crnogor

Crnogor is a linguistic term associated with Montenegro in South Slavic languages. It is not the standard name of a country, nor a widely used standalone ethnonym. The term appears as a stem or root connected to the name Crna Gora, which literally means "black mountain" and is the traditional designation of the country.

Etymology and forms: The root crnogor- derives from the words crno meaning "black" and gora meaning "mountain." In modern standard usage, related forms are used as separate words or affixes, such as Crnogorski (the masculine form meaning "Montenegrin" or "Montenegro-related"). The noun for a Montenegrin man is Crnogorac, and the noun for a Montenegrin woman is Crnogorka. These forms are distinct from the standalone stem crnogor, which mainly appears in linguistic descriptions or as part of compound words.

Usage and context: Crnogor may be encountered in historical texts, dictionaries, or grammatical explanations as the morphemic basis for adjectives and demonyms tied to Montenegro. In contemporary standard language, speakers typically use Crna Gora for the country, Crnogorac/Crnogorka for people, and Crnogorski for the adjective. The explicit standalone term crnogor is less common outside morphological discussions.

See also: Crna Gora, Montenegro, Montenegrin language, Crnogorac, Crnogorka, Crnogorski.