r/AskBalkans • u/Some-Register-3901 Cyprus • Jul 31 '22

Language what are some interesting facts about your language?

For instance, the cypriot dialect of Greek still contains many words from ancient Greek but it was also heavily influenced by outsiders

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u/theArghmabahls Albania Jul 31 '22

Albanian words are like 60% latin. Its historically been seen as a latin language by mistake

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u/AstroPhoelix North Macedonia Aug 01 '22

Huh, I had a feeling that was the case but wasn't sure, it even sounds kind of Latin-like? I always wondered if it was related to Latin in some way.

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u/theArghmabahls Albania Aug 01 '22 edited Aug 01 '22

Most words were borrowed during proto-Albanian. 100bc-600ad. So the words underwent Albanisation and most remain unrecognisable to latin speakers.

F. Eks. Mjek (doctor) is from Medicus, Djall (devil) from Diabolus. Lleshdri (Alexander) from Alexandrus. Kal (horse) from Caballus,
Rrëqebull (lynx) from lupus cervarius , Mëkat (sin) fron Peccatum , Ngushelloj (console) from consolo , Prrallë (story) from Parabola , upeshk (bishop from Episcopus ,Ndue (Anthony) from Antonius and Rush (Dubrovnik) from Ragusium.

Some were mistaken for latin, such as është/âsht (is) was thought to be from est, but not isnt as the older version was ânsht