Serbians
Encyclopedia
Serbians may refer to people who are identified with the country of Serbia
, or people of the Serb
ethnic group.
However it could also be used as the translation of Serbian word "Србијанци" (Srbijanci), especially when distinction is made between the two. In a similar way, adjective
s "Serb" and "Serbian
" could be used to mean "of Serbs
" and "of Serbia
", respectively, though they too are used interchangeably.
In the Serbian language
, Srbijanci are Serbs from Central Serbia
, or broader, from Serbia
. Not all Serbians are Serbs, nor all Serbs are Serbians. The term Serbians (Srbijanci) excludes ethnic Serbs
who are from neighboring countries, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro or Macedonia. An English speaker might use the word "Serbians" to mean "Serbs". Further confusions issues as in English the word "Serbs" may be used to refer to ethnic Serbs, or to citizens of Serbia regardless of their ethnicity, and going from there, word "Serbians" could be used in the same way.
Though most people, to whom the term Serbians could be applied, find the term Srbijanci insulting, one of the songs usually played at social gatherings in Central Serbia has in the refrain the words "..jelek, anterija i opanci, po tome se znaju Srbijanci...", meaning "...jelek
, anterija, and opanak
s, is how you recognize a Srbijanac...". The song describes the Serbian dress
of people from Central Serbia. However, the term here is used as a literary expression and its definition is uncertain. It cannot be considered as part of mainstream language as its frequency and usage in Serbian
is minimal. Some explanation is that Serbs from Serbia most probably would recognize term Srbijanac as an insult, so it should be avoided.
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, or people of the Serb
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
ethnic group.
However it could also be used as the translation of Serbian word "Србијанци" (Srbijanci), especially when distinction is made between the two. In a similar way, adjective
Adjective
In grammar, an adjective is a 'describing' word; the main syntactic role of which is to qualify a noun or noun phrase, giving more information about the object signified....
s "Serb" and "Serbian
Serbian
Serbian may refer to:* Serbian cuisine* Serbians, citizens of Serbia* Serbs, members of the Serb ethnic group* Serbian diaspora, emigrants of Serbia and their descendants, and Serbs living abroad* Serbian language, the official language of Serbia...
" could be used to mean "of Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
" and "of Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
", respectively, though they too are used interchangeably.
In the Serbian language
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
, Srbijanci are Serbs from Central Serbia
Central Serbia
Central Serbia , also referred to as Serbia proper , was the region of Serbia from 1945 to 2009. It included central parts of Serbia outside of the autonomous provinces of Kosovo and Vojvodina. The region of Central Serbia was not an administrative division of Serbia as such; it was under the...
, or broader, from Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
. Not all Serbians are Serbs, nor all Serbs are Serbians. The term Serbians (Srbijanci) excludes ethnic Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
who are from neighboring countries, such as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro or Macedonia. An English speaker might use the word "Serbians" to mean "Serbs". Further confusions issues as in English the word "Serbs" may be used to refer to ethnic Serbs, or to citizens of Serbia regardless of their ethnicity, and going from there, word "Serbians" could be used in the same way.
Though most people, to whom the term Serbians could be applied, find the term Srbijanci insulting, one of the songs usually played at social gatherings in Central Serbia has in the refrain the words "..jelek, anterija i opanci, po tome se znaju Srbijanci...", meaning "...jelek
Jelick
Jelick is the bodice or vest of a Turkish woman's dress. Jelick is typically a sleeveless and collarless garment and usually has small pockets on the sides. Traditional jelicks are generally embroidered and made out of silk cloth as well as velvet and leather....
, anterija, and opanak
Opanak
Opanak are traditional peasant shoes worn in Southeastern Europe . The attributes of the Opanci are: a construction of leather, lack of laces, durable, and various ending on toes. In Serbia, the design of the horn-like ending on toes indicates the region of origin...
s, is how you recognize a Srbijanac...". The song describes the Serbian dress
Serbian dress
Serbian folk costumes, like any traditional dress of a nation or culture, has been lost to the advent of urbanization, industrialization, and the growing market of international clothing trends...
of people from Central Serbia. However, the term here is used as a literary expression and its definition is uncertain. It cannot be considered as part of mainstream language as its frequency and usage in Serbian
Serbian language
Serbian is a form of Serbo-Croatian, a South Slavic language, spoken by Serbs in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia and neighbouring countries....
is minimal. Some explanation is that Serbs from Serbia most probably would recognize term Srbijanac as an insult, so it should be avoided.
See also
- SerbsSerbsThe Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
- SerbomansSerbomansSerbomans is a Bulgarian-Macedonian term for local people that live in the region of Macedonia and claim to belong to Serbian ethnicity, that support the Serbian national ideals or officially declare themselves as Serbs. It is used pejoratively by Bulgarians to refer to Macedonians who refuse the...
- YugoslavsYugoslavsYugoslavs is a national designation used by a minority of South Slavs across the countries of the former Yugoslavia and in the diaspora...
- Demographics of SerbiaDemographics of SerbiaThe demographics of Serbia have been shaped by its unique geographic location. Situated in the middle of the Balkans, many different ethnic groups are citizens of Serbia. Serbs are overwhelmingly the largest ethnic group in the country. Furthermore, Albanians have represented the largest minority...