Language biographies and social networks of Czech minority members (on example of Czech-Croatian and Croatian-Czech bilingualism Czechs in Criation

The goal of the thesis Language biographies and social networks of the Czech minority members (on example of Czech-Croatian and Croatian-Czech bilingualism of Czechs in Croatia) is to contribute to the knowledge of language behavior of the Czech minority members from Czech or mixed Czech-Croatian families living in Croatia. Language is one of the basic identity attributes of both individual and group of individuals. Being a social phenomenon, language has got two basic functions: the communicative function (as a communication device) and the identifying function (an individual identifies themselves with a group through the use of a certain language). The author of the thesis strives to describe the language processes that are going on in compatriot families, and the factors which affect maintaining the language within the national minorities, on the example of the Czech minority in Croatia. The first part of the thesis introduces the Czech minority in Croatia since the times of the Czech's moving into Croatia, their organizing within the minority or founding of Czech associations and schools, up to the present form of existence, minority organization and Czech minority status in the laws and statutes of the Republic of Croatia. The author also describes the Czech minority language and summarizes..