Medieval Record Marks 590 Years of Bosnian Language Mention

On July 3, 2026, it will be 590 years since the Bosnian language was explicitly mentioned in historical documents. This significant reference appeared in notarized records from the city of Kotor during the medieval period. These are among the earliest secular documents to directly name the Bosnian language.

One crucial document is a sales record from July 3, 1436. It details the purchase of a fifteen-year-old girl from Bosnia. The record describes her as "of Bosnian origin and heretical faith," and states her name in Bosnian was Djevena. This specific description suggests she was a follower of the Bosnian Church, whose interpretations of religious truths differed from other accepted Christian teachings at the time.

This historical fact is confirmed by prominent scholars. Muhamed Hadžijahić noted it in his 1974 study, and Senahid Halilović also cited it in his 1991 book, "Bosanski jezik."

Alen Kalajdžija is a distinguished scholar of the Bosnian language. He earned his degrees from the University of Sarajevo and has taught Bosnian language at several universities. Kalajdžija has authored multiple scientific books and numerous articles on the subject. He also served two terms as the director of the Institute for Language at the University of Sarajevo.