Macedonische

Macedonische is the German-language term used for things related to Macedonia, most often referring to the Macedonian language and the Macedonian people. In German-language contexts it can denote the language itself as well as cultural or national aspects connected to North Macedonia.

The Macedonian language is a South Slavic language spoken primarily in North Macedonia, where it is the official language. A standardized form was codified in the 20th century, drawing on western and central dialects. It uses the Cyrillic alphabet, consisting of 31 letters, and features a postfixed definite article, a characteristic shared with some neighboring languages in the region.

Macedonian is closely related to Bulgarian and other South Slavic languages. While there is a degree of mutual intelligibility with Bulgarian, linguists generally treat Macedonian as a distinct language with its own standard grammar and vocabulary. The language comprises several dialect groups, including western, central, and eastern varieties, which differ in pronunciation and some lexical elements.

In addition to its linguistic dimension, Macedonische also designates the ethnic group known as Macedonians, who form the majority population in North Macedonia and are present in neighboring countries and diaspora communities. The term thus covers linguistic, cultural, and national aspects associated with the region of Macedonia and its inhabitants.