In the world of Shaban Demiraj, there is a wide range of information, opinions and perspectives that intertwine to shape understanding and knowledge on this topic. From history to the present, Shaban Demiraj has played a significant role in different fields, arousing the interest of experts, enthusiasts and the curious alike. Over time, it has been debated, studied and analyzed in various ways, allowing for a more complete and detailed view of Shaban Demiraj. In this article, we will explore the many facets of Shaban Demiraj, examining its origins, impact, and relevance in the present, with the goal of providing a comprehensive perspective on this fascinating topic.
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Shaban Demiraj | |
|---|---|
Demiraj on a 2021 stamp of Albania | |
| Born | 1 January 1920 |
| Died | 30 August 2014 (aged 94) |
| Citizenship | Albanian |
| Occupations | Linguist, Albanologist |
| Signature | |
Shaban Demiraj (1 January 1920 – 30 August 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]
Demiraj was born on 1 January 1920 in Vlorë.[5] Despite 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 completing his studies at the Madrasa of Tirana in 1939, he studied Albanian language in the two-year curriculum Pedagogical Institute, branch of Albanian language and literature (1946–1948), and later in the High Pedagogical Institute (1954–1955).
From 1948 to 1954, Demiraj 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. From 1962 to 1989, he was in charge of the Albanian language chair, and from 1962 to 1966, he served as deputy dean of the Faculty of History and Philology of the UT.[6]
Demiraj's areas of expertise were: the morphology of modern Albanian, Albanian historical grammar, the history of the Albanian writing (18th–19th centuries), and a special course on Balkan linguistics.[6] In 1989, he became member of the Albanian Academy of Sciences, and was its chairman during 1993–97.[7] Apart from 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 transcribed and adapted the work of Gabriele Dara Kënga e sprasme e Balës (The last song of Bala) in 1994. He also worked as a translator, having produced the Albanian edition of Martin Eden, a novel by Jack London, in 1959.[6]
Demiraj was part of the committee that organized the Orthography Congress of 1972, Albanian: Kongresi i Drejtshkrimit, where the orthographic rules of the Albanian language were standardized, and he was also a signatory to the orthography.[8]
He is the father of linguist Bardhyl Demiraj.[5]
Some of his main works include:[6]