Southern Geg
Encyclopedia
Southern Geg is a subdialect of Gheg Albanian, one of the two major dialects of the Albanian language. It is spoken in central Albania
and western Macedonia
, while its Elbasan
variant is the subdialect, on which Standard Albanian was based from 1916 to 1952.
along with northern Geg. As a dialect it is further divided into central Geg, which is the dialect spoken by the majority of the Albanians in Macedonia and middle Geg, spoken in the central regions of Albania including the country's capital, Tiranë. It is also the Geg dialect with the least differences from the Tosk dialects.
. However, the southern Geg subdialect eventually became the most used Geg dialect in literary works.
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
and western Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
, while its Elbasan
Elbasan
Elbasan is a city in central Albania. It is located on the Shkumbin River in the District of Elbasan and the County of Elbasan, at...
variant is the subdialect, on which Standard Albanian was based from 1916 to 1952.
Classification
Southern Geg is one of the two subdialects of Gheg AlbanianGheg Albanian
Gheg is one of the two major varieties of Albanian. The other one is Tosk, on which standard Albanian is based. The dividing line between these two varieties is the Shkumbin River, which winds its way through central Albania....
along with northern Geg. As a dialect it is further divided into central Geg, which is the dialect spoken by the majority of the Albanians in Macedonia and middle Geg, spoken in the central regions of Albania including the country's capital, Tiranë. It is also the Geg dialect with the least differences from the Tosk dialects.
History
Until the late 16th century the Gheg subdialect most used in literature was the northwestern variant of ShkodërShkodër
Shkodër , is a city located on Lake of Shkoder in northwestern Albania in the District of Shkodër, of which it is the capital. It is one of the oldest and most historic towns in Albania, as well as an important cultural and economic centre. Shkodër's estimated population is 90,000; if the...
. However, the southern Geg subdialect eventually became the most used Geg dialect in literary works.