Albania

Summary

Official Name: Republic of Albania
Population: 2,873,000
Principal Languages: Tosk Albanian
Literacy Rate: 98% (2018 World Bank)
International Conventions: CDE (1960), CPPDCE (2006), CSICH (2012), FCPNM (1998), ICCPR (1966), UNCRPD (2006), UNDRIP (2007)
General References: Campbell and King 2011, Comrie 1987, Vidoeski 1983, Messing 1980, Newmark et al 1982
Deaf Population: 204,570 (1998)
Language Counts: The number of established languages listed for Albania is 10. All are living languages. Of these, 5 are indigenous and 5 are non-indigenous. Furthermore, 3 are institutional, 6 are developing, and 1 is in trouble. Also listed is 1 unestablished language and 1 macrolanguage.

Languages

Albanian sqi: Users: Population total all languages (L1 only): 6,172,000. Status:
Albanian Sign Language sqk: Scattered. Users: 3,000 (Hoyer 2007). 15,000 deaf in Albania, 24,100 worldwide (2014 IMB). Status: 5 (Developing). Alternate Names: AlbSL, Gjuha Shenjave e Shqip, Gjuha Shqiq e Shenjave, Gjuha e Shenjave Shqipe Classification: Sign language, Deaf community sign language
Albanian, Gheg aln: Widespread north of the Shkumbin river. Users: 1,200,000 in Albania (2012 UNSD). Ethnic population: 2,310,000 ethnic Albanians (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 4,141,940. Status: 5* (Developing). Alternate Names: Geg, Gegnisht-Shqyp, Gheg, Guegue, Shopni, Shqip, Shqyp Autonym: Gegnisht Classification: Indo-European, Albanian, Gheg
Albanian, Tosk als: Berat, Elbasan, Fier, Gjirokastër, Korçë, and Vlorë counties. Users: 1,570,000 in Albania (2012 UNSD). Ethnic population: 2,310,000 ethnic Albanians (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 1,880,060. Status: 1 (National). Statutory national language (1998, Constitution, Article 14(1)). Alternate Names: Arnaut, Shkip, Skchip, Tosk, Zhgabe Autonym: Shqip Classification: Indo-European, Albanian, Tosk
Aromanian rup: Fier County: Mbrostar commune; Gjirokastër and Korçë counties: far southeast; Tiranë area. Users: 50,000 in Albania (2018 N. Balamaci). Status: 6b* (Threatened). Alternate Names: Armani, Armina, Armini, Aromunian, Arumanian, Arumanisht, Arumenian, Arumun, Macedo Romanian, Macedo-Rumanian, Vlach Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Eastern
English eng: Users: 2,900 in Albania (2017 J. Leclerc). Status: Unestablished. Classification: Indo-European, Germanic, West, English
French fra: Major cities. Users: 29,700 in Albania (Marcoux et al 2022), L2 users. Status: 4 (Educational). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Western, Gallo-Iberian, Gallo-Romance, Gallo-Rhaetian, Oïl, French
Greek ell: Gjirokastër, Korçë, and Vlorë counties. Users: 15,200 in Albania (2012 census). Ethnic population: 24,200 (2012 census). Status: 3 (Wider communication). De facto provincial working language in Gjirokaster, Sarande, and Delvina provinces in south. Classification: Indo-European, Greek, Attic
Italian ita: Users: 7,870 in Albania (2017 J. Leclerc). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Classification: Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Italo-Western, Italo-Dalmatian
Macedonian mkd: Korçë county: scattered. Users: 4,440 in Albania (2012 census). Ethnic population: 5,510 (2012 census). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Macedonian Slavic Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, South, Eastern
Romani, Vlax rmy: Berat, Durrës, Elbasan, Korçë, Lezhë, Shkodër, Tiranë, and Vlorë counties. Users: 4,000 in Albania (2012 census). Ethnic population: 8,300 (2012 census). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Rom Classification: Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Romani, Vlax
Serbian srp: Durrës, Elbasan, Fier, Korçë, Shkodër, and Tiranë counties. Users: 66 in Albania (2012 census). Ethnic population: 370 (2012 census). Status: 5* (Dispersed). Alternate Names: Serbo-Croatian Classification: Indo-European, Balto-Slavic, Slavic, South, Western

Languages by Status

1 (National)

Albanian, Tosk

[als] 1 (National). Statutory national language (1998, Constitution, Article 14(1)). 1,570,000 in Albania (2012 UNSD). Ethnic population: 2,310,000 ethnic Albanians (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 1,880,060.

3 (Wider communication)

Greek

[ell] 3 (Wider communication). De facto provincial working language in Gjirokaster, Sarande, and Delvina provinces in south. 15,200 in Albania (2012 census). Ethnic population: 24,200 (2012 census).

4 (Educational)

French

[fra] 4 (Educational). 29,700 in Albania (Marcoux et al 2022), L2 users.

5 (Dispersed)

Italian

[ita] 5* (Dispersed). 7,870 in Albania (2017 J. Leclerc).

Macedonian

[mkd] 5* (Dispersed). 4,440 in Albania (2012 census). Ethnic population: 5,510 (2012 census).

Romani, Vlax

[rmy] 5* (Dispersed). 4,000 in Albania (2012 census). Ethnic population: 8,300 (2012 census).

Serbian

[srp] 5* (Dispersed). 66 in Albania (2012 census). Ethnic population: 370 (2012 census).

5 (Developing)

Albanian Sign Language

[sqk] 5 (Developing). 3,000 (Hoyer 2007). 15,000 deaf in Albania, 24,100 worldwide (2014 IMB).

Albanian, Gheg

[aln] 5* (Developing). 1,200,000 in Albania (2012 UNSD). Ethnic population: 2,310,000 ethnic Albanians (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 4,141,940.

6b (Threatened)

Aromanian

[rup] 6b* (Threatened). 50,000 in Albania (2018 N. Balamaci).

Unestablished

English

[eng] Unestablished. 2,900 in Albania (2017 J. Leclerc).

Maps

Albania and Montenegro
Albania, Macedonia and Montenegro

Graphs

Language Vitality Profile
Full explanation
This graph shows the profile of languages in Albania with respect to their level of language vitality. Each individual language that has an entry for Albania is included in the profile. The horizontal axis represents the estimated level of vitality. The height of each bar indicates the number of languages that are estimated to be at the given level.
The vitality levels and the color coding of the bars match the scheme used in the guide on How many languages are endangered? In this scheme, the levels and colors are as follows:
- Dark green = Institutional (EGIDS 0-4) — The language has been developed to the point that it is used and sustained by institutions beyond the home and community.
- Light green = Stable (EGIDS 5-6a) — The language is not being sustained by formal institutions, but It is still the norm in the home and community that all children learn and use the language.
- Red = Endangered (EGIDS 6b-9) — It is no longer the norm that children learn and use this language.
These three summary levels have been derived by grouping levels in the Expanded Graded Intergenerational Disruption Scale (EGIDS), which is the more fine-grained scale that Ethnologue uses to assess the status of every language in terms of development versus endangerment; see the Language Status page for a description of the levels of that scale. See also the pages on Development and Endangerment for more discussion.
Language Status Profile
Full explanation
This graph shows the profile of languages in Albania with respect to their status of language development versus language endangerment. Each individual language that has an entry for Albania is included in the profile. The horizontal axis represents the estimated level of development or endangerment as measured on the EGIDS scale. (See the pages on Development and Endangerment for a fuller explanation.) The height of each bar indicates the number of languages that are estimated to be at the given level. Consult the Status listings for Albania in order to see the specific languages for each level.
The color coding of the bars matches the color scheme used in the summary profile graphs on the navigation maps for the site. In this scheme, the EGIDS levels are grouped as follows:
- Purple = Institutional (EGIDS 0-4) — The language has been developed to the point that it is used and sustained by institutions beyond the home and community.
- Blue = Developing (EGIDS 5) — The language is in vigorous use, with literature in a standardized form being used by some though this is not yet widespread or sustainable.
- Green = Vigorous (EGIDS 6a) — The language is unstandardized and in vigorous use among all generations.
- Yellow = In trouble (EGIDS 6b-7) — Intergenerational transmission is in the process of being broken, but the child-bearing generation can still use the language so it is possible that revitalization efforts could restore transmission of the language in the home.
- Red = Dying (EGIDS 8a-9) — The only fluent users (if any) are older than child-bearing age, so it is too late to restore natural intergenerational transmission through the home; a mechanism outside the home would need to be developed.
- Black = Extinct (EGIDS 10) — The language has fallen completely out of use and no one retains a sense of ethnic identity associated with the language.

Resources

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Digest of the languages of Albania ($149.95, 21 page PDF)

Albania

Summary

Languages

Languages by Status

Maps

Albania and Montenegro

Albania, Macedonia and Montenegro

Graphs

Language Vitality Profile

Language Status Profile

Resources

Contributions

Editorial Action