Macedonia (terminology)

The various terms used to describe the different (and frequently overlapping) geographical, political and historical areas of the region traditionally referred to as Macedonia are often a source of confusion for people from other parts of the world, and seemingly for the inhabitants of the region themselves. The purpose of this article is to explain the meanings of and inter-relationships among those terms.

The term "Macedonia" itself can have one of many meanings depending on context.

Macedonia (as a current geographical term) refers to a region of the Balkan peninsula in south-eastern Europe. Although the region's borders are not officially defined by any international organization or state^[1], in some contexts_↓, the territory appears to correspond to the basins of (from west to east) the Haliacmon (Aliákmon, Bistritsa) Vardar (Axios) and Struma (Strymónas) rivers, and the plains around Thessaloniki (Solun) and Serres (Serez).
Macedonia (as an ancient kingdom) refers to a kingdom in the northern-most part of ancient Greece, bordering the kingdom of Epirus on the west and the region of Thrace to the east. The area approximately coincided with contemporary Macedonia in Greece.
Macedonia (as a province in the Roman Empire) lasted from 146 BCE to 395 CE. It incorporated Epirus vetus Thessaly, and parts of Illyria and Thrace.
Macedonia (as a province of the Byzantine Empire). Despite its name largely occupied Eastern Thrace. It was bordered by the provinces of Constantinople, Thrace, Thessaloniki and Strymon.
Macedonia (as a sovereign state) refers to the Republic of Macedonia.
Macedonia (as a region of Greece) refers to one of the three regions of Northern Greece.

There are many other terms which include "Macedonia", the terms with technical meanings are:

In geography

Macedonia
- Greek or Aegean Macedonia^[2] is an area in the south of the Macedonia region. The borders of the area approximately coincide with Macedonia in Greece.
- Pirin Macedonia is an area in the east of the Macedonia region. The borders of the area approximately coincide with the Blagoevgrad Province in Bulgaria.
- Vardar Macedonia is an area in the north of the Macedonia region. The borders of the area approximately coincide with the Republic of Macedonia.

It is argued that the region is borderless (i.e. historic), since its borders had been loosely defined to include different areas in the wider region, according to the administrative requirements of its conquerors throughout history. The mere name Macedonia had disappeared from most maps, under the Ottoman conquest for a period of four centuries, since it was not an administrative division^[1].

In addition to the above named sub-regions, there are also two other regions, in Albania and Serbia respectively. These regions are also considered geographically part of Macedonia. They are referred to by ethnic Macedonians as:

Mala Prespa and Golo Bardo is a small area in the west of the Macedonia region in Albania, mainly around the Lake Ohrid.
Gora and Prohor Pchinski are minor parts in the north of the Macedonia region in Serbia.

The region borders, as defined in the map above, as well as the relative terminology, exactly coincide with maps produced by ethnic Macedonian nationalists, who have expressed irredentist claims to what they refer to as "Aegean Macedonia" (Greece), "Pirin Macedonia" (Bulgaria), "Mala Prespa and Golo Bardo" (Albania), and "Gora and Prohor Pchinski" (Serbia) despite the fact that ethnic Greeks, Bulgarians, Albanians and Serbs form the majority of the population of each region respectively. These fringe groups have received no official encouragement from the government of the Republic of Macedonia since 1995 when they agreed to remove all territorial claims to neighbouring countries' territories from their constitution^[3].

In linguistics

Macedonian (as a contemporary language) is a language in the South Slavic branch of the Indo-European family.
Macedonian (as a language of antiquity) was a language in the Indo-European family.
Macedonian (as a dialect) is a dialect of Modern Greek, a language in the Indo-European family.
Macedo-Romanian is an Eastern Romance language spoken in Southeastern Europe by the Aromanians.

In demographics

Macedonians - collectively referring to the inhabitants of the region.
Macedonians (as an ethnic group) refers to the majority of the population of the Republic of Macedonia.
Macedonians (as a regional group in Greece) refers to the majority of the population in the Macedonia region of Greece.
Macedo-Romanians are a people living throughout the southern Balkans, especially in northern Greece, Albania, the Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria, and as an emigrant community in Romania (Dobruja).

In politics

Template:Political Macedonia

The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM - IPA /ˈfajˌro̞m/) is a term used to refer to the Republic of Macedonia by the United Nations, the European Union and most other international organisations. The term came to be used as the result of a naming dispute with Greece. Some countries use the term to refer to the Republic of Macedonia as a stop-gap measure before a full resolution of the naming dispute. Both the Republic of Macedonia and Greece consider this name a compromise, opposed by Greece for containing the term Macedonia (being a Greek self-identifying name), and by Republic of Macedonia (since it does not use the short self-identifying name, as insisted). Greece uses it in both the abbreviated (FYROM or ΠΓΔΜ)^[4] and spellout form (πρώην Γιουγκοσλαβική Δημοκρατία της Μακεδονίας).

Greek Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia^[5] is the constitutional name of the sovereign state which occupies part of the geographical region of Macedonia.

Names in the languages of the region

Macedonia: Albanian: Maqedonia; Template:Lang-hy (Makedonia); Aromanian: Machidunia; Bulgarian: Македония (Makedonija); Greek: Μακεδονία (Makedonia); Ladino: Makedonia/מקדוניה; Macedonian: Македонија (Makedonija); Romany: Makedoniya; Russian: Македония (Makedonija); Serbian: Македонија/Makedonija; Turkish: Makedonya

Terminology by group

Each group in Macedonia will use various terms in often conflicting ways. There follows a list of how each group generally uses the terms.

Bulgarian terminology

Garkomani (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.
Macedonian is considered a dialect of Bulgarian by Bulgarian linguists, rather than as an independent language. This is also the popular view in Bulgaria. The Bulgarian government, however, has officially recognized the language.^R-^[3]
Macedonism (Македонизъм), Macedonistics (Македонистика) - derogatory 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) - derogatory term for a person 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.
Old Bulgarian (Старобългарски) is the name Bulgarians give to the Old Church Slavonic language used in the Ohrid Literary School. In contrast, Old Church Slavonic is rarely referred by Macedonians as Old Macedonian, but is referred as Old Slavic.

Greek terminology

Macedonia (Μακεδονία) can refer to the region of Macedonia or Macedonia in Greece depending on the context - usually the first being disambiguated.
Macedonian (Μακεδόνας) refers to an ethnically Greek Macedonian.
Ancient Macedonian (Αρχαίος Μακεδόνας) refers to an Ancient Macedonian.
Macedonian Slav, Slavic Macedonian or Slavomacedonian^[6] (Σλαβομακεδόνας) refers to a member of the Macedonian ethnic group.
Macedonian Slavic, Slavic Macedonian or Slavomacedonian (Σλαβομακεδονικά) refers to the Macedonian language.
Republic of Skopje (Δημοκρατία των Σκοπίων) refers to the Republic of Macedonia.
State of Skopje (Κράτος των Σκοπίων) refers to the Republic of Macedonia.
Skopia (Σκόπια) refers to either the Republic of Macedonia or it's capital city of Skopje.
Skopian (Σκοπιανός) refers to a member of the Macedonian ethnic group.
Skopianika (Σκοπιανικά) refers to the Macedonian language.
Slavophone (Σλαβόφωνος) refers to a member of the Slavic speaking minority in Greece, which consists of Bulgarians, ethnic Macedonians and Greek-identifying Slavic-speakers.
Bulgaroskopian (Βουλγαροσκοπιανός) is a derogatory term used to refer to ethnic Macedonians.

Macedonian terminology

Macedonia can interchangeably refer to either the region of Macedonia or the Republic of Macedonia.
Aegean Macedonia (Егејска Македонија - Egeyska Makedoniya) refers to Macedonia in Greece (as defined by the administrative division of Greece).
Pirin Macedonia (Пиринска Македонија - Pirinska Makedoniya) refers to the Blagoevgrad Province of Bulgaria (as defined by the administrative division of Bulgaria).
Macedonians (Македонци) generally refers to the Macedonian ethnic group associated with the Republic of Macedonia, neighbouring countries and abroad
Old Macedonian (Старомакедонски) is one of the names Macedonians give to the Ancient Macedonian language.
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)
Bugarashi (Бугараши), Bugarofili (Бугарофили) and Bugaro-tatari (Бугаро-татари) are derogatory terms used to refer to people in the Republic of Macedonia self-identifying as Bulgarian, or having a pro-Bulgarian orientation.
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.^R-^[4]
Srbomani (Србомани) is a derogatory term used to refer to people in the Republic of Macedonia self-identifying as Serbian, or having a pro-Serb orientation.

Notes

^ ^a ^b For more details see Boundaries and definitions section in the main article.
^ The name "Aegean Macedonia" can be considered offensive when used to refer to the region in Northern Greece, as it can be used by irredentist organizations in the Republic of Macedonia who support a Unified Macedonia, which is contrary to the interests and desires of the people living in the area.
^ For a thorough explanation on these irredentist claims please refer to the respective article United Macedonia.
^ The abbreviated term "fYRoM" or "FYROM" can be considered offensive when used to refer to the Republic of Macedonia. The spellout of the term, the "former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", is not necessarily considered offensive, but some ethnic Macedonians may still find it offensive due to their right of self-identification being ignored. The term can also be offensive for Greeks under certain contexts, since it contains the word Macedonia.
^ The constitutional name of the country "Republic of Macedonia" and the short name "Macedonia" when referring to the country, can be considered offensive by most Greeks and Macedonians in Greece. The official reasons for this, as described by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs are:
:"The choice of the name Macedonia by FYROM directly raises the issue of usurpation of the cultural heritage of a neighbouring country. The name constitutes the basis for staking an exclusive rights claim over the entire geographical area of Macedonia. More specifically, to call only the Slavo-Macedonians Macedonians monopolizes the name for the Slavo-Macedonians and creates semiological confusion, whilst violating the human rights and the right to self-determination of Greek Macedonians. The use of the name by FYROM alone may also create problems in the trade area, and subsequently become a potential springboard for distorting reality, and a basis for activities far removed from the standards set by the European Union and more specifically the clause on good neighbourly relations. The best example of this is to be seen in the content of school textbooks in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia."^R-^[1]
^ Although acceptable in the past, current use of the name "Slavomacedonian" in reference to both the ethnic group and the language can be considered pejorative and offensive by some ethnic Macedonians. The Greek Helsinki Monitor reports:
: "... the term Slavomacedonian was introduced and was accepted by the community itself, which at the time had a much more widespread non-Greek Macedonian ethnic consciousness. Unfortunately, according to members of the community, this term was later used by the Greek authorities in a pejorative, discriminatory way; hence the reluctance if not hostility of modern-day Macedonians of Greece (i.e. people with a Macedonian national identity) to accept it."^R-^[2]

References

r-[1] ^ Hellenic Republic, Ministry of Foreign Affairs official position. (English)

r-[2] ^ Greek Helsinki - The Macedonians

r-[3] ^ Article about recognition of contemporary Macedonian language by Bulgaria.

r-[4] ^ Definition of a Gerkoman.

[region-1] For more details see Boundaries and definitions section in the main article.

[offensive1-2] The name "Aegean Macedonia" can be considered offensive when used to refer to the region in Northern Greece, as it can be used by irredentist organizations in the Republic of Macedonia who support a Unified Macedonia, which is contrary to the interests and desires of the people living in the area.

[united-3] For a thorough explanation on these irredentist claims please refer to the respective article United Macedonia.

[offensive2-4] The abbreviated term "fYRoM" or "FYROM" can be considered offensive when used to refer to the Republic of Macedonia. The spellout of the term, the "former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia", is not necessarily considered offensive, but some ethnic Macedonians may still find it offensive due to their right of self-identification being ignored. The term can also be offensive for Greeks under certain contexts, since it contains the word Macedonia.

[offensive3-5] The constitutional name of the country "Republic of Macedonia" and the short name "Macedonia" when referring to the country, can be considered offensive by most Greeks and Macedonians in Greece. The official reasons for this, as described by the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs are:
:"The choice of the name Macedonia by FYROM directly raises the issue of usurpation of the cultural heritage of a neighbouring country. The name constitutes the basis for staking an exclusive rights claim over the entire geographical area of Macedonia. More specifically, to call only the Slavo-Macedonians Macedonians monopolizes the name for the Slavo-Macedonians and creates semiological confusion, whilst violating the human rights and the right to self-determination of Greek Macedonians. The use of the name by FYROM alone may also create problems in the trade area, and subsequently become a potential springboard for distorting reality, and a basis for activities far removed from the standards set by the European Union and more specifically the clause on good neighbourly relations. The best example of this is to be seen in the content of school textbooks in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia."^R-^[1]

[offensive4-6] Although acceptable in the past, current use of the name "Slavomacedonian" in reference to both the ethnic group and the language can be considered pejorative and offensive by some ethnic Macedonians. The Greek Helsinki Monitor reports:
: "... the term Slavomacedonian was introduced and was accepted by the community itself, which at the time had a much more widespread non-Greek Macedonian ethnic consciousness. Unfortunately, according to members of the community, this term was later used by the Greek authorities in a pejorative, discriminatory way; hence the reluctance if not hostility of modern-day Macedonians of Greece (i.e. people with a Macedonian national identity) to accept it."^R-^[2]

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