This book examines the language of 19th-century Croatian literature in relation to the literary-linguistic norms and perspectives on specific linguistic issues prevalent at the time, as well as—regarding certain features (such as lexis)—in relation to the Croatian linguistic heritage. It covers the literary works of Croatian writers such as Frane Vrinjanin, Jakob Lovrenčić, Tomaš Mikloušić, Ivan Ambrozović, Grga Čevapović, Adam Filipović Heldentalski, Marijan Jaić, Petar Katančić, Šime Starčević, Janko Drašković, Ignjat Alojzije Brlić, Ljudevit Gaj, Antun Mihanović, Ivan Kukuljević Sakcinski, Matija Mažuranić, Dimitrije Demeter, Ljudevit Vukotinović, Ana Vidovićeva, Dragojla Jarnević, Ivan Mažuranić, Stanko Vraz, Pavao Štoos, Petar Preradović, Ivan Franjo Jukić, Grga Martić, Adolf Veber Tkalčević, Blaž Modrošić, Luka Botić, Mihovil Pavlinović, Mato Vodopić, Antun Pasko Kazali, Antun Kaznačić, Janko Jurković, Fran Kurelac, August Šenoa, Janko Leskovar, Ante Kovačić, Eugen Kumičić, Josip Eugen Tomić, Fran Mažuranić, Rikard Jorgovanić, Silvije Strahimir Kranjčević, August Harambašić, Josip Kozarac, Vjenceslav Novak, Ksaver Šandor Gjalski, Mirko Bogović, Milan Begović, and other 19th-century Croatian writers. Many other Croatian writers active in the 19th century are also mentioned—for instance, Đuro Hidža from Dubrovnik, Antun Zorčić from Šibenik, Adalbert Horvat from Slavonia, and Stipan Lukić from Buda. Nor should Croatian writers from Bačka be overlooked—Ivan Antunović, Mijo Mandić, Brnja Andrin, Grga Andrin, Stipan Krunoslav Grgić, Ivan Jesse Kujundžić, Nikola Kujundžić, and Marko Fucin—as well as Petar Bakula from Herzegovina.
The language of 19th-century Croatian literature is examined based on works published during that century, rather than on later editions. The works under consideration are described synchronically at the levels of script, orthography, phonology, morphology, word formation, syntax, and lexis.
Attention is paid to typical features found in the majority of writers or in those adhering to specific literary-linguistic orientations, while also noting particularities or deviations in the language of individual writers.
