Novořecké výpůjčky v albánštině vztahující se k materiální kultuře
Modern Greek loanwords in Albanian related to material culture
Author(s): Martin SurovčákSubject(s): Language studies, Applied Linguistics, Studies of Literature, Comparative Linguistics, Descriptive linguistics, Philology
Published by: Porta Balkanica, z. s.
Keywords: Albanian; Modern Greek; loanwords; material culture; linguistic contacts; Balkan linguistics;
Summary/Abstract: Shaped by centuries of coexistence in the Balkan linguistic area, Albanian has absorbed a significant number of lexical elements from Greek, reflecting deep historical, cultural, and social interactions between the two peoples. This study examines Modern Greek loanwords in Albanian that are connected to material culture, while also outlining the broader historical background of Greek-Albanian language contact from antiquity to the Ottoman period. Particular attention is given to migration processes, the role of Greek as a regional language of commerce and education, and the influence of Greek-speaking communities on Albanian vocabulary. The article demonstrates that Greek borrowings entered Albanian through direct contact as well as through intermediary languages, often undergoing phonological, semantic, and grammatical adaptation. Beyond individual lexical items, Greek influence is visible in Albanian word formation through the adoption of several derivational suffixes. The analysis focuses on loanwords related to housing, construction, household equipment, manual labor, tools, food preparation, clothing, trade, and warfare. These lexical categories reveal the practical domains in which cultural exchange was particularly intensive. Although the adoption of a word does not necessarily imply the transfer of the associated object or practice, the abundance of such borrowings highlights the prestige and importance of Greek material culture within Albanian-speaking regions. The study ultimately portrays language as a valuable record of historical interaction and cultural transmission across the Balkans.
Journal: Porta Balkanica
- Issue Year: 2/2010
- Issue No: 02
- Page Range: 40-46
- Page Count: 7
- Language: Czech
