Language rifts in the Balkans are endemic and have long been both a symptom of ethnic animosity and a cause for inflaming it. But the breakup of the Serbo-Croatian language into four mutually unintelligible languages within a decade is, by any previous standard of linguistic behaviour, extraordinary. This book describes how it happened. Basing the account on first-hand observations in the region before and since the communist demise, the book evokes the drama and emotional discord as different factions sought to exploit, prevent, exacerbate, accelerate, or just to make sense of the chaotic and ... More

Language rifts in the Balkans are endemic and have long been both a symptom of ethnic animosity and a cause for inflaming it. But the breakup of the Serbo-Croatian language into four mutually unintelligible languages within a decade is, by any previous standard of linguistic behaviour, extraordinary. This book describes how it happened. Basing the account on first-hand observations in the region before and since the communist demise, the book evokes the drama and emotional discord as different factions sought to exploit, prevent, exacerbate, accelerate, or just to make sense of the chaotic and unpredictable language situation. The book offers insights into the nature of language change and the relation between language and identity. It also provides a uniquely vivid perspective on nationalism and identity politics in the former Yugoslavia.