Philological studies is an international Slavistics journal covering a wide range of research in the fields of philosophy, literature, history and linguistics through the following rubrics: Philosophic and Cultural Issues; History and Philology; „Words“ in an Historical and Cultural Context (comparative aspects); Literature in Intercultural Context; Modern Society in Culture, Language and Literature; Speech, Linguodidactics; Reviews and Information.
Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje
Philological studies © 2019. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License
ORIGIN AND MEANING OF THE TOPONYM KUMBOR
After conducting a linguistic analysis, we came to the conclusion that the toponym Kumbor originates from Vulgar Latin cămpor(i/e) ’field’. This is confirmed, on the one hand, by the phonological analysis, and, on the other, by the comparative nominative analysis, which, only in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, reveals the existence of a large number of toponyms with the root polj-. The historical provenance data mentioned in the paper also generally support the theory that Kumbor originates from Vulgar Latin cămpor(i/e). The solution to the mystery of the etymology of the Kumbor toponym contributes not only to the enrichment of linguistic knowledge about the history of the b/c/h/s language, but also to the enrichment of knowledge about the social and cultural history of Boka Kotorska.
Kumbor, etymology, Proto-Slavic, Vulgar Latin, phonology, sonorization
Copyright (c) 2025 Miomir Abović http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
PETROVIĆ AND BAILEY IN THE MIRROR OF METRICS: AN ANALYSIS OF A CORRESPONDENCE (Sanja Paripović Krčmar. Metrics in the correspondence of Svetozar Petrović. Novi Sad: Naučno udruženje za razvoj srpskih studija, 2024, 270 pages)
Copyright (c) 2025 Bojan Čolak http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
(RE)POSITIONING TROMPE L’OEIL (Dragana Vukićević. Tromplejska bića fikcije: bebe, vampiri, oživljene statue i čitalac. Sremski Karlovci / Novi Sad: Izdavačka knjižarnica Zorana Stojanovića, 2024, 358 pages)
Copyright (c) 2025 Marija Sloboda http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
(META)POETIC AND SOCIO-CULTURAL DIMENSION OF POETIC ESSAYISM (Poets as Essayists: Cultural Contexts of the Second Half of the 20th Century, edited by Jana Aleksić and Milica Ćuković. Belgrade: Institute for Literature and Arts, 2024, 414 pages)
Copyright (c) 2025 Violeta Mitrović http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
This paper explores the anthological work of Slobodan Selenić, with a focus on two key anthologies – Avant-Garde Drama (1964) and Anthology of Contemporary Serbian Drama (1977). The starting point is the assumption that Selenić, through his selection and theoretical framing of dramatic texts, shaped the criteria for studying 20th-century Serbian dramatic literature. The study emphasizes that Selenić’s theoretical thought is not only reflected in his books Engagement in Dramatic Form and Dramatic Trends of the 20th Century, but also in the prefaces to the anthologies, which reveal his sensitivity to both the historical and contemporary dimensions of theater. The aim of the paper is not to provide a comprehensive analysis of Selenić’s anthological principles, but rather to synthesize the most important theoretical insights found in the anthologies' prefaces. The paper highlights Selenić’s ability to combine his practical experience as a critic with a systematic theoretical approach to drama, and underlines the importance of these anthologies as valuable sources for studying his dramatic and theatrical thought, especially within the context of the chronological development of Serbian drama.
Slobodan Selenić, anthology, dramatic literature, avant-garde drama, Serbian theater, dramatic trends
Copyright (c) 2025 Milena Kulić http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
ИНТЕРТЕКСТУАЛНИОТ МУЗЕЈ ВО ДРАМАТА РАЦИН НА САШО ДИМОСКИ
Теориските премиси на истражувањето поаѓаат од интертекстуалните теории и поими, коишто се елаборирани од страна на Жерар Женет, на Дубравка Ораиќ-Толиќ и на Ренате Лахман, а коишто ќе бидет применети интерпретативно врз драмскиот текст Рацин на Сашо Димоски. Главниот интерпретативен фокус е поставен врз две рамништа: врз анализата на доминантните интертекстуални релации и врз постапките преку коишто се реализираат тие во текстот на Димоски; како и врз анализата на нивните мнемонички функции во рамки на конкретниот текст, но и пошироко, во рамки на современата литература и култура.
The 'word' in Historical-Cultural Contexts
intertextuality, hypertextuality, quotation, memory, play, Macedonian literature
Copyright (c) 2025 Marija Gjorgjieva-Dimova http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
FEMME FATALE AND THE BODY MOTIF IN MACEDONIAN WOMEN'S POETRY
The figure of the deadly, fatal woman or femme fatale has always appeared in world literature and culture. This is especially the case in poetry, which is interwoven with physicality, touch and heightened sensuality, because the female body is the main attribute of the femme fatale. That motif is also present in Macedonian female poetry, such as in the poetry of Svetlana Hristova-Jocikj, Katica Kjulavkova and Liljana Dirjan. It is the analysis of their poems that represents the main interest of this work, in order to show how the femme fatale motif is expressed in their poetic work and in what way it is connected to the female body, eros, touch and sensuality. Each individual poetess has her own specific creative procedures and ways in which she profiles the character of the femme fatale and weaves it into her verses, thereby giving it a voice to speak. In the poetry of Svetlana Hristova-Jocikj, we can highlight two main archetypes of the femme fatale; Mother Earth and Wild Woman. In the verses of Katica Kjulavkova, a high concentration of eros, physicality and touch comes to the fore. In the poetry of Liljana Dirjan, it is definitely necessary to emphasize its deep sensuality and, above all, a kind of identification of love sensuality with gastronomic pleasures.
Poetry, Femme Fatale, Body, Macedonian female poetry, Female archetypes
Copyright (c) 2025 Vinsent Vilčnik http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
In this paper, we address the numerous identities that we encounter in the character of King Marko. We focus on his religious identity through the folklore and literary works of the Macedonian authors Blazhe Koneski, Slobodan Mickovikj, Trajko Kitanchev, Slavcho Koviloski
King Marko, religious identity, Christianity, Blazhe Koneski, Slobodan Mickovikj, Trajko Kitanchev, Slavcho Koviloski
Copyright (c) 2025 Emilija Koviloska http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
A BRITISH DOCUMENT ON THE DIPLOMATIC LEGATIONS IN BULGARIA IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE OUTBREAK OF THE BALKAN WARS
The task of diplomacy in every state is to guide and regulate its relations with other international actors, primarily through peaceful means, communication, and negotiation. At the same time, one of its key functions is to inform and analyse — essentially, to collect information from or about other countries, analyse it, and submit it to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This very function of diplomacy is the focus of the document presented in this paper. This confidential report, dated January 1912, was sent by H. O. Bax-Ironside, a diplomatic representative of the United Kingdom holding the rank of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary in Bulgaria, to the British Foreign Secretary, Edward Grey. It contains an analysis of the diplomatic representatives — primarily of the Great Powers and Balkan states — stationed in the Bulgarian capital who were serving in that role during 1911 (namely, the representatives of France, Italy, Greece, Germany, Russia, Serbia, Austria-Hungary, Turkey, and Romania). The detailed analysis presented in this document clearly demonstrates that Bax-Ironside was an experienced diplomat who conducted a remarkably precise psycho-physical evaluation of his colleagues, as well as an assessment of their political and diplomatic capabilities. This is especially important given that psycho-physical analysis plays a key role in understanding the behaviour, intentions, and decisions of foreign states and their leaders, ministers, diplomats, and consuls. Furthermore, such analysis serves as a tool for forecasting reactions and adjusting diplomatic strategies accordingly. In this context, the British diplomat analyses his colleagues’ thought processes, communication styles, values, traumas, ambitions, and their responses in crisis situations, under pressure, or during negotiations.
confidential British diplomatic report, H. O. Bax-Ironside, heads of foreign diplomatic missions in Sofia, psycho-physical analysis, political and diplomatic analysis, national interests
Copyright (c) 2025 Liljana Guševska, Todor Čepreganov http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
IDEOLOGEMES IN KOCHO RACIN’S SHORT STORIES
The paper tackles the problem of the meaning and interpretation of Racin’s short stories, considering the ideologemes presented in these texts. The points of departure in this analysis are the theoretical approaches to a literary text understood as an ideological act and viewedfrom a hermeneutic perspective, and the one on the theory of reception, which enables the overview of the semiotic relations between the type (seen as a genre of certain text) and the implication, involving the denotation and connotation. These reflections are followed by elaborations on the ideologeme, as presented in the works of Hegel, Pavel Medvedev, Mikhail Bakhtin, Julia Kristeva, and Fredric Jameson. They carefully consider this notion and the correlation between the circumstances in which one text appears and the broader culture, the way they communicate and influence each other. Through meticulous analysis, we differentiate five dominant ideologemes in Racin’s short stories: the awareness, rock breaker, tobacco, city, and jail as means by which the semiosis in the text is being induced. Considering Racin’s reflections on how art should represent reality, it can be inferred that ideologemes in Racin’s short stories serve as discrete signals for social dynamics, imbued with semantic power and undeniable clarity. They become an indicator of his skillful artistic manner, which is not undermined by the success of his poetry and his widely recognized poetic gift.
significance of the literary work, idea, ideologeme, short story, Racin
Copyright (c) 2025 Iskra Tasevska Hadji Boshkova http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
CULTURAL MEMORY IN VELIKA SKITIJA BY MIODRAG PAVLOVIĆ
This paper analyses Velika skitija (1969), the collection of poems by Miodrag Pavlović, using the theory of cultural memory of Jan Assmann (2007), an egyptologist, cultural theorist and religious scholar. Velika skitija covers a number of topics important for the establishment of a culture of memory: the relationship between the individual and the collective, speech and writing, history and myth, history and memory, the transition of memory into history and vice versa, as well as the poetic link between poetry and ritual. Of particular importance for the analysis is the relationship of Velika skitija with the Middle Ages, as analyzed by Marko Radulović (2017; 2020). Starting from these features, which have been observed in the literature related to Pavlović’s work –especially the chosen collection of poems – the collection is illuminated in the context of the culture of memory. The ultimate goal of this analysis is to contribute to the understanding of the ways of addressing the metaphysical void and the role of memory in the constitution of the poet’s voice and the entire collection of poems. Particular attention is paid to the relationship between the individual and history, which is considered using the categories of communicative and cultural memory. The analysis showed that within the collection some features of the culture of memory are thematized, while it is fully realized in the process of reception. This paradigm helped us to encompass the simultaneous constructivist passage through history and the search for the transcendence of Velika skitija in a comprehensive and mildly deconstructivist manner.
Velika skitija, cultural memory, communicative memory, Jan Assmann, poet, speech
Copyright (c) 2025 Jovana Ivetić http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
HALF-CENTURY COLLABORATION. 75 YEARS OF RUSSIAN STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF Ss. CYRIL AND METHODIUS IN SKOPJE. 50 YEARS OF MACEDONIAN STUDIES AT LOMONOSOV MOSCOW STATE UNIVERSITY
The article presents material on the 50 years of cooperation between the Philological Faculty of the Lomonosov Moscow State University and the Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, the main centers of Macedonian studies in Russia and Russian studies in Macedonia. The emphasis is on the fact that during half a century of teaching Macedonian language and literature at Moscow State University (since 1975) and over 75 years of studying Russian language and literature at the University in Skopje, joint textbooks have been written, dictionaries have been published, lecturers have been exchanged, students have been participating in Summer Schools, and internships have been awarded to write bachelor's, master's and doctoral theses. Furthermore, there has been fundamental research conductedprepared and dissertations defended, as well as publication of monographs and numerous articles on Macedonian studies, Russian studies and Russian-Macedonian linguistic and literary relations. Finally, there is also the organisation of joint scientific conferences, while at the same time both faculties are working on the implementation of new projects.
Philological Faculty of Lomonosov Moscow State University, Philological Faculty „Blaže Koneski“ University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Skopje, Macedonian language, Macedonian literature, Russian language, Russian literature, literary connections, cultural connections, scientific connections
Copyright (c) 2025 Alla Gennadevna Sheshken http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
THE DYNAMICS OF BORISAV STANKOVIĆ’S LIFE AND WORK: A LITERARY-BIOGRAPHICAL STUDY (Robert Hodel. Ranjav i željan. Borisav Stanković – life and work. Edited and translated from German by Mina Đurić. Belgrade: Laguna, 2024, 364 pages)
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE “THE ROLE OF HISTORICAL FIGURES IN HISTORY AND COLLECTIVE MEMORY” (6–8 NOVEMBER 2023, SKOPJE)
Copyright (c) 2025 Biljana Ristovska-Josifovska http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
LITERARY PORTRAIT OF A DYNASTY (The Obrenović Dynasty and Literature: conference proceedings. Eds. Dragana Vukićević and Aleksandar Pejčić. Belgrade – Kragujevac: Institute for Literature and Arts – National Library “Vuk Karadžić”, 2024, 495 pages)
Copyright (c) 2025 Vladimir Papić http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
FRAGMENTS OF WHOLE: LITERARY ANALYSIS OF POETIC DEVELOPMENTS IN SERBIAN POETRY OF THE LATE 20th CENTURY (Bojan Čolak. Poetic concepts in Serbian poetry of the second half of the 20th century. Beograd: Institute for Literature and Arts, 2024, 263 pages)
Copyright (c) 2025 Sanja Paripović Krčmar http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
THE MACEDONIAN POETICS AND STYLISTIC PROJECT (Macedonian Poetics and Stylistics, edited by Branko Tošović and Slavčo Koviloski. Graz: Commission for Stylistics of the International Slavic Committee, 2025)
Copyright (c) 2025 Slavcho Koviloski http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
STRATEGIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CYRIL AND METHODIUS ROUTE ON MACEDONIAN SOIL
The Cyril and Methodius Route, as a part of the Council of Europe Cultural Routes programme, established in 2013 as an international network of countries and partners, commemorates and affirms the legacy of Saints Cyril and Methodius in relation to European cultural heritage. Their educational mission left an indelible mark on the cultural heritage of the peoples of Europe. This program, dedicated to the Cultural Route of Cyril and Methodius, offers a model for scientific research and development, affirmation of European cultural heritage, cultural and educational exchange of young people in Europe, development of management in cultural tourism, etc. Ss. Cyril and Methodius’ cultural heritage has a long and deep tradition in the territory of R N. Macedonia, evident in both tangible and intangible cultural forms. The new perspectives in cultural tourism related to the Cyril and Methodius cultural heritage on Macedonian territory can be treated as both a cultural and an economic activity related to events and organized trips, aimed at exploring cultural forms such as: historical monuments, architectural complexes, as well as artistic, religious, educational and informative events of an academic nature. The original Cyril and Methodius medieval heritage on the territory of Macedonia is remarkably preserved, evident and important for the contemporary inhabitants of Europe and represents an excellent potential for cultural tourism. In the presentation, we highlight as particularly significant the strategies in the implementation of new practices in the development activities of the Saints Cyril and Methodius Route on Macedonian soil, consistent with the practices in other member countries of the Route itself.
Contemporary Society In Culture, Language, And Literature
cultural route, Ss. Cyril and Methodius, cultural heritage, strategies, development
Copyright (c) 2025 Maja Jakimovska-Toshikj http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
MACEDONIAN LITERATURE IN FOCUS – TOPICS AND AUTHORS IN ACADEMIC WORKS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LJUBLJANA
The connections between Macedonian and Slavic literatures are more than literary. They have deep historical roots and common themes that are intertwined in language, folk tradition, art, culture and literature. This paper systematizes the academic interest of students at the Department of Slavic Studies, Faculty of Philology in Ljubljana, with a bibliographical and descriptive overview of the titles of undergraduate, master's and doctoral theses defended at this department, which have authors and works from Macedonian literature. Interests in Macedonian literature has changed over time and these works have several development periods. The entire material goes towards revealing the thesis that literature reflects the deep historical, cultural and political connections that develop through different periods and contexts. The roots are recognized even in folklore and they reflect the connections between the peoples of the Slavic regions. Starting from language, script, tradition, to themes and forms of expression. The research interest, the choice of topics and authors, and the discovery of the common historical thread that connects Slovenian and Macedonian literature.
Macedonian literature, Slovenian language, themes, literary and cultural connections
Copyright (c) 2025 Tamara Kjupeva http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
WRITING ABOUT THE OTHER, WE WRITE ABOUT OURSELVES (A collaboration between Aleksandar Jerkov and the Institute of Macedonian Literature in Skopje)
The subject of the paper is the cooperation of Prof. Aleksandar Jerkov from the Faculty of Philology in Belgrade with the Institute of Macedonian Literature in Skopje, which took place within the framework of the projects: "The Phenomenon of Love and its Creative Implications in the South Slavic Literatures of the 20th Century" and "Affinities between Contemporary Macedonian and Balkan Literatures (Real – Imaginary)" more than twenty-five years ago. The occasion for this retrospective is the awarding of the Golden Book Award for 2024 to my colleague Jerkov by the oldest Serbian literary, cultural and scientific institution – the Library of Matica Srpska. The paper presents in detail his three theoretical studies, published in separate collections. The first two are dedicated to the topic of love, while the third focuses on the problem of truth in the era of modernism. Through a kind of reflection, inherent to his analytical nature, he comes to several relevant conclusions, of which we emphasize: the absence of love in the literature of the 20th century; the search for it, which is reminiscent of the search for the impossible, and the paradoxical nature of modernism, which mystifies itself and translates it into a myth. The paper also explores the dilemma of the need for a new reading of the novel "That Which Was Sky" by Vlado Maleski, proposing to approach it through various discourses that are yet to be explored. The paper also presents his position on the birth of national drama, derived from the spirit of culture through a comparative analysis of the developmental beginnings of Macedonian and Serbian drama. At the end of the paper, the basic elements that comprise Jerkov's sharp critical mind are emphasized, such as the curious spirit directed towards a broader philosophical and cultural framework within which he situates the content he processes, and the complex, lengthy statements that are often interwoven with irony.
regional cooperation, comparison, development processes, doubt, absence, search for the impossible, paradoxicality
Copyright (c) 2025 Jasmina Mojsieva-Guševa http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
THE CULTIC AND HYMNOGRAPHIC FIGURE OF SAINT SIMEON IN THE CONTEXT OF TRANSLATED SLAVIC LITERATURE
Focusing on the conceptual elements of the first Serbian national cult that are general and shared with culturally related civilizations, this paper aims to examine the contribution of the common heritage to its genesis, offering an overview of the most significant connections and outlining a direction for their future interpretation. The first section will be dedicated to general considerations regarding the relationship between 13th-century Serbian hymnography and translated, particularly biblical, literature. The following part will explore the connections between the cult of Saint Simeon and the cults of saints who are ideologically and thematically close to him. The central chapter will discuss the relationship between Saint Simeon and Saint Demetrius of Thessaloniki within the broader context of the Slavic reception of the cult of this Byzantine saint. The concluding section of the paper will offer a comparative analysis of Saint Sava’s Service to Saint Simeon in light of the Service to Saint Simeon Stylites, drawing on earlier scholarship. The goal of the study is to shed light on the cult of Saint Simeon within a broader cultural framework beyond the Serbian context, which is especially important in affirming the participation of Serbian culture and literature in the shared spiritual life of the Orthodox oikoumene – thereby suggesting that the value of its original contributions is indeed universal.
Copyright (c) 2025 Tamara Babić http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
THE MACEDONIAN LANGUAGE IN THE CONTEXT OF SLAVIC CULTURE
The Macedonian language, through its centuries-old tradition, is directly connected with the development of Slavic culture. Their mutuality is seen from the fact, confirmed in Slavic science, that the Old Slavonic language is based on the South Macedonian speech, from the vicinity of Thessaloniki, more precisely from the Macedonian speeches from the villages of Suho, Visoka and Zarova in Aegean Macedonia. In the 19th century, more precisely in 1896, the Slovenian Slavist Vatroslav Oblak, studying the Macedonian language in the field, put forward the Macedonian theory for the origin of the Old Slavonic language. Therefore, the role of the Macedonian language in the context of Slavic culture and communication is significant. The idea for the spiritual, cultural and economic unification of the Slavic peoples, appeared in the 9th century, with the Moravian mission of the Pan-Slavic brothers Saints Cyril and Methodius. The idea was revived again in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, a period when the Slavic peoples were under the onslaught of Germanization, Hungarianization, and Hellenization. This was the period when Slavic studies were established as a science, when intensive cooperation between Slavists began, all to preserve the autochthonous Slavic culture. The Macedonian cultural revival had begun with a fight against Hellenization, through the efforts for restoration of the Ohrid Archbishopric and the return of the Old Church Slavonic language in church services instead of the forcibly introduced Greek language, as well as the opening of schools in the vernacular. Due to the assimilationist policies towards the Macedonian people in the 19th century and the division of Macedonia in 1913 with the Bucharest Treaty, the codification of the Macedonian language finally took place in 1945.
Macedonian, Old Slavonic, language, Slavic, culture
Copyright (c) 2025 Valentina Mironska-Hristovska http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
THE MACEDONIAN QUESTION IN THE FOCUS OF THE RUSSIAN EXPEDITION - "MACEDONIA 1900"
The aforementioned work provides a review of the Macedonian question in relation to the Russian "Macedonian Expedition", led by the academician N.P. Kondakov, its journey through Macedonia in the run-up to the Ilinden Uprising, the divisions and insights that emerged from it, which had a profound impact on the events in the Balkans in the period during and after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. The subject of analysis is the correspondence and insights of the members of this scientific expedition, including the linguist and Slavist P. A. Lavrov and the historian P.N. Miljukov, related to the geopolitical situation on the Balkan Peninsula and the position of the Macedonian population in that period. This expedition is also significant because of the meeting of Krste P. Misirkov with P.A. Lavrov, who would later become his mentor and supporter in his research on Macedonian dialects, language, identity and culture. In addition to the paper, there is a selection of photo materials from this expedition, part of the archival collection of the Institute of Folklore "Marko Cepenkov" - Skopje, which speak of the exceptional significance that this scientific expedition has in historiographical, Byzantine, Slavic, Macedonian, archaeological and linguistic research, as well as for the historical continuity of the "Ohrid Archbishopric" and its sacral relics.
Rumelia, Macedonian question, expedition, geopolitics of the Balkans, claims, identity, assimilation, propaganda, Slavic perceptions, Kondakov, Lavrov, Misirkov
Copyright (c) 2025 Jasminka Ristovska-Pilickova http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
THE „OHRID SUMMER FESTIVAL“ ̶ AN OPEN STAGE FOR INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE SLAVIC PEOPLES
The purpose of the paper is to present the „Ohrid Summer Festival“ and its role in creating conditions for deepening the intercultural dialogue between the Slavic peoples in the first decade of the 21st century. Through the methods of historical, analytical and descriptive research, we inquire into how a dialogue develops on stage between artistic disciplines, as well as between national and internationally established artists ̶ representatives of Slavic cultures. They appear as performers of chamber and symphonic works, but also as soloists (instrumental musicians) interpreting larger or smaller musical forms of high artistic value.
„Ohrid Summer Festival“, Program Contents, Slavic Peoples, Musical-Stages Works, Classical Music, Intercultural Dialogue
Copyright (c) 2025 Natasha Didenko http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
ACCESSIBILITY, RECEPTION AND PROMOTION OF MACEDONIAN LITERATURE IN SLOVENIA
The article addresses the accessibility, reception and promotion of reading Macedonian literature in Slovenia and the need for translated literature by Macedonian authors. The structure of the main section is based on a personal interpretation of the reception of Macedonian literature in Slovenia and covers: a) the accessibility of Macedonian literature, referring to literary translation (between 1947 and 1999 and between 2000 and the data collection in August 2023, overview of translation studies and translation prizes), printed copies (the print run and the proportion allocated for library lending), and electronic and audio editions (between 1947 and 1999 and between 2000 and the data collection in August 2023, and records in the Catalogue of Audio Books of the Minka Skaberne Library for the Blind and Visually Impaired), b) the reception of Macedonian literature, referring to literary-critical contributions (between 2000 and 2023), literary guest appearances at festivals, literary prizes and inclusion in the recommended reading list “DOBREKNJIGE.SI”, and c) the promotion of the reading of Macedonian literature, which is directly related to the reading project “Our Little Library” and the reading club “Slavic Reading Badge” of the Department of Slavistics of the Faculty of Arts of the University of Ljubljana, and indirectly to the activities in the Erasmus+ Programme.
Macedonian literature, literary translation, translation studies, translation prizes, recommendation lists, literary criticism
Copyright (c) 2025 Maja Štok http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
SPECTATOR'S NOTEBOOK: RECEPTION AND REREADING OF A. P. CHEKHOV'S THEATRE IN THE WORK OF GEORGES BANU
The subject of this paper is the reception and rereading of Chekhov's plays, as well as their productions on the contemporary European theatre stages, in the work of the French theatrologist, critic and essayist of Romanian origin, Georges Banu (1943-2023). The paper analyzes in detail his studies and books dedicated to Chekhov's theatre, in which he reinterpretates the works of the Russian playwright in the light of the mutations of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, confirming their relevance to our contemporary world. The paper focuses in particular on the book in which Banu revisits Chekhov's last play, The Cherry Orchard, through its key stagings by major European directors in recent decades, which illuminate various aspects of it. In his reflection, dedicated to Chekhov's testamentary play, Banu compares the demise of the cherry orchard at the threshold of the 20th century with the disappearance that threatens the theatre and the library today, in the era of digital entertainment. The paper focuses on the analysis of the specifics and challenges of theatrical reception and the role of Banu as an "informed/educated spectator" in reconstructing and interpretating the theatrical performance and creating a "living memory" for it. Additionally, this article highlights the contribution of Banu's works in preserving and transmitting the memory of Chekhov's theatre, as well as the theatre of our time. Finally, the paper refers to the personal portrait of Chekhov and his theatre, as sketched by Georges Banu, who reinterprets the Russian playwright as our fellow man, and in whose face we recognize the reflection of the author of the portrait, as well as our own.­­
Copyright (c) 2025 Деспина Ангеловска http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
MORLACHISM AS AN IMAGOLOGICAL EXPERIMENT IN THE NOVEL “MLADENKA KOSTONOGA” BY ŽELIMIR PERIŠ
This paper presents an analysis of the novel Boney-legged Bride by the Croatian writer Želimir Periš through the dichotomy of morlachism. This dichotomy involves a condescending attitude toward the inferior Other – most frequently seen from the perspective of a Western, “civilized” individual toward someone from the East. Such an attitude is typically illustrated by ascribing a particular ethnic name to that inferior Other. The second element of the morlachism dichotomy is the portrayal of the culture and customs of the Slavic population of the Adriatic hinterland, modeled on the travelogue Travel to Dalmatia by Abbot Alberto Fortis. This includes descriptions of their superstitions (witches, vampires, etc.), historical-cultural phenomena such as hajduks and blood feuds, as well as folk customs that emphasize decasyllabic verses and folk singing accompanied by the gusle. This work seeks to demonstrate how the author grounds his entire novel in the dichotomy of morlachism through imagological concepts of hetero-representations and auto-representations. Through these experimental approaches, the author subjects both the kinship and identity of the superior and inferior to irony, as well as his own identity as an author. He further satirizes the relationship of that Other – whose cultural framework encompasses both the author and the reader – with respect to their own culture and tradition, achieving this through narrative methods as well as various plays with style, language, and other literary techniques.
imagology, Identity, Alterity, Morlack, Postmodernism
Copyright (c) 2025 Miloš Pržić http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
THE SPEECH ACT OF APOLOGY AMONG MACEDONIAN LANGUAGE SPEAKERS
This paper examines the most commonly used strategies and substrategies for apology among the young population in North Macedonia, with the aim to identify similarities and differences in relation to the use of these strategies and substrategies among the adult population. The sample consists of 50 speech acts of apology collected from people aged 21 to 31 years, which represents a kind of corpus. To collect data, a survey with open-ended questions was used, and the analysis relies on a comparison with the results from previous research, qualitative content analysis based on coding, and the interpretative-inductive method. The results show that young people use the same strategies and substrategies as adults. Futhermore, they use more direct strategies, especially the strategy of taking responsibility and its substrategies of explanation and lack of intention. Furthermore, the results confirm that, within this strategy, young speakers do not use the substrategy of ‘the interlocutor is right’ and expressions of embarrassment, at all. The results also show that, in relation to the direct strategy of expressions of apology, young speakers mostly use the substrategies of asking for forgiveness, offering an apology, and expressing regret. The substrategies of foreign words, mitigating factors, and expressions of reconciliation are not observed. Indirect strategies, on the other hand, are used much less frequently than direct ones. Of these, young speakers use the strategy of offering compensation or correcting the error, the most.
Copyright (c) 2025 Blagica Naumova, Violeta Janusheva http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
EROS AND DESCRIPTIONS OF SPACE IN THE NOVELS OF BORISAV STANKOVIĆ
This paper explores the connection between Eros and space in the novels Gazda Mladen, Nečista krv, and the unfinished work Pevci by Borisav Stanković. Special attention will be paid to the analysis of spatial eroticization, when the Eros felt by the characters spreads through the spaces in which they live, and work, or when the erotic energy is transmitted through the objects they touch, lean on, etc. Using selected examples from the novels, the paper interprets the descriptions of both intimate (family homes, rooms) and public places (shops, bazaars, hammams), in which the Eros of Stanković’s literary characters manifests itself (as repressed, restrained or liberated).
Borisav Stanković, eros, poetics of space, novel, erotology
Copyright (c) 2025 Ana Kozić http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
As the most important journal of the Yugoslav avant-garde whose activities transcended the regional area of ​​its origin, Zenit resonated with its poetics, its ideas and its programmatic concepts in the German-speaking area from which it also received important impulses. Especially in its first, constitutive phase of the journal, numerous incentives from the German-speaking area are visible, which weren’t limited exclusively to the conceptual or ideological level but could also be practically traced through numerous artistic collaborations and acquaintances led mainly by Ljubomir Micić, the ideological genius behind Zenit. Given the transgressive nature of avant-garde movements in general and the clearly explicit mutual influences between Zenit and the German-speaking area, this paper will attempt to give an overview of the German impetus behind Zenit and zenitism in its various shapes and forms, as well as to explore how the German avant-garde and especially German expressionism shaped the early development of Zenit and how this transcultural transfer influenced the positioning of zenitism in the context of the network of European avant-gardes.
Zenit, avant-garde, expressionism, zenitism
Copyright (c) 2025 Aida Alagić Bandov http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0