Bozur
Amicus
Posts: 5,515
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Post by Bozur on Nov 20, 2008 0:42:23 GMT -5
I came across this info below and I think much of it goes for any other balkanians. Serbs
One oft-quoted aspect of the Serbian character is inat (инат), roughly translating as "spite," or the stubborn refusal to submit (regardless of the reason), or acting to the contrary, even to the point of harming oneself. While inat can have negative connotations, some cite Serbian tenacity in sports and in warfare to this characteristic.[30][31]
Another related feature, often lamented by Serbs themselves, is disunity and discord; as Slobodan Naumović puts it, "Disunity and disccord have acquired in the Serbian popular imaginary a notorious, quasi-demiurgic status. They are often perceived as being the chief malefactors in Serbian history, causing political or military defeats, and threatening to tear Serbian society completely apart." That disunity is often quoted as the source of Serbian historic tragedies, from the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 to Yugoslav wars in 1990s.[32] Even the contemporary notion of "two Serbias"—one supposedly anational, liberal and Eurocentric, and the other conservative, nationalist and Euroskeptic—seems to be the extension of the said discord.[33] Popular proverbs "two Serbs, three political parties" and "God save us from Serbs that may unite!", and even the unofficial Serbian motto "only unity saves Serbs" (Samo sloga Srbina spasava) illustrate the national frustration with the inability to unite over important issues.
As with many other peoples, there are popular stereotypes on the local level: in popular jokes and stories, inhabitants of Vojvodina (Lale) are perceived as phlegmatic, undisturbed and slow; Montenegrins are lazy and pushy; southern Serbians are misers; Bosnians are raw and stupid; people from Central Serbia are often portrayed as capricious and malicious, etc. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serbs#StereotypesFeel free to post other ones.
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Post by meltdown711 on Nov 20, 2008 1:02:53 GMT -5
The stereotypes above are pretty heavy for Albs as well... both inat and the disunity. In the Ottoman Empire Turks had an expression for stubborn thick-headed people 'Arnavut damar' while Greeks in that time also had a similar expression: 'Albanian Head'.
Historical 19th-20th century stereotypes:
-Albanians are naturally stubborn:
He has the traditions of a race which has fought for the Turk as his mercenaries, but has never accepted his domestic rule without protest. An Albanian's sense of honour is not entirely external. He will murder you without remorse if he conceives that you have insulted him — as Turkish officers and Russian consuls have learned to their cost — and if the murderer, a lonely outlaw, should find his way even to a strange and possibly hostile tribe, it will fight to the last man rather than surrender him to the authorities.
or
The story of the Albanians deserves a study in itself. Attracted by the 'sword, the gold trappings, and the honours, they left their mountains chiefly in order to become soldiers. In the sixteenth century they were to be found in Cyprus, in Venice, in Mantua, in Rome, in Naples, and Sicily, and as far abroad as Madrid, where they went to present their projects and their grievances, to ask for barrels of gunpowder or years of pension, arrogant, imperious, always ready for a fight.
- Good fighters but generally stupid (Italian expression: "Thick as an Albanian" during the WWII era. - Could be utter extreme, he was brutal and vengeful but at the same time honorable if he gives his word; hence old expression that if an Albanian gave his besa, consider what he promised to already be finished. -Very divided (continues till today) mostly through regionality...
According to Lord Byron, who held a very much generalized view of the *other*:
"The characteristics common to both people are love of independence, love of war, a revengual spirit, mering into ferocity."
"They are wild, plundering, indefatigable soldiers, selling their services and their blood to those who pay them highest; but lively, gay, adventurous, sober, generous and heroic so soon as it concerns the defence of their country, their tribe, or their family."
"They are an iron race, as hard as the rocks they inhabit."
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