Page Type: languageAlbanian, Arvanitika | Ethnologue

AAT ISO 639-3

Albanian, Arvanitika

αρbε̰ρίσ̈τ‎ (Arbërisht) Autonym

A language of Greece

ISO 639
aat
Alternate Names
Arberichte, Arbërisht, Arvanitic, Arvanitika
Autonym
αρbε̰ρίσ̈τ‎ (Arbërisht)
Population
50,000 (Salminen 2007). Ethnic population: 150,000.
Location:
Attica region: Athens; Central Greece region: Voiotia, south Evvoia and Salamis islands; Peloponnese region: Argolis and Korinthia areas, Messinia, from Kalamitra northwest, Lakonia, east coastal area near Rikhea; Southern Aegean: Kyklades, Andros island north; Western Greece: northwest Achaia, north of Lapas. Mainly rural, 300 villages.
Language Status
8a (Moribund).
Classification
Indo-European, Albanian, Tosk
Dialects
Thracean Arvanitika, Northwestern Arvanitika, South Central Arvanitika. Partially intelligible with Albanian Tosk [als]. Dialects perceived as mutually unintelligible. A member of macrolanguage Albanian [sqi].
Language Use
Youth migrate to Athens and assimilate as Greeks. Some cultural revival since the 1980s. Rapid language shift so regular use is probably confined to a much smaller number of people (Salminen 2007). Older adults only. Shifted to Greek [ell].
Language Development
Dictionary. Grammar.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Albanian, Arvanitika
Writing
Greek script [Grek].
Other Comments
The language is heavily influenced by Greek [ell]. Christian.

Also Spoken in

Map

Location: Attica region: Athens; Central Greece region: Voiotia, south Evvoia and Salamis islands; Peloponnese region: Argolis and Korinthia areas, Messinia, from Kalamitra northwest, Lakonia, east coastal area near Rikhea; Southern Aegean: Kyklades, Andros island north; Western Greece: northwest Achaia, north of Lapas. Mainly rural, 300 villages.