Albanian, Gheg

A language of Albania

ISO 639-3

Alternate Names

Geg, Gheg, Guegue, Shopni, Shqip

Autonym

Gegnisht-Shqyp, Shqyp

Population

1,200,000 (2012 UNSD). Ethnic population: 2,310,000 ethnic Albanians (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 2,223,780.

Location

Widespread north of the Shkumbin river.

Language Maps

Albania, Macedonia and Montenegro

Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification

Indo-European, Albanian, Gheg

Dialects

Northwest Gheg, Northeast Gheg, Central Gheg, Southern Gheg. A member of macrolanguage Albanian [sqi].

Typology

SVO; prepositions; noun head initial; gender (masculine/feminine/neuter); definite article affix; case-marking (4 cases); verb affixes mark person, number; passives; tense; 29 consonant and 7 vowel phonemes; non-tonal; stress on penultimate syllable.

Language Use

Also use Tosk Albanian [als]. Used as L2 by Vlax Romani [rmy].

Language Development

Literature. Newspapers. Bible: 2011.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Albanian, Gheg

Writing

Braille script [Brai]. Latin script [Latn], primary usage.

Other Comments

Muslim, Christian.

Also spoken in:

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Macedonia

Language nameAlbanian, Gheg

Population Full

522,000 (2015). Ethnic population: 509,000 (2002 census).

Location

Debar, Gostivar, Kicevo, Kumanovo, Ohrid, Resen, Skopje, Struga, and Tetovo municipalities.

Alternate Names

Geg, Shqip, Shqyp

Status

2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in northern, western regions (1991, Constitution, Article 7(6)).

Other Comments

Muslim.

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Montenegro

Language nameAlbanian, Gheg

Population Full

32,700 (2011 census).

Location

Widespread.

Alternate Names

Geg, Shqip, Shqyp

Dialects

Northwest Gheg.

Status

2 (Provincial). Statutory provincial language in Tuzi City Municipality, Plav Municipality, Ulcinj Municipality (2006, Statute No. 5-06, Article 9). Recognized language (2007, Constitution, Article 13).

Other Comments

Muslim, Christian.

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Romania

Language nameAlbanian, Gheg

Location

Bucharest and Constanta counties; Dolj county: Craiova city.

Alternate Names

Shqyp

Status

5 (Dispersed). Recognized language (2005, National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2)).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

View other languages of Romania

Serbia

Language nameAlbanian, Gheg

Population Full

10,000 (2013 UNSD). Ethnic population: 2,000,000 (1998 Los Angeles Times).

Location

Jablanica, Pcinja, and Toplica districts; Kosovo region.

Alternate Names

Geg, Shqip, Shqyp

Dialects

Northwest Gheg, Northeast Gheg. There is a transitional dialect zone which is neither Gheg Albanian nor Tosk Albanian [als]. It is spoken in a few towns and villages around the Shkumbin River such as Shpat and Sulovë.

Status

2 (Provincial). Statutory language of provincial identity in Bjanovac, 2 other municipalities (2009, Constitution, Article 10(2)). De facto provincial language in Kosovo.

Language Use

Vigorous. Restrictions on Albanian at Kosovo’s university since 1990.

Other Comments

Muslim, Christian.

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Turkey

Language nameAlbanian, Gheg

Location

Samsun province.

Alternate Names

Shqyp

Dialects

Samsun Albanian.

Status

5 (Dispersed).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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A language of Albania

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