The ''Declaration'' states that [[Bosniaks]], [[Croats]], [[Montenegrins]] and [[Serbs]] have a common [[standard language]] of the [[Polycentric language|polycentric]] type.<ref>{{cite web|title=Predstavljena Deklaracija o zajedničkom jeziku|trans-title=Declaration on the Common Language Presented|language=sh|work=TV news Vesti|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKsSwZXw0pE|publisher=[[B92]]|date=30 March 2017|access-date=18 June 2019}} min 0.13</ref><ref>{{cite web|first1=Jean-Arnault|last1=Dérens|first2=Simon|last2=Rico|date=1 July 2017|page=18|title=La langue sans nom des Balkans|trans-title=Unnamed Language of the Balkans|language=fr|url=httphttps://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/2017/07/DERENS/57651|work=[[Le Monde diplomatique]]|archive-date=5 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170705081357/http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/2017/07/DERENS/57651|url-status=live|___location=Paris|issn=0026-9395|access-date=18 March 2017}}</ref> It refers to the fact that the four peoples communicate effectively without an interpreter due to their [[mutual intelligibility]], which is a key notion when talking about languages.<ref>{{cite web|last=Slavenka|first=Drakulić|author-link=Slavenka Drakulić|title=U tranziciji pisci su gubitnici (intervju vodio Vladimir Matković)|trans-title=In Transition, Writers Are Losers (interview conducted by Vladimir Matković)|language=sh|url=https://www.danas.rs/kultura/u-tranziciji-pisci-su-gubitnici/|work=[[Danas (newspaper)|Danas]]|archive-date=19 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210419153606/https://www.danas.rs/kultura/u-tranziciji-pisci-su-gubitnici/|url-status=live|___location=Belgrade|issn=1450-538X|date=30 March 2018|access-date=18 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Bahrer|first=Manuel|date=1 October 2018|title=Zajednički jezik nema veze s Jugoslavijom|trans-title=The Common Language Has Nothing to Do With Yugoslavia|language=sh|url=http://bib.irb.hr/datoteka/965944.Intervju-Kosmo-2018.png|publisher=[[:de:Kosmo (Magazin)|Kosmo]]|___location=Wienna|access-date=18 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Deklaracja o wspólnym języku |trans-title=Declaration on the Common Language |first=Sadowska-Lasyk |last=Kamila|language= pl|url=http://balkanistyka.org/deklaracja-o-wspolnym-jezyku-serbii-czarnogory-chorwacji-i-bosni-i-hercegowiny/|publisher=Stowarzyszenie Bałkanistyka|date=2017-03-30|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220195754/http://balkanistyka.org/deklaracja-o-wspolnym-jezyku-serbii-czarnogory-chorwacji-i-bosni-i-hercegowiny/|archivedate=2020-02-20|url-status=dead|accessdate=2023-05-07}}</ref> Furthermore, it points out that the current [[language policy]] of emphasizing differences has led to a number of negative phenomena,<ref name="Economist">{{cite news|last=J.|first=T.|date=10 April 2017|title=Is Serbo-Croatian a Language?|url=http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2017/04/economist-explains-4|newspaper=[[The Economist]]|archive-date=10 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170410083158/http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2017/04/economist-explains-4|url-status=live|___location=London|issn=0013-0613|access-date=18 June 2019}} [http://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2017&mm=04&dd=10&nav_category=12&nav_id=1248942 Alt URL]</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Kordić|first=Snježana|author-link=Snježana Kordić|date=26 February 2018|title=Dan materinskog jezika (intervju vodila Ines Baždalić)|trans-title=Mother Tongue Day (interview conducted by Ines Baždalić)|language=sh|url=http://bib.irb.hr/datoteka/935897.Intervju_SK_BH_radio_26-2-2018-Ines_Badali-Epicentar.WAV|work=Radio show Epicentar|publisher=[[BH Radio 1]]|___location=Sarajevo|access-date=18 June 2019|id={{CROSBI|935897}}}}, min 26:12</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Nikola|last=Vučić|title=Bosanski, srpski, hrvatski i "logika sirovog nacionalizma"|trans-title=Bosnian, Serbian, Croatian and "the Logic of Crude Nationalism"|language=sh|work=TV news Dnevnik u 19|url=http://ba.n1info.com/a297253/Vijesti/Vijesti/Izjasnjavanje-roditelja-o-jeziku-u-sarajevskim-skolama.html|publisher=[[N1 (TV channel)|N1]]|date=14 December 2018|access-date=18 June 2019|archive-date=20 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181120031155/http://ba.n1info.com/a297253/Vijesti/Vijesti/Izjasnjavanje-roditelja-o-jeziku-u-sarajevskim-skolama.html|url-status=dead}} 2:13 min</ref> and linguistic expression is imposed as a criterion of [[Ethnonationalism|ethnonational]] affiliation and a means of affirming political [[loyalty]].<ref>{{cite magazine|first=Dan|last=Nosovitz|date=11 February 2019|title=What Language Do People Speak in the Balkans, Anyway?|url=https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-language-is-spoken-in-the-balkans|magazine=[[Atlas Obscura]]|archive-date=11 February 2019|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190211191959/https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-language-is-spoken-in-the-balkans|access-date=18 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Paula|last=Bobanović|date=14 April 2018|title=Chomsky: Hrvati, Srbi i Bošnjaci govore isti jezik|trans-title=Chomsky: Croats, Serbs and Bosniaks Speak the Same Language|language=sh|url=https://www.express.hr/kultura/chomsky-hrvati-srbi-i-bosnjaci-govore-isti-jezik-14973|publisher=Express.hr|___location=Zagreb|archive-date=7 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180807155526/https://www.express.hr/kultura/chomsky-hrvati-srbi-i-bosnjaci-govore-isti-jezik-14973|url-status=live|access-date=18 June 2019}}</ref> The ''Declaration'' states that language and people do not have to coincide, and that each [[State (polity)|state]] or nation may independently [[Codification (linguistics)|codify]] its own variant of the common language, and that the four standard variants enjoy equal status.<ref>{{cite web|title=Deklaracija o zajedničkom jeziku predstavljena u Sarajevu|trans-title=The Declaration on the Common Language Presented in Sarajevo|language=sh|work=TV news Vijesti|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAjm5pbRwaQ|publisher=[[Al Jazeera Balkans|Al Jazeera]]|date=30 March 2017|access-date=18 June 2019}} min 1.07</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Jakov|last=Avram|title=Jezik, Deklaracija i politika|trans-title=Language, Declaration and Politics|language=sh|work=TV show Kontekst|url=http://balkans.aljazeera.net/video/kontekst-jezik-deklaracija-i-politika|publisher=[[Al Jazeera Balkans|Al Jazeera]]|date=30 March 2017|archive-date=1 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170401174913/http://balkans.aljazeera.net/video/kontekst-jezik-deklaracija-i-politika|url-status=live|access-date=18 June 2019}} [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOR5VWn5EMs Alt URL] min 21.42</ref> The ''Declaration'' calls for abolishing all forms of linguistic segregation and [[Linguistic discrimination|discrimination]] in educational and public institutions.<ref name="MiaDuhacek">{{cite web|first1=Goran|last1=Duhaček|first2=Mija|last2=Pavliša|date=28 March 2017|title=Deklaracija o zajedničkom jeziku uzbunit će duhove; evo što kažu njeni potpisnici|trans-title=The Declaration on the Common Language Will Alert the Spirits; Here's What Its Signatories Say|language=sh|url=https://www.tportal.hr/kultura/clanak/deklaracija-o-zajednickom-jeziku-uzbunit-ce-duhove-evo-sto-kazu-njeni-potpisnici-20170328|publisher=T-portal|___location=Zagreb|issn=1334-3130|archive-date=3 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170403041015/https://www.tportal.hr/kultura/clanak/deklaracija-o-zajednickom-jeziku-uzbunit-ce-duhove-evo-sto-kazu-njeni-potpisnici-20170328|url-status=live|access-date=18 June 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Zanelli|first=Aldo|year=2018|title=Eine Analyse der Metaphern in der kroatischen Linguistikfachzeitschrift Jezik von 1991 bis 1997|trans-title=Analysis of Metaphors in Croatian Linguistic Journal ''Language'' from 1991 to 1997|language=de|series=Studien zur Slavistik; 41|___location=Hamburg|publisher=[[:de:Dr. Kovač|Dr. Kovač]]|pages=83|isbn=978-3-8300-9773-0|oclc=1023608613}} [http://katalog.nsk.hr/F/?func=direct&doc_number=001013945 (NSK)]. [https://koha.ffzg.hr/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=385977 (FFZG)]</ref><ref>{{cite journal|first=Krejčí |last=Pavel|title=Декларация за общ език (Deklaracija o zajedničkom jeziku, 2017): антинационалистическа провокация или рефлексия на обективната реалност? |trans-title=Declaration on the Common Language (Deklaracija o zajedničkom jeziku, 2017): Anti-nationalist Provocation, or a Reflection of Objective Reality? |language=bg|journal=Balkanistic Forum|volume=33 |issue=2 |year=2024|issn=1310-3970 |id={{CEEOL|1245780}}|pages=298–312}}</ref> It also advocates for the freedom of individual choice and respect for [[linguistic diversity]].<ref>{{cite web|first=Amir|last=Zukić|author-link=Amir Zukić (TV host)|title=Gošća Pressinga Snježana Kordić|trans-title=Snježana Kordić – Guest of Pressing|language=sh|work=TV show Pressing|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lwvedwnv24U|publisher=[[N1 (TV channel)|N1]]|date=29 March 2017|access-date=18 June 2019|id={{CROSBI|935979}}}} 53:15 min</ref>
==International project "Languages and Nationalisms"==
