I keep reading this term used by Western media for ethnic Macedonians. As much as it angers me, it also confuses me. Especially when it attempts to describe ethnic Macedonians in the Republic of Macedonia.
What purpose does it serve? There is only one ethnic Macedonian group and yet there are quite a few Slavic Macedonians. If we are to subscribe to this moniker, then the confusion would rest quite heavily on the many slavic speaking ethnicities in Macedonia. We could be describing citizens of Macedonia who are ethnically Macedonians, Serbs, Bulgars, Croatians, Torbeshi etc. when we say "Slav Macedonians".
Yet Albanians are afforded simple descriptors like Albanians (shock, horror). Does it really have to be this hard for ethnic Macedonians?
A slavic Macedonian can be one of a number of ethnicities and many journalists are either too ignorant to understand this or have a systematic policy of undermining the Macedonian ethnicity and identity. Either way, they are not helping their reader in any way whatsoever. Enough is enough.
What purpose does it serve? There is only one ethnic Macedonian group and yet there are quite a few Slavic Macedonians. If we are to subscribe to this moniker, then the confusion would rest quite heavily on the many slavic speaking ethnicities in Macedonia. We could be describing citizens of Macedonia who are ethnically Macedonians, Serbs, Bulgars, Croatians, Torbeshi etc. when we say "Slav Macedonians".
Yet Albanians are afforded simple descriptors like Albanians (shock, horror). Does it really have to be this hard for ethnic Macedonians?
A slavic Macedonian can be one of a number of ethnicities and many journalists are either too ignorant to understand this or have a systematic policy of undermining the Macedonian ethnicity and identity. Either way, they are not helping their reader in any way whatsoever. Enough is enough.
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