Croatian

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A language of Croatia

ISO 639-3
hrv
Alternate Names
Serbo-Croatian
Autonym
Hrvatski
Population

4,100,000 (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 6,670,820 (as L1: 5,410,820; as L2: 1,260,000).

Language Maps
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 Serbo-Croatian [hbs]. Christian.

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