engleski

Place-names: in search of wiped off identity

The formerly gained independence of the states which have developed on the ruins of the former Yugoslavia has irrevocably left considerable marks on the languages of the Bosnians, the Montenegrins, the Croatians and the Serbs. Generally, the changes of place-names have more than any other linguistic modification, recorded during the past ten years, reflected the political situation in the newly established state communities. Although the frequent changes of place-names aren't certainly a specific quality of this part of Southeast Europe, they have, historically speaking, been triggered by political or ideological motives usually. Between 1990 and 2002 three basic categories of changes were noticed tentatively: 1. Deletion of names, which were based on communist anthroponymy (Kardeljevo > Ploče, Titova Korenica > Korenica) and imposed between 1945 and 1989 ; 2. Deletion of territorial attributes which were introduced for differentiation of homonymous toponyms in the various republics of the former Yugoslavia (Požega > Slavonska Požega > Požega) ; 3. Introduction of new names by national criteria (Bosanski Brod > Srpski Brod, Foča > Srbinje etc.).

ethnonyms; place-names; Croatia; Bosnia; change of place-names

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