Croatian

A language of Croatia

ISO 639-3

Alternate Names

Hrvatski

Population

4,200,000 in Croatia (European Commission 2006). Total users in all countries: 6,861,590 (as L1: 5,611,590; as L2: 1,250,000).

Language Maps

Austria

Language Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1990, Constitution, Article 12.1).

Classification

Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, South, Western

Dialects

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 the Serbo-Croat language. Christian.

Also spoken in:

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Austria

Language nameCroatian

Population

131,000 in Austria (2003 UNSD).

Location

Burgenland, Lower Austria and Vienna states.

Dialects

Burgenland Croatian.

Status

6b (Threatened). Statutory language of provincial identity in Burgenland, Styria regions (1955, Treaty of Vienna).

Language Use

Rapid assimilation with the German-speaking population. Speakers’ competence varies by area and age group (Salminen 2007). 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

330,000 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2014 World Factbook).

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

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.

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

3,010 in Montenegro (2011 census).

Status

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

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Serbia

Language nameCroatian

Population

19,200 in Serbia (2013 UNSD).

Location

North Backa district: Bela Crkva municipality.

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

1,230 in Slovakia (2013 UNSD).

Location

Bratislavsku region: 4 villages: Cunovo, Devinska Nova Ves, Chorvatsky Grob, Jarovice.

Dialects

Croatian.

Status

5 (Dispersed).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Christian.

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Slovenia

Language nameCroatian

Population

72,300 in Slovenia (2003 UNSD). L2 users: 1,250,000 in Slovenia (European Commission 2012).

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

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A language of Croatia

Also spoken in:

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