South Slavic languages
Quick Summary
The South Slavic languages are a branch of the Slavic language family, spoken by approximately 50 million people. This branch is further divided into two subgroups: Bosnian-Croatian-Montenegrin-Serbian and Bulgarian-Macedonian.1
The Bosnian-Croatian-Montenegrin-Serbian subgroup includes languages like Serbian and Croatian, which were standardized in the 19th century based on Shtokavian dialects. These dialects use the word "što" for "what." Another dialect group, Chakavian, uses "čа", and Kajkavian uses "kaj". The Slovene language, spoken by over 2.2 million people, shares some features with Croatian Kajkavian dialects and shows old links to West Slavic languages like Czech and Slovak.1
While these languages share common roots and some similarities, significant differences in phonetics, grammar, and vocabulary can lead to misunderstandings, even between closely related languages. For instance, the word for "red" in Russian (krasnyj) means "beautiful" in other Slavic languages.123
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Slavic languagesLanguages of the family…into three branches: (1) the South Slavic branch, with its two subgroups Bosnian-Croatian-Montenegrin-Serbian-Slovene and Bulgarian-Macedonian, (2) the West Slavic branch, with its three subgroups Czech-Slovak, Sorbian, and Lekhitic (Polish and related tongues), and (3) the East Slavic branch, comprising
Read More…into three branches: (1) the South Slavic branch, with its two subgroups Bosnian-Croatian-Montenegrin-Serbian-Slovene and Bulgarian-Macedonian, (2) the West Slavic branch, with its three subgroups Czech-Slovak, Sorbian, and Lekhitic (Polish and related tongues), and (3) the East Slavic branch, comprising
Read More- Slavic languagesSouth Slavic
In the early 21st century, Bulgarian was spoken by more than nine million people in Bulgaria and adjacent areas of other Balkan countries and Ukraine. There are two major groups of Bulgarian dialects:
Read MoreIn the early 21st century, Bulgarian was spoken by more than nine million people in Bulgaria and adjacent areas of other Balkan countries and Ukraine. There are two major groups of Bulgarian dialects:
Read More - Slavic languagesThe early development of the Slavic languages
The separate development of South Slavic was caused by a break in the links between the Balkan and the West Slavic groups that resulted from the settling of the Magyars in Hungary during the 10th century and from the Germanization of the Slavic regions of Bavaria and Austria. Some…
Read MoreThe separate development of South Slavic was caused by a break in the links between the Balkan and the West Slavic groups that resulted from the settling of the Magyars in Hungary during the 10th century and from the Germanization of the Slavic regions of Bavaria and Austria. Some…
Read More