Original scientific paper

Juraj Križanić slavic koiné

Ivan Golub

Abstract

Juraj Križanić, a Croatian philosopher, activist and sufferer (1618-1683) wrote in a specific Slavic language and wrote an original Slavic grammar. One has to distinguish between the language in which Križanić wrote and the language he wrote about. Križanić called the language in which he wrote almost all of his works including this grammar "a specific common language" koiné diálektos. This common Slavic language relates to other Slavic languages in the same way as the common Greek dialect- koiné diálektos relates to individual greek dialects i. e. it is not their alternative but co-exists with them.
The Slavic language Križanić wrote about (he wrote a Grammatic survay of the Russian language Gramatíčno izkazânje ob Rúskom jezíku) was to Old Church Slavonic language which Križanić liked to call the Russian language. This language when used as a litterary language (lingua litteraria) is also a kind of common Slavic language - koiné diálektos.
Thus there are two common Slavic dialects in Juraj Križanić's works: the language Juraj Križanić wrote in and the language he wrote about (Grammar). Old Church Slavonic is the language intended primarly for liturgical works and the Bible. On the other hand the language Križanić wrote in is suitable for other purposes. The former is normative whereas the latter is optional.
Križanić received inspiration and encourgement for his work on the common Slavic language from his native inderdialect, through contacts with Rafael Levaković and Metodij Terlecki who were editors of rusified Glagolitic liturgical works and through his contact with Old Church Slavonic and Russian Slavonic language in Russia. Moreover his connections with the men of letters (Bohorič, Glavinić, Budinić, Komulović...) might have influenced Križanić's work on the common Slavic language. Križanić considered himself as a disciple of Konstantin Cyril the Philosopher and with his Grammar he attempted to correct the time corrupted common Slavic language which was invented by Cyril and Methodius and then spread among the Slavs as a lingua litteraria. The fact that he wrote in a common Slavic language and fought for the unity of all Slavs also identifies Križanić as a follower of Cyril and Methodius. Koiné in language, koinonía in life!

Keywords

Hrčak ID:

14649

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/14649

Publication date:

30.9.1986.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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