Reviewing Albanian pronunciation…
Vowels are:
a [a]
e [ɛ]
i [i]
o [ɔ]
u [u]
y [y]
ë [ə] or silent
Consonants m, n, p, b, t, d, k, g, f, v, s, z, h have common Latin values.
nj [ɲ]
ng [ŋ]
q [c]
gj [ɟ]
c [ts]
x [dz]
ç [tʃ]
xh [dʒ]
th [θ]
dh [ð]
sh [ʃ]
zh [ʒ]
j [j]
I’m in doubt about , it is indicated everywhere as a trill or tap, i.e., as in Italian or Spanish, but I’ve heard it pronounced as an English or American retroflex r in a few videos.
Today I am oficially starting with Albanian. I’ll be using the following material:
Although I have had some contact with Albanian, I’ve never really got to study it. It seems to have a pretty tricky grammar, especially verbs and nouns, but it also has lots of similar vocabulary. I hope to be at a conversational level at least by the end of the year.
Trois mots pour aujourd’hui:
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libros naturalis historiae, novicium camenis quiritium tuorum opus, natos apud me proxima fetura licentiore epistula narrare constitui tibi, iucundissime imperator; sit enim haec tui praefatio, verissima, dum maximi consenescit in patre. namque tu solebas nugas esse aliquid meas putare, ut obiter emolliam catullum conterraneum meum (agnoscis et hoc castrense verbum): ille enim, ut scis, permutatis prioribus syllabis duriusculum se fecit quam volebat existimari a ueraniolis suis et fabullis.
| Reordered Text | Translation |
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| constitui narrare tibi, iucundissime imperator, licentiore epistula libros historiae naturalis, novicium opus camenis tuorum quiritium, natos apud me proxima fetura | I’ve decided to dedicate to you, most gracious Emperor, in a more adequate manner (?), the books of natural history, a new work for the muses of your people, which I have just completed. |
| sit enim haec tui praefatio, verissima, dum maximi consenescit in patre. | this appellation is very true for you, while that of great is more appropriate to your father. |
| namque tu solebas nugas esse aliquid meas putare, ut obiter emolliam catullum conterraneum meum (agnoscis et hoc castrense verbum): | for you used to consider the little things what I wrote, as I will be kind to Catullus, my fellow-countryman (you also know this military term): |
| ille enim, ut scis, permutatis prioribus syllabis duriusculum se fecit quam volebat existimari a ueraniolis suis et fabullis. | because he, as you know, made himself a bit harsh by exchanging the preceding syllables, as he want to be held in esteem by his Veranius and Fabius. |
Source & link to vocabulary:
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu
