Ancient Greek Loanwords in Albanian: What Do We Know and What Remains to Be Done?
Ancient Greek Loanwords in Albanian: What Do We Know and What Remains to Be Done?
Author(s): Gerard SpaansSubject(s): Language studies, Language and Literature Studies, Theoretical Linguistics, Applied Linguistics, Lexis, Semantics, Historical Linguistics, Descriptive linguistics
Published by: Институт за български език „Проф. Любомир Андрейчин“, Българска академия на науките
Keywords: Ancient Greek; Albanian; Language contact; loanwords; Antiquity
Summary/Abstract: Most of our knowledge about the Southern Balkans in Antiquity stems directly from Ancient Greek records, so our perspective on the historical situation in this area is highly Hellenistic. The ancestors of the Albanians must have lived among the Southern Balkan tribes, since their language seems to have borrowed some agricultural terminology from Ancient Greek. Studying these approximately 20-40 loanwords can yield a different perspective on the language contact scenario in question. This paper sums up the discussion of 19 suggested Ancient Greek borrowings in Albanian, and is meant as an aid and stimulus for further research into the matter.
Journal: Балканско езикознание / Linguistique balkanique
- Issue Year: 63/2024
- Issue No: 2
- Page Range: 150-163
- Page Count: 14
- Language: English
- Content File-PDF
