Bunjevac language
Encyclopedia
The Bunjevac dialect or Bunjevac language (bunjevački jezik) is a Štokavian dialect used by members of the Bunjevci
community. The speakers live in parts of the autonomous province of Vojvodina
in Serbia
as well as in southern parts of Croatia
. The speech has an exclusive Serbo-Croatian Ikavian reflex of the Common Slavic yat
phoneme. Its speakers largely use the Latin alphabet, as is illustrated in their locally published newspaper.
In the 2002 census results published by the Statistical Office of Serbia, Bunjevac was not listed among main languages spoken in Serbia, but those that declared that language to be Bunjevac are listed in category "other languages". For example, in the municipality of Subotica, the number of those listed as speaking "other languages" (presumably Bunjevac) is 8,914. http://webrzs.stat.gov.rs/axd/Zip/VJN3.pdf
The status of the Bunjevac dialect / language is vague, and it is considered a dialect of Croatian
by some Croatian linguists. According to the 2002 census in Serbia
, some members of the Bunjevac ethnic community declared that their native language is Croatian or Serbian. This doesn't mean that they don't use this specific dialect, merely that they don't consider it sufficiently distinct from the aforementioned standard language
s to register as speakers of a separate language. However, those Bunjevci who declared in census that Bunjevac is their native language consider it as separate language.
In the old Austro-Hungarian
censuses (for example one from 1910), Bunjevac was declared as a native language of numerous citizens (for example in the city of Subotica
33,247 people declared Bunjevac as their native language in 1910). During the existence of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
, members of the Bunjevac ethnic community mostly declared themselves as speaking Serbo-Croatian
.
Today, there is wish among the Bunjevac ethnic community for affirmation of their dialect / language. The Bunjevačke novine
is a Bunjevac language monthly newspaper
published in Subotica
. The Radio Television of Vojvodina
broadcasts TV programme ("Spektar" TV magazine) in Bunjevac. There are also demands for school classes in Bunjevac.
Bunjevci
Bunjevci are a South Slavic community and ethnic group living mostly in the Bačka region of Serbia and southern Hungary...
community. The speakers live in parts of the autonomous province of Vojvodina
Vojvodina
Vojvodina, officially called Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is an autonomous province of Serbia. Its capital and largest city is Novi Sad...
in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
as well as in southern parts of Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. The speech has an exclusive Serbo-Croatian Ikavian reflex of the Common Slavic yat
Yat
Yat or Jat is the thirty-second letter of the old Cyrillic alphabet. Its name in Old Church Slavonic is jěd’ or iad’ . In the common scientific Latin transliteration for old Slavic languages, the letter is represented by e with caron: .The yat represented a Common Slavic long vowel...
phoneme. Its speakers largely use the Latin alphabet, as is illustrated in their locally published newspaper.
In the 2002 census results published by the Statistical Office of Serbia, Bunjevac was not listed among main languages spoken in Serbia, but those that declared that language to be Bunjevac are listed in category "other languages". For example, in the municipality of Subotica, the number of those listed as speaking "other languages" (presumably Bunjevac) is 8,914. http://webrzs.stat.gov.rs/axd/Zip/VJN3.pdf
The status of the Bunjevac dialect / language is vague, and it is considered a dialect of Croatian
Croatian language
Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...
by some Croatian linguists. According to the 2002 census in Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, some members of the Bunjevac ethnic community declared that their native language is Croatian or Serbian. This doesn't mean that they don't use this specific dialect, merely that they don't consider it sufficiently distinct from the aforementioned standard language
Standard language
A standard language is a language variety used by a group of people in their public discourse. Alternatively, varieties become standard by undergoing a process of standardization, during which it is organized for description in grammars and dictionaries and encoded in such reference works...
s to register as speakers of a separate language. However, those Bunjevci who declared in census that Bunjevac is their native language consider it as separate language.
In the old Austro-Hungarian
Austria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
censuses (for example one from 1910), Bunjevac was declared as a native language of numerous citizens (for example in the city of Subotica
Subotica
Subotica is a city and municipality in northern Serbia, in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...
33,247 people declared Bunjevac as their native language in 1910). During the existence of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
, members of the Bunjevac ethnic community mostly declared themselves as speaking Serbo-Croatian
Serbo-Croatian language
Serbo-Croatian or Serbo-Croat, less commonly Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian , is a South Slavic language with multiple standards and the primary language of Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro...
.
Today, there is wish among the Bunjevac ethnic community for affirmation of their dialect / language. The Bunjevačke novine
Bunjevacke novine
Bunjevačke novine is a Bunjevac dialect monthly newspaper published in Subotica, Serbia.-External links:* – official website with all issues since 2005. available...
is a Bunjevac language monthly newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
published in Subotica
Subotica
Subotica is a city and municipality in northern Serbia, in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...
. The Radio Television of Vojvodina
Radio Television of Vojvodina
Radio Television of Vojvodina is the public broadcaster in the Serbian province of Vojvodina...
broadcasts TV programme ("Spektar" TV magazine) in Bunjevac. There are also demands for school classes in Bunjevac.