Lexicon Interchanges Between Albanian and Balkans/Southeast European Languages in The Field of Plants

Abstract

The object of this study is to explore the interactions and interchanges between languages in the Balkans and Southeast Europe through the examination of one particular field; namely, plants. As in other fields, the Albanian language has borrowed from other languages, as well as has given to other languages. Being mainly a pastoral country through history, the Albanian language has mainly borrowed plant names, except for the names of native species. In this study, based on original works in etymology and botany, a thorough analysis is conducted in order to reveal that some words related to plants, borrowed especially from ancient Greek and Latin, have entered the Albanian lexicon and are used throughout the country. On the other hand, some words related to plants, borrowed manly from Turkish, Slavic and Italian languages, have local use in dialects and sub-dialects. The causes of these phenomena are explained. Original Albanian words related to native species are used mainly in the old Romanian language. This study of plant-related words serves to explain broader lexicographic exchanges between Balkan’s languages and other Mediterranean languages, like between Turkish and Southeast Europe languages or Italian and Balkans languages.