On the linguistic violence

Abstract

This work addresses the problem of renaming certain parts of indivisible Serbian language in Montenegro into a cumulative mother tongue with four name sub-variants (Serbian, Montenegrin, Bosnian and Croatian). In fact, this represents a lead into the phase of renaming the indivisible Serbian language into the "indivisible" Montenegrin language, which would then be forced upon both Serbs and Montenegrins. This means that an inexistent, linguistically unsupported language is imposed, i.e. a language is promoted based on the state and ethnicity by self-appointed linguists, (in)dependent intellectuals and the governing elite. In contrast to these social structures, there are those who hold a different opinion and who fight for the survival of the Serbian language, which has always existed in Montenegro. This category is made up of no one else but the most competent linguists in Serbia and Montenegro (those form Serbia are usually of Montenegrin background), certain independent intellectuals, political opposition who opts for a union of Serbia and Montenegro and finally the majority of citizens of Montenegro (60%), i.e. 80% Orthodox Christians (Serbs and Montenegrins) who declared themselves as speaking and writing Serbian language in the last census in 2003. Renaming the language is not only linguistically justified, but is also illegal because it is against the existing Montenegrin statute, which states that in Montenegro Serbian language of jekavian variant is in use. Therefore, the change of name of the standard Serbian language represents a linguistic and legal violation, which can aptly be named the rape of a language.