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Help[Facts] On Albania and Albanian
in reply to a message by danielthegreat
According to the Oxford Englisd Dictioant II CDROM, the words "Albania" and "Albanian" are derived from the medieval Greek "Alvanos, Arvanites, Alvania, Arvanitia". The Albanian people dont even call themselves Albanian: they call themselves Shiqpetars, and they call Albania Shqipnija. Modern Albanian language itself is a blend of Latin, Turkish, Greek and Slavic.
It should also be noted that prior to the establishment of the Albanian state by the "Great Powers", there no "albanian" nationalism -- what is known today as teh albanians were separated by religion (Islamic "Albanians" were in fact Ottomans, and Christian Albanians gought against the Ottomans, and signifiant number fought on the side of Greece -- many as a matter of fact settled in Greece and aspoused Hellenism (many heros of the Greek revolution against the Ottomans in 1821 were of Arvanite origin, such as Kountouriotes and Bouboulina)
It should also be noted that prior to the establishment of the Albanian state by the "Great Powers", there no "albanian" nationalism -- what is known today as teh albanians were separated by religion (Islamic "Albanians" were in fact Ottomans, and Christian Albanians gought against the Ottomans, and signifiant number fought on the side of Greece -- many as a matter of fact settled in Greece and aspoused Hellenism (many heros of the Greek revolution against the Ottomans in 1821 were of Arvanite origin, such as Kountouriotes and Bouboulina)
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