Macedonia (terminology)

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Macedonia

is  not officially defined by any international organisation or  state. In some contexts it  appears to span five current sovereign countries: Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, and  Serbia."> is  not officially defined by any international organisation or  state. In some contexts it  appears to span five current sovereign countries: Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, and  Serbia." width="326" height="326" longdesc="../../../b/i/g/Image%7EBigHistMac.gif_dd80.html" />

The contemporary geographical region of Macedonia is  not officially defined by any international organisation or  state. In some contexts it  appears to span five current sovereign countries: Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, and  Serbia. For more  details see the boundaries and  definitions section in Macedonia (region).

This article is  about the use of the name Macedonia and  its derivatives. For the region spanning several countries in South-Eastern Europe please see Macedonia (region). For other uses of the term, see Macedonia.

The definition of Macedonia is  a major source of confusion and  debate because of the overlapping use of the term to describe geographical, political and  historical areas, languages and  peoples. Ethnic groups inhabiting the area use different terminology for the same entity, or  the same terminology for different entities, which is  often confusing to other inhabitants of the region and  foreigners alike.

Historically, the region has presented markedly shifting borders across the Balkan peninsula. Geographically, no single definition of its borders or  the names of its subdivisions is  accepted by all scholars and  ethnic groups. Demographically, it  is mainly inhabited by four ethnic groups, three of which self-identify as Macedonians: one Slavic group does so at a national level, while a Bulgarian and  a Greek one do so at a regional level. Linguistically, the names and  origins of the languages and  dialects spoken in the region are  a source of controversy. Politically, the use of the name Macedonia has led to a diplomatic dispute between Greece and  the Republic of Macedonia. Despite intervention from the United Nations, the dispute is  still pending full resolution.

Regardless of the borderless, historic nature of the region, Macedonia can be safely considered as lying in the heart of the Balkan peninsula. Therefore, the reason for this polyonymy, heteronymy and  confusion can be summarised in Winston Churchill's words: "The Balkan region has a tendency to produce more  history than it  can consume."^[1]

[edit] Etymology

Main article: Etymology of the name "Macedonia"

There are  three theories for the etymology of the name Macedonia. According to ancient Greek mythology, Macedon was the name of the first phylarch (tribal chief) of the tribe that initially settled western, southern and  central Macedonia and  founded the kingdom of Macedon. Αccording to Herodotus, the Makednoí were a tribe of the Dorians.^[2] The name probably derives from the adjective μακεδνός makednós, meaning "tall", which Homer uses for a poplar tree,^[3] and  which the grammarian Hesychius of Alexandria records as a Doric word meaning "large" or  "heavenly"^[4] it  has been commonly suggested that both the Macedonians (Makedónes) and  their Makednoí tribal ancestors were regarded as tall people.^[5] A third hypothesis suggests that the name Makedónes may mean "highlanders", from an  unattested ancient Macedonian bahuvrihi *μακι-κεδόνες *maki-kedónes "of the high earth".^[6] According to the World Book Encyclopedia, the names Macedonia and  Macedonians derive from the Greek word Macednon which means high — a reference to the group's mountainous homeland.

[edit] In history

Historical Macedonia
and  historic references."> and  historic references." width="162" height="130" longdesc="../../../l/o/c/Image%7ELocationMacedonia-MAC-1-z.png_21d0.html" />
Ancient Macedon	Roman Province
and  occupied only the Eastern part of the contemporary geographical area (approximate borders)."> and  occupied only the Eastern part of the contemporary geographical area (approximate borders)." width="162" height="130" longdesc="../../../l/o/c/Image%7ELocationMacedonia-BYZ-1-z.png_08c9.html" />	an  administrative division of the Ottoman Empire."> an  administrative division of the Ottoman Empire." width="162" height="130" longdesc="../../../l/o/c/Image%7ELocationMacedonia-OTT-2-z.png_9339.html" />
Byzantine province (approximate borders)	Ottoman period (approximate)
"If it  were not confusing, it  would not have  been Macedonia."[18]
Ancient Macedon: Approximate borders of the kingdom before expansion to conquer the whole known world, according to archaeological findings and  historic references. Roman province: Macedonia occupied areas outside the contemporary geographical area to the West (approximate borders of maximum extent). There was also a late antique diocese of Macedonia. Byzantine province: Macedonia excluded Thessaloniki and  occupied only the Eastern part of the contemporary geographical area (approximate borders). Ottoman period: During the first four centuries of the Ottoman period, western scholars thought of Macedonia in terms of Greco-Roman geography.[19] The Ottoman Empire did not have  an administrative unit by that name.[19] In the early 19th century, the definition of Macedonia by most scholars, approximately matched the contemporary region, with occasional farther variations.[19]

The region of Macedonia has been home to several historical political entities; the main ones are  given below. The borders of each of these entities were different. The area occupied by ancient Macedon approximately coincided with contemporary Macedonia in Greece.^[7]

[edit] In early history

Main articles: History of the region of Macedonia and  Macedon

The ancient kingdom of Macedon had more  or less  definite borders, although the question of whether the upland areas, like Lyncestis, were part of the kingdom or  independent states tended to be fought out under most of the Macedonian kings. Under Philip II of Macedon, Macedonia expanded markedly, growing to include Chalcidice, and  northward to the Danube; Philip personally controlled much of Greece. Under Alexander, Macedon expanded within decades to an  Empire, occupying most of the known world; one part of it  then became the Hellenistic kingdom of Macedonia. After the Roman conquest following the Macedonian Wars, the Roman Senate established a province of Macedonia, which had various borders in different centuries. The Roman provincial system stopped working at the fall of the Roman Empire, and  when the Byzantines set up a theme of Macedonia, it  was much further to the East, excluding even Chalcidice, to say nothing of Thessalonica. The Ottoman Empire did not use Macedonia as the name of an  administrative unit.

Historical political entities which have  used the name Macedonia were:

• Macedon, the ancient kingdom, existed in the northernmost part of ancient Greece, bordering the kingdom of Epirus on the west and  the region of Thrace to the east. The first Macedonian state emerged in the 8th or  early 7th century BCE. Its notable ruler Alexander the Great conquered all of the known world to the east of Greece until his early death in 323 BCE. The kingdom lasted until the Romans divided it  into four republics in 168 BCE.^[8]

• The Romans had two different entities called Macedonia, at different levels:
  • Macedonia was formed into a Roman province in 146 BC. Its boundaries were shifted from time to time for Roman administrative convenience, but it  usually extended west to the Adriatic. Diocletian divided it  into Macedonia prima and  Macedonia salutaris.
  • The provinces were only part of the Roman Diocese of Macedonia, organized some time around 300; authorities differ, but it  certainly existed under Constantine. In addition to the two Macedonian provinces, it  included Epirus vetus, Epirus nova, Thessaly, Achaea, and  Crete - almost all of modern Greece and  the present Republic, as well as much of Albania. Both the diocese and  the provinces ceased to function as administrative units when the late Roman Empire lost control of the Balkans around 600 or  700.

• Macedonia, during the Byzantine period, was a new theme organised by Empress Irene, out of the Theme of Strymon, stretching of Adrianople and  the Evros valley east along the Sea of Marmara (ancient Macedonia was the Theme of Thessalonica). John I Tzimisces replaced this with a ducate of Adrianople, which included much of his Bulgarian conquests.^[9]

• The Ottomans held Macedonia for five centuries; they did not keep Macedonia as an  administrative unit. The region of European Turkey lying between Thessaly and  Serbia continued to be called Macedonia, however. In 1904, when most of it  was placed under international administration, it  contained the districts of Salonica, Monastir, Üsküb, Kossovo, Drama, and  Serres. In 1912–3, this was divided among the Balkan states.^{[10][11][12][13]}

[edit] In modern history

Main article: History of modern Macedonia

Since the early stages of the Greek Revolution, the provisional government of Greece claimed Macedonia as part of Greek national territory, but the Treaty of Constantinople (1832), which established a Greek independent state, set its northern boundary between Arta and  Volos.^[14] When the Ottoman Empire started breaking apart, Macedonia was claimed by all members of the Balkan League (Serbia, Montenegro, Greece and  Bulgaria), and  by Romania. Under the Treaty of San Stefano that ended the Russo-Turkish War, 1877–78 the entire region, except Thessaloniki, was included in the borders of Bulgaria, but after the Congress of Berlin in 1878 the region was returned to the Ottoman Empire. The armies of the Balkan League advanced and  occupied Macedonia in the First Balkan War in 1912. Because of disagreements between the allies about the partition of the region, the Second Balkan War erupted, and  in its aftermath the arbitrary region of Macedonia was split into definite borders. The political entities that existed or  still exist in this region, under the name Macedonia are:

• Macedonia (as a region of Greece) refers to a region of three peripheries in northern Greece, incorporated in 1913, as a result of the Balkan Wars, between the Ottoman Empire and  the Balkan League.^[15]
• Macedonia (as a People's Republic within Yugoslavia) used to refer to the People's Republic of Macedonia established in 1946, later known as the Socialist Republic of Macedonia, one of the constituent republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, renamed in 1963.^[16]
• Macedonia (as a contemporary sovereign state) refers^N-[3] to the conventional short form name of the Republic of Macedonia, which held a referendum and  established its independence from Yugoslavia on September 8, 1991.^[17]

[edit] In geography

Macedonia (as a current geographical term) refers to a region of the Balkan peninsula in south-eastern Europe, covering some 60,000 or  70,000 square kilometers. Although the region's borders are  not officially defined by any international organization or  state, in some contexts, the territory appears to correspond to the basins of (from west to east) the Haliacmon (Aliákmonas), Vardar / Axios and  Struma / Strymónas rivers, and  the plains around Thessaloniki and  Serres.

 have  similar borders, differing slightly from each other; a few maps restrict the region to its southern part. Enlarge."> have  similar borders, differing slightly from each other; a few maps restrict the region to its southern part. Enlarge." width="340" height="253" longdesc="../../../8/5/m/Image%7E85mapmacedonia.jpg.html" />

French geographical map of the wider Macedonia (region) as seen by Bianconi, 1885. Most other maps of that period have  similar borders, differing slightly from each other; a few maps restrict the region to its southern part. Enlarge.

In a historic context, the region presents markedly shifting borders across the Balkan peninsula, since borders were loosely defined according to the administrative requirements of its conquerors. Under the Ottoman conquest, which lasted five centuries, Macedonia was not an  administrative division of the Ottoman Empire.^[18] H.R. Wilkinson, the geographer, suggests that the region "defies definition", but that many mappers agree "on its general location".^[19] Macedonia was well enough defined in 1897 for Gladstone propose "Macedonia for the Macedonians", implying all the inhabitants of the region, irrespectively of their ethnicity.^[20] The Balkan nations began to proclaim their rights to it  after the Treaty of San Stefano in 1878, and  its subsequent revision.

Many ethnographic maps were produced in this period of controversy; these differ primarily in the areas given to each nationality within Macedonia. This was in part a result of the choice of definition: an  inhabitant of Macedonia might well have  different nationalities depending on whether the basis of classification was denomination,  and  descent">descent, language, self-identification or  personal choice. In addition, the Ottoman census, taken on the basis of religion, was misquoted by all sides; descent, or  "race", was largely conjectural; inhabitants of Macedonia might speak a different language at the market and  at home, and  the same Slavic dialect might be called Serbian "with Bulgarian influences", Macedonian, or  West-Bulgarian.

These maps would also differ somewhat in the boundaries given to Macedonia. Its only inarguable limits were the Aegean Sea and  the Serbian and  Bulgarian frontiers (as of 1885); where it  bordered on Old Serbia, Albania, and  Thrace (all parts of Ottoman Rumelia) was debatable.^[19]

The Greek ethnographer Nicolaides, the Austrian Meinhard, and  the Bulgarian Kǎnčev accepted the Šar Mountains and  the Crna hills; as had scholars before 1878.^[19] The Serb Gopčevič preferred a line much further south, assigning the entire region from Skopje to Strumica to "Old Serbia"; and  some later Greek geographers have  agreed to a more  restricted Macedonia.^[19] In addition, maps might vary in smaller details: as to whether this town or  that was Macedonian. One Italian map included Prizren, where Nicolaides and  Meinhard had drawn the boundary just south of it. On the south and  west, Grevena, Korçë, and  Konitsa varied from map to map; on the east, the usual line is  the lower Mesta / Nestos river and  then north or  northwest, but one German geographer takes the line so far west as to exclude Bansko and  Nevrokop / Gotse Delcev.^[19]

Extremist ethnic Macedonian nationalists of the "United Macedonia" movement have  expressed irredentist claims to what they refer to as "Aegean Macedonia" (in Greece),^[21][22][23] "Pirin Macedonia" (in Bulgaria),^[24] " and  Golo Bardo">Mala Prespa and  Golo Bardo" (in Albania),^[25] and  "Gora and  Prohor Pchinski" (in Serbia).^[26] Greek Macedonians, Bulgarians, Albanians and  Serbs form the overwhelming majority of the population of each part of the region respectively. These fringe groups have  received no official encouragement from the government of the Republic of Macedonia, especially since 1995 when a constitutional amendment was added stating that there were no territorial claims on neighbouring countries. However, schoolbooks and  official government publications in the Republic have  shown the country as part of an  unliberated whole.^{[27][28][29][30][31][32][33]}

Geographical Macedonia

is  not officially defined by any international organisation or  state. In some contexts it  appears to span five states: Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, and  Serbia."> is  not officially defined by any international organisation or  state. In some contexts it  appears to span five states: Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, and  Serbia." width="326" height="273" longdesc="../../../e/u/r/Image%7EEurope_Balkans_Macedonia_geo.jpg_7df7.html" />

Major sub-regions:        Aegean MacedoniaN-[1] (or Greek Macedonia)        Pirin MacedoniaN-[2] (or Bulgarian Macedonia)        Vardar Macedonia (formerly Yugoslav Macedonia)

Minor parts:         and  Golo Bardo">Mala Prespa and  Golo Bardo (in Albania)        Gora and  Prohor Pchinski (in Serbia)

The region of Macedonia is  commonly divided into three major and  two minor sub-regions.^[34] The name Macedonia appears under certain contexts on the major regions, while the smaller ones are  traditionally referred to by other local toponyms:

[edit] Major sub-regions

The region of Macedonia is  commonly split geographically into three main sub-regions, especially when discussing the Macedonian Question. The terms are  used in non-partisan scholarly works, although they are  also used in ethnic Macedonian literature of an  irredentist nature:^[35]

• Aegean Macedonia^N-[1] (or Greek Macedonia) is  a term that refers to an  area in the south of the Macedonia region. The borders of the area are, overall, those of ancient Macedonia in Greece. it  covers an  area of 34,200 km²^[36] (for discussion of the reported irredentist origin of this term, see Aegean Macedonia).
• Pirin Macedonia^N-[2] (or Bulgarian Macedonia) is  an area in the east of the Macedonia region. The borders of the area approximately coincide with those of Blagoevgrad Province in Bulgaria.^[34] it  covers an  area of 6,449 km².^[37]
• Vardar Macedonia (formerly Yugoslav Macedonia) is  an area in the north of the Macedonia region. The borders of the area are  those of the Republic of Macedonia.^[34] it  covers an  area of 25,333 km².^[38]

[edit] Minor parts

In addition to the above named sub-regions, there are  also two smaller regions, in Albania and  Serbia respectively. These regions are  also considered geographically part of Macedonia. They are  referred to by ethnic Macedonians as follows,^[35] but typically aren't referred to by non-partisan scholars.

 and  Golo Bardo">Mala Prespa and  Golo Bardo is  a small area in the west of the Macedonia region in Albania, mainly around the Lake Ohrid. it  includes parts of the Korçë, Pogradec and  Devoll districts. These districts in whole occupy about 3,000 km², but the area concerned is  significantly smaller.

Gora and  Prohor Pchinski are  minor parts in the north of the Macedonia region in Serbia. They roughly correspond to the Serbian district of Dragash (435 km²) and  the monastery of Prohor Pčinjski.

[edit] In demographics

Main article: Demographic history of Macedonia

The region, as defined above, has a total population of about 5 million. The main disambiguation issue in demographics is  the self-identifying name of two contemporary groups. The ethnic Macedonian population of the Republic of Macedonia self-identify as Macedonian on a national level, while the Greek Macedonians self-identify as both Macedonian on a regional, and  Greek on a national level. This disambiguation problem has led to a wide variety of terms used to refer to the separate groups, more  information of which can be found in the terminology by group section.

The self-identifying Macedonians (collectively referring to the inhabitants of the region) that inhabit or  inhabited the area are:

As an  ethnic group, Macedonians refers^N-[3] to the majority of the population of the Republic of Macedonia. Statistics for 2002 indicate the population of ethnic Macedonians within Republic of Macedonia as 1,297,981.^[38][41] On the other hand, as a legal term, it  refers to all the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia, irrespective of their ethnic or  religious affiliation.^[38] However, the preamble of the constitution^[17] distinguishes between "the Macedonian people" and  the "Albanians, Turks, Vlachs, Romanics and  other nationalities living in the Republic of Macedonia", but for whom "full equality as citizens" is  provided. As of 2002 the total population of the country is  2,022,547.^[41]

As a regional group in Greece, Macedonians refers to ethnic Greeks living in regions referred to as Macedonia, and  particularly Greek Macedonia. This group composes the vast majority of the population of the Greek region of Macedonia. The 2001 census for the total population of the Macedonia region in Greece shows 2,625,681.^[42]

The same term in antiquity described the inhabitants of the kingdom of Macedon,^[20] including their notable rulers Philip II of Macedon and  Alexander the Great who self-identified as Greeks.^[43]

As a regional group in Bulgaria, Macedonians refers to the inhabitants of Bulgarian Macedonia, who in their vast majority self-identify as Bulgarians at a national level and  as Macedonians at a regional, but not ethnic level.^[40] As of 2001, the total population of Bulgarian Macedonia is  341,245, while the ethnic Macedonians living in the same region are  3,117.^[44] The Bulgarian Macedonians also self-identify as Piriners (пиринци, pirintsi)^[45] to avoid confusion with the neighboring ethnic group.

Macedo-Romanians can be used as an  alternative name for Aromanians, people living throughout the southern Balkans, especially in northern Greece, Albania, the Republic of Macedonia and  Bulgaria, and  as an  emigrant community in Northern Dobruja, Romania. According to Ethnologue, their total population in all countries is  306,237.^[46] This not very frequent appellation is  the only one with the disambiguating portmanteau, both within the members of the same ethnic group and  the other ethnic groups in the area.^[47] To make matters more  confusing, Aromanians are  often called "Machedoni" by Romanians, as opposed to the citizens of Macedonia, who are  called "Macedoneni".

The ethnic Albanians living in the region of Macedonia, as defined above, are  mainly concentrated in the Republic of Macedonia (especially in the northwestern part that borders Kosovo and  Albania), and  less in the Albanian minor sub-region of Macedonia around the Lake Ohrid. As of 2002, the total population of Albanians within the republic is  509,083 or  25.2% of the country's total population.^[41]

It should be noted that the ancient Macedonian religious sect derived their name from their founder, Bishop Macedonius I of Constantinople, not from the geographical region of Macedonia.

[edit] In linguistics

As language is  one of the elements tied in with national identity, the same disputes that are  voiced over demographics are  also found in linguistics. There are  two main disputes about the use of the word Macedonian to describe a linguistic phenomenon, be it  a language or  a dialect:

On the first hand, the origins of the Ancient Macedonian language are  currently debated. it  is as yet undetermined whether the language / dialect was a Greek dialect related to Doric Greek^[51][52] and/or Aeolic Greek^[53] dialects among others, a sibling language of ancient Greek forming a Greaco-Macedonian or  Hellenic supergroup, or  an independent Indo-European language close to Greek, Thracian and  Phrygian languages.^[54] The scientific community generally agrees that, although some sources are  available (e.g. Hesychius' lexicon, Pella curse tablet)^[55] there is  no decisive evidence for supporting either hypothesis.^[56]

On the other hand, the (south Slavic) Macedonian language^N-[3] is  unrelated to the Ancient Macedonian language. it  currently suffers from two main disputes. The first dispute is  over the name (alternative ways of referring to this language can be found in the terminology by group section). The second dispute is  over the existence of a Macedonian language distinct from Bulgarian, the denial of which is  a position supported by nationalist groups,^[57] but also, less  vehemently, by ordinary Bulgarians. Further information on this can be found in the Macedonian language article.

Today, Macedonian is  also a dialect of Modern Greek, a language of the Indo-European family. Additionally, Macedo-Romanian is  an Eastern Romance language, spoken in Southeastern Europe by the Aromanians.^[47]

[edit] In politics

The controversies in geographic, linguistic and  demographic terms, are  also manifested in international politics. Among the autonomous countries that were formed as a result of the Yugoslavian split in the 1990s, was the (until then) subnational entity of SFRJ, by the official name of Socialist Republic of Macedonia, the others being Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia,  and  Herzegovina">Bosnia and  Herzegovina and  Montenegro. The peaceful break-away of that nation, resulted in a necessary change for its name, to signify disassociation from federal Yugoslavia.

Political Macedonia

Μακεδονία (Macedonia) (Macedonia in Greece)

Македонија (Macedonia) (Republic of Macedonia)

Republic of Macedonia^N-[3] is  the constitutional name^[17] of the sovereign state which occupies the northern part of the geographical region of Macedonia. The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) is  a term used to refer to this state by the main international organisations, including United Nations,^[58] European Union,^[59] NATO,^[60] IMF,^[61] WTO,^[62] IOC,^[63] World Bank,^[64]  and  Development">EBRD,^[65]  and  Co-operation in Europe">OSCE,^[66] FIFA,^[67] and  FIBA.^[68] The term was introduced in 1993 by the United Nations, following a naming dispute with Greece. Some countries use this term as a stop-gap measure, pending resolution of the naming dispute.

Greece and  the Republic of Macedonia each consider this name a compromise:^[69] it  is opposed by some Greeks for containing the Greek self-identifying name Macedonia, and  by many in the Republic of Macedonia for not being the short self-identifying name.^[70] Greece uses it  in both the abbreviated (FYROM or  ΠΓΔΜ)^N-[1] and  spellout form (πρώην Γιουγκοσλαβική Δημοκρατία της Μακεδονίας).

Macedonia refers also to a geographic region in Greece, divided in the three administrative sub-regions (peripheries) of West, Central, and  East Macedonia. The region is  overseen by the Ministry for Macedonia–Thrace. The capital of Greek Macedonia is  Thessaloniki, which is  the largest city in the region of Macedonia. Thessaloniki is  also the joint capital city ("συμπρωτεύουσα"-symprotévousa)^[71] of Greece, the capital being Athens.

[edit] Names in the languages of the region

Macedonia

Albanian:	Maqedonia		Macedonian:	Македонија (Makedonija)
Armenian:	Մակեդոնիա (Makedonia)		Romany:	Makedoniya
Aromanian:	Machidunia		Russian:	Македония (Makedonija)
Bulgarian:	Македония (Makedonija)		Serbian:	Македонија, Makedonija
Greek:	Μακεδονία (Makedhonia)		Turkish:	Makedonya
Ladino:	Makedonia, מקדוניה‎		Ukrainian:	Македонія (Makedonija)

[edit] Terminology by group

All these controversies have  led ethnic groups in Macedonia to use terms in conflicting ways. Despite the fact that these terms may not always be used in a pejorative way, they may be perceived as such by the receiving ethnic group. Both Greeks and  ethnic Macedonians generally use all terms deriving from Macedonia to describe their own regional or  ethnic group, and  have devised several other terms to disambiguate the other side, or  the region in general.

A proportion of Bulgarians and  ethnic Macedonians have  extremist views about their inter-relatedness. On the one hand, extremist ethnic Macedonians^[72] seek to deny the possibility of any national, linguistic and  historical relatedness to the Bulgarians. On the other hand, extremist Bulgarians seek to downplay this distinctiveness,^[73] and  are often supported by extremist Greeks.^[74] Bulgarians and  ethnic Macedonians seek to deny the self-identification of the Slavic speaking minority in northern Greece,^[75] which mostly self-identifies as Greek. Extremists on all sides have  been known to fabricate and  reproduce falsified information, along with denying genuine information and  propagating unscientific and  pseudoscientific theories.^[76][77][78]

Certain terms are  in use by these groups as outlined below. Any denial of self-identification by any side, or  any attribution to Macedonia related terms by third parties to the other side, can be seen as highly offensive. General usage of these terms follows:

[edit] Bulgarian Gărkomani (Гъркомани) is  a derogatory term used to refer to the largest portion of the Slavic-speaking minority of Macedonia in Greece who self-identify as Greeks.[79] Macedonian and  the Slavic dialects of Greece are  considered dialects of Bulgarian by Bulgarian linguists, not independent languages or  dialects of other languages (e.g. Serbian). This is  also the popular view in Bulgaria. The Bulgarian government, however, has officially recognized the language as the constitutional language of the Republic of Macedonia.[80] Macedonism (Македонизъм) is  a term referring to the political ideology or  simply views that the Slavs of Macedonia are  an ethnic group separate from Bulgarians, with their own separate language, history and  culture. it  is also used to describe what Bulgarians view as the falsification of their history whether by Macedonian or  foreign scholars who subscribe to the Macedonist point of view. it  carries strong negative connotations.[81] (see Macedonism). Macedonistics (Македонистика) is  a term, generally synonymous with disciplines such as study of the origins of the Macedonian language and  history of the Macedonian people conducted in the Republic of Macedonia and  in former Yugoslavia. it  is generally considered in Bulgaria to be a kind of pseudoscience. Macedonist (Македонист) is  a term for a person (typically ethnic Macedonian) who believes that Macedonian Slavs are  not ethnic Bulgarians but a separate ethnic group, directly descended from the ancient Macedonians. it  is a more  negatively charged synonym of "Macedonian nationalist". more  rarely it  is used for someone associated with the study of the origins of the Macedonian language and  history of the Macedonian people (not necessarily from the Republic of Macedonia or  Yugoslavia), whose studies support the official historical doctrine of the Republic of Macedonia or  former Yugoslavia.[81] Old Bulgarian (Старобългарски) is  the name Bulgarians give to the Old Church Slavonic language used in the Ohrid Literary School among others. In contrast, Old Church Slavonic is  rarely referred to by Macedonians as Old Macedonian, but is  referred to as Old Slavic.[82]

[edit] Greek Macedonia (Μακεδονία) can refer to the region of Macedonia or  Macedonia in Greece depending on the context — usually the first being disambiguated.[83] Macedonian (Μακεδόνας) refers to an  ethnically Greek Macedonian.[83] Ancient Macedonian (Αρχαίος Μακεδόνας) refers to an  Ancient Macedonian.[83] Macedonian Slav, Slavic Macedonian or  SlavomacedonianN-[5] (Σλαβομακεδόνας) refers to a member of the Macedonian ethnic group. Macedonian Slavic, Slavic Macedonian or  SlavomacedonianN-[5] (Σλαβομακεδονικά) refers to the Macedonian language.[84] Republic of Skopje (Δημοκρατία των Σκοπίων) refers to the Republic of Macedonia.[85] State of Skopje (Κράτος των Σκοπίων) refers to the Republic of Macedonia.[86] Skopje, or  Skopia (Σκόπια) refers to either the Republic of Macedonia or  its capital city of Skopje.[87] Skopjan, or  Skopian (Σκοπιανός) refers to a member of the Macedonian ethnic group living in the Republic or  outside it, not in Greece.[87] Skopianika (Σκοπιανικά) refers to the Macedonian language.[88] Slavophone (Σλαβόφωνος) refers to a member of the Slavic speaking minority in Greece, which mainly consists of Greek-identifying Slavic-speakers,[89] but also Bulgarians and  ethnic Macedonians. Bulgaroskopian (Βουλγαροσκοπιανός) is  a derogatory term used to refer to ethnic Macedonians.[74] Pseudomacedonian (Ψευδομακεδόνας) is  a term used to refer to Slavic Macedonians, and  asserts their nationhood is  contrived.[90]

[edit] Ethnic Macedonian Macedonia (Македонија) can interchangeably refer to either the region of Macedonia or  the Republic of Macedonia.[91] Macedonians (Македонци) generally refers to the Macedonian ethnic group associated with the Republic of Macedonia, neighbouring countries and  abroad.[91] Aegean Macedonia (Егејска Македонија — Egejska Makedonija) refers to Macedonia in Greece (as defined by the administrative division of Greece).[92][93] Pirin Macedonia (Пиринска Македонија — Pirinska Makedonija) refers to the Blagoevgrad Province of Bulgaria (as defined by the administrative division of Bulgaria).[93] Old Macedonian (Старомакедонски) is  one of the names ethnic Macedonians give to the Ancient Macedonian language.[94] Bugarashi (бугараши) or  bugarofili (бугарофили) are  derogatory terms used to refer to people in the Republic of Macedonia self-identifying as Bulgarian, or  having a pro-Bulgarian orientation.[95], [96] Egejci (Егејци) is  а term sometimes used to refer to people living in the Republic of Macedonia and  abroad that are  originating from the Aegean Macedonia (today’s Greece).[97] Grkomani (гркомани) is  a derogatory term used to refer to the largest portion of the Slavic-speaking minority of Macedonia in Greece who self-identify as Greeks.[98] Srbomani (србомани) or  srbofili (србофили) are  derogatory terms used to refer to people in the Republic of Macedonia self-identifying as Serbian, or  having a pro-Serb orientation.[95], [99]

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

[edit] Further reading

[edit] See also

• Macedonian salad

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