The Phonological Description of the Neo-Štokavian Ikavian Local Dialects of Vrlička Krajina in the Light of Other Local Dialects of Dalmatinska Zagora

This paper aims to describe the phonological features of the Neo-Štokavian Ikavian local dialects of Vrlička Krajina, which is the area wholly neglected in previous dialectological research. The description is based on data collected during field research conducted in early 2017 and 2019. The primary goal of the paper is to provide a systematic description of vocalism, consonantism and prosodic features of the Neo-Štokavian Ikavian local dialects of Vrlička Krajina. The second goal is to situate the analysed local dialects of Vrlička Krajina in the context of other Neo-Štokavian Ikavian dialects of Dalmatinska Zagora and, consequently, to determine the potential phonological criteria for their classification. The reflex of jat in the local dialects of Vrlička Krajina is predominantly ikavian, with rare ekavisms. Reductions and changes of quality of short unaccented vowels are frequent. The analysed local dialects are predominantly štakavian. The final m in endings and uninflected words is preserved, while the final l is reflected as o. The accent system is typically Neo-Štokavian, with four accents and well-preserved unaccented lengths. The pre-sonant lengthening in the final syllables is attested both before j and in possessive pronouns and adjectives ending in -īn and -ōv. The analysed local dialects show the most similarities with the local dialects of Sinjska and Drniška Krajina (Badanj).