Macedonian

A language of Macedonia

ISO 639-3

mkd

Alternate Names

Macedonian Slavic

Autonym

македонски‎ (Makedonski), македонски јазик‎ (makedonski jazik)

Population

1,380,000 in Macedonia (2016). Ethnic population: 1,300,000 (2002 census). Total users in all countries: 1,620,290.

Location

Widespread.

Language Maps

Albania, Macedonia and Montenegro

Bulgaria

Greece

Language Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1991, Constitution, Article 7(1)).

Classification

Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, South, Eastern

Dialects

Northern Macedonian, Southeastern Macedonian, Western Macedonian. Standard dialect recognized in 1944.

Typology

SVO; gender (masculine/feminine/neuter); definite article suffix; verb affixes mark person, number; passives (active, middle, passive); 26 consonant and 5 vowel phonemes; non-tonal; stress on antepenultimate syllable.

Language Use

Positive attitudes.

Language Development

Newspapers. Radio. Grammar. Bible: 1990–2006.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Macedonian

Writing

Cyrillic script [Cyrl], used since 1944.

Other Comments

Called Slavic in Greece, considered a dialect of Bulgarian [bul] by some in Bulgaria.

Also spoken in:

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Albania

Language nameMacedonian

Population Full

4,440 in Albania (2012 census). Ethnic population: 5,510 (2012 census).

Location

Korçë county: scattered.

Alternate Names

Macedonian Slavic

Status

5* (Dispersed).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Bulgaria

Language nameMacedonian

Population Full

1,400 in Bulgaria (2011 census).

Location

Blagoevgrad province: Blagoevgrad, Simitli, and Strumjani municipalities.

Status

6b* (Threatened).

Other Comments

Some in Pirin Region claim Macedonian as L1 (1998 W. Brown).

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Greece

Language nameSlavic

Population Full

Population for Slavic speakers in Greece is very difficult to find.

Location

Central Macedonia region: Florina, Kilkis, Imathia, Pella, Serres, and Thessaloniki; Epirus region: Ioannina; Western Macedonia region: Kastoria except south Nestorio municipality, Kozani.

Status

5* (Dispersed).

Language Use

Religion, education. Also use Greek [ell].

Other Comments

Called Slavic in Greece, where Macedonian refers only to people living in Macedonia, a region in Greece.

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Ethnologue

Macedonian

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A language of Macedonia

Also spoken in:

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