Proposals for the spelling of Albanian

From: Kujtim Kapllani

All the languages ​​of culture have faced the necessity of killing and multiplying codification of spelling, when they have managed to perform almost all communicative functions. In this way, Albanian, like some other languages, has been faced with such demands since the end of the Middle Ages. For all these languages, it was necessary to match the sound with the written form as much as possible. Thus the researchers of our language have tried to harmonize the morphological principle - to preserve the structure of the word - with the phonetic principle as best as possible.

We recognize Meshar as the first to mention written Albanian, but genuine scientific efforts for the Albanian alphabet are much later; even later than the Memorial of N. Veqilharxhi. The most serious appears to have been the Shkronja Shqip Alphabet of the Printing Society, 1879. The conscience of the Albanian nation, S. Frashëri - Bektashi, joined the scholar H. Tahsim - Muslim, with the magical poet P. Vasa - Catholic, with the researcher of talented J. Vreto – orthodox; with whom the father of the Albanian language, K. Kristoforidhi, was later attached. From them we inherit the emblem of coexistence and common path "Albanian's religion is Albanian"! Hard to find, even in the world, any alphabet with such famous signatories. They were scholars of duty and moral virtues, devoted to that ideal, which our oldest writer had inscribed with the simple words "the lover of our world". It seems to be the bloodiest alphabet in the entire history of the world alphabet. The works of Nim, Sami, etc. were written with him. The first Albanian schools started reading and writing with that alphabet. But besides it, other alphabets were also used.

The Congress of Manastir, November 14-22, 1908, unified the Albanian alphabet, paving the way for joint efforts for the protection of the Albanian language and culture. The First World War also passed over our lands, but the Austrian Command encouraged the creation of the Shkodra Literary Commission, 1916-1918. They joined N. Mjeda, Gj. Fishta, Dr. Pekmez, H. Mosi; representatives of the Catholic, Muslim and Bektashi clergy, etc. Then A. Xhuvani was also involved, M. Lamberc and R. Naichtal were also called from Austria. They tried to unify the terminology in all areas. There it was unanimously decided to remove the nasal a. However, until 1949, the Albanian school continued with two elementary schools, one Greek and the other Turkish!!!

Therefore, the Institute of Sciences in 1948 elaborated a spelling project and in 1951 a project was elaborated by A. Xhuvani, K. Cipo and E. Çabej; two projects were drawn up by M. Domi in 1953 and 1954, one project in 1956 and the project of 1967 for which a wide discussion was organized and served as the basis for the Linguistic Consultation of Pristina (1968) and the Congress of Spelling (1972) . Two spelling projects were published in Kosovo: 1957, 1964.

The prominent intellectual K. Cipo was commissioned to draft the syntax of the Albanian language. He thought for weeks and months, as he remembers, to find a model that would fulfill as best as possible the needs of Albanian in its unified literary path. Finally, he happily states that "I have already found such a model, the beautiful language of our outstanding renaissance". But the decisive role was played by the project of 1967, when the group of professors E. Çabej, M. Domi was joined by prof. A. Kostallari and the youngest researcher, E. Lafe. Until then, the projects dealt with spelling problems separately: the verb was dealt with, for example, its spelling was also discussed; the name was discussed, its spelling was also discussed. Prof. Kostallari rightly insisted and orthography was treated as a whole unit, on its own. Thus the language began to be studied as a system and the national literary language as a system of systems. This concept prof. Kostallari introduced it into Albanian linguistics in 1959.

The period of crystallization of the common language, unified in all spheres of communication, also posed the task of standardizing spelling rules. The Congress evaluated the history of the formation and development of the literary language based on principles and on sound scientific criteria, that they reflect the degree of economic, social, political and cultural development of a people in certain periods. The Congress sanctioned the trends and the immediate developments of the literary norm, its unified form and spelling; did not create rules in the blink of an eye. It is enough to take a look at the Dictionary of the Albanian language, Tirana, 1954 (written by four researchers - carriers of the Geg discourse and only one - the carrier of the Tosk discourse): in general, it seems as if it was published a week after the Spelling Congress.

After the 90s, different discussions started - and there is nothing wrong with it. But, apart from highlighting the trends that the discourse has outlined in recent years, some discussion has also questioned central elements of the standard language... Often unclear or doubtful discussions about the standard language and its spelling have been encountered. Literary language is a very important national cultural institution, it is the inviolable right of civilized peoples and no one has the right - neither as an individual nor as an institution - to touch any aspect of its use and application without extensive discussions scientific; because the literary language, among others, constitutes one of the most inherent national characteristics of each people. In the country-wide space, the literary norm defines the basic principles for all those who aim and need a communication at the national level. In this process, it relies on the living language of the people, on the tradition and on the tendencies that it has shown during its development.

In written and electronic publications today, many spelling errors, punctuation errors and ambiguity of expression are encountered. In a careful look at the organs and television programs of the pan-Albanian space, about 110 such errors are observed per page. Such avoidances are found in primers, moral education, and reading texts. While the texts of the Faculty of Medicine, Natural Sciences, Economics, Polytechnic, etc. they are translated so badly, what a pity the students get away with! Well, the fault for these intellectual nonsense is not the standard language and its spelling, but the insufficient linguistic and intellectual training of lecturers and publishers. The national literary form of the standard language is not a gift, it must be studied and mastered!!! The texts of different faculties must be rewritten according to the principles of the standard language, they must pass through the strict sieve of language criticism and editing. The Ministry of Education and Science should not leave this activity to the will of the pedagogues and drafters of the dispensations.

Starting from the various discussions about spelling, often from interesting suggestions, the Albanian Linguistics Association drew up a project three years ago to examine in detail all the writings where there are proposals for spelling. Even the Spelling Resolution has left the way open for truly scientific discussions and changes.

Prof. had a primary role in this activity. dr. Emil Lafe, who has carefully reviewed the entire bibliography of such publications throughout Albania. Professors Lulzim Lajçi and Kujtim Kapllani reviewed and presented all the articles published in the scientific bodies of Kosovo and North Macedonia and dr. Valbona Sinanaj publications in Tirana. All materials were presented to prof. dr. Rami Memushajt, who has devotedly and patiently carried out the most difficult work to accurately present everything. For more than two years he has watched carefully and tirelessly to find exactly where the flea has his eye! Then the work was continued by prof. dr. Xhevat Lloshi to edit everything until the most dignified presentation for publication. Thus, all the publications that presented concrete proposals for spelling were collected in two volumes, about 800 pages. This creates the opportunity to organize a nationwide round table on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Spelling Congress to discuss what can be changed and how it will be changed.

In the first volume, eleven materials from the spelling group of the Interacademic Council and thirty other articles were published, dealing with general problems and some special issues. The second volume contains 67 articles on spelling and grammar issues related to spelling. The book "Proposals for Spelling" was published in December 2021 by the ALSAR Foundation and in February 2022 by the Institute of Cultural Heritage in Skopje. This Institute inaugurated in Skopje the two volumes of Proposals for spelling, with which it opened the year of activities on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Congress of Spelling. The Albanian Linguistics Association expresses its special gratitude to the Cultural Heritage Institute of Skopje and the ALSAR Foundation for the kindness and quality of the publication.