This contribution sets out to give an overview of the development of the Serbo-Croatian language and its split into the individual national languages Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian and Montenegrin, showing how political developments have influenced the language and defined its boundaries through the course of time. The article also deals with the usage of this/these language(s) in the respective countries and abroad, especially with regard to translation. Finally, the author examines how a mother tongue can (officially) cease to exist and what the consequences are for the native speakers and their identification with the language.