The Vlach Lexeme in Slavic Languages

In this paper we analyse the use of the Vlach lexeme in Slavic languages. Most often it acts as ethnonym, however, being polysemantic, it is often found in other functions, especially in the Serbian language. As for the etymology of the word, it is considered to be a Slavic borrowing from the Germanic languages (Gothic or Old German), where it signified a representative of the Latins. This value is preserved in a number of Slavic languages – for example, in Polish and Old Russian