Some traces of interlinguistic contacts in the Central Balkan mountains

Abstract

The etymology of three Balcan tree names, S.‑Cr. munika ‘Pinus leucodermis’, molika ‘Pinus peuce’ and omorika ‘Picea omorika’ is discussed. The latter is supposed to go back, together with Bulg. morika ‘spruce’, to Slavic *mъxorъ ‘fringe’ describing here the hanging branches of spruce. The Bosnian pine munika, munjika growing in high and rocky places exposed to the thunder, the relation to S.‑Cr. munja < Common Slavic *mъlnja seems probable, and molika may be explained as a re‑borrowing from Alb. molikë traceable to the same Slavic prototype *mъlnika.