The Albanian alphabet, as we know it today, is a variant of the Latin alphabet, but its history stretches far beyond its modern form. The earliest known record of written Albanian comes from a 1332 Catholic Church document, either authored by Archbishop Guillaume Adam or the monk Brocardus Monacus. In this document, it is mentioned:
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| The first letters of the alphabet of the Albanian language |
"Although the Albanians have their own language, which is entirely different from Latin, they have their own alphabet using Latin letters in all their books."
This document is evidence that Albanians were writing in their own language before 1332, likely using Latin script, but possibly other forms of writing as well.
In the 18th century, the Franco-Danish geographer Conrad Malte-Brun took a serious interest in the creation and development of an Albanian alphabet. In his 1826 book "Universal Geography," Malte-Brun referred to an "Ecclesiastical Alphabet of the Albanian Language," which consisted of thirty letters. Following him, linguists such as Johann Georg von Hahn, Leopold Geitler, and Gjergj Pekmezi continued studying Albanian scripts. Over time, researchers have uncovered seven distinct original alphabets of the Albanian language.
The Elbasan Alphabet
One of the most notable scripts from the 18th century is the "Elbasan Alphabet", used to write the "Elbasan Gospel Manuscript". This script is believed to have been created by Gregory of Durrës. According to scholar Robert Elsie, the alphabet of the Elbasan Gospel Manuscript was well-suited to the Albanian language and could be considered more appropriate than the modern-day Albanian alphabet. The manuscript’s writing system was clear and carefully thought out.
Within the Elbasan Gospel Manuscript, there are about twelve words—possibly personal names—written in a different script that has yet to be deciphered. The prominent Elbasan scholar Dhimitër Shuteriqi attempted to decode these words but without success.
Todhri Alphabet
Another important script is the "Todhri Alphabet", from the late 18th century. Attributed to Theodhor Haxhifilipi, it was discovered by Austrian consul Johann Georg von Hahn, who is considered the father of Albanian linguistic studies. Hahn believed this was the "original" Albanian alphabet and speculated it might have derived from ancient Phoenician script. Subsequent scholars like Leopold Geitler suggested that the Todhri alphabet had roots in Roman cursive letters, a theory supported by Slovenian researcher Rajko Nahtigal.
The Todhri alphabet consists of fifty-two characters but was sporadically used around Elbasan. Despite its complexity, it was not as well-suited to the Albanian language as the Elbasan script, and the two alphabets are unrelated.
The Berat Codex
A unique Albanian script is found in the "Berat Codex", a manuscript containing 154 pages. This work, kept at the National Library of Albania, is believed to have been written between 1764 and 1798. Attributed to "Kostandin Berati", an Orthodox monk and writer, the Codex contains liturgical texts in Albanian, written using the Greek alphabet. In addition to religious texts, it also features a 44-verse Albanian poem titled "Our Lady Mary before the Cross" and Greek-Albanian dictionaries with 1,710 words.
On page 104 of the Codex, there are two lines in an original Albanian script containing 37 letters, providing insight into the diversity of early Albanian writing systems.
Veso Beu and Vellaras Alphabets
The "Veso Beu Alphabet" is another unique Albanian script, created by Veso Beu, a prominent figure from Gjirokastër. According to tradition, he learned this script from an Albanian cleric, and it was used as a secret writing system within his family.
The "Vellaras Alphabet" was used in Southern Albania, named after Greek poet and physician Ioannis Vilaras. Vilaras created this alphabet to help Greek speakers learn Albanian. His work, written in 1801, was a bilingual grammar with 30 original Albanian characters, combining Latin and Greek elements.
Vithkuqi Alphabet
The "Vithkuqi Alphabe" was developed between 1824 and 1844 by **Naum Veqilharxhi**, who promoted this 33-letter alphabet through a small spelling book distributed throughout Southern Albania. Despite its phonetic suitability, the Vithkuqi Alphabet did not endure due to Veqilharxhi's untimely death and limited resources.
Standardization at the Congress of Manastir
Efforts to create a unified Albanian alphabet continued into the 19th century. The culmination of these efforts occurred at the "Congress of Manastir" in November 1908, where a standardized Albanian alphabet was agreed upon. Today, November 22 is celebrated as "Alphabet Day" in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Greece and the Albanian diaspora.
Before the Congress of Manastir, the Albanian language was represented by a mixture of over seven alphabets, each with its variations. The decision to adopt a Latin-based alphabet paved the way for the modern standardization of the Albanian language, ensuring its preservation and development.
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*By Ndrek Gjini, MA, University of Galway, Ireland/Diaspora Shqiptare