The Čabranka dialect ( , ), also known in Croatian literature as western microdialects of the Western Goran subdialect (, , , ), is a dialect spoken along the Upper Kupa Valley and in Gorski Kotar in Slovenia and Croatia.Toporišič, Jože. 1992. Enciklopedija slovenskega jezika. Ljubljana: Cankarjeva založba, p. 88. The dialect originates from Alpine Slavic, a predecessor of modern Slovene, but speakers living in Croatia self-identify as speaking Croatian. The dialect borders the Lower Carniolan dialect to the north, the Mixed Kočevje subdialects to the northeast, the Kostel dialect to the southeast, the Eastern Goran dialect to the south, and various Chakavian dialects to the southwest and west. The dialect belongs to the Lower Carniolan dialect group, and it evolved from the Lower Carniolan dialect base. Until recently, the Čabranka dialect was considered to be part of the Kostel dialect, but it was later discovered that both dialects had evolved differently but are in the process of becoming more similar to each other. Despite the new name, it is still often referred to as the Western Kostel microdialects.
Geographical distribution The Čabranka dialect is mainly spoken in Croatia; however, the northeastern part crosses the border between Croatia and Slovenia. The area extends from Babno Polje and Lazec in the north along the Gotenica Mountains () to Mirtoviči and Gašparci in the east. It extends south to Delnice and extends west to Gorski Kotar. Notable settlements include Babno Polje, Lazec, Novi Kot, Draga, and Osilnica in Slovenia, as well as Prezid, Kozji Vrh, Gorači, Čabar, Crni Lazi, Tršće, Plešce, Vode, Gerovo, Mali Lazi, and Crni Lug in Croatia.
Accentual changes The Čabranka dialect lost the difference between high- and low-pitched accent on both long and short vowels, which are still differentiated, but in the process of merging in the Čabar, Hrvatsko, and Bosljiva Loka microdialects. It also underwent five accentual changes that are not found in all Slovene dialects: the → , → , / → / , *visȍk → vìsok, and → accent shifts. Some Bajtarji microdialects have also undergone the → accent shift. The northwesternmost microdialects of Babno Polje and Prezid have also undergone the shift → in a few words. Newly accented vowels have usually been majorly reduced, and akanye is common.
Phonology Monophthongization of vowels is present; however in contrast to the Kostel dialect, diphthongs are still present:
Non-final and diphthongized into , which later monophthongized to or in some microdialects. The vowel is rarely pronounced as a diphthong; it mostly simplified into , , or Non-final and , as well as non-final and , are pronounced as a diphthong only in the northernmost and southernmost microdialects; elsewhere it monophthongized into or . Similarly, non-final and , as well as , are pronounced as a diphthong only in the Babno Polje and Delnice dialects; elsewhere it monophthongized into or . Newly stressed and after the → shift mostly remained a diphthong and , or simplified into and , respectively. Non-final and turned into . Non-final and turned into almost everywhere. Non-final and became either long or short . Non-final and became either long or short or even . Non-final and mostly evolved into or . Non-final and mostly evolved into .
Akanye is also common, as well as e-akanye in the prefix . Ukanye is also present, turning word-final into or . Unstressed is often reduced into or . Unstressed evolved into , , , or .
Word-finally and before consonants, almost everywhere turned into or . Shvapanye ( → before central and back consonants) is also common, but not before . Palatal mostly depalatalized. Palatal depalatalized at the beginning of a word. Final turned into . Alpine Slovene evolved into many different sounds:
Before a non-voiced (rarely also voiced) non-sonorant, it became . Prothetic appeared before at the beginning of a word. Prothetic appeared before at the beginning of a word. The cluster simplified into . Southern microdialects simplified into . It disappeared at the beginning of a word if followed by , , , or .
The sonorant appears at the beginning of words that start with and sometimes in between a vowel and a consonant. Some microdialects pronounce / as /. The consonant is also often simplified into or .
Morphology Dual forms have been fully replaced by plural endings in declension; verbs have archaic dual forms. The infinitive was replaced by the supine, and the pluperfect is still in use. The imperative can be alternatively formed with + infinitive, or + infinitive for the first person plural.
Further division The Čabranka dialect is further divided into three groups: the Bajtarji, Dragarji, and Gebarji microdialects. The Dragarji microdialects lack shvapanye and are the smallest group, spoken in Lazec, Srednja Vas pri Dragi, Trava, and Čabar. These speakers are thought to have moved here from inner Slovenia. The Bajtarji microdialects have undergone the most vowel reduction; akanye is very common, as well as the shifts → , → , etc. This group covers the largest area, from Babno Polje in the north to Gerovo and Osilnica in the south. South of the Bajtarji microdialects are the Gebarji microdialects, which have not undergone as much vowel reduction; akanye is only present in pretonic syllables.
References
Bibliography
Morphology
Includes a grammar by Gabrijela Polović.
Phonology
Translated as Review: Lexicology
Review:
Tirage: 400.
Second edition prepared by Bogdan Mlakar. Review: Phraseology
Dialectal literature
Review:
Conservation
Subdialects
Evolutionary
Reprinted as