ekavian

Ekavian is a phonological variant of the Serbo-Croatian languages in which the historic Slavic vowel yat is pronounced as the mid-front vowel e in most contexts. It is one of the three main yat reflexes in South Slavic dialects, the others being Ikavian, where yat tends to i, and Ijekavian, where yat yields je/ije. The term Ekavian comes from this distinct e-based reflex.

In practice, Ekavian can be seen in everyday vocabulary. A classic example is the word for milk, which is mleko in Ekavian, while Ijekavian varieties render mlijeko and Ikavian forms may appear as mliko in some dialects. This yat shift affects numerous common words and can influence spelling and pronunciation across regions.

Geographically, Ekavian is most closely associated with Serbian-speaking areas and is common among many Serb communities in Serbia. It also occurs among Serbs in parts of Montenegro and in some Bosnian-held areas. By contrast, Croatian standard varieties are predominantly Ijekavian, with Ikavian dialects present in certain coastal and inland pockets. Because dialect boundaries are fluid and historical migrations have shifted speech communities, Ekavian can be found in mixed or transitional forms in several neighboring regions.

Overall, Ekavian represents one of the major South Slavic yat reflexes and remains an important feature in the linguistic landscape of the Balkans. It coexists with Ijekavian and Ikavian varieties, reflecting historical contact and regional variation within the Serbo-Croatian continuum.