IS IT “SKLAVKO” OR SLAVOČ, UŽICA OR UŽICE?

Abstract

The city government of Užice named the small square in front of the Town Hall Sklavko’s Square and inaugurated it on 9 October 2017, on the anniversаry of the first mention of Užice in historical sources. Namely, “Sklavko” was the first inhabitant of Užice mentioned, along with his native Užice, in historical sources – in a loan certificate made in Ragusa (Dubrovnik) on 9 October 1329, which states “Mila, wife of ‘Sklavko’ from Užice”. The Serbian name “Sklavko” is not found in the comprehensive Dictionary of Serbian personal names (Rečnik ličnih imena kod Srba), and neither is any name, male or female, beginning with Skl-. The historical record itself was composed in Medieval Latin, stating: Mila, uxor de Sclavoco de Usiça, “Mila, wife of Slavoč, from the place named Užica”; it is noticeable at first glance that the masculine name Sclavocus was misinterpreted by overseeing the middle -o-, i.e. the Serbian suffix -oč (in Lat. -ocus/-oçus/-оç/-оcius/-оtius/-оçius/-оzius).