Chakavian

Chakavian, or Čakavian Croatian, is one of the three main dialect groups of the Croatian language. It is named after its characteristic interrogative pronoun for "what" (ča), a feature that distinguishes it from Shtokavian and Kajkavian.

Geographic distribution: Chakavian is spoken along the Adriatic coast and islands from Istria in the north, through the Kvarner Gulf, to Dalmatia. It is especially associated with coastal and island communities, with several subdialects reflecting regional variants. Inland pockets exist but are limited.

Dialectal subgroups: The dialect is traditionally divided into several subdialects, including Southwestern or Istrian-Kvarner, and Dalmatian varieties, with further subdivision by island and mainland communities.

Linguistic features: A hallmark is the use of the word ča for "what," rather than što; many Chakavian varieties are Ikavian, in which yat is realized as i; other subdialects show other reflexes; Chakavian has distinct verb endings, pronouns, and lexicon, some of which are archaic relative to standard Croatian.

Literature and status: Chakavian has a long oral tradition, including folk poetry and songs, and a number of regional literary works. Today it remains a living regional dialect, though standard Croatian is dominant in education and media; in some areas, Chakavian is taught or protected as part of regional cultural heritage.