Reading up in the Alexander and history of Russian threads, seems like the Slavs were very wide-ranging in their movements thru the centuries. So, who were these peoples; where did they come from? Where did they settle, intermix?
Vrylakas said:The linguistic breakdown is like this:
Western Slavs: Czechs, Poles, Slovaks, Sorbs/Wends
Eastern Slavs: Russians, Belarussians, Ukrainians
Southern Slavs: Serbs, Croats, Bulgars, Macedonians, Slovenians.
This is a modern breakdown though, and was not always arranged this way.
I've heard that the differences are exagerated now by people not wanting to speak the same language as those "other bastards". Apparently old obscure words are "reinvented"...aaminion00 said:...(Although I must say nationality and ethnicity are a bit over-done in the region), merely I'm saying that although different ethnicities based primarily on culture and religion, the language we speak is probably different dialects of the same thing....
mrtn said:I've heard that the differences are exagerated now by people not wanting to speak the same language as those "other bastards". Apparently old obscure words are "reinvented"...
aaminion00 said:p.s. nice post Gladi, the 'old' slavs probably were a very interesting people, pity we don't know more about them.
Getting OT here...aaminion00 said:...How similar are Swedish Danish and Norweigen? I'm interested since I've heard differing things on this.
I cannot agree by terming them "being behind". Cultures are not there to be rated. What the Slavs had was a rich and resourceful mythology, with lots of gods and creatures (clearly polytheism), although their way of worshipping and belief was highly animistic, I agree. Anyway, neither makes them more advanced or backwarded by any objective standards, only different.Culturally they were also bit behind not yet made fully the transition from animism to polytheism- the first true slavic polytheism was established by prince Vladimir of Kiev and later destroyed by his conversion to christianity.
No. Slavic culture is live and kicking, essentially implemented in the cultures of all Slavic people. Christianity has played its role, true, but the basis for the present Slavic cutures were the original old Slavic ones. I can only give example from my country. There are some really remote rural areas that have maintained their architecture and custums from God knows when. Their homes remind of the pra-Slavic ones found in the Baltic region (!). Also, many pagan religious elements have been preserved in the form of believes, legends and customs. The music, artistic patterns of national dress, songs and other orally transmitted literature forms are all part of the ancient Slavic heritage we share.Unfortunately epidemic spread of Christianity destoyed most of original Slavic culture, so much in fact that many people for long believed that there was none.
As the Serbs and Croatian northern ancestry goes. Some versions of Czech legend about our coming to Bohemia lists vary many brothers that went to all world sides plus idea that Czechs and Poles came from south.
Also there is renewed debate on possibility of a Slavic Runic System but I do not anything about that maybe scholars can help?
And another remark: I believe that the Serbs you say live in Germany are known as "Luzhicki Srbi", ain't it true? Thanks for informing me more about them, cos up till now I could only read their name in the West Slavs list and nothing more.
Here is an example why Slavia is so unpractical idea, put us together and soon we will start to argue. (plus imperialistic Poles and Russians.
(aaminion00) Still I feel Slavs have taken Catholicism, Orthodox Christianity, and Islam and made unique Slavic versions of it. I think people underestimate how much of our culture today is based on the old slavs and the ancient peoples. In Bosnia for example, one of the most important days for Muslims is based off of I believe a Celtic/Christian ritual. Not Slavic, but it gives you an idea of how things can be passed on.
(Gladi) Well, not in Bohemia. Jesuits did here, post 30-year war, a lot to destroy Czech culture. But yes I do not really know that much abut christianity as practised by my fellow Slavs.
Vrylakas said:Ah, the Lech, Czech & Rus legends.
Vrylakas said:nobody - NOBODY - anywhere today tries to worship Perun, Triglav, etc. Here is just such a pathetic website, this one dealing with "Polish mystical runes"...
Vrylakas said:O Boze....