Trnitá cesta ke spisovné albánštině
The Thorny Path to Standard Albanian

Summary/Abstract: Few European languages experienced such a complex and contested path toward standardization as Albanian, whose development was shaped by regional dialects, competing writing systems, religious divisions, and political transformations. This article traces the emergence of Albanian as a literary and standardized language from its earliest written records in the fifteenth century to the codification of modern Standard Albanian in the twentieth century. The study highlights the coexistence of Geg and Tosk literary traditions, as well as the challenges created by the simultaneous use of Latin, Greek, Arabic-based, and locally invented alphabets. Early writers, lexicographers, and grammarians played a crucial role in preserving and cultivating the language, while the Albanian National Revival brought renewed efforts to create a unified linguistic identity. Particular attention is devoted to influential figures such as Konstandin Kristoforidhi and Sami Frashëri, whose linguistic work laid the foundations for future standardization. The article examines the significance of the Congress of Monastir in 1908, where important decisions concerning the national alphabet were adopted, as well as later debates over dialectal priorities. Following the establishment of the Albanian state and especially after the Second World War, language planning became increasingly centralized, leading to the predominance of the Tosk-based standard. The Orthography Congress of 1972 ultimately unified spelling rules and completed the codification process. Despite the success of standardization, discussions concerning the relationship between the standard language and regional dialects continue to influence Albanian linguistic scholarship today.

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