Standard Macedonian
Encyclopedia
Standard Macedonian or Literary Macedonian ( or Македонски литературен јазик) is the standard
variety
of the Macedonian language
and official language
of the Republic of Macedonia
used as a written language
, in formal contexts, and for communication between different dialect areas
. Several prestige dialect
s have developed around the major urban centers of Skopje
, Bitola
, Kumanovo
and Prilep
.
It was only in the 1940s, however, that the Macedonian language was able to be implemented, after being formally declared the official language of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia
. The rapid pace at which the standardization process took place was in part owing to an already existing interdialect (see Spoken Macedonian
). The standard language was phonologically
and morphologically
based on the Prilep-Bitola dialect
with its lexicon
influenced by all dialects
.
Educated speakers will usually use, or aim to use, the formal standard in public settings and in most forms of written language
. Probably the best exemplars of this type of speech, though not always the case, are actors, teachers
and writers. A high degree of social prestige
and respect
is assigned to those who correctly use the standard language in the appropriate situations. In extremely rare examples, some speakers will use the formal code exclusively in everyday conversational speech.
While acquisition of the formal code constitutes a significant part of elementary education
, during which children are taught the relationship between their local dialect and the target code, the formal literary language
. Most educated speakers switch
to the colloquial register of the standard language, Spoken Macedonian
, when communicating in less formal circumstances, but tend to aim for more formal usage in circumstances where educated speakers are present or as a sort of "interdialect" in the case where the company is not exclusively local.
Standard language
A standard language is a language variety used by a group of people in their public discourse. Alternatively, varieties become standard by undergoing a process of standardization, during which it is organized for description in grammars and dictionaries and encoded in such reference works...
variety
Variety (linguistics)
In sociolinguistics a variety, also called a lect, is a specific form of a language or language cluster. This may include languages, dialects, accents, registers, styles or other sociolinguistic variation, as well as the standard variety itself...
of the Macedonian language
Macedonian language
Macedonian is a South Slavic language spoken as a first language by approximately 2–3 million people principally in the region of Macedonia but also in the Macedonian diaspora...
and official language
Official language
An official language is a language that is given a special legal status in a particular country, state, or other jurisdiction. Typically a nation's official language will be the one used in that nation's courts, parliament and administration. However, official status can also be used to give a...
of the Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
used as a written language
Literary language
A literary language is a register of a language that is used in literary writing. This may also include liturgical writing. The difference between literary and non-literary forms is more marked in some languages than in others...
, in formal contexts, and for communication between different dialect areas
Isogloss
An isogloss—also called a heterogloss —is the geographical boundary of a certain linguistic feature, such as the pronunciation of a vowel, the meaning of a word, or use of some syntactic feature...
. Several prestige dialect
Prestige dialect
In sociolinguistics, prestige describes the level of respect accorded to a language or dialect as compared to that of other languages or dialects in a speech community. The concept of prestige in sociolinguistics is closely related to that of prestige or class within a society...
s have developed around the major urban centers of Skopje
Skopje
Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
, Bitola
Bitola
Bitola is a city in the southwestern part of the Republic of Macedonia. The city is an administrative, cultural, industrial, commercial, and educational centre. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba and Nidže mountains, 14 km north of the...
, Kumanovo
Kumanovo
Kumanovo is a city in the Republic of Macedonia and is the seat of Kumanovo Municipality which is the largest municipality in the country. Municipal institutions include a city council, mayor and other administrative bodies.-Name:...
and Prilep
Prilep
Prilep is the fourth largest city in the Republic of Macedonia. It has a population of 66,246 citizens. Prilep is known as "the city under Marko's Towers" because of its proximity to the towers of Prince Marko.-Name:...
.
It was only in the 1940s, however, that the Macedonian language was able to be implemented, after being formally declared the official language of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia
Socialist Republic of Macedonia
The Socialist Republic of Macedonia was a socialist state that was a constituent country of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia...
. The rapid pace at which the standardization process took place was in part owing to an already existing interdialect (see Spoken Macedonian
Spoken Macedonian
Spoken Macedonian is the spoken variety of the Standard Macedonian language. Spoken Macedonian can also refer to the spoken, colloquial register of a local dialect...
). The standard language was phonologically
Macedonian phonology
This article discusses the phonological system of standard Macedonian based on the Prilep-Bitola dialect. For discussion of other dialects, see Macedonian dialects...
and morphologically
Macedonian grammar
Macedonian grammar refers to the morphology and syntax of the Macedonian language, which is, in many respects, similar to the grammar of some other Balkan languages – especially Bulgarian and Serbian...
based on the Prilep-Bitola dialect
Prilep-Bitola dialect
The Prilep-Bitola dialect is a member of the central subgroup of the western group of dialects of the Macedonian language. This dialect is spoken in much of the Pelagonia region , as well as by the Macedonian-speaking minority population in and around Florina in neighbouring Greek Macedonia...
with its lexicon
Lexicon
In linguistics, the lexicon of a language is its vocabulary, including its words and expressions. A lexicon is also a synonym of the word thesaurus. More formally, it is a language's inventory of lexemes. Coined in English 1603, the word "lexicon" derives from the Greek "λεξικόν" , neut...
influenced by all dialects
Dialects of the Macedonian language
The dialects of Macedonian comprise the Slavic dialects spoken in the Republic of Macedonia as well as some varieties spoken in the wider geographic region of Macedonia. They exist as part of the dialect continuum of South Slavic languages that joins the Macedonian language with Bulgarian to the...
.
Educated speakers will usually use, or aim to use, the formal standard in public settings and in most forms of written language
Written language
A written language is the representation of a language by means of a writing system. Written language is an invention in that it must be taught to children, who will instinctively learn or create spoken or gestural languages....
. Probably the best exemplars of this type of speech, though not always the case, are actors, teachers
Teachers
Teachers may refer to:* Teachers, people who provide schooling for pupils and students* Teachers , one of the five Ascension Gift Ministries* Teachers , a British sitcom* Teachers Teachers may refer to:* Teachers, people who provide schooling for pupils and students* Teachers (ministry), one of the...
and writers. A high degree of social prestige
Prestige (sociology)
Prestige is a word commonly used to describe reputation or esteem, though it has three somewhat related meanings that, to some degree, may be contradictory. Which meaning applies depends on the historical context and the person using the word....
and respect
Respect
Respect denotes both a positive feeling of esteem for a person or other entity , and also specific actions and conduct representative of that esteem. Respect can be a specific feeling of regard for the actual qualities of the one respected...
is assigned to those who correctly use the standard language in the appropriate situations. In extremely rare examples, some speakers will use the formal code exclusively in everyday conversational speech.
While acquisition of the formal code constitutes a significant part of elementary education
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
, during which children are taught the relationship between their local dialect and the target code, the formal literary language
Literary language
A literary language is a register of a language that is used in literary writing. This may also include liturgical writing. The difference between literary and non-literary forms is more marked in some languages than in others...
. Most educated speakers switch
Code-switching
In linguistics, code-switching is the concurrent use of more than one language, or language variety, in conversation. Multilinguals—people who speak more than one language—sometimes use elements of multiple languages in conversing with each other...
to the colloquial register of the standard language, Spoken Macedonian
Spoken Macedonian
Spoken Macedonian is the spoken variety of the Standard Macedonian language. Spoken Macedonian can also refer to the spoken, colloquial register of a local dialect...
, when communicating in less formal circumstances, but tend to aim for more formal usage in circumstances where educated speakers are present or as a sort of "interdialect" in the case where the company is not exclusively local.