Talk:Bosnian

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Originally Bosnian was an Adjective! Today is is becoming a Noun!

Bosnian(Bosanac) technically means "inhabitant of the province of Bosnia" regardless of ethnicity.

Since the Creation of the modern state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, English speaking countries have used the word Bosnian(Bosanac) to refer to ALL the inhabitants of the  ENTIRE Bosnia and Herzegovina

This is incorect, as to refer to the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, one should naturally use both parts of the name i.e Bosnian-Herzegovinian

The confusion with the usuage of the adjective Bosnian, all stems from the english referal to the consitutive nation Muslimani(Muslim as a nation){not to be confused with adherants of islam:i.e muslimani[muslims]) of Bosnia and Herzegovina as:

"Bosnian Muslims"

Firstly as you can see, the mistake was made by refering to Muslimani(Muslim nation) of Bosnia and Herzegovina as "Bosnian"(province of Bosnia) and applying it to the whole country of Bosnia and Herzegovina i.e it should have been "Bosnian-Herzegovinian Muslims" rather than Bosnian Muslims.

The same can be said with the other two constituent Nations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Croats and Serbs. Englsih speaking countries destroyed the concept of the adjective Bosnian (originally to be solely applied to the province Bosnia) and now applying it to the inhabitants of the whole country of Bosnia and Herzegovina i.e Bosnian Serbs and Bosnian Croats instead of with the prefix "Bosnian-Herzegovinian".

HOWEVER the issue really begins to develop when the name change of the nation Muslimani(Muslims) of Bosnia and Herzegovina changed there name to Bosniak, which predictably, as with all things in the balkans meant trouble.

The interesting thing is Bosniak(Bosnjak) actually also means(MEANT emphasis intended) Bosnian(Bosanac), (but came out of use in favour of the later) and as with the old rule above, was Originaly intended to SOLELY be applied as a '''geographic adjective to describe an inhabitant of the province or Sandzak Bosnia ie a Bosniak or (Bosnjak) and as per usual-> regardless of ethnicity'''.

So today Bosniak has 2 meanings: Bosniak(Bosnjak): a Nation(formally known as Muslims)

and

Bosniak Bosnjak) which also means Bosnian(Bosnanac)i.e an inhabitant of the province Bosnia(regardless of ethnicity).

It is also ironic that term Bosniak which at the time of its more popular use(Ottoman times), had been exclusivly applied to the Christian poulation of the province of Bosnia(ie Serbs and Croats) as a geographic designation of the Sanjak Bosnia!

While Modern Day Bosniaks(Bosniak Nation)(ie Muslims Nation),who are decendants of Slavic converts to Islam (could be Croats or Serbs or as Bosniaks claim neither and just simply Slavs), DID NOT use the term Bosniak to refer to themselves as a NATION, but identified with the ruling class(Muslim Ottomans) and viewed themselves as Turks. Bosniaks referred to themselves as "Turci" (more commonly: "Turčini").

Now Bosniaks, who unfairly chose the name Bosniak as the name for their nation, *UNFAIRLY* as it also belonged EQUALLY to Croats and Serbs of Bosnia(maybe even more so, as it was only applied to CHRISTIANS).

To add to that, the Bosniaks are using the Both Terms Bosnian and Bosniak collectivily, and selectivitly applying its OLD definition.

WHY?

Inorder to monopolize the History of Bosnia and Herzegovina

HOW?

By suggesting/alluding that Bosnian(Bosanac) = Bosniak(Bosnjak)

And you may be thinking now, "didnt you previously say that Bosniak means Bosnian?"

And yes it does!

Bosnian truelly does mean Bosniak.

HOWEVER! Bosniak now refers to the nation Formally know as Muslimani(Muslims) and NOT what it previously meant,

i.e. Solely as a Geographic designation,to refer to the inhabitants of the province or at that time, the Sandzak of Bosnia.Most importantly, it was irrespective of ethnicity.

If this naive use of the words Bosnian and Bosniak is alloud to continue, then there goes the entire Serbian and Croatian Cultural Heritage and History of Bosnia and Herzegovina into a GREATER (artificial) "BOSNIAN NATION"

This monopolization must be stopped! --Jadran 05:20, 8 June 2006 (UTC)

i agree with Duja's version, hopefully damir doesnt change it --Jadran 05:32, 15 June 2006 (UTC)

Merging with Bosnia (disambiguation)
The only entry here not in Bosnia (disambiguation) is Bosnian language, so I think this should be merged there. TimBentley (talk) 03:39, 17 August 2006 (UTC)

Why does Bosnian redirect to Bosnia and Herzegovina? This is not accurate. It should redirect to Bosniak, which is a disambig for the other meanings. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 87.162.6.117 (talk) 16:07, 16 September 2008 (UTC)