Migena Arllati

Gjakova is a city in the western part of Kosovo. Although one of the youngest cities in Kosovo, the name of the city itself seems to come from a legend which simultaneously confirms the surname-the first patronymic of this settlement. According to the mouthpiece for the name of this city, in the place where the city is located today, there once existed a village of seven houses, all of the same blood with the last name VULA, where the village headman was Jak Vula. Hoxha Hadum Aga convinced the first inhabitant Jaku to donate the land for the construction of a mosque, and then the city began to be built on that land, which at first was called Jakovë (from Turkish: the field of Jaku). So the name of the city comes from the name of Jak Vula, of the Vula family that still lives in the city and is counted among the oldest families in Gjakova. This story belongs to the c. XVI, which shows that before this time, we have no confirmed patronymic surname in this area. This data forces us to accept that the first surname confirmed based on the data so far in Gjakova is the surname VULA.

The history of surnames

The development of surnames among Albanians is said to have been made from c. XII-XX. In about 5-6 centuries of history, the process of putting surnames has gone from top to bottom. Thus, first the upper classes were provided with surnames, then the layers of the religious hierarchy, while later it went down to the lower classes. The original purpose of surnames was to distinguish people from one another.

Çlirim Bidollari in his study "Onomastic research" says that in the period before the formation of the arboretum feudal principalities in the 12th century, the identification of people by titles and offices continues, especially when it comes to the high hierarchy of the church. But since our area of ​​interest in this study is the area of ​​Gjakova, then we have to shift the focus of time concentration many centuries later because Gjakova itself as a settlement is mentioned for the first time in 1594 when the construction of the Hadum mosque, the inn, the hammam and shops around, while in the years 1605-1606 it was recognized the status of Kasabha. With the establishment of Turkish power and the process of Islamization, always and in a larger number of people, the method of identifying the locals as Muslims-subjects of the Ottoman Empire, according to the identification formula: X son of Y, where with the passage of the decades under occupation, both X and Y were increasingly presented as Islamic names: Asllani son of Hasan, Mustafa son of Qerim. In the same way, religious, feudal or military administrative titles start to appear, such as: Ali Hoxha, Osman Bey, Hysen Spahiu.

From the linguistic point of view, the subject to be treated shows a wide interest because it is about patronymics formed in different ways, which give variety to the family names-surnames of the inhabitants of this area. Based on patronymic classifications used by foreign researchers and which have also been used as a model by Albanian researchers, I will also classify my subject into four types:

a) surnames arising from the area (city or village) of origin;

b) parents' names turned into surnames:

c) adjectives indicating trades, professions, titles and offices;

d) adjectives formed in the form of nicknames, nicknames, etc.

But since these four categories cannot explain a remaining amount, however considerable, of adjectives, then the fifth category would have to be:

e) unexplained patronymics, which will include those surnames for which today's linguistic system does not provide explanations.

Let's tackle all of these in turn:

Surnames that arise from the area (city or village) of origin.

In Gjakovë, this type of construction of the surname is very present, which shows the place where the tribe or family came from in its history several generations ago. There is a significant number of surnames that were formed in this way, that is, they got their name from the location or residence to which the family belonged. For this reason, they are called toponymic surnames, such as: RUGOVA, LIPOVECI, GREQINA, GASHI, PONOSHECI, JUNIKU, SHALA, KORENICA, GODENI, DUJAKA, KRUMA, HASI, VOKSHI, LUMA, MATI, KARADAKU, GLLOGJANI, BELLANICA, DEVA, BROVINA, MORINA, DOBRUNA, LETI or LETAJ, ZHURI, BYTYQI, HASI, DOBRUNA, SHKRELI, KELMENDI, BISHTAZHINI, RAKOCI, DEMJANI, RADONIQI, JUNIKU, OSEKU, PONOSHECI, XERXA, SHLAKU, OROSHI, KAČINARI, etc.

That all the above-mentioned patronymics are active surnames among today's Gjakovars, and the origin of these surnames is nothing more than a case of the formation of the surname from the area of ​​origin of the tribe, family or individual settled long ago in Gjakova.

In addition to these names that belong to small areas such as villages or certain locations, the names of cities are present, although less often, such as: PEJA, SHKUPI, GJAKOVA, KAÇANIKU, TROPOJA, MIRDITA, DIBRA-DIBRANI, SHALA.

It also happens that the patronymic serves as a qualifier for the personal name, thus a qualifier for the further identification of the name. In this case, the patronymic comes from an ethnonym: BOSHNJAKU (family of immigrants from Bosnia), MALOKU (inhabitant of the Highlands, northern), GEGA (of the northern territories), OSMANI (families related to Ottoman Turkey but not necessarily of Ottoman origin), MUHAXHIRI (displaced families), AXHEMI (in Arabic it means all those who are not Arabs, so they are foreigners), CHERKEZI (representative of a nation that came to us as a soldier and stayed there), SARAÇINI (related to the Saracens ), MAXHARRI (family connected with Hungary). For these last patronymics, it remains debatable whether they are related to the nationality of the signified or to the appellatives that are motivated by the names of these nations).

In the onomastic literature this type of identification is defined as a descriptive form and in a certain sense it is conventional. Çlirim Bidollari is of the opinion that the Albanians have worked out the names of the countries with the greatest ease, from the distant homeland to the smallest villages. However, Bidollari thinks that this type of surnames has been shrinking, having experienced several peaks in the 15th, 19th century and the first years after the Second World War. Exactly in the middle of the XNUMXth century, this type of patronage came into fashion. However, in the current state of the Albanian patronymic system, this type is considered closed. Its extended use is observed even today in Gjakovë.

Parents' names turned into surnames

In the general wealth of Albanian patronymics, surnames formed from the name of the ancestor, specifically the father, make up about 40 percent of the total number, and such a picture is also present among the residents of Gjakova. Paternal surnames have a logical reason for their birth. In this subtype of patronymics, we can distinguish two areas: the Catholic area that appears with the characteristic forms of Christian names; the Muslim range that includes names and their variants from Oriental languages. The most frequent cases of names of predecessors turned into surnames of descendants in Gjakova are: AHMETI, LEKA, JAKUPI, KAMBERI, GJERGJI, KOLA, GJOKA, NIKA, DEDA, MALAJ, (I)BRAHIMI, ISUFI. The place and role of this type of patronymics is important from the increased presence itself, which simultaneously shows the density of use.

In the speech of Gjakova, the fact of calling the spirits by their personal name is characteristic, to which the surname or family name is also attached. This, of course, is a form outside of formal written communication, usable in circles of people and narrow environments. The nominative form in the singular number is used in the singular gender, for example: X of Manzhuka, or Y of Meqe, where MANXHUKA and MEQA are not the names of the parents but the surname of the family. The suffix -aj is also very present in Gjakova, which in our linguistics is accepted as a specialized suffix for forming patronymics. A. Xhuvani and E. Çabej for the suffix -aj estimated that with this type of suffix it is possible to form patronymics (KOLĖ-KOLAJ, LEKĕ-LEKAJ) and the formation of the names of villages or provinces, which were then used as a source material for new patronymics (WHITE, BIRD).

The path of formation of patronymics with –aj is thought to have come as a result of the form after the singularization of the plural form: e.g. Petriti i Dedajve > Petrit DEDAJ. According to the practical use of patronymics in Gjakova, we note that the majority of those patronymics that appear with –aj usually belong to the surnames of residents in rural areas, while in urban areas we also find the same patronymics but without the suffix –aj. For example, we find the two variants LEKA-LEKAJ, GJOKA-GJOKAJ, MALA-MALAJ, NIKA-NIKAJ, MARKU-MARKAJ etc., which suggests that patronymics created based on the name of the head of the family were used without distinction in urban or rural areas, but the latter were also equipped with the suffix -j, - aj.

Taken as a whole, this type of adjective formation must have the tendency to identify the subject as accurately as possible, introducing the father's name into the work, which gradually turns the latter into the individual's own surname. Here we also find cases of affixed surnames: GJONKOLAJ, MARKAGJONAJ, GJONDEDAJ, NDUELLESHI, PERKOLA, PERDODA, DEDNIKAJ, MURAKOLA, LEKMARKU, etc. These are patronymics of two or more parts which are not enough only with the name of an ancestor but are built with the names of representatives of several generations. This may have happened as a result of separation from the family tree, and since the great patriarchal family ruled, any separation should bring the name of the great family. But it may also have come as a reason for the reduction of the fund of calendar religious names. This phenomenon has not only happened to the Christian population, but also to the Muslim population. We can mention cases like: BEJTULLAHU, RAMAZAN, RAMADAN, SHAHSIVARI, AVDIU etc.

A special place is also occupied by short patronymic forms, for example: the patronymic HIL-A comes from the name MċHILL, NIK-A from NIKOLLĖ, NDUE or NDOC-I from ANTON, AVDIU or AVDIAJ from ABDULLAH, SULA from SULEJMAN, RRUSTA from RRUSTEM, BRAHUSHI from IBRAHIM, SMAJLI from ISMAIL, MUSA from MUSTAFA etc. In relation to this type of formation of patronymics that is widespread among all Albanians and not only among Gjakovars, Thimi Mitko in "Albanian Bee" says that these are names as our parents have used since the weather, thus preserving the name of the predecessor was born adjective tendency.

Adjectives indicating trades, professions, titles and offices

Of all the divisions of onomastics, anthroponymy, especially patronymic, has been most influenced by the Turkish influence because its process began and ended within the Ottoman rule. Due to the involvement in the feudal-military system, the oriental terminology spread far and wide in all fields, therefore even to this day we inherit a significant oriental load. But it is strange how the Turkish suffixes -xhi,- lli are very little present in the patronymics of Gjakova: RIZVANOLLI, ÇARKAXHIU. For this type of patronymics that indicate trades and titles, Bidollari considers that initially it served as additional characteristics that were attributed to people who exercised certain professions, trades or functions. Over time, tending to become hereditary, when this profession became hereditary from one generation to another, it was followed by the descendants, 'forcing' the same for the patronage.

As trades and crafts were monopolized, especially noble trades, then also the inheritance of the surname was considered a weighty value. For families or family members who practiced a craft for a long time, the name of the craft turned into a patronymic as it began to mark the family of the craftsman, even when he had stopped practicing that profession. Such are the patronymics: TERZIU (tailor), BAKALLI (seller of various things), TABAKU (leather worker), NALLBANI (horse shoer), SARAÇI (equipment for horses), KAZAZI (silk processor), KOVAÇI (blacksmith), HATÇIJA (watchmaker), ÇARKAXIJA (for making weapons), FURRA (baker), BUTCHER (with slaughtering and selling meat), HARAÇIJA (tax collector), GĕRÇARI (clay maker), BARBER (shaver) etc. Since dozens of crafts were worked and practiced in Gjakova which were inherited to the new generations, a considerable number of patronymics remained from them. But it should be noted that not every craft or profession has left behind a patronymic nowadays.

From the linguistic point of view, this category appears rich, with a predominance of oriental root words. In the most frequent cases, they belong to the civic life since the crafts were developed inside the city where the ranks of the guilds were. Also, the administrative, state, military and religious order was concentrated in the city.

HOXHA, PRIFTI and SHEHU are the three patronymics derived from titles of the religious hierarchy, most widespread among Albanians. Of the three, in Gjakovë we meet only two: HOXHA and SHEHU, both motivated by the religious affiliation of the patron. Then comes DERVISH, MEJZINI, HAJJIU (visitor to holy places), EIDRAM (religious holiday). The conversion of the cleric's name into a family name has gone through the traditional way of forming Albanian patronymics: initially this name was joined to the cleric's own name as a distinguishing name, in order to identify it among persons who bore the same anthroponym. The patronage MECCA may have arisen from the Islamic practice of pilgrimage. Words related to education and jurisprudence were also used as family names: MYDERRIZI, MYFTIU, QEHAJA (secretary, scribe). It should be noted that among the patronymics in Gjakova there is no case of the existence of the patronymic PRIFTI. This remains unexplained due to the fact that a significant percentage of the Christian population lives in this area, however the patronymic PRIEST is not found in any case.

We also mention other surnames with a religious connotation: BABALIA, HAFIZI, DOMI, BAJRAMI, etc. Surnames that express a military rank or title appear not infrequently: SPAHIU, CAUSHI, VEZIRI, PASHA, IMAMI, AGA(J)-AGANI, GAZIJA, BEGU-BEGDUSHI (from: bejler), YVEJSI, SPAHIU (cavalier in the army), ZAJMI (head of the Spahis) but also EFENDIA - social title, MYFTARI (chieftain). It is interesting that the title 'sultan', as the highest level of the Ottoman governing hierarchy, is not present in Gjakovë, nor in the Albanian patronymic. This is probably due to the fact that Albanians could never become Sultans, but at most Viziers. Therefore, the name Sultan appears only as a feminine proper name: SULTANE. While the words: VEZIR, SHAH are also found as feminine personal names, as well as patronymics. In this type of patronymics, there are numerous cases of composite constructions, the construction of which is formed thanks to the union of ofic with the personal name. This type works according to the scheme: religious name + personal name: HAXHISMAJLI, HAXHIMIFTARI, HAXHIKADRIJA, HAXIBEQIRI, HAXHIAVDYLI, HAXISHABANI, HAXHIJONUZI, MULLAADEMI, MULLAJUSUFI, MULLAIDRIZI, MULLATAHIRI, MULLAZENUNI, YMERAGA, DAUTAGA, HAFIZADEMI, DERVISHDANA, AXHANELA, BABALIA, BEGDUSHI, SHEHDAD, SHEHDANJOLLI. The presence of this fund in the onomastics of these three is proof of the great role played by these religious beliefs in the social life of the population. But it is also an indicative sign of Albanians' respect for religious beliefs that are practiced under the spirit of tolerance. Indirect ways of marking trades and professions are also identified. We present them structured to the element they stand out:

a) By means of the raw material with which it is worked: WEAR, PENN, COAL, HIMA, GUNPOWDER.

b) By means of an instrument or work tool: KOBURJA, PALLASKA, TULLUMI.

c) There are also some cases of metaphorical patronymics in which the treatment takes on a dual spiritual nature: RAM, GOAT, CHICKEN, KNUSI, BIRD, BYLBYLI, DONKEY (currently extinguished adjective, replaced by another), but also: MISKU ( scented).

Adjectives formed by taking a source from the nickname of llagapi

Regarding these types of patronymics, we can clearly talk about the meaning they have, but not about the circumstances in which the designation has turned into the surname of the individual-family. Çabej, in the first Albanological Conference, admits that the principle of naming people, generally men, by the names of animals, as well as the derivation of names from ofiqs, are one of the criteria of naming in Albanian.

These types of adjectives have taken the form of epithets, with positive or negative connotations that have faded over time. After Berat, it is thought that Gjakova is one of the cities that has the most "epithets" or nicknames. For this reason, we classify this type of patronage into two types:

a) Patronuses that come from words that mark the physical or moral properties of people;

b) Patronuses coming from titles/nicknames and animal names.

From the first subtype in Gjakovë we come across patronymics such as: KORRI, QELI (DANQELI), TOPALLI, SHYTI, KOMTRASHI, KOKA(J), VOGLI, KUQI, DHOMI, BUZA, BARKU, GRUSHTI, PARASHUMTI.

From the second subtype, in addition to having a significant presence of these cases, we can also say that the literal and metaphorical meanings are present in them. We distinguish several types of classification:

a) Nicknames based on food elements: UFLLA, SUGAR, SALT, AIR, PILAVI, SPECI, PURRINI, KUMPIRI, KAKIÇKA, KOC(K)A.

b) Nicknames based on bird or animal names: KUNDUSI, PULA, BYLBYLI, VREMÇI, PLESTI, KLYSHI, KARCYLLI, HUTI, DASHI, KINGJI, MAGARI, BULLI, ABRASHI (spotted horse).

c) Nicknames from objects: WELL, OVEN, KEREPI, TULLUMI, BALLOON, BASKET, CUP.

d) Nicknames with a derogatory meaning: HAJNI, LUGATI, KATILI, QYRRI, PAÇAVRA, BURGIJA, ZARARI, ZHUXHA, QUKI, GUZICA (serbian - prapanica).

A good part of the aforementioned patronymics, over time, have been replaced with new patronymics, on the grounds that the descendants of these families have felt offended in the new mentality of society. Myslim Nagavci in "E folmja e Gjakova" assesses that it is not too much to show that the people of Gjakova live by mocking the flaws of others, giving people different offices according to their tendencies and complexes. Even in Gjakova, the saying applies: "Tell me what 'lagapi' you have, and I'll tell you who you are." The vast majority of these nicknames have been given to each other by the residents to mock or insult them, thanks to the situations they have lived. In general, these names, which have become commonplace over time, are insulting and derisive and only in very rare cases do they show quality or try to give good information: MISKU, BYLBYLI, DRENI.

Here are some of the surnames-nicknames that you can meet among the residents of Gjakova: ZALLI, KAMISHI, ARAPI, DUSHMONI, DUDUFENCI, LUKI, TULI, SARIÇKA, JAKA, TODORZA, PRUSHI, LAMA, GUCI, MICI, XHIBIGJUKI, GJJGJYZARI , SEREMI etc. This does not mean that other cities do not have characteristic surnames, but still Gjakova stands out and stands out for having nicknames for surnames. Many consider this to be an asset of its own kind. However, among the new generations, from the last twenty years onwards, there is a tendency to replace inappropriate nicknames with more dignified patronymics.

Surnames with oriental influence

Patronymics originating from oriental languages ​​which may have come from Persian or Arabic, but which entered Albanian through Turkish: HOXHA, GJYLGJYZARI, BAJRAKTARI, SPAHIU, RRUSTEMI, ARLLATI, SHAHINI, KARAKUSHI (composite, karaj - black) etc. We find these types of patronymics in increased use.

So, it is noted that, just as in the toponymy, also in the patronymics of the locals in Gjakova, oriental languages ​​have left their influence as a result of the long rule of the Turkish Empire, while the presence of the Slavic influence is observed to a much lower extent. In Gjakovë, the Slavic influence is somewhat noticeable in the toponymy, but also in the names of families or tribes. Since in this area of ​​Kosovo there has never been more than two percent of the population with Slavic affiliation, the cases that are reflected by the influence of Slavic in the patronymic are minimal.

Adjectives without explanations

It was not for nothing that I left for the end a type of patronymics which, based on today's language system, remain inexplicable. So here I will include those surnames for which the name itself does not give explanations: VALLA, DALLADAKU, FĖRDULLI, KATONA, BUQINCA, ELSHANI, ROKA, PERJUCI, MILLA, DURAKU, etc.

Today, the patronymic system works in a variety of ways, taking on the task of identifying the inhabitants of Gjakova, and not only that, but also showing the origin of their family background. Today's surnames were born, changed and adapted in a long evolutionary path, becoming fixed in the present state which, as we saw, is presented to us with a multitude of features and qualities.

Literatura:
Aleksandër Xhuvani, Suffixes of the Albanian language, Linguistic Studies, III, Pristina 1976
Çlirim Bidollari, Onomastic research, Tirana 2012
Eqrem Çabej, Linguistic Studies, Vol. I, Pristina 1976
Jusuf Shpuza, Onomastic Reflections, Shkodër 2008
Myslim Nagavci, The speech of Gjakova, cultural and scientific magazine "Pëparimi", Pristina 1969 Thimi Mitko, The Albanian bee, Early collectors of Albanian folklore, no. 2, Tirana 1961.

(The author is a doctoral student at the Center for Albanological Studies (QSA) in Tirana)

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