Eqrem Çabej

Eqrem Çabej (August 7, 1908 in Gjirokastër - August 13, 1980 in Rome) was an Albanian historical linguist and scholar. Çabej was born in Gjirokastër, Albania. He finished elementary school in Gjirokastër in 1921. He studied philology and linguistics in Klagenfurt (1923—1926), Graz (1927) and Vienna (1930—), where he attended lectures of Paul Kretschmer, Karl Patsch, Nikolai Trubetzkoy and Norbert Jokl. Under Jokl's guidance, Çabej developed an intense interest in the historical development of the Albanian language. In 1933, he submitted his doctoral dissertation on "Italoalbanische Studien" (Italo-Albanian Studies) in Vienna. Çabej returned to Albania and worked as a secondary school teacher in Shkodra (1934), Elbasan, Tirana and Gjirokastra. After the break-out of the Second World War, he moved to Rome, where he stayed until July 1944. In 1942, he refused to join the newly formed Institute of Albanian Studies for political reasons. He was offered the position of minister of education in the puppet government of Rexhep Mitrovica in 1943, but refused. He returned to Albania in 1944. In 1947, he was appointed a member of the Institute of Sciences, the precursor institution of the University of Tirana. From 1952 to 1957, he served as professor for the history of Albanian and historical phonology. In 1972, he became a founding member of the Albanian Academy of Sciences.

Works

By publishing numerous studies and scientific articles, Çabej gained a reputation as an expert in Albanian linguistics, literature and ethnology. Among his major publications are:

* "Hyrje në historinë e gjuhës shqipe" (Introduction to the history of the Albanian language), Tirana 1958.
* "Meshari" i Gjon Buzukut" (The liturgy of John Buzuk), Tirana 1968.
* "Fonetika historike e shqipes" (Historical phonology of Albanian), Tirana 1968.
* "Studime etimologjike në fushë të shqipes" (Etymological studies in the field of Albanian), Tirana 1976, 1999.

His works have been reprinted in nine volumes in "Studime gjuhësore" (Linguistic studies), Priština 1986—1989. The University of Gjirokastra bears his name.

References

*
*
*

External links

* [http://www.shkenca.org/content/view/15/27/ Eqrem Çabej (1908 - 1980)]