TITO JOHALLAS: “ANDROS, ARAVANITËT DHE ARVANITISHTJA”
TITO JOHALLAS: “ANDROS, ARAVANITIAN AND ARVANITES”

Summary/Abstract: Tito Jochallas has realized many studies which are connected with “arvanites” and “arvanitian” speech, in Greece, chiefly in isles of Aegean Sea. He is a scholar with a complete albanological forming and culture. At the same time he knows very well the modern Albanianlanguage and its dialects, but he also knows so well speeches of arvanites of Greece and “arbëresh” of Italy. His work like a scientific researcher, connected directly with culture and speeches of arvanites, a devoted work of some decennials, is performed with success in three dignified editions: “Andros, Arvanites kai Arvanitika” – Athens 2000, p. 584; “Euboia: Ta arvanitika” – Athens 2002, p. 760; “Idhra: Lismonimeni Glossa”, - Athens 2006, p. 416. With these works, he has given us an important part of linguistic treasure of arvanites, which, for different reasons runs the risk of loss. Our study is attentived in informative and presentative way to the work: “Andros, Arvanites kai Arvanitika” (Arvanites and arvanit speech of Andros isle) that is evaluated like the first complete work on the history of this dwelling of inhabitants with origin from South West Albania their speech (shqip), their material and spiritual culture. This work shows up in many components: In first chapter, named “History” take place such questions like: the establishing of Albanians in Isle of Andros, the creation of arvanites and arvanit speech, arvanit language in the period of XVI-XXI century, arvanit language in our century etc. There are also studies about wears of arvanits population, social life of it, its education, its traditions, especially in the field of buildings where is given a circumstantial information about the construction of castles, churches, buildings, wind-mills, thrashing grounds, etc., from this population. The material, which the scholar has brought in this work is informative and with a manifold interest especially for the historians and anthropologists of popular culture. In the second chapter, named “The language”, take place definitions and interpretations that are connected with toponymy and patronymy of arvanites in Andros. There we find lists with the names of villages, main tribes, inhabitants (baptized names), the surnames, etc. From the linguistic point of view, the Albanian speech of Andros forms a heredity of extraordinary importance. The words, the phraseology, the linguistic and syntactic elements of Albanian language, registered from T. Jochallas, approximately are worth of the testimony of spoken Albanian language from these inhabitants six centuries, naturally without denied the changes that the time and neighborhood dictate.

• Details
• Contents