Review article
https://doi.org/10.21857/y6zolbrkqm
MEĐIMURJE, MEĐIMORJE, MEĐUMURJE – CONTRIBUTION TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF NAME OF THE CROATIAN TRADITIONAL REGION
DANIJEL JUKOPILA
; Sveučilište u Zagrebu, Učiteljski fakultet, Zagreb
Abstract
The name Međimurje with its symbolic function for most respondents during
the interview was clearly defined by the location of the region along the Mura
River, and the only doubt was to use it in the official version of Međimurje or in
the archaic and, according to many, dialectal expression Međimorje. The problem
of this name is much more complex, although there are not many papers
on this topic. The most comprehensive and complex is the work of Z. Bartolić
(1998), which is based on an interdisciplinary approach combining knowledge
of linguistics, history, literary history and geography, but is not monitored and
based on field research, which was conducted during the preparation of this
paper. The basic thesis of his work is that the correct name of the region would
be Međimorje, where the name itself is interpreted with the appellation
„otok“ in dialectal speech. This interpretation is proven by examples from older
literature where it is used in the meaning of island (otok), alluding to the
hydrographic boundaries of Međimurje, which throughout history have been
a significant communication barrier to neighboring areas, and thus enhanced
the sense of isolation characteristic of an island. The term island is also found
in the Latin version of Insula, which in various variations is found in older literature,
especially on old maps, but never independently but in variations with
the names of the rivers Mura and Drava. At the same time, foreign sources,
especially in the languages used in Međimurje in certain periods, such as the
German Murinsel meaning Mura Island or the Hungarian Muraköz meaning the
area along the Mura, contain the name of the river as the basic determinant of
the name. It is interesting that none of the interlocutors in the interview knew
the translation of the word Međimorje (island), but they all interpreted it in the
Međimurje way of pronunciation, ie “in the local language”. The survey showed
that the majority of residents in Međimurje (49%) and beyond (54%) believe
that the name Međimurje is associated with the name of the Mura River, almost
a third believe that the name comes from the Latin Insula inter Muram et
Dravam. These are also those from the group of older respondents with higher
education and their answer is the result of a translation from Latin that clearly
defines the area, and the least of those who interpret it as a translation of
the dialect name Međimorje into a standard language (18% in Međimurje and 12% outside it). The research does not confirm Bartolić’s thesis, which he presented
as an opinion and a kind of recommendation, but confirms the thesis
about the Mura River as the backbone of Međimurje, despite the fact that the
Drava River has the same border position. However, the Drava is an eponym to
the neighboring traditional (Podravina), but also natural region (Podravina in the
sense of a lowland along the Drava River) on its right banks.
Keywords
horonim; Međimurje; Međumurje; Međimorje; insula;
Hrčak ID:
269165
URI
Publication date:
27.12.2021.
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