Old Albanian language

[Dukagjini]

I've found this neat video which shows the text and sound of the old Albanian language (gheg), taken from oldest published book in Albanian the Meshari by Gjon Buzuku, an Albanian catholic priest from Shestani.

There are various spelling and word differences.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MP4DY3noo3M

[Bosniensis]

On Balkans, anything after 7th century A.D. is considered middle ages not "ancient" or "OLD".

I for example think "old" only when we talk about 500 B.C. - 500 A.D.

Some scripture from 12th century A.D. is like a recent to me.

[Dukagjini]

On Balkans, anything after 7th century A.D. is considered middle ages not "ancient" or "OLD".

I for example think "old" only when we talk about 500 B.C. - 500 A.D.

Some scripture from 12th century A.D. is like a recent to me.

Sure, but I would consider 500+ years a pretty long time, so I would consider this old. It should go like this Modern ---> Old---> Ancient, with sub-levels in between.

[Dukagjini]

Text excerpt from the Meshari. Differences are very visible.

U Donih Gjoni,biri hi Bdek(1) Buzukut, tue u kujtuom(2) shumë herë se gluha jonëh
nukë kish gjaa të endigluom(3) ensëh shkruomit shenjtë(4), ensëh dashunit(5) sëh
botësë sanëh(6), desha me u fëdigunëh(7) për saa mujtah meh ditunëh, meh zdritunë
pak mendetë e atyneh qi t'eh endiglonjinëh, për seh ata tëh mundëh mernëh(8) saa hi
naltë e hi mujtunë(9) e hi përmishëriershim(10) anshtë Zotynë atyneh qi tah duonë em
gjithëh zemërë. U lus enbas sodi maa shpesh të vinih em kishëh, përseh ju kini meh
gjegjunë(11) ordhëninë e Tinëzot. E atëh nëh enbaroshi(12), Zotynëh tëh ketëh mishërier
enbii juu, e atah qi u munduonëh dierie tash maa mos u mondonjënëh.E ju t'ini tëh
zgjiedhunitë e Tinëh Zot, e përherë Zotynë kaa meh klenëh me juu: ju tueh endiekunë tëh
dërejtënë e tueh lanë tëh shtrenbënë; e këta(13) ju tueh baam,Zotynë ka me shtuom endër
juu,se tëh korëtë tajh(14) tëh englatetëh(15) dierie ensëh vjelash, e të vjelëtë dierie ensë
enbiellash.

E u' maa due tëh enbaronj vepërënë teme, Tinë Zot tueh përqyem. Endëh vjetët MDLIV
njëhzet dit endëh mars zuna enfiill e enbarova endëh vjetët MDLV, endëh kallënduor V dit.
E seh për fat nëh keshë kun enbëh endonjë vend fëjyem(16), u duoh tuk të jetëh fajtëh, aih
qi tëh jetë maa hi ditëshim seh u', atah fajh e lus tah trajtonjëh(17) endë e mirë. Përseh nukë
çuditëm seh në paça fëjyem,këjo tueh klenëh maa e para vepërë e fort e fështirëh për tëh
vepëruom enbëh gluhët tanëh. Përseh mund mund e qëllonjinë(18), se fajh të mos banjinë;
përseh përherë ëndajh tah nukë mundëh jeshëh u' tueh enbajtunëh njëh klishëh enbëh të dyy
anët mëh duhë meh shërbyem. E tash u jam enfalëh gjithëveh, e lutëni Tinëh Zonëh endeh për
muoh.

[Div1]

Very interesting sound it has, I can understand pretty well actually

[Teutone]

Why the hell I think it sounds a bit like Portugese?

[Dukagjini]

Why the hell I think it sounds a bit like Portugese?

It kind of does but it has a lot to do with the way this guy pronounced it, and I think he got some words wrong with the pronunciation.

[ChocolateFace]

It doesn't seem to have changed that much.

[Ujku]

Are you kidding me ? How is this old ? It sounds like regural Albanian .. .what a load of bullshit..

Except of the words that are not used anymore..

[Cristiano viejo]

Sure, but I would consider 500+ years a pretty long time, so I would consider this old.

Indeed. We in Spain call the language of 500 years ago "castellano antiguo" (old Castilian).

[Bogdan]

My half Albanian fiancée says she notices that some Turkish influence is most prevalent in the old Albanian language, whereas it is more blended nowadays. She finds this interesting.

[Kelmendasi]

My half Albanian fiancée says she notices that some Turkish influence is most prevalent in the old Albanian language, whereas it is more blended nowadays. She finds this interesting.
Really? This form of Albanian had pretty much the same amount of Turkish influence as the modern form, the older form basically just pronounced stuff differently. This extract of old Albanian is from the 1500s. Earlier forms lacked Turkish influence

[Dukagjini]

Modern ----- Old ----- Ancient

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3000 using Tapatalk

[Kamal900]

Sounds pretty unique among the PIE languages today.

[Bogdan]

Really? This form of Albanian had pretty much the same amount of Turkish influence as the modern form, the older form basically just pronounced stuff differently. This extract of old Albanian is from the 1500s. Earlier forms lacked Turkish influence

She says she feels like the language has built itself up from its roots further since pronounciations have changed. Fascinating.

[Dandelion]

It's the oldest written record in Albanian, so yeah, 'old'. It's a relative term anyway. :) It's applicable here.

[Kelmendasi]

It's the oldest written record in Albanian, so yeah, 'old'. It's a relative term anyway. :) It's applicable here.
The oldest written sentence in Albanian is actually from 1462. It was written by an Albanian Catholic archbishop in Durres called Pal Engjelli, it was some sort of baptismal formula. Though Albanian was probably written earlier than that, we just don't have evidence. It seems to have been written in an older Gheg dialect, "Un'te paghesont' pr'emenit t'Atit e t'Birit e t'Spertit Senit." in modern Albanian "Unë të pagëzoj në emër të Atit, të Birit, e të Shpirtit të Shenjtë", in English "I baptize thee in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit"

[Alboz]

Not the oldest ( because now we know that there is an old document found in the archives of Vatican that dates back in 1210 written by Teodor Shkodrani) but here are some other examples:

1820


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dlaYXkR3c4

1685


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReWUsMY1joQ

1555


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGTpYienkjA