Thracian dialect
Encyclopedia
The Thracian dialect is a dialect of the Bulgarian language
, member of the Rup
or Southeastern Bulgarian dialects. The present range of the dialect includes the regions of Haskovo
, Parvomay
, Elhovo
, Harmanli
, Svilengrad
, Topolovgrad
and Ivaylovgrad
. In the past, the dialect was spoken on a much larger territory and extended far down into Eastern and Western Thrace
, now in Turkey
and Greece
, respectively. Following the Balkan wars
, the Bulgarian population there was forced to flee to Bulgaria
, settling mostly in the regions of Burgas
and Haskovo
, Yambol
and Plovdiv
.
For other phonological and morphological characteristics that are typical for all Rup dialects, see Rup dialects
.
Bulgarian language
Bulgarian is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group.Bulgarian, along with the closely related Macedonian language, demonstrates several linguistic characteristics that set it apart from all other Slavic languages such as the elimination of case declension, the...
, member of the Rup
Rup dialects
The Rup dialects, or the Southeastern dialects, are a group of Bulgarian dialects located east of the yat boundary, thus being part of the Eastern Bulgarian dialects. The range of the Rup dialects includes the southern part of Thrace, i.e. Strandzha, the region of Haskovo, the Rhodopes and the...
or Southeastern Bulgarian dialects. The present range of the dialect includes the regions of Haskovo
Haskovo
Haskovo , is a city, an administrative centre of the homonymous Haskovo Province in southern Bulgaria, not far from the borders with Greece and Turkey. As of February 2011, it has a population of 74,843 inhabitants....
, Parvomay
Parvomay
Parvomay is a town and the name of a Municipality in Southern Bulgaria. It is located in Plovdiv Province region close to the towns Sadovo and Chirpan. The English translation is sometimes given as Parvomai or Purvomai...
, Elhovo
Elhovo
Elhovo is a Bulgarian town in Yambol Province, located on the left bank of Tundzha river, between Strandzha and Sakar mountains. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Elhovo Municipality...
, Harmanli
Harmanli
Harmanli is a town in Haskovo Province, South-central Bulgaria. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Harmanli Municipality. As of December 2009, the town has a population of 18,557 inhabitants....
, Svilengrad
Svilengrad
Svilengrad is a town in Haskovo Province, South-central Bulgaria, situated at the border of Turkey and Greece. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Svilengrad Municipality. As of December 2009, the town has a population of 18,132 inhabitants....
, Topolovgrad
Topolovgrad
Topolovgrad is a town in south-central Bulgaria, part of Haskovo Province, situated at the northern foot of the Sakar Mountain. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Topolovgrad Municipality...
and Ivaylovgrad
Ivaylovgrad
Ivaylovgrad is a town in Haskovo Province in the very south-east of Bulgaria set near the river Arda in the easternmost part of the Rhodope Mountains. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Ivaylovgrad Municipality...
. In the past, the dialect was spoken on a much larger territory and extended far down into Eastern and Western Thrace
Western Thrace
Western Thrace or simply Thrace is a geographic and historical region of Greece, located between the Nestos and Evros rivers in the northeast of the country. Together with the regions of Macedonia and Epirus, it is often referred to informally as northern Greece...
, now in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
and Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, respectively. Following the Balkan wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
, the Bulgarian population there was forced to flee to Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, settling mostly in the regions of Burgas
Burgas
-History:During the rule of the Ancient Romans, near Burgas, Debeltum was established as a military colony for veterans by Vespasian. In the Middle Ages, a small fortress called Pyrgos was erected where Burgas is today and was most probably used as a watchtower...
and Haskovo
Haskovo
Haskovo , is a city, an administrative centre of the homonymous Haskovo Province in southern Bulgaria, not far from the borders with Greece and Turkey. As of February 2011, it has a population of 74,843 inhabitants....
, Yambol
Yambol
Yambol is a city in southeastern Bulgaria, an administrative centre of Yambol Province. It lies on both banks of the Tundzha river in the historical region of Thrace. As of February 2011, the town has a population of 72,843 inhabitants. It is occasionally spelt 'Jambol'.The administrative centres...
and Plovdiv
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
.
Phonological and morphological characteristics
- Lack of consonants дж /dʒ/ and дз /dz/ /ʒ/ and /z/ are pronounced instead: жам vs. джам ('windowpane')
- Disappearance of /t/ from the consonant group /str/: сесра vs. formal Bulgarian сестра ('sister')
- Personal pronouns нега vs. formal Bulgarian него ('him') and хми vs. formal Bulgarian им
- Future tense particles жъ, шъ, зъ in the northern subdialect and ке in the southern subdialect vs. formal Bulgarian ще
For other phonological and morphological characteristics that are typical for all Rup dialects, see Rup dialects
Rup dialects
The Rup dialects, or the Southeastern dialects, are a group of Bulgarian dialects located east of the yat boundary, thus being part of the Eastern Bulgarian dialects. The range of the Rup dialects includes the southern part of Thrace, i.e. Strandzha, the region of Haskovo, the Rhodopes and the...
.