She was born in 1926 in Skopje, where she completed primary and secondary education. She went to study in Belgrade (1945), but after the establishment of the Faculty of Philosophy in Skopje (1946), she returned to Macedonia and enrolled in the study group for Macedonian language. Upon graduating, she became one of the first graduate Macedonists and among the first assistants of the Department for Macedonian Language and South Slavic Languages in general. She worked at the Faculty of Philology “Blaže Koneski” at the University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius” in Skopje from 1949 until her retirement. Her educational activity was devoted mainly to the subject of Old Slavic Language and Comparative Grammar in Slavic Languages, teaching several groups from the Faculty of Philology and from the Faculty of Philosophy.
During her life, Ugrinova-Skalovska has held various functions in her department, as well as in other language-related institutions: Head of Department, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Philology, a member of the University Council of University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius” in Skopje, a member of the Scientific Council and the Council of the Institute of Macedonian Language “Krste Misirkov”, a member of the Council of the Institute of Old Slavic Culture in Prilep, as well as a member of the Council of the Research Center for Areal Linguistics at the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts. Also, she was a member of the Editorial Board of the journal Makedonski jazik (1950‒1953, 1960‒1984) and a Head of the Postgraduate Studies in Macedonian Studies. She has also been a part of the work of the Seminar on Macedonian Language, Literature and Culture in Ohrid since its very beginnings. Her international activity also included the participation in numerous congresses and conferences, as well as her study visits and lectures at a number of universities abroad (Prague, Moscow, Zagreb, Halle, Tirana, Craiova).
Prof. Ugrinova-Skalovska made the pioneering steps in Slavic and Macedonian studies in Macedonia. She was the author of the first Staroslovenski jazik textbook, as well as a number of other textbooks: the Old Slavic language textbook for students of cultural direction in secondary education (1986), the university textbook Sporedbena gramatika na slovenskite jazici (1994). During her life she was an author of over 150 scientific works, numerous monographs (Značenjata na glagolskite prefiksi vo Makedonskiot jazik, 1960; Damaskkini. Makedonski prevodi od 16 i 19 vek, 1975; Zapisi i letopisi, 1975), and participated in the preparation of several collective works: Makedonskiot pravopis so pravopisen rečnik (1969 and 2015), Radomirovo evangelie (1988), Dobromirovo evangelie (1992), Rečnikot na crkovnoslovenskiot jazik od makedonska redakcija (2006).
Prof. Ugrinova-Skalovska received the highest state awards for scientific achievements: “Kliment Ohridski” and “Goce Delčev”.
Author: Biljana Ristovska-Josifovska