Skopje, 12 March 2025 (MIA) — Although the Macedonian language is being increasingly expanded and studied, not enough attention is paid to its appropriate use in public communication so it is crucial to begin implementing the Law on the Use of the Macedonian Language, according to participants in the scholarly debate "The Status of the Macedonian Language: Conditions and Perspectives" at the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts.

Speaking before the debate, academician Vitomir Mitevski voiced his concern over the use of the Macedonian language in the public sphere.

"There has been some progress in the development and enrichment of the language as well as in its study. As for regression, I would point out the status of the Macedonian language in public use, where we often see examples of it being kept in the background, and even ignored in some public spaces," Mitevski said.

In response to a reporter's question about the future of the Macedonian language, Mitevski said the language would exist as long as it was spoken.

"The language cannot be endangered. As long as those who speak the Macedonian language are alive, the language will be alive,” Mitevski said.

Macedonian Language Council chair Simona Gruevska-Madzhoska highlighted the importance of implementing the Law on the Use of the Macedonian Language.

Asked about the progress in the establishment of the Inspectorate for the Use of the Macedonian Standard Language, which should be responsible for overseeing the implementation of this law, Gruevska-Madzhoska said an announcement had been posted seeking a director for the inspectorate.

"The procedure is under way," Gruevska-Madzhoska said, adding that as soon as the inspectorate was established, the implementation of the Law on the Use of the Macedonian Language would begin.

"The use of non-standard language in the media and the non-compliance with the official norm in translations shows a lack of care for the Macedonian language. This was precisely the reason the Law on the Use of the Macedonian Language was adopted," she said.

"As for the media, although perhaps newsrooms and documentary filmmakers pay more attention to using the standard language, this is not the case with entertainment shows at all," she pointed out.

According to Gruevska-Madzhoska, under the Law on the Use of the Macedonian Language, not only will inspectors issue fines to those who break the law but also media outlets will need to employ Macedonian language editors to ensure its proper use.

Marjan Markovikj, head of the Research Center for Areal Linguistics at the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, spoke about the plethora of Macedonian dialects.

He said his team of researchers, together with the Macedonian Language Institute, had recently published the first-ever Linguistic Atlas of Macedonian Dialects, covering the dialects spoken in over 400 settlements across the entire linguistic territory of the Macedonian language.

However, Markovikj said, the official norm was preferred in public communication as "there has to be a standard that unites all speakers."

"Sometimes, in popular culture, dialects are beautiful and interesting to us as readers, but public communication — and political discourse in particular — absolutely needs to be at a higher level," he said, urging public figures to use the standard Macedonian language in professional settings. mr/