Albanian Language and Culture

Where does it come from?
Albanian is a member of the large family of Indo-European languages. Its exact origin is uncertain and it was not until 1854 that it was conclusively proven to be Indo-European.

There are two main forms of Albanian, Tosk and Gheg, which diverged about 1000 years ago.

How many people speak it?
There are approximately 5 million speakers of Albanian.

In how many countries?
Albanian is spoken in Albania, Greece, Italy, Macedonia and Yugoslavia.

More Language information...

A spot of Culture

Music & Dance:
Polyphony is a southern Albanian tradition from ancient Illyrian times. It involves blending several independent vocal or instrumental parts. The themes of the songs are usually epic lyrical or historical, and are often slow and sombre. They feature exquisite harmonies and sometimes even yodelling.

Literature:
There was very little literature before 1909 when written Albanian was standardised. However, Fan Noli, was the most prominent author of 20th century Albanian literature. His introductions to his translations of Cervantes, Shakespeare and Ibsen established him as the country's foremost literary critic. Ismail Kadare is Albania's best known contemporary writer, whose work has been translated into 40 languages.

Food & Drink
Albanian food is very similar to Turkish food. Grilled meats and kebabs form the basis of many meals, while popular local dishes include ēonlek - meat and onion stew - and fėrges - a rich beef stew.

Albanians like their coffee very strong and as well as wine, enjoy the odd drop of raki - brandy, konjak - cognac, or uzo, as well as various fruit liqueurs.

Some of Albania's Attractions

Tirana: This has been the capital of Albania since 1920, and is almost exactly halfway between Rome and Istanbul, with its architecture having been influenced by both cultures, as well as by the Soviet Union. Skėnderberg Square is a vast, open space in the city's centre where many tourists begin their exploration.

Durrės: Durrės, on the other hand, is an ancient city, founded in 627 BC by the Greeks. For centuries, it was the largest port on the Adriatic. It is also Albania's second largest city, and offers a wealth of historical artefacts in the form of Roman ruins and Byzantine fortifications.

Shkodra: One of the oldest cities in Europe as well as the traditional centre of the Gheg cultural region. An Illyrian fortress was already guarding the crossing west of the city in 500 BC. This is where the road to Kosovo begins.

Butrint: A real gem archaeology buffs. Virgil claimed that the Trojans settled Butrint, but no evidence of this has yet been found.

Information Provided by Eurotalk Ltd.