SARAKATSANI

One of the most striking examples of Kartvelian toponyms in an unexpected region is the name of the Sarakatsani, a small ethnic group in Greek Macedonia. Far from being a mere coincidence, the name Sarakatsani is not only distinctly Kartvelian but also a complex construction of five Kartvelian morphemes, assembled according to the grammatical rules of the Georgian language.

The name can be broken down as follows: The prefix Sa- is a common Kartvelian toponymic marker, meaning "the place of," a pattern identified in hundreds of global toponyms within this study. The ending -ani combines the Kartvelian adjectival suffix -an with the nominative ending -i, a standard formation in Georgian. This leaves the core of the toponym as Sa(a)rakatso, which translates to "land of the Arakatsi." The root Arakatsi is a Georgian word meaning "non-human," derived from ara- (a negative prefix meaning "not") and katsi (meaning "man"). Thus, Arakatsi literally means "non-man," and Sarakatso can be interpreted as "country of non-men." The double aa in Saarakatso merges into a single a, resulting in Sarakatso, which then becomes Sarakatso + -ani = Sarakatsani.

The etymological progression is clear:
კაცი (katsi, "man") → არაკაცი (arakatsi, "non-man") → საარაკაცო (saarakatso, "place of non-men") → სარაკაცო (sarakatso) → სარაკაცანი (sarakatsani).

The official etymology, which equates sara with kara (Greek for "black"), lacks substantiation and fails to account for the full structure of the name. In contrast, the Kartvelian interpretation is both linguistically coherent and culturally revealing. The designation "country of non-men" may seem harsh, but its meaning becomes evident when examining historical depictions of the Sarakatsani. Photographs of the Sarakatsani in their traditional attire, which includes garments resembling ballet skirts, suggest that their distinctive dress—perhaps perceived as unconventional or "non-masculine" by neighboring cultures—may have inspired this name.

The name Sarakatsani thus stands as a testament to the enduring presence of Kartvelian linguistic patterns in the Balkans, offering a fascinating glimpse into the cultural interactions that shaped the region’s nomenclature.