Nikola Tesla: The Linguistic Legacy and Dialect of a Marvelous Inventor

Distinctions between Serbian and Croatian, the two official languages of Serbia and Croatia respectively, often provoke heated debates among linguists and laymen alike. However, one figure who bridges this divide with remarkable neutrality is Nikola Tesla, a renowned Serbian-American inventor who is celebrated globally for his contributions to electrical engineering and physics. Raised in what is now modern-day Croatia, Tesla's linguistic heritage, and the dialect he spoke, have been points of contention. This article seeks to shed light on the linguistic and dialectal aspects of Tesla's identity and the role of language in his life and work.

Tracing Tesla's Linguistic Roots

Nikola Tesla was born in 1856 in Smiljan, a small village in the Lika region of Croatia. The region's closeness to the Indo-European linguistic map and its historical ties to both Serbia and Croatia have fueled debates about his first language. Tesla was both a Croat and a Serb by ethnic and religious affiliations. He identified as Orthodox and was born in a region that is now part of Croatia, but has historically been disputed territory.

The Eastern Dialect and Serbo-Croatian

One key aspect of Tesla's linguistic background is his affiliation with the Eastern dialect of Serbo-Croatian, which is spoken in the southeastern regions of the Balkans, including parts of modern-day Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and Serbia. Tesla’s dialect, specifically Eastern Hercegovian, is a direct descendent of this more general regional language.

Note that before the 1990s, when the Republic of Croatia and Republic of Serbia each chose their distinct national languages, both considered Serbian and Croatian to be the same language, simply termed "Serbo-Croatian." Listen to Tesla's dialect in his father’s grave inscription written in Serbian Cyrillic, which can be found in the Lika region, providing tangible evidence of his regional linguistic roots.

Correspondence in Cyrillic

In the archives of the Tesla Museum and other historical institutions, there are two significant letters written in Cyrillic, demonstrating Tesla's polyglot nature. The first is from December 1934, addressed to the Serbian poet Jovan Jovanovi? Zmaj, and the second is from 1935, directed to the renowned Serbian scientist Mihajlo Pupin. These letters, authentic and in Cyrillic script, underscore Tesla's fluency in both Serbian and Croatian dialects, as the two are, to a large extent, mutually intelligible.

Identities and Debates Regarding Language

In addition to the Cyrillic-script correspondence, Tesla's identity as a national hybrid is evident in his speech. In his public appearances in Austria-Hungary, Tesla identified himself as a Croat. Yet, he was also recognized as a Serb in other contexts. This multi-layered identity reflects the complex social and political landscape of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, where many people from the Balkans identified with both cultural and ethnic labels.

Every Serb or Croat who researches Tesla's life would likely agree that he used both the Latin and Cyrillic scripts. His fluency in these languages, along with Hungarian and German, highlights the polyglottal nature of his linguistic skills, a testament to the cultural and linguistic diversity of his time.

The Importance of Linguistic Identity

The debate over whether Tesla spoke Serbian or Croatian is a reflection of broader nationalistic and linguistic tensions in the region. However, Tesla himself was content to identify with his multinational and multi-linguistic experiences. He was born in a region where the cultures and languages were intertwined, and he embraced this complexity in his work and personal life.

Language, in its broadest sense, does not define identity; rather, it is a tool that reflects the multifaceted nature of human experience. Tesla's legacy transcends linguistic boundaries, and the question of whether he spoke Serbian or Croatian is less about the language itself and more about the complex cultural and political context in which he lived.

Conclusion

While the linguistic nuance of Tesla’s identity remains a subject of debate, it is clear that his fluency in Serbo-Croatian and his cultural ties to both Serbian and Croatian roots were an integral part of his identity as a great inventor and a guiding light for future generations. His dialect, Eastern Hercegovian, speaks volumes about the linguistic landscape of the Balkans and the interconnectedness of languages in this region.

The discussion about Tesla’s language is thus less about linguistic boundaries and more about the fluidity of identity in a region with a rich tapestry of cultures, languages, and histories. Tesla’s legacy, one of innovation and inspiration, reminds us that language and identity are complex and multifaceted concepts that speak to the very essence of human experience.

References

For further reading on this topic, see:

Tesla's Correspondence in Cyrillic Script The Tesla museum at Studies on Serbo-Croatian language and dialects