The Problem of Language

I have been reading about Mile Stojic the Bosnian poet and essayist, and found this article, 'The Dictionary Demons', which he wrote, to be very interesting. I am always intrigued about  language and how language evolves.  Mr. Stojic, who's other work I have not yet read, seems worth following.

While reading this article by  Stojic a reoccurring issue I have with people who I have met through social networking came up for me, once more. I considered involvement with a certain group on a creative project that I find fascinating all the more because it touches on personal and relative history, ornamentation, historic art and the feminine, all subjects which I study & write about.  I can't commit though.  The existing group is proud of their intense rigidity regarding what they consider 'the language problem' in the former Yugoslavia.

Seems really fanatic to me - I am sad that I will have to miss out on what could have been a cool collaboration because of this mental fascism which, is more than common in Bosnia today.

Many Bosnian Croats and  Bosnian Serbs point out that their original language (culture) has been repressed by Muslim culture. They intend to correct it  by rejecting 'Bosnian' and adhere to their original language.  The point is to eradicate any possible connection to the Turkification of the 'Serbo-Croat' language.

I find this ironic, not only because Bosnians (by this I mean anyone from Bosnia, independent of religion) had in the past prided themselves for tolerance and  'multi-cultural' history.  More, Serbo-Croatian, is a pluricentric language, and has been the standard since the beginning of the 19th century. Everyone speaks the 'same' language, and comprehends the 'other' without any problem.

It makes me shake my head. I guess that it is easier to hate than to collaborate. To divide rather than share. Though I understand that emotions are tense after the war it is unfortunate that the next generation learns to separate rather than heal. Again.

Good luck, kahvu drinkning, halva & cevap eating language purists. Any other names or words you might come up with will sound dumb to more than some and keep the fascism alive. I guess that is the point.