How did Slavic nations name their states?

[Crn Volk]

It seems to be a combination of adopting a name of a ruling tribe and/or a geographic name.

For example;

Russia - named after state forming Scandinavian tribe of Rus.
Bulgaria - named after state forming Asiatic tribe of Bulgars
Serbia - named after old Serboi - probably of Sarmation descent
Croatia - named after old Hrvati - probably of Sarmation descent
Ukraine - named after Slavic term Kraj for territory
Poland- named after Slavic term for plain - Pole
Macedonia - named after the ancient region of Macedonia
Bosnia - named after a river
Montenegro - named after Black Montain
Czech - named after the Slavic tribe of that name
Slovakia/Slovenia - derivatives of name Slav
Lusation Sorbs - from the Sorbian word luzicy meaning "swamps" or "water-hole".

[Aunt Hilda]

you forgot Belarus, Macedonia etc.

[Crn Volk]

you forgot Belarus.Macedonia etc.


White Russia.

Macedonia is mentioned

[Baluarte]

Belarus simply means White Rus/White Russia: Белая meaning White.

Seemingly they had lighter traits than other regions.

[Sisak]

Croats have derived the name of their country from the historical Regnum Croatorum. Hrvati are something different.

From wikipedia:
The Kingdom of Croatia also known as the Kingdom of the Croats (Croatian: Kraljevstvo Hrvata; Latin: Regnum Chroatorum, Regnum Croatorum), was a medieval kingdom comprising most of what is today Croatia as well as, periodically, parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Balkans.

[rashka]

Belarus simply means White Rus/White Russia: Белая meaning White.

Seemingly they had lighter traits than other regions.
It is not named because of that. There used to be a White Croatia and a White Serbia.

Ps. I don't see Lusation Serbs in the list.

[Crn Volk]

Croats have derived the name of their country from the historical Regnum Croatorum. Hrvati are something different.

But you refer to yourselves as Hrvati, as do other Slavic people

[Crn Volk]

It is not named because of that. There used to be a White Croatia and a White Serbia.

Ps. I don't see Lusation Serbs in the list.

Oops sorry. Lusatia - from the Sorbian word luzicy meaning "swamps" or "water-hole".

I've added it :)

[Gospodine]

Belarus simply means White Rus/White Russia: Белая meaning White.

Seemingly they had lighter traits than other regions.

Lol.

The early Slavs (along with other cultures) designated cardinal directions with colours. Hence why you had the White Croats/Red Croats/White Russians/White Serbs.

White: West, Red: South, Black: North and Green: East.

[Baluarte]

Ok, seems I was told a stupid story.
Thanks for correcting :)

[Sisak]

But you refer to yourselves as Hrvati, as do other Slavic people

I know as much as you about it. Hrvati resembles more to Iran. In Iran was found an inscription with a similar name -Horoatus. And that is only reason whay we call ourself Hrvati.

[Crn Volk]

I know as much as you about it. Hrvati resembles more to Iran. In Iran was found an inscription with a similar name -Horoatus. And that is only reason whay we call ourself Hrvati.

Sarmatians were an Irannic people, hence the theory.

[Methmatician]

Bosna comes from the Illyrian word bossona which meant running water. That was the name given to the river running through (today's) Sarajevo.

[Sarmatian]

Lol.

The early Slavs (along with other cultures) designated cardinal directions with colours. Hence why you had the White Croats/Red Croats/White Russians/White Serbs.

White: West, Red: South, Black: North and Green: East.

Seems right. In the past there were areas called Black (Черна) Rus, White (Бела) Rus and Red (Червона) Rus. There was no Green but it could be because expansion of Slavs to the East of Rus has taken place in later period.

[Hayalet]

White: West, Red: South, Black: North and Green: East.
Interesting. Turks had the same thing, except they used blue for east.

[justme]

Bosna comes from the Illyrian word bossona which meant running water. That was the name given to the river running through (today's) Sarajevo.

Actually it's also believed the word bossona might not be of illyrian origin but Latin... Since it was renamed Bossona by Romans.

[CrystalMaiden]

Bosna comes from the Illyrian word bossona which meant running water. That was the name given to the river running through (today's) Sarajevo.

Bosna doesn't run trough Sarajevo...

[Sandman]

It seems to be a combination of adopting a name of a ruling tribe and/or a geographic name.

For example;

Poland- named after Slavic term for plain - Pole
.

"Poland" is derived from the Slavic tribe "Polanie" - meaning "people of the fields". Pole = Field

[Corvus]

"Poland" is derived from the Slavic tribe "Polanie" - meaning "people of the fields". Pole = Field

Pole=Field in almost all Slavic languages

[Roy]

Poland was named after West Slavic tribe of Polans (Poland) which lived in Central Poland (Kruszwica, Gopło lake and islands on it). (the etymology is probably the same nevertheless).

[Methmatician]

Bosna doesn't run trough Sarajevo...

My mistake. Around.

[Temujin]

Belarus translates to White Rus' (White Ruthenia). It has no connection to Russia as we know it which grew out of Moscow principality.

Originally, the name Belarus was applied to ethnographical regions which are in present day Viciebsk (northern) and Mahiliou (eastern) regions of Belarus. The name was widely applied to the ethnographical regions beginning from the 16th century, while the country was part of the Grand Duchy. The name Belarus was applied to all territories of Belarus at the end of the 19th century. AFAIK another name considered for Belarus was Kryvyija in the beginning of the 20th century.

Although the name Belarus was applied in the end of the 19th century to all ethnographical region, I know for a fact people in Minsk region and other regions of Belarus were identifying themselves as Litvins just before the WWII started.

[rashka]

It seems to be a combination of adopting a name of a ruling tribe and/or a geographic name.

For example;
Serbia - named after old Serboi - probably of Sarmation descent
Croatia - named after old Hrvati - probably of Sarmation descent
Lusation Sorbs - from the Sorbian word luzicy meaning "swamps" or "water-hole".

The Lusatian Sorbs are really called Serbs and their language is Serbski. Sorb version is just a Germanization of the name for themselves.

[rashka]

Pole=Field in almost all Slavic languages

In Serbian, field is Polje pronounced polyé. Polish language is Poljski, Poland is Poljska and Polish people is Poljaci. (c=ts).

[Methmatician]

their language is Serbski.

Just to clear up, only Lower Sorbs say "Serbski". Upper Sorbs say "Serbce". The Sorbs have two languages.

[Temujin]

what name do you like better - Belarus or Kryvyija?

I don't have a problem with either name. Viciebsk region is the the ethnographical region that gave the name Belarus to the rest of the country. Also, ancestors of people of Viciebsk were Kryvychi. But there're some people in Belarus unhappy with the name of Belarus due to the fact the country is confused with Russia. I read comments of a guy from Hrodna identifying himself as a Lithuanian in the national census despite nobody spoke Baltic in his family for a couple of centuries. He added that Belarus for him is the region from Viciebsk and Mahiliou. It may have been his own protest against the current government. Not sure. Maybe Kryvyija would have been a more suitable name for the country to differentiate itself from the neighbours.

[rashka]

Just to clear up, only Lower Sorbs say "Serbski". Upper Sorbs say "Serbce". The Sorbs have two languages.

Those look like spelling differences otherwise the names would sound very similar for the 2 dialects. No videos can be found in that dialect but Serbski can be found easily.

[Methmatician]

Those look like spelling differences otherwise the names would sound very similar for the 2 dialects. No videos can be found in that dialect but Serbski can be found easily.

Hornjoserbce would be pronounced the same way if you spoke in Serbo-Croatian.

[rashka]

Maybe Kryvyija would have been a more suitable name for the country to differentiate itself from the neighbours.
What does Kryvyija mean?

[Temujin]

Were the ever a suggestion to call Belarus Litwa? I mean in 19th c.

I'm sorry, I could not resist to ask this :)

Do you want to see Balarus calling itself Litva having Pahonia as its coat of arms, the white-red-white flag, and the monuments to the Grand Dukes of Lithuania all over Belarus? :) I doubt if the name Litva will ever be used again, but it may happen with the Grand Duchy relics if a more nationalist party comes to power.

To answer you question I don't if Litva was considered in the 19th century. Probably not. Belarusians were involved in a revolt against Tsar rule in 1863. You know the consequences. Also, Litva had a long history of stand-off against Moscow principality and Russia. Any remainder of hostility against the Russians while Belarus part of the Russian Empire was likely to be out the question.

But there was a short lived LitBel republic in 1919 : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithuanian%E2%80%93Belorussian_Soviet_Socialist_Re public

[Temujin]

What does Kryvyija mean?

Krivichs was one of the largest union of tribes living in northern, eastern and central Belarus. Kryvyija is derived from the name of the tribe : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krivichs

In Latvian language Belarus is Baltkrievija.

[Albion]

Germanic:


England - Angle land / Angle country (Angles were the dominant Germanic tribe in England. 'Land' still means country and still has limited use but is considered archaic). Most other Europeans call it something along the lines of 'Anglia' which means the same thing, although Celts name it after the Saxons.
Deutschland - People's land? (English call it 'Germany' from Roman borrowing 'Germania' from Gauls, which meant something like 'Neighbours').
Nederlands - 'Lowlands' (English name is a corruption of it).
Vlaanderen (Flanders) - 'waterlogged land'
Luxembourg - 'Little Castle'
Österreich (Austria) - 'East realm'
Liechtenstein - 'Light stone' (named after the ruling dynasty).
Schweiz (Switzerland) - to burn (land cleared by slash and burn agriculture)
Danmark (Denmark) - 'Dane March'
Sverige (Sweden) ?
Norge (Norway) 'North way'
Føroyar (Faroe Islands) - 'Sheep islands'
Ísland (Iceland) - 'Ice land'

[Not a Cop]

Krivichs was one of the largest union of tribes living in northern, eastern and central Belarus. Kryvyija is derived from the name of the tribe : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krivichs

In Latvian language Belarus is Baltkrievija.

Krivichi are one of major part of Russian ethnicy, so modern Belarussians are basicly Russians mixed with lithuanians and Polacks, but mostly they are still russians and Russian is even the main language in Belarus

[Albion]

Celtic:


Eire (Ireland) - named after a goddess. English name from same root.
Alba (Scotland) - from 'Albion', an ancient name for the island of Great Britain derived from a old Celto-Italic word root 'Alba' meaning 'white' (referring to the white cliffs of Dover - in England). 'Scotland' is derived from Latin 'Scotti' which is a name for Irish pirates.
Cymru (Wales) - 'compatriots'. English 'Wales' literally means 'foreigners' :D
Kernow (Cornwall) - named after an old Celtic tribe called the 'Cornovii'.Their name meant something akin to 'edge of land'. English name 'Cornwall' is a mixture of two words - Ker became Corn and 'wall' (from 'wealisc' - Welsh) was added, so it means 'Cornish foreigners'.
Ellan Vannin / Mannin (Isle of Man) - 'Island with the mountain'
Breizh (Brittany) - 'Britain' (a lot of Celts from Britain fled to Armorica and gave it that name).

[Temujin]

Litbel sounds so bad. The person who invented it had no taste.

No, I don't want Belarus to be Lithuania #2. That would create a lot of hostility obviously. I was just curious :)


I couldn't agree more on the ugliness of the name LitBel Republic.


Edit: I wouldn't mind Belarusians having pahonia as a coat of arms, the current one is a crappy communist one and has no connection to Belarus appart from communist past. Red white flag also would look better. However, you know my opinion about certain pseudo theories present in Belarus. I hope it would not turn into some kind of rivalry.

There are reasons for folk history which I could discuss it with you in other time.

[Dandelion]

White Russia.


In Dutch it is even called 'Wit-Rusland' and in German 'Weißrussland', etc... for all other Germanic languages except for English.

[Temujin]

Krivichi are one of major part of Russian ethnicy, so modern Belarussians are basicly Russians mixed with lithuanians and Polacks, but mostly they are still russians and Russian is even the main language in Belarus


That's a stereotypical ill-informed Russian who doesn't know his ancestry. This is a precisely kind of comment that gets the Russians on the wrong side with all of its neigbours.

One branch of Krivichs lived in nothern Pskov (Russia). The other branch lived in Smolensk(western Russia), Viciebsk(Belarus), Mahiliou (Belarus), Minsk (Belarus) and southern Pskov (western Russia). Western Smolensk and southern Pskov were part of the GDL until Moscow principality annexed it. Till world war ii people in southern Pskov and western Smolensk were speaking a Belarusian dialect.
People of western Smolensk and southern Pskov ethnographically are closer to the Belarusians. You can go to any forum in Smolensk or Pskov region and people will confirm it. Moreover, Kriviches living in Pskov and Kriviches lived in Belarus had different burial culture. The northerners were mixed with local Finno-Ugric tribes, while Kriviches in Belarus mixed with local Baltic tribes.

You see, Russia is the kind of country in which all neighbouring nations can find their relatives as Russia was expanding in the last 500 years. Finno-Ugric Veps in northern Russia are related to Estonians. In Karelia people are related in Finns. There were many Finno-Ugric tribes living along Volga river. And so on. Kriviches could not resettle the vast territories of Russia out of western Smolensk region.

Belarusians are not a mix of Poles and Lithuanians. Different Slavic tribes took part in ethnogenesis of Poles and Belarusians. Lithuanians are mostly Balts.