shqip

Albanian

Alternative forms

• (Gheg) šḱĭp, šḱip^[1]
• (Gheg) shqyp, sccyp ^[2]

Etymology

According to Vladimir Orel, either a calque of Proto-Slavic *slověne (“Slavs”) using shqipoj (“to speak clearly”),^[3] or else from shqipe, shkype, dialectal forms of shkabë (“eagle”), according to a tribal totemic belief linked to the Albanian medieval flag. Replaced the now dialectal (Arbëresh, Arvanitika) arbër, αρbε̰ρ (arbër) ~ arbën.

The first trace of the name "Shqiptar" appears at the end of the XIV century in the town of Drisht (Drivastum) of Northern Albania as a family name (1368 - 1402: Schibudar, Schepuder, Schapudar, Scapuder).

Petar Skok suggested that this word is originated from Scupi (Shkupi), the capital of the Roman province of Dardania (today's Skopje).^[4] According to Petar Skok, the Albanian demonym Shkuptar (as in inhabitant of Skopje) changed to Shkiptar, which is still used among Arvanite Albanians in Greece, and later to Shqiptar.^[5]

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃcip/, /ʃc͡ɕip/ (Standard Albanian)
• IPA^(key): /ʃcip/, /ʃc͡ɕip/ (Gheg, [c]~[c͡ɕ] may merge with [t͡ɕ]~[t͡ʃ] in northern Gheg dialects)

• Audio ([c]~[c͡ɕ] > [t͡ɕ]~[t͡ʃ]):

  (file)

• IPA^(key): /ʃkʲip/ (archaic, preserved in Cham)

Adjective

shqip (feminine shqipe)^[6]

1. Albanian

   gjuha shqipe ― the Albanian language

Descendants

• Translingual: sq

Adverb

shqip^[7]

1. in the Albanian language
2. clear, understandable, comprehensive, unequivocally

   Synonyms: qartë, kuptueshëm

   Ia tha shkurt e shqip. ― He said it short and clear.

Related terms

• Shqipëri f (“Albania”)
• shqiptar m (“albanian”), shqiptare f (“id”), Skipetár m (“id”)^[8][9] (Arvanitic)
• shqipe f (“albanian”), shqipe f (“eagle”)
• shqipoj (“I say clear”) (active)
• shqipuar (“clearly said”) (participle)
• shqiptoj (“I pronounce”) (active)
• shqiptohem (“I express myself”) (passive)
• shqiptuar (“pronounced”) (participle)
• shqiptim m (“pronunciation”)
• shqipëlloj (“I explain”) (active)
• shqipëlluar (“explained”) (participle)
• shqipëllim m (“explainig”)
• shqipërim m (“translating”)
• shqipëroj (“I translate”) (active)
• shqipëruar (“translated”) (participle)
• shqiponjë f (“eagle”)

 

References

1. ΔΙΑΤΑ Ε RĒ (Standard Albanian: Dhjata e Re ('The New Testament'), Konstantin Kristoforidi (Konstandin Kristoforidhi), 1872
2. Fialuur i voghel Sccyp e ltinisct (Small Dictionary of Albanian and Latin), page 16, by P. Jak Junkut, 1895, Sckoder
3. Orel, Vladimir E. (1998) “shqip”, in Albanian Etymological Dictionary, Leiden, Boston, Köln: Brill, →ISBN, page 434
4. "ALBANCI". Enciklopedija Jugoslavije 2nd ed. Supplement. Zagreb: JLZ. 1984. p. 1.
5. Shqiptar on Wikipedia
6. Oda Buchholz, Wilfried Fiedler, Gerda Uhlisch (2000) Langenscheidt Handwörterbuch Albanisch, Langenscheidt Verlag, →ISBN, page 547 (adjective shqíp (m.), shqípe (f.))
7. Oda Buchholz, Wilfried Fiedler, Gerda Uhlisch (2000) Langenscheidt Handwörterbuch Albanisch, Langenscheidt Verlag, →ISBN, page 547 (adverb shqip)
8. William Martin-Leake (1814) Researches in Greece, John Booth, Duke Street, Portland Place, page 296 ( → see chapter “Romaico (greek) - Arvanetic (arvanitic) vocabulary”: Άλβανήτης, Άρβανήτης = Albanian = Skipetár)
9. William Martin-Leake (2010) Reasearches in Greece, Cambridge University Press, New York, USA, →ISBN, page 296 ( → see chapter “Romaico (greek) - Arvanetic (arvanitic) vocabulary”: Άλβανήτης, Άρβανήτης = Albanian = Skipetár)

Further reading

• adjective shqip (shqipe (f.)) • Fjalor Shqip (Albanian Dictionary)
• adverb shqip • Fjalor Shqip (Albanian Dictionary)
• shqip • "Fjalë - Fjalor Shqip" ('Word - Albanian Dictionary')
• shqip • "Shkenca" ('Science')
• shqip • "Fjalor i gjuhës së sotme Shqipe - Shkenca" ('Dictionary of today's Albanian language - Science')