Language Lessons #4

Saw this as I was passing a shop in Koplik yesterday.

Although most shops use the words "hapur" (open) and "Mbyllur" (closed) this shopkeeper uses a different word. I take it that it means "i çelur" which means open...but the shopkeeper has written it in Shkodrane "çilun".

"Hajde" means "lets go" or "come on" in Serbian or Croat.In this instance it would mean "come" or "welcome".

Language Lessons

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!