spoken in his native region around Zágráb (Agram). However, these early efforts did not gain widespread support, and the stage was set for the emergence of the Štokavian-based Standard Croatian.

Evolution of the Štokavian Dialect

Štokavian, also referred to as Stokavian or East Slovene, is one of three main dialect areas within the broader South Slavic language family. It is found across southeastern Europe, including in parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Bulgaria, Moldova, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, and even Austria, Hungary, and Italy. The dialect shows significant variation depending on geography, resulting in subdialects such as Shtokavian-East, Shtokavian-Central, and Shtokavian-South.

Standardization of Štokavian

In the late 19th century, Ivo Vojnović, a prominent writer and literary critic, advocated for a national literature in Štokavian, which he believed could unite all South Slavs. His ideas gained momentum after World War I when Živko Marunić and others pushed for a standard language based on Croatian dialects under the Yugoslav rule. Ultimately, the Štokavian dialect became the basis for the newly established Standard Croatian language.

Poetic Prose Movement

The Poetic Prose movement played a crucial role in the development of Standard Croatian. Led by poets from various regions who wrote in the Croatian language, the movement aimed to create a cohesive written language and eliminate regional differences. One of the most influential figures during this period was Miroslav Krleža, who wrote in both Kajkavian and Štokavian dialects, eventually settling on Standard Croatian. Krleža's works, along with those of other writers in the movement, helped solidify the written form of the language as it is known today.

Official Recognition of Standard Croatian

After World War II, a more uniform version of the language based on the Štokavian dialect became the standard in Croatia. This version, called Standard Croatian or the Croatian standard language, was officially recognized and has been used for education, mass media, and government purposes since then.

Conclusion

The evolution of the Croatian language, particularly the emergence of Standard Croatian based on the Štokavian dialect, reflects a complex history of linguistic development influenced by geography, politics, and literary movements. Today, Croatia's standardized language serves as an important tool for communication, education, and cultural expression among its people.