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Stenographic Memoirs from the Conferences of the Philological Commission for Establishment of the Macedonian Alphabet and Macedonian Literary language

The advent of the so-called "Macedonian literary language" is an unique in the European linguistic reality, and had not anything common with the normal springing up and development of the languages in the continent. In contrast to all European languages, the so-called "Macedonian literary language" is created from a group of people: 1) on some date, not very far before; 2) in some place; 3) with a decree.

On August 2nd, 1944, in the monastery St Prohor Pchinski, on the first meeting of ASNOM (Anti-fascist Assembly for People Liberation of Macedonia), a decree for "sluzhben" language, which "vleguva vednaga vo sila" (immediately is applyed), was announced. Some months later - again administratively - this language is up-invented, and sanctioned with voting of 10 teachers, one poet, and one politician - ASNOM representative, on the conference in the Skopje gradski odbor (city hall) in the period November 27 th - December 3 rd, 1944.

 (Attending: Risto Prodanov, Risto Zografski, Dr Georche Shoptrajan, Dare Dzhambaz, Vasil Iliev, Dr Mihail Petrushevski, Krume Toshev, Mirko Pavlov, Gjorge Kiselinov, Blazho Koneski, Dr Milka Balvanlieva - all teachers, Venko Markovski - a poet, Epaminonda Popandonov (from ASNOM). - the names are written according the protocol from November 27th, 1944. Stenographer: J. Kostevski.)

The documents of the stenographers protocols from the inventive meetings, which took less than a week in the building of Skopski odbor, can show the absurdity of the advent of this language, and can give an explanation, why this language practically is not spoken from anyone in the Republic of Macedonia, including from its "creators". Here we have in mind especially the pronunciation of the prominent codificator of Skopska norm, Bl. Koneski, author of the many times issued "Gramatika na makedonskiot literaturen jazik", Skopje, 1952, which is full with many deviations from the created by him rules. We shall give, with a minimum commentary, the typical moments of creating the "new language", which is on the base of the south-western Bulgarian speeches in Macedonia.

Now enjoy the discussions:

1. Self-acknowledgement, that the decisions of the commission are not scientific: "It will be good, if we can reconcile the views, to find something mild, it can be not scientific, but practical, and in moderation. Kiril also had a hard time. (here St Constantine Cyril is in mind!) Let we also try hardly, without hurry." - Krume Tosheski, p. 35.

2. Fast inventing of the language: "We have not time to wait this language to be made. We are in fast need to have a literary language, and have no time, and cannot wait this language to be made from poets, bookmen and journalists. In France, as a literary language, Paris dialect is taken, in Russia - Moscow dialect, in Serbia - Hertsegovina dialect. From these dialects, after that, continuously a literary language has developed. But, as I have said, we have not time to wait some our dialect to be developed into literary language." - Gjorge Kiselinov, p. 3.

3. The teachers of the new-created language will be also low-literate: "Our teachers will be with fifth-sixth grade. Teaching with low-qualified teachers will be very difficult." - Krume Tosheski, p. 34.

4. The artificial rules will be never acquired nor by pupils, nor by the elderly people: "Here, the word is for the paedagogics and for the pupils. But it is all the same also for the elderly people. These people will never learn the rules." - Risto Prodanov, p. 30.

5. Falsifying the language history, in order falsifying the reality to be acquitted - (here a long pseudo-study of Gjorge Kiselinov is omitted. Grand-grand-childrens of Alexander of Macedon, etc.)

6. Acknowledgement, that the revivalists in Macedonia wrote by the canons of Bulgarian language:

 "Konstantin Miladinov called the dialect of his songs struzhko-resenski. But it is nor Struga dialect, nor Resen dialect. One of the main characteristics of our Macedonian language is the stress. In our language the stress is on the third syllable from the end of the word. If we take his poem (of K. Miladinov) "T'ga za jug", it is melodical only if it is pronunciated with Bulgarian stress. Here it is! (Recites.) But if we recite it with the typical Macedonian stress, on the third syllable from the end of the word, what we shall obtain? (Recites.) You see, that there is not rhythm." - Venko Markovski, p. 15.

7. The commission is also engaged in futurology: "In the not-near future, in the edge of the capitalism and the imperialism, a common Slavic language will be developed, not only common Yugoslavian language. We do not know in which direction it will be developed, but most probably this will be the Russian language, which gave so much words to the Germans and the Americans in technics." - Dare Dzhambaz, p. 40-41.

8. If the common Yugoslavian language will be not developed, than a try with the Russian can be made: "Our comrade said, that we must have in mind an aspiration towards a common Yugoslavian language.

 ...... But you can have in mind, that a common Yugoslavian language is an illusion, and cannot be made. Why? Because the Serbs and Bulgarians have their literature ...... If we want to create a common Yugoslavian language, than they ought to refuse from their literature, and from their literary language, and to accept the new one. But this will never happen. We, Macedonians, which have not until now our literature, and our common literary language, would not refuse from the ours, and the Serbs and the Bulgarians would not surely refuse also. But if we cannot made a common Yugoslavian language, than we can made a common Slavic language, and it will be the Russian language, which can be imposed with the space and the width of the Russian word." - Gjorgi Kiselinov, p. 38.

Remark: All citations are taken from "Stenografski beleshki od konferentsiite na filoloshkata komisia za ustanovuenje na makedonskata azbuka i makedonskiot literaturen jazik", Skopje November 27th - December 3rd, 1944.

http://knigite.abv.bg/en/pavel/stenographic_memoirs.html