Croatian

Kaykavski, Chakavski, Shtokavski (Ijekavski). Shtokavski is official dialect, but others recognized as valid, with much literature. Chakavski in western and northern Croatia, Dalmatian coast, and Adriatic Islands; Kaykavski in northeastern Croatia and Zagreb; dialects in other countries, like Burgenland Croatian in Austria, less intelligible. A member of macrolanguage Serbo-Croatian [hbs].

Typology

SVO; prepositions; noun head final; gender (masculine/feminine/neuter); no articles; case-marking (7 cases); verb affixes mark person, number; passives; tense and aspect; causatives; comparatives; 25 consonants, 5 vowels, 2 diphthongs; tonal (4 tones), stress is connected with tone.

Language Use

Many also use English [eng]. Some also use Standard German [deu].

Language Development

Literacy rate in L2: 90%. Fully developed. Bible: 1831–1999.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Croatian

Writing

Braille script [Brai]. Latin script [Latn], primary usage.

Other Comments

Formerly considered part of Serbo-Croatian [hbs]. Christian.

Also spoken in:

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Austria

Language nameCroatian

Population Full

139,000 in Austria (2017 World Factbook).

Location

Burgenland, Lower Austria and Vienna states.

Alternate Names

Hrvatski, Serbo-Croatian

Dialects

Burgenland Croatian.

Status

6b (Threatened). Recognized language (1955, Treaty of Vienna).

Language Use

Rapid assimilation with the German-speaking population. Speakers’ competence varies by area and age group (Salminen 2007). Some young people, all adults. Some children may still learn the language but many have shifted to German [deu] (Salminen 2007).

Language Development

Literacy rate in L1: Low. About 40 primary schools teach bilingually through Croatian and German.

Other Comments

Croatian spoken in Burgenland differs extensively from that spoken in the Republic of Croatia and intelligibility is difficult. Some dialects heavily influenced by German [deu]. Christian.

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Bosnia and Herzegovina

Language nameCroatian

Population Full

554,000 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2016 World Factbook).

Alternate Names

Hrvatski, Serbo-Croatian

Dialects

Croatian, Serbian.

Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1995, Federation Constitution, Article 6(1)).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Hungary

Language nameCroatian

Population Full

13,700 in Hungary (2011 census). Ethnic population: 23,600 (2011 census).

Location

Bács-Kiskun, Baranya, Györ-Moson-Sopron, Pest, Somogy, Vas, and Zala counties.

Alternate Names

Hrvatski, Serbo-Croatian

Status

4 (Educational). Recognized language (1993, Minorities Act No. LXXVII).

Language Development

Taught in primary and secondary schools.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Christian.

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Montenegro

Language nameCroatian

Population Full

3,010 in Montenegro (2011 census).

Location

Kotor and Tivat municipalities.

Alternate Names

Hrvatski, Serbo-Croatian

Status

5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2006, Minority Rights Law, No. 31-06, Article 2).

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Romania

Language nameCroatian

Population Full

5,170 in Romania (2014 UNSD).

Location

Caras-Severin and Timis counties: dispersed.

Status

5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2007, Law No. 282, Ratification, European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Serbia

Language nameCroatian

Population Full

19,200 in Serbia (2013 UNSD).

Location

North Backa district: Bela Crkva municipality.

Alternate Names

Hrvatski, Serbo-Croatian

Status

2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Autonomous Province Vodjvodina (2009, Autonomous Province Vodjvodina Statute, Article 26).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Slovakia

Language nameCroatian

Population Full

1,230 in Slovakia (2013 UNSD).

Location

Bratislavsky region: Cunovo, Chorvatsky Grob, Devinska Nova Ves, Jarovice.

Alternate Names

Hrvatski, Serbo-Croatian

Status

5* (Dispersed).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Christian.

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Slovenia

Language nameCroatian

Population Full

1,332,300 in Slovenia, all users. L1 users: 72,300 in Slovenia (2003 UNSD). L2 users: 1,260,000 (European Commission 2012).

Location

Widespread.

Alternate Names

Hrvatski, Serbo-Croatian

Status

5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2000, Slovenian Ratification, ECRML).

Language Use

Used as L2 by Slovene [slv].

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Ethnologue

Croatian

Primary tabs

A language of Croatia

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