Words we use in Shkodër
Kërtollë (Shkodër) = Patatë (Shqip/Albanian)
Meaning:
1) potato
2) term used to describe someone silly.
e.g. my brother-in-law calls one of my sons “ Eh kërtolla e dajës!”
It is of course important for a foreigner(like me) to understand that “kërtollë” is not Albanian, but is in fact Shkodrane.
So when I went to Tirana and asked for a plate of chips(“kërtollat të fergume”), the poor waitress just looked at me. I asked twice but I got no response. So my Albanian friend, who was with me from Shkodër said it very slowly...”Një pjatë me kërtollat të fërgume”...of course it was then he realise he should be saying “ Patate të shkuquar”
Again “fergume” = “të shkuquar”. It is again Shkodrane.
Language lesson over for today!
e enjte, nëntor 22, 2007
Language Lessons
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"Again “fergume” = “të shkuquar”. It is again Shkodrane."
In fact, "fergume" is also in Tirance. :-)
Dear Colin,
I think that this difference is due to the occupation of Shkodër by the Austro-Hungarian Army during the World War I. In german, potato is called "Kartoffel". It is really etymologically near from "Kartolla", isn't it ? And "patate" is etymologically near from "potato", obviously. In french popular langage, exist also the term "patate". In Italian, it is called "patata". Certainly the term have a latin origin.
Ah, kertolle is such a useful word. To describe someone stupid, or who doesn't know much about a particular subject.
Or my favourite, when something is disappointing. Especially jokes. "Ishte kertolle"
I'm not sure why the poor potato has such negative connotations.
:D te sKuqura...not sHkuqura.... :D
Ervini, you are correct - skuqura :-)
Aaaarghhh....one day I will learn to speak Albanian!
Thanks for the language correction!
I guess I was just speaking like that other Scotsman, Sean Connery(007).
"shaken not shtirred"
Kërtollë që jam!
:)).. It is a funny story, but sometimes even for Albanians is difficult to find the right word in the right dialect so the other one understands. The language is so very rich, and there are so many synonyms for a word, that sometimes even on 20 km distance people can use different words for the same things. Good luck with the learning, it is not a simple language.
Hi Colin
i say well done to you... first for this blog and secondly for your good understanding of shkodrance/albanian;o)
i live in england and work in an office.... so had to make a few calls to customers today and most of them were scotish;o) oh my God some of them i could hardly understand, had to ask my colleagues one of them is from Hull and the other one from Leeds, when the office is in South East England....... so much difference in pronounciation;o) our manager jokes and says i got the northerners in this desk;o) .....i am from shkodra,,,,,,,Ledi
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