Elifba Alphabet

This Albanian variant of the Abjad Ottoman was used to write the Albanian language. The last version of the Elifbaja shqip was invented by the rilindas, Rexhep Voka (1847-1917).

 

The Ottoman Turkish alphabet was mainly favored by Albanian Muslims, but also used by some Christians. After being especially used during the Bejte poetry, a primer for the Albanian language in Arabic script was published in 1861 in Constantinople by Mullah Daut Boriçi, a prominent member of the League of Prizren.

During 1909 and 1910 there were movements by Albanian Young Turks supporters to adopt the Arabic alphabet, as they considered the Latin script to be un-Islamic. In Elbasan, Muslim clerics led a demonstration for the Arabic script, telling their congregations that using the Latin script would make them infidels. In 1911, the Young Turks dropped their opposition to the Latin alphabet, and the current Latin alphabet for Albanian was adopted. In order to eliminate ambiguity in the pronunciation of the Arabic script, Rexhep Voka developed a customized Arabic alphabet consisting of 44 consonants and vowels, which he published in 1911. However, it was hardly used anymore due to the Congress of Manastir. Tiranli Fazli then used this script to publish a thirty-two page grammar. Only one Albanian newspaper at the time ever appeared in Arabic script, and it lasted a brief period. Regardless of what script appeared, such material raised Albanian national consciousness.

Notes

If a word starts with a vowel, the hamza (ئـ) is inserted before it. Letter j at the beginning of a word is represented یـ instead of ئیـ.

تهَ جیثەَ نْەرەَزیت لیندین تەَ لیرەَ ذە تەَ بارابارتەَ نەَ دینْیتەَت ذە نەَ تەَ درەیتا. ئاتا کانەَ ئارسوٌە ذە ندەَرجەجە ذە دوُهەت تەَ سیللەن ندای نْەَری تیەتریت مە فروٌمەَ وەللازەَریمی.

Transliteration

Të gjithë njerëzit lindin të lirë dhe të barabartë në dinjitet dhe në të drejta. Ata kanë arsye dhe ndërgjegje dhe duhet të sillen ndaj njëri tjetrit me frymë vëllazërimi.

ژدوَ نْەری کان لە ت'لیر مەً نْآییت دینْیتەًت ئەذەً درەتا. ئاتا یان تەَ پاییسوُن مەً مەًنْەً ئەذەً وەت-دییەً ئەذەً دوُهەَن تەَ وەپروًین کا نْآنی-تیەترین مەً نْی شپیرت وللاَزنیمیت.

Transliteration

Zhdo njeri kan le t'lir mê njãjit dinjitêt edhê dreta. Ata jan të pajisun mê mênjê edhê vet-dijê edhê duhën të veprôjn ka njãni-tjetrin mê nji shpirt vllâznimit.

Translation (for both texts)

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.