Albanian, Arvanitika

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A language of Greece

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

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

Location

Attica region: Athens; Central Greece region: Voiotia, south Evvoia and Salamis islands; Peloponnese region: Argolis and Korinthia areas, Messinia, from Kalamitra northwest, Lakonia, east coastal area near Rikhea; Southern Aegean: Kyklades, Andros island north; Western Greece: northwest Achaia, north of Lapas. Mainly rural, 300 villages.

Language Maps
Language Status

8a (Moribund).

Classification
Indo-European, Albanian, Tosk
Dialects

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

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 (Salminen 2007). Older adults only.

Language Development

Dictionary. Grammar. NT: 1827.

Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Albanian, Arvanitika
Writing

Greek script [Grek].

Other Comments

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

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