Names of Modern National Languages

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  • Soldier of Macedon
    Senior Member
    • Sep 2008
    • 13670

    Names of Modern National Languages

    Most of the Balkan languages, like many others around the world, had several names attached to them during various periods in history. With the coming of nationalism at the end of the 18th and beginning of 19th centuries, these loose definitions were gradually dropped to reflect the people's sentiments in terms of native identity and the (for some) reality of the times.

    The names of the Macedonian, Croatian and Serbian languages only came to be used in the modern era during this period, they were not immune to this historical process. Indeed, during the East Roman and Ottoman periods, nearly all of the Slavic languages in the Balkans were at some point referred to as simply 'Slavic' or its (quite often) synonym 'Bulgarian'. Traditions of the term 'Bulgarian' being used as a synonym for 'Slavic' stem from the middle ages when the Bulgarian Empire included much of the Slavic-speaking people in the Balkans.

    The Croatian tongue was also referred to as 'Illyrian' and 'Dalmatian' for centuries prior, while the Serbian tongue was labelled 'Illyrian' and more commonly as 'Puchki'. The Bulgarians, claiming a name that stems from an Asiatic horde that invaded the Balkans in the 7th century, conveniently appropriated a common and generic term (Bulgarian) during the 19th century, which prompted their propagandists to claim the greater part of the Slavic world and deeds in the Balkans as their own, despite obvious cultural, historical and geographic inconsistencies. In the early stages of 'awakening', Macedonian, Serbian and Bulgarian writers at times all used a 'Slavic' prefix in front of the noun when making reference to their languages, for example, Slavo-Macedonian, Slavo-Serbian and Slavo-Bulgarian respectively. Over time, the prefix was gradually dropped in all the languages. The 19th century Macedonian warrior-poet, Georgi Pulevski, clearly indicated the reason as to why the 'Slavic' prefix was used in his writings at times. It was due to strong links the Macedonian language has to Old Slavonic, which he rightly glorifies by including the 'Slavic' prefix as a mark of respect and acknowledgment. He does, in many other instances, simply refer to the language and people as 'Macedonian'.

    The Greek language has also been referred to variously throughout history, however, the 'Roman' (Romaic, Romaioi, Rumlar) name outlasts all of the rest due to its near 2,000 year use, a result of the strong Roman identity and culture adopted by the Greeks after collaborating with their future namesake and Latin invaders against the Macedonian rulers of the Balkans. This tradition, certainly among the commoners, lasted well into the 19th century and the independence gained as a result of western and Russian intervention. With the newly found nation being baptised as 'Hellenes' the name of the language was changed accordingly, employing a name which was practically out of use for nearly 2 millenia.

    Interesting to note is the fact that both the Serbian and Hellenic terminology in terms of national languages largely begins to increase roughly around the time of their respective independence, demonstrating that the free state was a necessary tool to further the widespread recognition of the new names. The Macedonian language was not as fortunate for it would have to wait until 1940's before being recognized as an official language of a Macedonian state, yet despite this, its name continued to be used commonly by the Macedonian people.

    The aim here is to show, by way of comparison to our neighbours, how the Macedonians have every right to call their language MACEDONIAN.
    In the name of the blood and the sun, the dagger and the gun, Christ protect this soldier, a lion and a Macedonian.
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