Super Basic Albanian

Rhode Island College
M.Ed. In TESL Program

Language Group Specific Informational Reports
Produced by Graduate Students in the M.Ed. In TESL Program

In the Feinstein School of Education and Human Development
Language Group: Albanian

Author: Meaghan Brunelle
Program Contact Person: Nancy Cloud (ncloud@ric.edu)

Meaghan Brunelle
TESL 539
Professor Cloud
Spring 2011
http://www.aboutworldlanguages.com/Albanian
Albanian
Albanian is spoken by approximately 6 million people
worldwide.
It is the official language of Albania.
It is also one of the official languages of Kosovo and the
Republic of Macedonia.
There are two main dialects of Albanian: Tosk and Gheg
Tosk is spoken by 3 million people South of the Shkumbin River. It is also

spoken in Italy, Greece and in small communities of Albanian immigrants
in Ukraine, Turkey and the U.S.
Gheg is spoken by 2.8 million people North of the Shkumbin River. It is

also spoken in Serbia, Montenegro and The Republic of Macedonia.
Dialect map of the Albanian language:
http://www.liveandlearnlanguages.com/albanian.html
History of the Albanian Language
Albanian is an Indo-European language
 However, it does not resemble or descend from any other
Indo-European language.
 Albanian was influenced by the Slavic and Germanic tribes who settled
in the Balkans, and has absorbed some words from Greek and Latin.
Albanian Alphabet and Pronunciation (Tosk Dialect)
Albanian has
7 vowels and 29 consonants
The main difference between Tosk and Gheg is the pronunciation of vowels:
Gheg Dialect Vowel Pronunciations:
 ç = ch in chat
Pronunciation of dh = th in these
consonant sounds gj = g in geese
in Tosk and Gheg: j = y in yam
ll = ll in bull
nj = first n in canyon
r = Spanish r in pero 'but'
rr = Spanish rr in perro 'dog'
th = th in thin
x = ds in cads
xh = j in joy
zh = s in vision
Click icon below to hear Albanian:
Albanian English
Po Yes
Jo No
Mirë se vjen Welcome
Gëzohem që po takohemi Pleased to meet you
Tungjatjeta Hello
Mirupafshim Goodbye
Faleminderit Thank you
Unë quhem… My name is…
A flisni anglisht? Do you speak English?
Më vjen keq, nuk flas shqip I’m sorry, I don’t speak Albanian
Më duhet ndihmë I need help
Ku është tualeti, ju lutem? Where is the toilet, please?
Structure and Grammar
Features of Albanian:
 Gender (masculine and feminine)
 Definite articles ( are attached to the end of nouns)
 Example: zog = bird zogu = the bird
 Adjectives ( follow the noun they modify)
 Verbs (have only two forms)
 Example: lajl = I wash lahem = I am washed or I wash myself
 Word Order (sentence – verb – object)
Speaking:
Stress (usually falls on the last syllable of the stem.)
Common errors in learning English
Usage of articles (a, an, the) - they are often used incorrectly, or used when not
necessary.
Examples:
 Used in front of proper nouns : He lived in a Rhode Island.
 Used in front of adjectives : My city is a beautiful.
 Used in front of the negative form “no” : There is a no zoo.
 In Albanian articles are attached to the end of nouns.
Pronouns
Examples:
 Pronoun confusion: I don’t see she very often, but I speak to she every Sunday.
 In Albanian words are gender specific.
Verbs
Examples:
 Verb tenses : She have a boyfriend. The dog lick my hand. The monkey eat a
banana.
The verb “to be” (misuse or omission): She be a doctor.
Women ____ sitting on the benches. They are enjoyed our zoo.
 In Albanian there are only two verb tenses
Common errors continued:
Inflectional Morphemes: ( -s and –es)
Example:
 He protect my house.
Prepositions: (using incorrectly or omission when needed)

Example:
 There are trees on the garden.
 The post man goes ____ house to house.
Genitive Case: (use of an apostrophe or the word “of” to show possession)

Example:
 The car front seat. (The car’s front seat or The front seat of the car)
Communicating with a someone from Albania:
 Stand 2-3 feet apart
 Avoid touching someone when speaking to him/her
 Maintain eye contact, without staring
 Your voice should be clear, normal in tone and directed at the listener
 Hand gestures and facial expressions are common
 Try to understand and remember the purpose of your conversation
Interpreting Body Language:

 A nod of the head means “no”
 A shake of the head means “yes”
Communicating with someone from the Republic of Macedonia:

• Stand the distance of an outstretched arm (can be closer if it is a friend)
• Regular eye contact is necessary (otherwise may signal disrespect)
• Gestures depend on the individual
Bibliography
Ager, S. (2012). Albanian. Omniglot: The online encyclopedia of writing systems and languages.
Retrieved from: http://www.omniglot.com/writing/albanian.htm
BBC. (2011, January 10). Albanian. BBC: Languages. Retrieved from:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/other/quickfix/albanian.shtml
Centre for Intercultural Learning. (2009). Albania . Retrieved from:

http://www.intercultures.ca/cil-cai/overview-apercu-eng.asp?iso=al
Reka, A. (2010). Linguistics. SUT Scientific Observer, (1), Retrieved from

http://www.unite.edu.mk/gazeta_korik_2010/SUT%20SCIENTIFIC%20OBSERVER%20-
%20ISSUE%201-2.pdf
Images
Coble, S., & Thompson, I. (2008). About world languages: Albanian/Shqip. Retrieved from:
http://www.aboutworldlanguages.com/Albanian/
M.Ed. in TESL Program
Nancy Cloud, Director
Educational Studies Department
Rhode Island College, HBS 206 #5
600 Mt. Pleasant Avenue
Providence, RI 02908
Phone (401) 456-8789
Fax (401) 456-8284
ncloud@ric.edu
The M.Ed. in TESL Program at Rhode Island College

is Nationally Recognized by TESOL and NCATE

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Rhode Island College

M.Ed. In TESL Program

Produced by Graduate Students in the M.Ed. In TESL Program

Language Group: Albanian

Program Contact Person: Nancy Cloud (ncloud@ric.edu)

There are two main dialects of Albanian: Tosk and Gheg

Tosk is spoken by 3 million people South of the Shkumbin River. It is also

Gheg is spoken by 2.8 million people North of the Shkumbin River. It is

Prepositions: (using incorrectly or omission when needed)

Genitive Case: (use of an apostrophe or the word “of” to show possession)

Interpreting Body Language:

Communicating with someone from the Republic of Macedonia:

BBC. (2011, January 10). Albanian. BBC: Languages. Retrieved from:

Centre for Intercultural Learning. (2009). Albania . Retrieved from:

Reka, A. (2010). Linguistics. SUT Scientific Observer, (1), Retrieved from

The M.Ed. in TESL Program at Rhode Island College

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