Mazedonische

Mazedonische, in German-language contexts often referring to the Macedonian language (Macedonian: Македонски јазик), is a South Slavic language spoken mainly in the country known as North Macedonia and by Macedonian communities abroad. It belongs to the Indo-European family, within the Slavic branch, Eastern South Slavic, and is part of the Balkan Sprachbund, sharing features with neighboring languages such as Bulgarian.

The language is written in the Cyrillic alphabet; the standardized Macedonian alphabet comprises 31 letters. A distinctive feature of Macedonian orthography is the use of a postposed definite article that attaches to nouns (for example, knigata meaning “the book”). The language also employs a variety of clitic forms and a rich vowel system, with pronunciation varying by dialect.

Standard Macedonian was codified in the mid-20th century during the Yugoslav era, with the standard based largely on central and western dialects. It serves as the medium of instruction in schools, and is used in government, media, literature, and everyday communication. The standard form coexists with several regional dialects, which differ in pronunciation, vocabulary, and some grammatical features.

Dialectal variation in Macedonian is typically grouped into major regional varieties, including western, central, and eastern dialects, among others. While standard Macedonian provides a common written form, regional speech retains distinctive traits that can affect vocabulary and pronunciation.

In terms of status, Macedonian is the official language of North Macedonia and is widely used in education, administration, and national media. It is also spoken by diaspora communities around the world. The language has been influenced by contact with Turkish, Albanian, Greek, and other languages, and it is considered part of the broader Balkan linguistic landscape.