Why did linguists adopt the term Bosnian-Croatian-Montenegrin-Serbian?

Linguists and philologists adopted the term Bosnian-Croatian-Montenegrin-Serbian (BCMS) in the 21st century as a more accurate and comprehensive label to describe the shared tongue spoken by Serbs, Croats, Montenegrins, and Bosniaks.1

The adoption of this term reflects the complex linguistic and political landscape following the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s. While the previous term, "Serbo-Croatian," fell out of official use as new countries established their own distinct standard languages, the reality remains that educated speakers from these regions can converse with full mutual understanding.2

Because these forms of speech are mutually intelligible—differing only in minor vocabulary and technical terms—some scholars argue they constitute a single language. However, because no joint standard exists and each nation maintains its own linguistic standards for education and government, BCMS serves as a neutral, inclusive term of convenience to acknowledge both the shared nature of the speech and the distinct national identities associated with it.213