Institute of Croatian Language

The Institute for the Croatian Language (IHJ) is a public scientific institute and the central national research institution for the study of the Croatian language and general linguistics.

The core activities and mission of the Institute are scientific research in the humanities, particularly in the field of philology. These activities include the systematic scientific study of the Croatian language (in all its idioms — past and present — including the standard language, the history of the language, dialects, as well as the compilation of fundamental lexicographical works and other linguistic manuals of the Croatian language) and linguistics.

The Institute is best known and recognized for its work within national monolingual modern and historical lexicography (Online Croatian Dictionary (MREŽNIK), Etymological Dictionary, historical Kajkavian Dictionary). In addition, smaller lexicographical projects are being carried out (specialized orthographic, terminological, and dialectological dictionaries, etc.). A large number of publicly available linguistic resources can be accessed on the Institute’s website, including the Croatian Ortogtaphy Handbook, grammar, language advice, STRUNA (the database of specialized terminology), a valency database, a database of collocations, a database of Croatian conceptual and linguistic metaphors, idioms database, a database of personal names, etc.

The Institute’s researchers actively participate in popularization activities aimed at promoting the Croatian language and linguistics. The Institute publishes two journals: the scientific linguistic journal Rasprave Instituta za hrvatski jezik and the scientific-popular journal Hrvatski jezik.

The Institute for the Croatian Language is a full member of the European Federation of National Institutions for Language (EFNIL).