Filologija, No. 84, 2025.
Review article
https://doi.org/10.21857/mnlqgcpney
Contemporary Accentual Norm of the Croatian Language
Blaženka Martinović
Abstract
The standardization process of the Croatian language is grounded in the Neo-Štokavian dialectal base, resulting in the establishment of Croatian as a pitch-accent language, characterized by four distinct accents and post-tonic length. However, alongside the pitch-accent system, both public and formal discourse also accommodate the use of an alternative stress-accent system. This stress-accent variant of Croatian is primarily associated with the dialects spoken in the Čakavian and Kajkavian regions, and is particularly prevalent in urban settings. Both accentual systems exhibit variations in the realization of accents, and the interplay between domestic migration, dialectal contact, and accentual interference has led to the emergence of a third, so-called mixed or transitional system. These diverse accentual forms are actively employed in public discourse and among educated speakers, who are generally expected to adhere to the standardized accentual variant. Since the final decades of the 20th century, linguists have presented various perspectives on the stabilization of the accentual norm, reflecting inconsistencies arising from the discrepancy between linguistic usage and codification. This paper aims to delineate the predominant theoretical framework that emerged from this debate, offering a comprehensive review of the contemporary accentual norms as outlined in language manuals. Additionally, it will examine the findings of recent sociophonetic research, which reveals speakers’ attitudes towards codified accents and different accentual systems. Furthermore, given the relative neglect of accentual norms in educational curricula – largely due to the complexity of the prescribed norms, which are challenging to acquire for speakers from regions characterized by a stress-based accent system – this paper proposes methodologies for more systematic acquisition and instruction of Croatian accents, taking into account the diverse varieties within the Croatian standard.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
339777
URI
Publication date:
24.11.2025.
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