Shkije, Shkje or Shkavell, is a pejorative [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] term used in the Gheg dialect of Albanian to refer to non-Albanian Slavs such as Serbs, Macedonians, Montenegrins, to a lesser extent Croats and Bosniaks, and also simply non-Albanians such as Greeks and Italians. [6]
The Arvanites in Greece use the version shkla to refer to the Greek population, [7] [8] [9] while the Arbereshe in Italy, a substantial part of which originates from the Arvanites, use the words shklan and shklerisht which mean "that does not speak Arbereshe", or "that speaks an incomprehensible language", referring to the Latin languages. [8]
It is derived from the Latin term " Sclaveni", [10] which contained the traditional meaning of “the neighbouring foreigner”. [11]
It was widely used in the Albanian literature as well, i.e. Lahuta e Malcís (1937) of Gjergj Fishta (1871–1940). [6] Sami Frasheri also used the term in his works. [12]
During the Yugoslav Wars, Albanian newspapers often called Serbs "Shkja". [13] Șchei was also a word that Romanians used to name Slavs (Bulgarians).
Indefinite Singular | Indefinite Plural | Definite Singular | Definite Plural | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | një shka (a serb male)/një shkinë(female) | shkije (serbs)/shkina | shkau (the serb)/shkina | shkijet/shkinat (the serbs) |
Accusative | një shka/një shkinë | shkije/shkina | shkaun/shkinën | shkijet/shkinat |
Genitive | i/e/të/së një shkau/shkine | i/e/të/së shkijeve/shkinave | i/e/të/së shkaut/shkinës | i/e/të/së shkijeve/shkinave |
Dative | një shkau/një shkine | shkijeve/shkinave | shkaut/shkinës | shkijeve/shkinave |
Ablative | (prej) një shkau/një shkine | (prej) shkijesh/shkinash | (prej) shkaut/shkinës | (prej) shkijeve/shkinave |
Since « Shkla- vun » is the albanization of Venetian « Schiavone », it would seem that the setting is Maina. This region, stretching alongside Mount Taygetus and extending into the sea...
translated
Among Albanians of Greece, where our song originates, the word "shkla" is used to identify the Greek neighbors; among the Arbereshe of Italy - who frequently trace their origin to the today's western Greece - the words "shklan" and "shklerisht" mean: "who does not speak Arberisht" or "who speaks an incomprehensible language", referring, of course, to Latin language.
Shkje is the plural of Shkja, which in Albanian means both Slav and Orthodox Christian. Its derivation is: L. sclavus > Alb. shklavus > shkla > shkja
For example, Serb and Macedonian newspapers frequently refer to Albanians as "Shiptars", while Albanian papers call Serbs "Shkja". Both terms are perceived as insulting by the peoples concerned.
Shkije, Shkje or Shkavell, is a pejorative [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] term used in the Gheg dialect of Albanian to refer to non-Albanian Slavs such as Serbs, Macedonians, Montenegrins, to a lesser extent Croats and Bosniaks, and also simply non-Albanians such as Greeks and Italians. [6]
The Arvanites in Greece use the version shkla to refer to the Greek population, [7] [8] [9] while the Arbereshe in Italy, a substantial part of which originates from the Arvanites, use the words shklan and shklerisht which mean "that does not speak Arbereshe", or "that speaks an incomprehensible language", referring to the Latin languages. [8]
It is derived from the Latin term " Sclaveni", [10] which contained the traditional meaning of “the neighbouring foreigner”. [11]
It was widely used in the Albanian literature as well, i.e. Lahuta e Malcís (1937) of Gjergj Fishta (1871–1940). [6] Sami Frasheri also used the term in his works. [12]
During the Yugoslav Wars, Albanian newspapers often called Serbs "Shkja". [13] Șchei was also a word that Romanians used to name Slavs (Bulgarians).
Indefinite Singular | Indefinite Plural | Definite Singular | Definite Plural | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nominative | një shka (a serb male)/një shkinë(female) | shkije (serbs)/shkina | shkau (the serb)/shkina | shkijet/shkinat (the serbs) |
Accusative | një shka/një shkinë | shkije/shkina | shkaun/shkinën | shkijet/shkinat |
Genitive | i/e/të/së një shkau/shkine | i/e/të/së shkijeve/shkinave | i/e/të/së shkaut/shkinës | i/e/të/së shkijeve/shkinave |
Dative | një shkau/një shkine | shkijeve/shkinave | shkaut/shkinës | shkijeve/shkinave |
Ablative | (prej) një shkau/një shkine | (prej) shkijesh/shkinash | (prej) shkaut/shkinës | (prej) shkijeve/shkinave |
Since « Shkla- vun » is the albanization of Venetian « Schiavone », it would seem that the setting is Maina. This region, stretching alongside Mount Taygetus and extending into the sea...
translated
Among Albanians of Greece, where our song originates, the word "shkla" is used to identify the Greek neighbors; among the Arbereshe of Italy - who frequently trace their origin to the today's western Greece - the words "shklan" and "shklerisht" mean: "who does not speak Arberisht" or "who speaks an incomprehensible language", referring, of course, to Latin language.
Shkje is the plural of Shkja, which in Albanian means both Slav and Orthodox Christian. Its derivation is: L. sclavus > Alb. shklavus > shkla > shkja
For example, Serb and Macedonian newspapers frequently refer to Albanians as "Shiptars", while Albanian papers call Serbs "Shkja". Both terms are perceived as insulting by the peoples concerned.