Vakavina

Vakavina is a term that appears in occasional discussions of South Slavic linguistics, but it does not have a single, widely accepted definition. In contemporary work, the standard classifications for vowel systems in dialects are ekavina, ikavina, and ijekavina, and vakavina is not consistently used as a formal category. When vakavina is encountered, its meaning can vary between sources, and there is often little overlap in how it is applied.

In some contexts, vakavina has been used as a historical or regional label for a group of dialects perceived to share a certain vowel realization described as “a-like” in specific environments. In others, it appears as an informal or nonstandard designation that contrasts with the better-established patterns of ekavina and ikavina. Because of this lack of standardization, any description of vakavina should specify the source and the specific dialectal scope being discussed.

Etymology for the term is not consistently documented, and its usage does not form part of the core theory of Slavic phonology. As a result, researchers typically rely on clearly defined categories (ekavina, ikavina, ijekavina) for comparative work, treating vakavina as an ambiguous or regional label rather than a universally recognized phonological system.

See also Ekavina, Ikavina, Ijekavina. Note that vakavina is not routinely used in modern linguistic nomenclature and should be interpreted in the context of its original source.