Review article
https://doi.org/10.21857/yrvgqt3r29
TRDINA'S CRITICISM OF EXCESSIVE AND UNNECESSARY USAGE OF THE GERMAN LANGUAGE IN VARAŽDIN
Sanja Županić
Abstract
In 1853, Janez Trdina arrived in Varaždin wishing to oppose the Germanisation
by teaching the youth in the national language; however, very soon
he had to face the fact that the majority of Varaždin people, intellectuals in
particular, used the German language, not only in their workplace, but also
in everyday speech situations when natives talked to each other. The young
Slovenian teacher and proponent of the national language criticised the language
phenomena and called out the supporters of the national movement
on it, pointing out that they had fought against the usage of the Latin and
Hungarian language, and now, instead in their mother tongue, they spoke in
German whenever they had an opportunity. Namely, Trdina found it a shame
that only five years after the uprising of Croats for their language, in Varaždin
citizens avoided speaking in Croatian, and that it was a custom of Varaždin
noble people to speak in German. Thus, he criticised them directly, not caring
about the consequences. Varaždin people themselves became aware of the
fact that the German language dominated their town only forty years after
Trdina had left Varaždin. Therefore, he can be considered the forerunner of
the criticism of the unnecessary and excessive usage of the German language
by Varaždin people.
Keywords
Trdina; Varaždin; švapčarenje (excessive and unnecessary usage of the German language); Germanisation; national language.
Hrčak ID:
312842
URI
Publication date:
15.12.2023.
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