A comparison of Croatian and Slovenian exonyms

Abstract

Croatian and Slovenian are very closely related South Slavic languages, but during their historical development they came under the influence of various other languages and various language policies determined by the broader framework of Hungary and Austria. This fact makes the comparative study of exonymization in both languages very interesting. Croatian and Slovenian exonyms are not only part of the cultural heritage of both nations, but also part of global cultural heritage. The article presents a comparative analysis of exonyms in both languages carried out as part of a bilateral project lasting a year and a half. The analysis is based on an improved typology, which was adjusted to the manner of exonymization for borrowed foreign geographical names in both of these related languages.

Keywords

• exonym
• country name
• intangible cultural heritage
• croatia
• slovenia