Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.21857/ydkx2crqr9
The Linguistic Segment of Croatian National Revival in Istria and on the Kvarner Bay Islands
Maja Polić
orcid.org/0000-0002-3929-6991
; Croatian Academy of Science and Arts, Institute for Historical and Social Sciences in Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
Petar Strčić
; Croatian Academy of Science and Arts
Abstract
The linguistic issue within the framework of Croatian National Revival in the
Province of Istria with the Kvarner Bay islands was intensified in the revolutionary
year of 1848 through the activity of the following two streams: of pro-Italian and Italian
minority, and of Croatian majority. The former of the two demanded for the Italian
language to replace – in civil service and in schools – the official German language;
whereas, contrary to this demand, the latter proposed for “Illyrian-Croatian” languageto be introduced in the public life. Concerning the language spoken by the major part of
Istrian population, Bishop Juraj Dobrila’s role in relation to the publishing endeavours
in Croatian language was of key importance. The first public conflicts regarding the
mentioned two concepts occurred at the first sessions of Istrian Parliament. Important
steps forward were the following: a remark recorded in 1873 in Croatian script used in
Rukavac, Kućeli, Bregi and Pobri (settlements in the Kastav area); and a rare example of
the family name of the fighter Antun Spinčić, which started to be recorded in its original
form. Croatian and Slovenian delegates did – in that period – however not dare to
speak in their mother tongue. Formally, Croatian language was for the first time used in
public in 1889, when the then elected Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Dr. Ante Dukić,
attorney-at-law, held his welcoming speech in Croatian language.
Keywords
Croatian National Revival; the Province of Istria with the Kvarner Bay islands; linguistic issue; Istrian Parliament; Juraj Dobrila
Hrčak ID:
198992
URI
Publication date:
17.4.2018.
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