Katekizmi i Elbasanit me alfabetin e Todhrit nga mesi i shekullit XIX
The Elbasan Catechism from mid 19th Century, Written in Todhri Script

Summary/Abstract: Among the documents located at the Central State Archive in Tirana is a notebook from Elbasan with writings in Greek, among which there are also several pages in Albanian with Todhri's alphabet. At least the copying of the text, as other authors have noted, comes from the second half of the 19th century. The content of the writing is a catechism published by the influential Greek scholar Adamantios Korais (1748–1833) translated into Albanian by an unknown author from Elbasan. In this article, we are publishing for the first time in a transliterated form the complete Albanian text of the notebook, accompanied with the latest known information related to it. As seen from the name written in some pages, its last owner was Petro Shuteriqi, who might also be the author. Though based on the language characteristics, it seems plausible as well that the translation itself comes from a later date. The original text of Korais was published in 1782, a date that we propose as terminus post quem. Based on words used, and the way they are written, older Elbasan authors (including Theodhor Haxhifilipi himself) cannot be excluded as authors of the translation. Albanian language specialists, using the published text here, could help further clarify the issue of authorship. The document, first mentioned in 1954, is important because it is the best visual example of a writing with Todhri alphabet to date. Its value is further elevated from the content of the text itself, as some original fragments in the preface represent rare fragments that could cast some light into the underlying reasons of authors to engage in such Albanian translations. The complete publication of this text, we hope, can also influence the clarification of other unknown issues related above all to the time it was written, its context, and the probable author of the translation.

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