The Prizren–Timok dialect, one of Serbia’s oldest and lexically richest, has been marginalized for decades. Although spoken by around 1.5 million people in southern Serbia, it remained largely absent from public life, media and modern linguistic resources. This is why Južna pruga was launched — the first media outlet dedicated entirely to publishing news, stories and reports in this dialect.
Why preserving the dialect matters
The editorial team emphasizes that the dialect is a key part of local identity and cultural heritage. UNESCO already classifies it as endangered, as it is not used in schools, modern dictionaries do not exist, and academic studies are scarce and difficult to access.
Challenging stereotypes through media
Southern speech has long been stereotyped in films and TV shows, where characters were often portrayed as simplistic or comedic. This discouraged younger generations from using their dialect, especially when moving to other parts of Serbia.
Južna pruga aims to change this perception by covering politics, economics, culture and social issues — all written in the Prizren–Timok dialect. 
A newsroom of native speakers and language experts
The portal brings together Serbian language professors and native speakers of different dialect variants. News is already published in the Niš, Leskovac, Vranje and Pirot variants, with plans to expand to Knjaževac, Zaječar, Prizren, Priština and other regions. Audio versions of articles allow readers to hear authentic pronunciation.
Plans for digital tools, TV content and AI chatbots
The project aims to expand beyond the portal itself. Plans include a YouTube channel, a future TV program and the development of AI chatbots capable of communicating in multiple variants of the dialect.
The collected texts and audio materials will serve as the foundation for creating modern dictionaries, grammar resources and language technologies, ensuring the dialect has a place in today’s digital world.
Photos: Južna pruga
