Shqipëri

Albanian

Alternative forms

• Shkypëni — conservative pronunciation
• Shqipni — Northeastern Gheg
• Shqypni — Middle Gheg

Etymology

From shqip +‎ -ëri. historically, from shkyp +‎ -ëni, old pronunciation of shqipoj, from Latin excipiere. still called Shkypënia by conservative dialects in the north. changed to dialectal Shqipëri in the 19th century to associate it with the word for eagle shqipe, which derived from Proto-Celtic *sklubos (“eagle”). compare Welsh ysglyf (“bird of prey”)

Petar Skok suggested that this word is originated from Scupi (Shkupi), the capital of the Roman province of Dardania (today's Skopje). According to Petar Skok, the Albanian demonym Shkuptar (as in inhabitant of Skopje) changed to Shkiptar, which is still used among Arvanite Albanians in Greece, and later to Shqiptar.

Pronunciation

• (Tosk) IPA^(key): /ʃcipəˈɾi/, /ʃc͡ɕipəˈɾi/
• (Gheg, without rhotacism) IPA^(key): /ʃcipˈni/, /ʃc͡ɕipˈni/, /ʃcipəˈni/, /ʃc͡ɕipəˈni/
• (archaic or Cham) IPA^(key): /ʃkʲipəˈɾi/
• Rhymes: -i

Proper noun

Shqipëri f (definite Shqipëria)

1. (Tosk, Standard Albanian) Albania (a country in Southeast Europe)

Declension

Declension of Shqipëri

	singular
	indefinite	definite
nominative	Shqipëri	Shqipëria
accusative		Shqipërinë
dat./abl.	Shqipërie	Shqipërisë

Related terms

• shqip
• shqiptar