The article summarizes observations and ideas of renovation of the methodic structure of gaining knowledge of the foreign language lexis studied (Bulgarian and English), related to the names of nations, nationalities, ethnic groups and ethnic communities.
The main thesis is that ethnonyms as a lexical group in both languages contain a great part of the cultural heritage and psychology of a nation.
The presentation of this specific lexical group in the foreign language aims at pointing important characteristics in the difference which is to be found in the thinking and traditions of interethnic relations, as well as their reflection in the two languages. Practical steps and methods, valid in their sequence are given as to the introduction of the subject. The formal and structural characteristics of ethnonyms are analyzed in detail so as to eliminate the problems and mistakes when they are learned. The analysis of the methodic circumstances undoubtedly proves the fact that there is a complex and not very well known interdependency between ethnonyms and social psychology, between language and national culture, with which the teacher should coordinate the effectiveness of language teaching.
Keywords: Ethnic groups, foreign language teaching.