Names of Kosovo
Encyclopedia
The name Kosovo
(as referred to in this spelling) is the most frequently used form in English
when discussing the region in question. The Albanian spelling Kosova has lesser currency. An alternative spelling - Kossovo - was frequently used until the early 20th century and before that Cossovo, Italianisations
of the name.
"field of the blackbirds", the site of the 1389 Battle of Kosovo Field
. The name of the field was applied to an Ottoman province created in 1864. In Greek
the full name of the historical region is Kossyfopèdio meaning field (-pèdio) of the blackbirds (Kossyfi-).
The use of these spelling variants is a highly sensitive political issue for both Serbs and Albanians, who regard the use of the other side's name as being a denial of their own side's territorial rights.
Kosovo is not given the definite article ("the Kosovo") in English. Albanian usage varies (Kosova vs. Kosovë). The question does not arise in Serbian, which has no definite article. French has the definite article, le Kosovo. In German, no article, or the masculine or neuter articles, are variously used (Kosovo, der Kosovo, das Kosovo). In Portuguese, both forms are commonly used - the form without the article was the preferred form when the region began to appear frequently in the news; nowadays, a trend has been observed both in Portugal and Brazil of using the definite masculine article "o Kosovo".
(Метохија, alternatively spelled "Metohia") derives from the Greek
word metochia (μετόχια), a term which denotes church
-owned land. Historically, the estates of the Serbian Orthodox Church
were located principally in this region. The name does not indicate a modern administrative district. Albanians tend not to use the name, regarding it as a statement of Serbian territorial ownership (which they reject for political reasons), and instead prefer to call the region Rrafsh i Dukagjinit, the "Dukagjin plateau".
a, the name of the Roman province of Moesia
that was formed in 284 AD which covered the territory of modern Kosovo and part of the Republic of Macedonia. The former Kosovo President Ibrahim Rugova
had been an enthusiastic backer of a "Dardanian" identity and its flag and presidential seal refer to this national identity. However, it is not recognised by any international power and the name "Kosova" remains more widely used among the Albanian population.
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
(as referred to in this spelling) is the most frequently used form in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
when discussing the region in question. The Albanian spelling Kosova has lesser currency. An alternative spelling - Kossovo - was frequently used until the early 20th century and before that Cossovo, Italianisations
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
of the name.
Kosovo
Kosovo (Serbian Cyrillic: Косово, pronounced ˈkɔsɔvɔ) is the Serbian neuter possessive adjective of kos (кос) "blackbird", an ellipsis for Kosovo PoljeKosovo Polje
Kosovo Polje or Fushë Kosova is a town and municipality in the Pristina district of central Kosovo, at 42.63° North, 21.12° East, or approximately eight kilometres south-west of the capital Pristina...
"field of the blackbirds", the site of the 1389 Battle of Kosovo Field
Battle of Kosovo
The Battle of Kosovo took place on St. Vitus' Day, June 15, 1389, between the army led by Serbian Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović, and the invading army of the Ottoman Empire under the leadership of Sultan Murad I...
. The name of the field was applied to an Ottoman province created in 1864. In Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
the full name of the historical region is Kossyfopèdio meaning field (-pèdio) of the blackbirds (Kossyfi-).
The use of these spelling variants is a highly sensitive political issue for both Serbs and Albanians, who regard the use of the other side's name as being a denial of their own side's territorial rights.
Kosovo is not given the definite article ("the Kosovo") in English. Albanian usage varies (Kosova vs. Kosovë). The question does not arise in Serbian, which has no definite article. French has the definite article, le Kosovo. In German, no article, or the masculine or neuter articles, are variously used (Kosovo, der Kosovo, das Kosovo). In Portuguese, both forms are commonly used - the form without the article was the preferred form when the region began to appear frequently in the news; nowadays, a trend has been observed both in Portugal and Brazil of using the definite masculine article "o Kosovo".
Metohija
MetohijaMetohija
Metohija , is a large basin and the name of the region covering the southwestern part of Kosovo.It encompasses three of the seven districts of Kosovo, namely the historical :* District of Peć * District of Đakovica * District of Prizren...
(Метохија, alternatively spelled "Metohia") derives from the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
word metochia (μετόχια), a term which denotes church
National church
National church is a concept of a Christian church associated with a specific ethnic group or nation state. The idea was notably discussed during the 19th century, during the emergence of modern nationalism....
-owned land. Historically, the estates of the Serbian Orthodox Church
Serbian Orthodox Church
The Serbian Orthodox Church is one of the autocephalous Orthodox Christian churches, ranking sixth in order of seniority after Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Russia...
were located principally in this region. The name does not indicate a modern administrative district. Albanians tend not to use the name, regarding it as a statement of Serbian territorial ownership (which they reject for political reasons), and instead prefer to call the region Rrafsh i Dukagjinit, the "Dukagjin plateau".
Dardania
Some Kosovan Albanians refer to Kosovo as DardaniDardani
Dardania was the region of the Dardani .Located at the Thraco-Illyrian contact zone, their identification as either an Illyrian or Thracian tribe is uncertain. Their territory itself was not considered part of Illyria by Strabo. The term used for their territory was , while for other tribes had...
a, the name of the Roman province of Moesia
Moesia
Moesia was an ancient region and later Roman province situated in the Balkans, along the south bank of the Danube River. It included territories of modern-day Southern Serbia , Northern Republic of Macedonia, Northern Bulgaria, Romanian Dobrudja, Southern Moldova, and Budjak .-History:In ancient...
that was formed in 284 AD which covered the territory of modern Kosovo and part of the Republic of Macedonia. The former Kosovo President Ibrahim Rugova
Ibrahim Rugova
Ibrahim Rugova was an Albanian politician who was the first President of Kosovo and of its leading political party, the Democratic League of Kosovo ....
had been an enthusiastic backer of a "Dardanian" identity and its flag and presidential seal refer to this national identity. However, it is not recognised by any international power and the name "Kosova" remains more widely used among the Albanian population.