Albanian
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| II | This is a Category II Language. |
[edit] Introduction
The Albanian language is called Shqip in Albanian (pronounced shchip). There are two main dialects: Gheg and Tosk. Tosk is spoken in most of Albania except for the northern part, in which Gheg is spoken, as well as by Albanians living in Kosova (Kosovo) and Macedonia. The two dialects are mostly mutually intelligible. This tutorial will cover the unified version of the language, taught in Albania after WWII (which was also taught in Yugoslavia from about 1960 onward). This version uses aspects of both Gheg and Tosk and is understood by speakers of any dialect. The majority of written texts in Albanian are in this version.
It's also important to note that Albanian is NOT similar to any other language except the infusion of words from neighboring countries' languages: Turkish from the time of the Ottoman Empire, English, Italian, etc. The grammar, word formation and sentence structure are unique. Albanian is an Indo-European language that is self-standing, without connection to any other branch such as Latin-based, Slavic, etc.
