Shaban Demiraj

Shaban Demiraj
Born (1920-01-01)1 January 1920
Vlorë, Albania
Died August 30, 2014(2014-08-30) (aged 94)
Citizenship Albanian
Occupation Linguist,Albanologist,Academic

Shaban Demiraj (1920–2014) was an Albanian albanologist, linguist, professor at the University of Tirana from 1972-1990,[1] and chairman of the Academy of Sciences of Albania during the period of 1993-1997.[2][3][4]

Life

Demiraj was born in Vlorë. Regardless of the financial difficulties, and the lack of academic institutions in Albania, he managed to study and learn Latin, ancient Greek, and the major European languages.[1] After finishing the Madrasa in Tirana in 1939, he studied Albanian language in the 2-year curriculum Pedagogical Institute, branch of Albanian language and literature (1946–1948), and later in the High Pedagogical Institute (1954–1955). During 1948–1954 he worked as language and literature teacher in various high schools in Gjirokastër and Tirana. In 1954, he started working as a lector in the same High Pedagogical Institute from where he graduated, and later in the University of Tirana (UT), holding that position until 1990. During 1962–1989, he was in charge of the Albanian language catedra, and during 1962–1966 he served as deputy dean of the Faculty of History and Philology of the UT.[5]
His area of expertise were: the morphology of today's Albanian language, its historical grammar, history of the Albanian language writings (XVIII–XIX centuries), and a special course on Balkanic linguistics.[5] In 1989 he became member of the Albanian Academy of Sciences, and was its chairman during 1993-97.[6] Beside his research publications, Demiraj also published many scientific articles inside Albania and abroad on topics as history of the Albanian language, grammar and phonetics, and Balkanology. He has transcribed and adapted the work of Gavril Dara Kënga e sprasme e Balës (The last song of Bala) in 1994. He also tried himself as a translator, bringing into Albanian the Martin Eden novel of Jack London in 1959.[5]
Demiraj was part of the committee which organized the Orthography Congress of 1972, Albanian: Kongresi i Drejtshkrimit, where the orthographic rules of the Albanian language were standardized, and a signatory.[7]

Work

Some of his main works include:[5]

Awards

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Robert Elsie (19 March 2010). Historical Dictionary of Albania. Scarecrow Press. pp. 103–. ISBN 978-0-8108-7380-3.
  2. ↑ Shezai Rrokaj (2014-08-31). "Prof. Shaban Demiraj, dijetari ynë i madh" [Professor Shabn Demiraj, our great scholar] (in Albanian). Gazeta Panorama.
  3. ↑ Silvi Halili (2014-09-01). "Lamtumirë Shaban Demirajt, gjuhëtarit të dashuruar me profesionin" [Farewell Shaban Demiraj, the linguist in love with his profession] (in Albanian). Gazeta Shekulli.
  4. ↑ "Lamtumirë Shaban Demiraj" [Farewell Shaban Demiraj] (in Albanian). Top Channel. 2014-08-31.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Biography of Shaban Demiraj - Albanian Academy of Sciences (in Albanian)
  6. ↑ Chairmen of the Academy of Sciences through the years (in Albanian)
  7. ↑ Kastriot Myftaraj (30 July 2012), Biografia e fshehur e delegatëve të Kongresit të Drejtshkrimit të vitit 1972 [The hidden biography of the delegates of the Congress of Orthography of 1972] (in Albanian), Telegraf, pp. 10–11
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