Kotel-Elena-Dryanovo dialect
Encyclopedia
The Kotel-Elena-Dryanovo dialect is a Bulgarian
dialect
, which is part of the Balkan
group of the Eastern Bulgarian dialects. Its range includes the eastern parts of the Balkan Mountains
, i.e. the regions of Dryanovo
, Kotel
and Elena
). As a result of the mass population movements that affected eastern Bulgaria during the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, speakers of the dialect have also moved south towards Burgas
and north towards Varna
and Targovishte
. The most significant feature of the dialect, as in all Balkan dialects
, is the pronunciation of Old Church Slavonic (yat) as ʲa or ɛ, depending on the character of the following syllable. The Kotel-Elena-Dryanovo dialect can be divided into three subdialects, i.e. Kotel, Elena and Dryanovo etc. which share many common features and yet have some differences.
and especially to the Gabrovo subdialect. The distinguishing features of the Kotel-Elena-Dryanovo dialect are, as follows:
Most other phonological and morphological characteristics of the Kotel-Elena-Dryanovo dialect are the same as the characteristics of the Central Balkan dialect
and the general features typical for all Balkan dialects
, cf. respective articles for details.
Bulgarian language
Bulgarian is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group.Bulgarian, along with the closely related Macedonian language, demonstrates several linguistic characteristics that set it apart from all other Slavic languages such as the elimination of case declension, the...
dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
, which is part of the Balkan
Balkan dialects
The Balkan dialects are the most extensive group of dialects of the Bulgarian language, covering almost half of the present-day territory of Bulgaria and slightly less than a third of the territory on the Balkans where Bulgarian is spoken. Their range includes north-central Bulgaria and most of the...
group of the Eastern Bulgarian dialects. Its range includes the eastern parts of the Balkan Mountains
Balkan Mountains
The Balkan mountain range is a mountain range in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula. The Balkan range runs 560 km from the Vrashka Chuka Peak on the border between Bulgaria and eastern Serbia eastward through central Bulgaria to Cape Emine on the Black Sea...
, i.e. the regions of Dryanovo
Dryanovo
The town of Dryanovo is situated at the northern foot of the Balkan Mountains in Gabrovo Province, Bulgaria, amphitheatrically along the two banks of Dryanovo River, a tributary to the Yantra River. The town is a centre of the homonymous Dryanovo Municipality, which is composed of 62 villages,...
, Kotel
Kotel
Kotel may refer to:Bulgaria:* Kotel, Bulgaria, a town in Bulgaria* Kotel Pass, a mountain pass in the Balkan Mountains in Bulgaria...
and Elena
Elena
-Fictional characters:* Elena Fisher, a character in the Uncharted series* Elena Gilbert, from The Vampire Diaries* Elena of Turks, from Final Fantasy VII* Elena , from Street Fighter III...
). As a result of the mass population movements that affected eastern Bulgaria during the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century, speakers of the dialect have also moved south towards Burgas
Burgas
-History:During the rule of the Ancient Romans, near Burgas, Debeltum was established as a military colony for veterans by Vespasian. In the Middle Ages, a small fortress called Pyrgos was erected where Burgas is today and was most probably used as a watchtower...
and north towards Varna
Varna
Varna is the largest city and seaside resort on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and third-largest in Bulgaria after Sofia and Plovdiv, with a population of 334,870 inhabitants according to Census 2011...
and Targovishte
Targovishte
Targovishte is a city in Bulgaria, capital of Targovishte Province. It is situated at the northern foot of the low mountain of Preslav on both banks of the Vrana River. The town is 335 km away to the north-east from the capital Sofia and about 125 km to the west from the city of Varna...
. The most significant feature of the dialect, as in all Balkan dialects
Balkan dialects
The Balkan dialects are the most extensive group of dialects of the Bulgarian language, covering almost half of the present-day territory of Bulgaria and slightly less than a third of the territory on the Balkans where Bulgarian is spoken. Their range includes north-central Bulgaria and most of the...
, is the pronunciation of Old Church Slavonic (yat) as ʲa or ɛ, depending on the character of the following syllable. The Kotel-Elena-Dryanovo dialect can be divided into three subdialects, i.e. Kotel, Elena and Dryanovo etc. which share many common features and yet have some differences.
Phonological and morphological characteristics
The Kotel-Elena-Dryanovo dialect is very similar to the Central Balkan dialectCentral Balkan dialect
The Central Balkan dialect is a Bulgarian dialect, which is part of the Balkan group of the Eastern Bulgarian dialects. Its range includes most of north-central Bulgaria , as well as the regions of Karlovo, Kazanlak and Plovdiv in southern Bulgaria, all the way down to the northernmost ridges of...
and especially to the Gabrovo subdialect. The distinguishing features of the Kotel-Elena-Dryanovo dialect are, as follows:
- Pronunciation of t and d as soft k and g - instead of (grandfather), instead of (them), instead of тесто (dough)
- Specific articulation of the plural definite article -те: as -ти in the Kotel subdialect (уфсети), as in the Elena subdialect () and as in the Dryanovo subdialect () vs. Standard Bulgarian офцете (the sheep)
Most other phonological and morphological characteristics of the Kotel-Elena-Dryanovo dialect are the same as the characteristics of the Central Balkan dialect
Central Balkan dialect
The Central Balkan dialect is a Bulgarian dialect, which is part of the Balkan group of the Eastern Bulgarian dialects. Its range includes most of north-central Bulgaria , as well as the regions of Karlovo, Kazanlak and Plovdiv in southern Bulgaria, all the way down to the northernmost ridges of...
and the general features typical for all Balkan dialects
Balkan dialects
The Balkan dialects are the most extensive group of dialects of the Bulgarian language, covering almost half of the present-day territory of Bulgaria and slightly less than a third of the territory on the Balkans where Bulgarian is spoken. Their range includes north-central Bulgaria and most of the...
, cf. respective articles for details.