Ijekavina

Ijekavina, or ijekavian, is one of the three main standard pronunciations of the Serbo-Croatian language continuum. It is named for its treatment of the yat vowel in Proto-Slavic, which in ijekavian speech is reflected in the orthography by sequences such as "ije" or "je." This contrasts with ekavina, where yat is rendered as "e," and with ikavina, in which yat often corresponds to "i" (or related forms) in many contexts. The result is a distinct phonological and orthographic system that underpins a large body of standard vocabulary.

Ijekavina forms the basis of the standard varieties used in Croatian, Bosnian, and Montenegrin. It is also present in some Serbian-speaking areas and among Serbian-speaking communities, particularly outside of the main ekavian-dominated centers, as well as in the diaspora. In practice, speakers may switch between variants in informal settings, but the ijekavian standard is the official or literary norm in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro.

Common features include the appearance of yat as "ije" or "je" in many common words. Examples often cited in ijekavian standard usage include mlijeko (milk), dijete (child), and vijeće (council). Variants and pronunciations can vary by region, social group, and historical period, but the label ijekavina remains a clear linguistic description to distinguish it from ekavina and ikavina.

In linguistic literature, ijekavina denotes the pronunciation and orthographic system that uses the "ije" or "je" reflex of yat, and it is a key component of the standardized Serbo-Croatian varieties.