Yugoslavia stamps year 1989 Vuk Stefanovic Karadzic set Maxi cards

Yugoslavia stamps year 1989 Vuk Stefanovic Karadzic set Maxi cards

Vuk Stefanović Karadžić (1787–1864) was a pivotal figure in Serbian cultural and linguistic history. Known as the father of the Serbian language reform, he played a significant role in standardizing and modernizing the Serbian language and its literary tradition. His work laid the foundation for the language’s contemporary form and contributed to the cultural awakening of the Serbian people in the 19th century.

Key Contributions:

1. Language Reform:
   • Vuk Karadžić reformed the Serbian language to make it more accessible and representative of the spoken language of ordinary people.
   • He famously adopted the principle: “Write as you speak, and read as it is written.”
   • He introduced a simplified Serbian Cyrillic alphabet, reducing it to 30 letters to correspond to the phonetic system of the language.
2. Collection of Folklore and Literature:
   • Karadžić collected and published Serbian folk songs, tales, and proverbs, preserving the oral tradition and enriching Serbian literature.
   • His most notable collection of epic poetry includes the “Songs of the Serbian People”, which became a cornerstone of Serbian cultural heritage.
3. Dictionary:
   • In 1818, he published the first Serbian dictionary, “Srpski rječnik”, which included definitions and etymologies of Serbian words, along with translations into German and Latin.
4. Historical and Cultural Advocacy:
   • Karadžić was a proponent of Serbian national identity during a time of Ottoman rule and cultural suppression.
   • His work supported the cultural unification and national awakening of Serbs, aligning with the broader 19th-century movements of nationalism across Europe.