Albanian, Arvanitika

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A language of Greece

ISO 639-3
aat
Alternate Names
Arberichte, Arvanitic, Arvanitika
Population

50,000 (Salminen 2007). Ethnic population: 150,000.

Location

Attica (Attiki), Boeotia (Viotia), south Euboea (Evia), and Salamis (Salamina) islands; Thrace; Peloponiso Peninsula, Arkadia; Athens; Peloponnese, mostly northwest ; Andros north. Mainly rural. 300 villages.

Language Maps
Language Status

7 (Shifting).

Classification
Indo-European, Albanian, Tosk
Dialects

Northwestern Arvanitika, South Central Arvanitika, Thracean Arvanitika. Partially intelligible with Albanian Tosk [als]. Dialects perceived as mutually unintelligible.

Language Use

Youth migrate to Athens and assimilate as Greeks. Some cultural revival since the 1980s. Rapid language shift so regular use is probably confined to a much smaller number of people (2007). Older adults; few if any children learn the language.

Language Development
Grammar. NT: 1827.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Albanian, Arvanitika
Writing
Greek script.
Other Comments

The language is heavily influenced by Greek [ell]. Christian.