Palimpsest is an international journal for linguistic, literary and cultural research founded at the Faculty of Philology in Stip in 2016. It is published electronically twice a year, the first issue in May and the second one in November. The journal publishes papers in the area of linguistics, literary science, teaching methodology and culturology. In addition, there is a section reserved for reviews of books, monographs, and other publications in the sphere of philology and culturology. The international journal Palimpsest publishes papers in the following languages: Macedonian, English, Russian, German, Italian, French and Turkish. All papers are double-blind peer-reviewed by two independent reviewers prior to being accepted for publication.
Goce Delcev University, Faculty of Philology, Stip, Republic of Macedonia
The intellectual property and copyright on the original content of all scientific contributions in the published paper shall remain with the authors. Authors give permission to the PALIMPSEST owner to publish the paper. All authors agree to publish the paper under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International license (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)
LEXICAL BLENDS: FREQUENT IN USE, RARE IN REFERENCE
The new monograph by R. Mudrochová presents a phenomenon that has been largely neglected in systemic linguistic studies. However, the strong discursive visibility of lexical blends has led the author to compile a corpus of 286 lexical items, which were subjected to a detailed multi-stage analysis (Mudrochová, 2025: 94). The author also demonstrates that, in many cases, these lexical creations serve as substitutes for Anglicisms (Mudrochová, 2022). Consequently, the publication Les amalgames lexicaux en français contemporain. Analyses, contextes, emplois (245 pages), published in Prague by Karolinum, represents a major contribution to this field. It argues that the blend word (mot-valise) has become the most productive blending process in contemporary French, both quantitatively and discursively. The author’s ambitious aim is to fill a gap in systemic theoretical studies devoted to lexical blends and to restore their full scientific legitimacy. From a methodological perspective, the study relies on digital resources rich in lexical blends.
blend word (mot-valise); compocation; factorization; neologicality.
Copyright (c) 2026 Lucia Ráčková https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
THE VALENCY OF THE LYRICAL SUBJECT: ACTANTIAL ANALYSIS OF HUMAN SILENCES BY BORCHE PANOV
The paper presents an analytical-interpretative reading of the poetry collection “Human Silences” by Borche Panov, examined as a coherent poetic system. The analysis is grounded in a semiotic-structuralist approach, relying on the concept of the text as a complete sign (Лотман, 2005) and on the actantial model of Greimas (1973; 1983), applied to lyrical discourse both at the level of the individual poem and at the level of the poetry collection as a whole. The focus of the research is the lyrical I, understood as a fluid subject that moves between the individual and the universal, as well as the semantic field of silence, which is interpreted not as absence but as an active bearer of meaning (Barthes, 1977; Blanchot, 1982). The paper demonstrates that the poetic discourse in “Human Silences” problematizes time and space as illusory categories and positions the subject in a state of continual self-constitution through language and repeated reading. In this way, the analysis indicates that silence functions as a participatory space of meaning, in which the text and the recipient co-constitute one another within a semantically open yet structurally coherent poetic system.
Borche Panov; “Human Silences”; actantial analysis; Greimas; lyrical I; silence.
Copyright (c) 2026 Daniela Andonovska-Trajkovska https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
HEALTH AS A KEY TOPIC IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE TEACHING: AN ANALYSIS OF SELECTED TEXTBOOKS
Health and illness are universal aspects of human life and therefore play a crucial role in foreign language learning. In recent years, the demand for German language courses by medical professionals has increased, highlighting the need for a systematic integration of health-related topics in teaching materials. This paper examines selected German as a Foreign Language (DaF) textbooks – Menschen (A1–B1), Motive (A1–A2), Momente (A1–B1), and Sicher! (B2–C1) – with regard to the representation of health. The analysis is based on three dimensions: lexical progression, task design, and communicative competence. Findings show a clear progression from basic vocabulary and routine dialogues at beginner levels to complex discussions on psychosomatic and societal health issues at advanced stages. Nevertheless, inconsistencies remain: while general communicative needs are addressed, the specific requirements of medical professionals are often overlooked. The study argues for a systematic and practice-oriented integration of health topics in DaF textbooks to better reflect both social change and professional demands. Such an approach would enhance learner motivation, ensure continuity across proficiency levels, and strengthen the connection between everyday communication and professional discourse.
МЕТОДИКА НА НАСТАВАТА / TEACHING METHODOLOGY
German as a foreign language (DaF); textbook analysis; health communication; language pedagogy; medical vocabulary.
Copyright (c) 2026 Jonida Bushi, Alma Kosova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
THE ROLE OF TRANSLATION IN TEACHING THE GERMAN LANGUAGE (SITUATION IN ALBANIA)
In the long history of foreign language teaching, translation is one of the most discussed activities. In this context, and in order to gain a comprehensive overview of the actual situation regarding the role and use of translation as a didactic tool in German language teaching in Albania, a fifteen-question questionnaire was developed and addressed to German language teachers. This served as a research instrument to collect empirical data regarding the perceptions and experiences of German language teachers. The goal was to determine with which age groups and at which language levels German language teachers use translation in their lessons, how they conceptualize it, what challenges they face in doing so, and what support they consider necessary. Furthermore, it was very important to understand whether translation in foreign language teaching is used simply as a means of grammatical comparison and vocabulary building, or whether teachers also aim to promote learners' sensitivity to cultural elements, their ability to understand problems, and the development of new learning strategies. The study follows a mixed-method approach: a quantitative approach to identify key trends in the use of translation and a qualitative approach to explain the reasons and perceptions behind these trends. This combination provides a more comprehensive picture of the role of translation in German language teaching in Albania. This article also offers teachers recommendations regarding the forms and methods of using translation in German language teaching, from selecting a goal-oriented task to developing analytical skills regarding the function, content, and form of linguistic phenomena in the source language.
translation; foreign language teaching; GMT; vocabulary building; cultural elements.
Copyright (c) 2026 Erta Spaho-Herri, Migena Sejdini https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
INDIVIDUAL LEARNING PATHWAYS IN GERMAN LANGUAGE TEACHING: DIFFERENTIATION AND PERSONALIZATION
In an increasingly diversified educational landscape, differentiation and personalization in teaching are gaining growing importance. This paper examines how individual learning pathways in German language instruction can be designed and supported to meet the diverse needs and abilities of learners. Based on current didactic concepts and empirical studies, it presents methods and strategies that enable teachers to provide differentiated and personalized instruction. The empirical investigation is based on the results of a questionnaire conducted with students aged 15 to 18 at public schools in various Albanian cities. The aim of the survey was to gain insights into learners’ perceptions, experiences, and challenges related to differentiation and personalization in German language teaching. The results show that students often report limited opportunities to practice German outside the classroom and insufficient learning resources tailored to their individual needs. They also point to difficulties arising from large class sizes and limited digital infrastructure. By analyzing these findings, the study provides a comprehensive overview of the current situation of German as a Foreign Language (DaF) teaching in Albania, while also offering starting points and recommendations for improving teaching and learning processes.
differentiation; personalization; digital media; motivation.
Copyright (c) 2026 Nensi Gjetani, Ema Kristo https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
THE VIEWS OF SLOVENIAN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS OON THE APPLICATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLLIGENCE IN LSP TEACHING
This study investigates Slovenian students' views on the application of AI technologies in language classes (Language for Specific Purposes, or LSP). An online survey involving 239 students was carried out at four main Slovenian universities. According to the findings, students often utilize AI applications like ChatGPT, Grammarly, AI Writer, Whitesonic and others to prepare assignments, enhance the quality of their writing, and acquire new knowledge. However, issues with overuse, poor critical thinking, and data accuracy still exist. There were gender inequalities, with male students utilizing AI tools more frequently than female students to prepare for tests and communicate with colleagues. According to the study, greater teacher preparation, balanced AI use in conjunction with critical thinking abilities, and defined rules for using AI into language learning curriculum are all necessary. It also emphasizes the importance of raising students’ ethical consciousness.
artificial intelligence; views; language for specific purposes; learning and teaching; foreign languages and students.
Copyright (c) 2026 Tilen Smajla https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
DEVELOPING COGNITIVE SKILLS IN STUDENTS IN LITERATURE TEACHING
Historically, literature is one of the oldest arts that emerged from the original syncretic art along with music and dance. In this way, it has become one of the most widespread arts that humans come into contact with from an early age, and its significance for human mental development is multifaceted. The significance of literature for students is immense and multifaceted. The significance of literature for students is enormous and multifaceted. With the help of reading, they free themselves from everyday obligations and pressures and plunge into another world – the world of fiction, live the lives of the characters, think about their problems, problematically examine their actions and draw their own personal conclusions regarding them. The study of a work of art in school is not only a process of experiencing the artistic text, but also a means of developing the thinking, feelings and aesthetic taste of students. The goal is not only to understand the content, but also to analyze the artistic means, composition and ideas of the work. The study of is a complex educational process in which the student matures as a person. Literature teaching plays a key role in the development of students' cognitive abilities. When we talk about cognition, we mean a group of mental processes that are created in the human brain, such as: attention, memory, creation and understanding of language, learning, reasoning, problem solving and adopting a personal attitude. Cognitive abilities are complex mental processes that enable students to perceive and process information and at the same time to think logically and critically using language and symbols. In this way, literature develops: linguistic understanding, critical thinking, memory, creativity, empathy and social awareness.
cognition; learning; critical thinking; creativity; empathy; social awareness.
Copyright (c) 2026 Vesna Kozhinkova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
AN INTERACTION-FOCUSED ANALYSIS OF THE YEDI IKLIM TÜRKÇE TEXTBOOK FOR TEACHING TURKISH TO FOREIGNERS
This study aims to examine the activities in the Yedi İklim Türkçe B1 coursebook, which is widely used in teaching Turkish as a foreign language, in terms of interaction dimensions. The study employs a qualitative research design, utilizing the document review method. According to the examination, it was determined that the book contained a total of 235 activities. The activities were evaluated with an original analysis form that was created based on Littlejohn’s material analysis framework and included interaction features. The activities were analysed according to various criteria such as cognitive processes expected from the student, task type, communicative focus, interaction order, and content types used. The findings obtained within the scope of the examination show that the majority of the activities in the book are based on individual work, focus on the production of written output, and encourage limited use of language related to real life and based on meaning. In addition, it was determined that the productive activities that will enable students to think creatively, express their knowledge, and establish social interaction are limited. These findings reveal that the potential of the materials used in teaching Turkish as a foreign language to create interactive learning environments should be developed. The study offers concrete suggestions for material developers, instructors, and program designers, and aims to contribute to contemporary language teaching approaches that prioritize interaction.
Teaching Turkish to foreigners; Turkish; coursebook; activity; interaction; review.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ozlem Kurt https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
MOTIVATIONS, PERCEPTIONS AND RESULTS OF THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE EXPERIMENTATION OF THE MOOC ACADEMIC ITALIAN FOR SLAVIC-SPEAKING STUDENTS
MOOCs represent an important educational innovation capable of overcoming some structural limitations of traditional educational systems, such as high costs and limited accessibility. However, the initial enthusiasm surrounding these learning paths has gradually been tempered by studies questioning their effectiveness and highlighting high dropout rates and frequent course interruptions (Joo et al., 2018; Nascimbeni & Goglio, 2023; Reich & Ruipérez-Valiente, 2019; Cecconi & Proietti, 2019). In this context, several studies emphasize the central role of motivation in learners’ intention to complete a course and continue using MOOCs in the future (Alraimi et al., 2015; Barba et al., 2016; Breslow et al., 2013; Christensen et al., 2013; Zhou, 2016). This paper analyses the level of motivation and the outcomes achieved by participants in the pilot implementation of the MOOC Academic Italian for Slavic-speaking Students, developed within the Erasmus+ project Romance Languages for Slavic University Students – LMOOC4Slav. The course, structured into six modules over a six-week period, was based on self-directed learning and delivered through the EduOpen platform. The pilot implementation, launched on 5 February 2023, involved students from the Universities of Skopje, Štip, Belgrade, Banja Luka, and Zadar, with the aim of evaluating the functioning of the course and the quality of the proposed content. Data were collected through a semi-structured online questionnaire administered via Google Forms and based on a Likert scale. The questionnaire was completed several months after the end of the course, encouraging a more detached and reflective evaluation of the learning experience. The findings may contribute to improving the effectiveness of MOOCs and enhancing learner motivation.
MOOC, questionario, motivazione, risultati.
Copyright (c) 2026 Branka Grivčevska https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
BETWEEN THEORY AND PRACTICE: A POST-LECTURE ANALYSIS OF COMMON-LAW DEFENCES
Many academics, trainers and professionals often wonder what happens in the crucial space between a lecture's end and a lawyer's first real case. In teaching Legal English, Legal ESP instructors struggle with a persistent dilemma: students can master legal terminology yet not always succeed in correctly applying it. In order to investigate this gap, the author conducted a classroom study with 45 law students learning common-law defences. While students demonstrated excellent command of theoretical definitions (>90% correct), their ability to deal with applied, ambiguous scenarios revealed a significant gap. Most unusual was that only 60% could correctly identify the 'public duty' defines in an emergency medical case scenario, often confusing it with moral necessity. These findings do more than quantifying a learning challenge because they expose a critical flaw in assuming that teaching the language of the law equips students to think with the law. The author argues that closing this gap requires a fundamental pedagogical shift in Legal ESP such as from knowledge transmission to the deliberate cultivation of professional reasoning through complex, ambiguous scenarios that mirror the true texture of legal practice.
Legal English; ESP; Application gap; Scenario-based learning; Usage vs. Use.
Copyright (c) 2026 Vesna Prodanovska-Poposka https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES TOWARD THE INTEGRATION OF THE DUOLINGO APPLICATION IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING
The rapid pace of technological advancement and the necessity of keeping abreast of progressive contemporary tools point to emerging challenges in language learning, highlighting the need for innovative digital platforms such as Duolingo, which has established itself as a leading application in the acquisition and enhancement of (English) language skills. A mixed-methods approach was employed, incorporating a structured survey to assess quantitative perceptions of Duolingo alongside semi-structured interviews to explore qualitative insights into students’ experiences. The participants in this study were first-year university students enrolled in the Faculty of Natural and Technical Sciences and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, studying English as part of their curriculum. The sample consisted of 30 students who responded to a total of 11 structured survey questions. The findings indicate that the participants evaluated Duolingo as highly effective in improving their English language proficiency. Furthermore, the qualitative data revealed that the perceived effectiveness of Duolingo was attributed to its user-friendly interface, engaging features, and flexibility. The results confirm the effectiveness of digital language-learning tools such as Duolingo and underscore their potential to complement traditional didactic approaches to language instruction. The findings suggest that Duolingo has a positive impact on the participants, who evaluated the application as accessible, useful, and enjoyable for their English language practice.
students’ perceptions; mobile-assisted language learning; digital tools; Duolingo; English language learning.
Copyright (c) 2026 Simona Serafimovska, Nina Daskalovska https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
A SERIES OF ARTICLES ON KONESKI IN THE FOREIGN PRESS
The Blaže Koneski Collection in the Archive of the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts (MANU) contains diverse archival material organized into several collections, including a collection of articles on Koneski published in the domestic and foreign press. This paper explores the potential of this Collection for research of the international reception of Koneski and his work. It presents several articles from the foreign press preserved among Koneski’s archival materials. The paper discusses the subject matter and content of the articles, as well as their references to other sources on Koneski in the environments in which they appeared. The final section considers the possibilities for a more detailed study and presentation of this part of the Collection, as well as the broader significance of archival materials for opening new perspectives on Koneski research.
Koneski; archival materials; journalistic articles; reception.
Copyright (c) 2026 Ruska Ivanovska-Naskova, Marija Pandeva, Ema Lakinska, Davor Jankuloski https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
THE LITERARY WORKS OF LEO TOLSTOY AND OSCAR WILDE AS FASHION INSPIRATION
The phenomenon of fashion, clothing, and dress is complex. This phenomenon is viewed from the perspectives of sociology, history, anthropology, and costume design. It is no coincidence that there is a saying, “A suit doesn't cost a man, but it says a lot about him.” Culture and the changes it brings are often woven into clothing. In this paper, two models of clothing inspired by famous world classics are developed. The design of both models shows the inextricable link between literature and fashion design, demonstrating how design subtly enriches and vividly reflects the writer's imagination.
Copyright (c) 2026 Sanja Risteski, Saska Golomeova Longurova, Silvana Zhezhova, Sonja Jordeva, Vanga Dimitrieva Kuzmanoska https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
THE POLİCY OF CONQUEST İN ANCİENT TURKİC EPİCS
Ancient Turkic epics are among the important sources that address the conquest policies of the khans. In these epics, leaders such as Oghuz Khan, Alp Er Tonga, Attila, and Bögü Khan exemplify early Turkic conquest policies. Motivated by the ideal of universal rule, Turkic khans established formidable armies and undertook extensive military campaigns. The Epic of Oghuz Khan is regarded as one of the principal texts that clearly encapsulates the ideal of universal rule, a central element of Turkic state tradition. Oghuz Khan, seeking to realize this ideal under the guidance of a divine presence and wise advisors, exemplifies the archetype of the ideal Turkic sovereign. This conception presented in the epic demonstrates that conquests were not merely a military activity, but were also grounded in the ideal of establishing a universal order. Likewise, Alp Er Tonga, as the sovereign of Turan, is distinguished by his conquest strategy during his opposition to Persia. He carried out campaigns by relying on his military strength, particularly his elite warriors. Both Oghuz Khan and Alp Er Tonga established the foundational principles of the Turkic conception of conquest and were instrumental in its perpetuation by subsequent Turkic states. This study explores the policy of conquest in ancient Turkic epics by analyzing the perspectives of prominent epic heroes such as Oghuz Khan, Alp Er Tonga, Attila, and Bögü Khan. The research investigates the impact of divine, mythological, and human elements, in addition to military organization and equipment, on the outcomes of these conquests.
Epic; conquest; Oghuz Khan; Alp Er Tonga; Attila; Bögü Khan.
Copyright (c) 2026 Zekiye Tunç https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
REIMAGINING HOME: LITERARY ENCOUNTERS WITH DEEP ECOLOGICAL THOUGHT
This paper brings together Ursula K. Le Guin's novel Always Coming Home and Biljana Crvenkovska's novel Куќа над Брановите (House Above the Waves) by reading the Macedonian text in relation to Arne Næss's theory of deep ecology and in the broader context of Le Guin’s ecological poetics. These novels represent different literary traditions, cultures, and histories, but articulate ideas of "dwelling": not as just shelter, but as a way of living with the natural world. Whereas Le Guin has long been discussed in feminist and ecocritical circles, Crvenkovska's work, published recently, has so far received limited critical attention beyond local cultural commentary. This paper examines House Above the Waves through the lens of deep ecology, showing how its stripped-down style reflects on the value of nature and the shifting boundaries between body, self, and environment. Considering the novel in relation to Le Guin’s work allows us to see how deep ecological ideas emerge across distinct literary traditions—whether in communal ritual or in solitary endurance. Both stories offer meaningful ways to rethink how we live as part of a more-than-human world.
deep ecology; dwelling; ecological self; biocentric ethics; anti-consumerism; transnational literature.
Copyright (c) 2026 Natalija Pop Zarieva, Krste Iliev https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
DIGITALIZING LITERATURE AND DIGITAL LITERATURE
This study aims to examine the transformation of literature driven by the communication and production methods of the digital age, and to clarify the critical distinction between the two main concepts that emerge during this process: “digitalizing literature” (or digitized literature) and “digital literature”. By addressing the historical evolution of human narrative efforts from written communication to the printing press, and subsequently to the digital environment, the paper investigates how digitalization influences literature. In contrast, digital literature (electronic literature) consists of works that necessarily require digital technology and computation to exist. These types of works are digital-born and contain elements (multimedia, animation, hyper-textual structures that change based on reader input) that would have no meaning on paper. Coding, in this context, is an inseparable part of the work's aesthetic and artistic expression. The correct determination of the distinction between these two concepts carries an essential value for the establishment of a sound theoretical framework for both literary studies and communication studies in the digitalizing world.
Digital literature; Digitalizing literature; Electronic literature; Digital transformation; Interaction; Hypertext; Literature.
Copyright (c) 2026 Mumin Ali https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
DECONSTRUCTION OF TIME AND SPACE IN THE PROSE OF EMIGRATION OF THE 20TH CENTURY (IN THE CONTEXT OF AZERBAIJANI AND MACEDONIAN LITERATURE)
The article examines the deconstruction of time and space in the emigration literary heritage of 20th-century Azerbaijani and Macedonian literature. In this context, the creative works of the Azerbaijani writer Banine and the Macedonian writer Stoyan Christowe are taken as the main focus of analysis. Both writers left their homelands at a young age and lived and created in exile – one in France and the other in the United States. Given the richness of their literary output, two representative novels from each author, particularly relevant to the resolution of the problem under study, have been selected for detailed analysis. Within the framework of the research, it is emphasized that in the selected works, influenced by the experience of exile, time transcends its traditional structural form and is reconstructed as an aesthetic and ideological dimension, effectively undergoing deconstruction. In the novels of both writers, time is not presented as an objective measure that progresses in chronological order; rather, it appears as a fragmented flow of subjective memory, trauma, and nostalgia. Space, on the other hand, loses its geographical concreteness and takes on a more psychological and symbolic character. The article is conducted in a comparative framework using philological methods of analysis. The research reveals that emigration literature is not merely of individual significance, but also serves broader functions, including the preservation of national and cultural identity, the transmission of historical memory, and the artistic reconstruction of spatial and temporal concepts.
Azerbaijani literature; Macedonian literature; emigration prose; time; space; deconstruction.
Copyright (c) 2026 Vagif Sultanly https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
ТHE FOLKLORIC HYPOTEXT IN THE NOVEL THE KING’S SON BY SLAVCHO KOVILOSKI
This paper analyzes the novel The King’s Son by Slavcho Koviloski. It focuses on the character of King Marko, his personal life, and his rule, which offers a different perspective on King Marko as an important historical and legendary figure in Macedonian tradition. It presents various events from his life, together with his personal relationships. In folk tradition, the people created him as a character with remarkable qualities — celebrated as fearless and endowed with hyperbolized strength, but also portrayed as cruel, inhumane, and harsh. Relying on folkloric material, Slavcho Koviloski reconstructs this well-known character in this novel, and attributes to him the same qualities. In the novel, King Marko is portrayed as a brave hero, a ruler, and a protector of the people, but also as a man with negative traits and a darker side. Besides the characters and their traits, the novel also incorporates blessings, proverbs and sayings, folk beliefs, and folk songs. This novel is a postmodern literary work in which the palimpsest appears as one of its distinguishing features. This allows us to analyze the hypotext in the novel, which is the main objective of this research, with particular attention given to the folkloric hypotext within the novel.
postmodernism; palimpsest; hypotext; folklore; King Marko.
Copyright (c) 2026 Bojana Kostova, Ranko Mladenoski https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
ABOUT SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LEXIS OF THE MACEDONIAN CONTEMPORARY POETRY
Poetry is the result of an author's creative impulse. The language of the poetry is among the most creative compared to other types of linguistic expression. Hence, the distinctive lexical properties of poetry represent a constant research challenge. In poetry, all deviations from the linguistic norm are accepted. It is a medium in which authors' creativity is fully expressed, leading to great diversity in lexical usage. The aim of this research is to provide an overview of the lexical richness found in contemporary Macedonian poetry, including neologisms, archaisms, Turkisms, foreign loanwords, and poetisms. The paper examines the wide range of lexemes in the works of seven female authors who represent contemporary Macedonian poetry. By analysing the excerpted corpus, we conclude that each author possesses an individual poetic style and abundant linguistic expression.
poetry; characteristics; neologisms; foreign lexemes; Turkish loanwords; archaisms; poetisms.
Copyright (c) 2026 Katerina Vidova https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
STATE, LAW, AND AUTHORİTY İN 17TH-CENTURY OTTOMAN POLİTİCAL LANGUAGE: THE METAPHORİCAL REPRESENTATİON OF CRİSİS AND RESTORATİON İN KOÇİ BEY'S TREATİSE
Koçi Bey's Treatise, one of the fundamental texts reflecting the perception of crisis in 17th-century Ottoman political thought, constructs institutional dissolution through a normative discourse rather than an objective report. Utilizing Cognitive Metaphor Theory (CMT), this study examines how the abstract perception of crisis was built within the political language of the treatise. Through qualitative content analysis, organic and cosmic metaphors such as the “body” (beden), “rose garden” (gülşen), “cover” (libâs), “corpse” (lâşe), and “mirror” (ayna) were categorized into four thematic clusters: state structure, legal status, bureaucratic dissolution, and the restoration of authority (ihya). The findings indicate that these metaphors function not merely as aesthetic rhetorical devices, but as strategic tools that objectify the deterioration of meritocracy as an ontological corruption (fesâd). Consequently, they legitimize the refortification of central authority on Sharia-customary (şer'î-örfî) grounds. The treatise encodes socio-economic upheavals not as an empirical collapse, but as a moral illness requiring healing around the ideal of the classical order (nizâm-ı kadîm). Ultimately, this study aims to provide an interdisciplinary contribution by revealing how historical reality was structured through literary discourse within the Ottoman crisis literature (decline topos).
Koçi Bey's Treatise; Ottoman Literature; Ottoman Intellectual History; Mirror for Princes (Nasihatname); Literary Discourse; Cognitive Metaphor.
Copyright (c) 2026 Gazi Özdemir https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
INTERSEMIOTIC TRANSLATION: BUZZATI'S BOOK COVERS IN ALBANIA
When a literary work is transferred from a source cultural and literary system to a target one, the process involves more than simple textual transposition; it also encompasses the adaptation of paratextual elements to make the work more accessible, attractive, and aligned with the expectations of the target audience. The study of these paratextual elements in translation is increasingly gaining importance, given their significance for the editorial success of a work. In this context, particular attention is paid to the cover, which is considered a complex, syncretic text with multiple functions. The aim of this research is to analyze how Albanian publishers have localized and reinterpreted the covers of Buzzati’s works, focusing specifically on the evolution of design across different editions over the years. The goal is to highlight how readers’ tastes and expectations change over time, prompting publishers to renew and adapt their visual and graphic choices. This underscores the importance of continually reassessing communication strategies.
Buzzati; cover; Italian literature; Intersemiotic Translation; paratextual elements.
Copyright (c) 2026 Mirela Papa https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
INTERJECTIONS OF ADDRESS AND CALLING IN CONTEMPORARY TURKISH, THEIR MEANINGS AND EQUIVALENTS IN MACEDONIAN
The Turkish language is rich in a wide variety of interjections, among which special attention is drawn to those that express interpersonal communication through direct address and calling. Interjections used for address and calling function to establish communication by attracting the attention of one or more interlocutors through the use of increased vocal intensity. This study examines interjections of address and calling in contemporary Turkish, focusing on their meanings and their functional and lexical equivalents in the Macedonian language.
interjection; meaning; equivalent; Turkish language; Macedonian language.
Copyright (c) 2026 Marija Leontik https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
LANGUAGE MAINTENANCE / SHIFT AND SPEAKERS’ ATTITUDES IN TURKEY: THE CASE OF MACEDONIAN IN MUSTAFAPAŞA, CAPPADOCIA
This study examines the language attitudes and choices of the Macedonian-speaking Muslim community of Mustafapaşa, Cappadocia, nearly a century after their forced resettlement during the 1923 Population Exchange between Greece and Turkey. The community, descendants of approximately 400 immigrants from Jerveni (Agios Antonios) near Kastoria, Greece, has since integrated into Turkish society while retaining symbolic ties to their heritage language. Although the community expresses strong affective attachment to Macedonian, this attitude does not consistently translate into active maintenance. Drawing on Fishman’s (1964) framework of language maintenance and shift, findings indicate that Turkish, reinforced through education, socioeconomic prestige, and intermarriage, has become the dominant language across generations. Macedonian persists mainly among older speakers and in receptive multilingual exchanges, but younger generations acquire only fragments, often framed as nostalgic “words from grandmothers.” Within international frameworks, the community is situated between “threatened” and “shifting” on the EGIDS scale (Lewis & Simons, 2010) and between “vulnerable” and “definitely endangered” in UNESCO’s (2011) classification. The case demonstrates that positive attitudes toward a heritage language alone are insufficient to ensure intergenerational transmission. Unless Macedonian is repositioned as a second language with educational support, it risks survival only as cultural memory, rather than as a living medium of communication.
Macedonian; Mustafapaşa Village; Language Attitude; Language Choice; Language Maintenance.
Copyright (c) 2026 Şirin Tufan https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
VERBAL THREATS AS POWER PERFORMANCE: A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF JOHN DUTTON’S IMPERATIVES IN YELLOWSTONE SEASON 1
This study examines how John Dutton performs power through verbal threats in Yellowstone Season 1. Twenty explicit threats from Episodes 1–6 were analyzed using Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis, integrating syntactic patterning (AntConc), thematic coding (NVivo), and multimodal annotation (ELAN). Four imperative-based patterns were identified: (A) conditional threats (“You cross me and I’ll have you killed,” 55%), (B) negative imperatives directed at sons (“Don’t test me,” 20%), (C) euphemistic causatives (“Take him to the train station,” 20%), and (D) ultimatum imperatives (“Do this or I will end you,” 5%). The findings show that 82% of threats are delivered from dominant bodily positions, while dehumanizing language increases from 17% in Episode 1 to 60% in Episode 6. Conditional structures combine futurity with causation to project certainty while preserving deniability; euphemisms transform killing into administrative routine; and negative imperatives discipline masculinity through conditional belonging. Together, these patterns demonstrate how Yellowstone naturalizes authoritarian masculinity through grammar, gesture, and cinematic framing.
Critical Discourse Analysis; Imperatives; Televisual Power; Hegemonic Masculinity; Euphemism; Yellowstone.
Copyright (c) 2026 Lilis Handayani Napitupulu, Kristiawan Indriyanto https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
The twenty-first issue of Palimpsest includes research articles, review and professional papers by authors affiliated with prominent universities and research centres in North Macedonia, Slovenia, Slovakia, Albania, Türkiye, Azerbaijan, and Indonesia. Across five thematic sections devoted to linguistics, literary studies, cultural studies, and language teaching methodology, this issue brings together diverse national scholarly traditions and methodological approaches within the philological and cultural research. The papers, written in several languages such as Macedonian, English, Italian, Turkish, and French—cover a broad spectrum of topics, ranging from folklore motifs in literature and analyses of the latest works by contemporary authors to investigations of emerging linguistic phenomena influenced by digitalization, innovative approaches to foreign language teaching, the reception of world literary classics in the fashion industry, and many other subjects. The participation of nearly forty authors and co-authors is in itself a testament to the richness and diversity of the content featured in this issue of Palimpsest.
Copyright (c) 2026 Alla Sheshken https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0
REVIEW AND ANALYTICAL REFLECTION ON THE PROJECT: “CONTEMPORARY APPROACHES IN INTERCULTURAL PRAGMATICS RESEARCH AND ITS APPLICATION IN TEACHING – FROM SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS TO PRACTICAL IMPLEMENTATION”
Modern foreign language teaching increasingly emphasizes the need to integrate intercultural pragmatic competence among foreign language learners as a key segment of the educational process. Pragmatics, as a discipline that studies language in a specific communicative context, provides insight into the ways speakers from different cultures express their intentions in a culturally appropriate and acceptable manner. This project explores contemporary approaches in intercultural pragmatics and their practical application in the teaching of German and English as foreign languages, in comparison with the Macedonian language and the speech patterns of native speakers. The research focuses on the impact of cultural differences on communication strategies, the phenomenon of politeness, and the interpretation of speech acts in interlanguage communication. Theoretical frameworks from sociopragmatics, cultural and anthropological analysis of communication, as well as contrastive pragmatics, are applied. The empirical data comprise a corpus of authentic discourses, with the aim of identifying culturally specific patterns and developing teaching strategies to enhance pragmatic awareness among foreign language learners. The project is original in its emphasis on the practical application of intercultural pragmatics in teaching and its orientation towards a globally relevant yet insufficiently researched topic. The results have the potential to significantly improve curricula and create teaching modules with practical value for the European and wider academic community, opening opportunities for international cooperation in the fields of applied linguistics, second foreign language teaching, and intercultural communication.
intercultural pragmatics; speech acts; politeness; pragmatic competence; foreign language teaching; contrastive analysis.
Copyright (c) 2026 PALIMPSEST / ПАЛИМПСЕСТ
BECOMING A TEACHER: HOW PRE-SERVICE GFL TEACHERS PERCEIVE THEIR TEACHER ROLE DURING THE PRACTICUM
This article examines how prospective teachers of German as a foreign language perceive and reflect on their teacher role after their first teaching experiences. The analysis is based on 40 written reflections by students completed during their school practicums. The article presents the results of the deductive analysis, which reveal that the role conceptions of these future GFL teachers are already complex and dynamic at an early stage of practice, but emphasize above all organizational, motivational, and relationship-oriented aspects. The practicum emerges as a significant space for developing teacher identity, providing opportunities both to confirm and to critically question idealized notions of the teacher role.
teacher role; teacher identity; school practicum; reflection; teacher education.
THE OBJECTIVITY OF THE STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENTS ASSESSMENT
Students’ achievement assessment is a matter which attracts the attention of all included in the educational process and of the broader public as well. The improvement of the assessment objectivity is the ultimate and essential goal of each educational system and also of each teacher. Collecting valid information for students’ attainments and their correct interpretation are considered as key factors which influence the assessment validity and the teaching quality too. Undoubtedly, the teacher with his own personal features which affect the upgrading of the students’ achievements is in the center of this process. In this paper, the research question connects to the thought which arouse from the theoretical insight, in relation to the collection and the interpretation of students’ accomplishments, and the aim is to indicate the relative nature of the objectivity in students’ assessment. The sample contains of many theoretical sources which stress up the relevance of collecting and interpreting the information in the assessment process. The analysis rests upon the critical analysis. From the critical analysis of the theoretical insights regarding the significance of these two factors it comes up that, in fact, the objectivity is relative and that absolute objectivity cannot be achieved given that human beings with their own thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes are included in the assessment of the students’ achievements.
Assessment; achievements; students; objectivity.
THE ROLE OF SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE IN REVITALIZING URBAN AREAS: BALANCING PRESERVATION AND INNOVATION
This paper explores the urban renewal movement of the mid-20th century, focusing on the problematic approach of large-scale demolition and redevelopment in major urban centers. Driven by the belief that urban decay could be solved through the eradication of "blight," planners aimed to modernize cities by replacing mixed-use, pre-zoning neighborhoods with rationally planned, segregated urban zones. The study investigates urban renewal’s reliance on eminent domain and the consequences of displacing hundreds of thousands of residents and businesses. Using historical analysis, the paper examines the underlying thesis: urban renewal's focus on physical infrastructure, rather than social cohesion, led to significant humanitarian and economic failures. Key arguments are drawn from case studies and critiques, including Jane Jacobs’ condemnation of urban renewal's destructive impact on social capital and community networks. The analysis reveals that while planners envisioned modern cities free from "blight," the projects often failed to attract investment, worsened housing crises, and left cities with vacant lands and fragmented communities. The paper concludes that urban renewal’s neglect of social dimensions undermined its effectiveness, and that modern redevelopment efforts increasingly recognize the need to preserve and reintegrate the community fabric that earlier bulldozers destroyed. This shift towards a more human-centered urban planning approach is essential to avoid repeating past mistakes and to foster sustainable urban revitalization in the future.
Urban renewal; eminent domain; displacement; modernist architecture; urban planning; sustainable development; historical preservation.
ILIJA GARAŠANIN’S “NAČERTANIJE” AND THE INTENTIONAL OMISSION OF MACEDONIA
“Načertanije” is considered the first political and national program of the Serbian state, written in 1844 by Ilija Garašanin, a Serbian politician and diplomat. This document, in addition to its political and diplomatic role, is important as a source for understanding national ideas, but also as an indicator of the beginnings of nationalist claims in the Balkans, in the 19th century. In Garašanin's perception of the reconstruction of the medieval Serbian state, Macedonia is seen as a historical part of such a project, and therefore the Macedonian territory is neglected. There is also an overlap between the terms Northern Albania, Old Serbia and Macedonia. However, it should be noted that nowhere in Garašanin's text is the existence of the new Balkan state, the Kingdom of Greece, mentioned. According to “Načertanije”, the path of the future access of the Serbian state to the sea goes through Northern Albania, and not to the south, to the Aegean Sea. Questions arise: is Garašanin sufficiently aware of the impossibility of Serbia expanding to the south and the danger of conflict with the Greek state, which has strong western protection? If Dušan's Empire extended south, all the way to the shores of the Aegean Sea, then why does “Načartanije” not project that area into the future Serbian state and at the same time as a potential outlet to the sea? Garašanin is aware that he should not direct the territorial appetite of an insufficiently strong Serbian state towards the territory that he believes is in the sphere of interest of other more powerful European powers. At that time, in the middle of the 19th century, Serbia found itself in a subordinate position, pressured by the political and military forces, Russia and the Habsburg Monarchy.
Načertanije; Garašanin; Serbian politics in the 19th century; Macedonia; Balkan politics; the Balkans in the 19th century; territorial claim.