Bošnjani

Bošnjani (sing. "Bošnjanin"; Latin: "Bosniensis") was the local Slavic name for inhabitants of Bosnia during the Middle Ages.

It appeared in a number of documents from the period, often coupled with the word Good ("Dobri" in Bosnian language). Debate on the exact nature of the term is inconclusive. Some historians believe that it indicates a unique ethnicity while others believe that it indicates a geographical identity, rather than an ethnic. Today the name is considered archaic, and is used only in the correct historical context. During the Ottoman era the preferred term for an inhabitant of Bosnia came to be "Bošnjak" (Bosniak), with the suffix "-iak" replacing the traditional "-anin". During the Austro-Hungarian era the term Bosniak was also preferred until the beginning of the 20th century. The situation changed again in the 20th century, as "Bosanac" (Bosnian) came to be the preferred term. Following their national awakening and rebirth in the early 1990s, Bosniaks re-established the (by then) archaic term "Bošnjaci" (Bosniaks) for their nation based on the word's historical ethno-geographic connotations.

ee also

*Bosnians
*Bosniaks
*Nations of Bosnia and Herzegovina