STANDARDIZED AND DIALECTAL USES OF MACROTOPONYMS IN THE REGION OF LESKOVIK AND KOLONJË (SOUTHEASTERN ALBANIA)
Lonora HYSOLLI
Abstract
Since toponymy constitutes an important segment of historical linguistics, ethnolinguistics, and sociolinguistics, it is not limited merely to the naming of places but also reflects the cultural, historical, economic, and spiritual development of a people. Studies on toponymy particularly those concerning remote areas such as Leskovik and Kolonjë have been conducted only partially, although these regions offer rich ground for detailed analysis. This study examines the standardized and dialectal uses of macrotoponyms in the Leskovik and Kolonjë area, with special focus on toponyms that exhibit both standard and dialectal forms, such as Gramoz, Lengaricë, Lëngëz, Bezhan, Qafëzez, Radanj, Radimisht, Gërmenj, and others.
The aim is to understand how phonetic, morphological, and semantic variations in toponyms reflect the deep historical, linguistic, and cultural structures of these regions. Historical and archival sources, as well as materials collected through interviews with local inhabitants, have been analyzed, providing a combined approach that integrates bibliographic research with fieldwork. The results indicate that the standardized forms of place names have been disseminated through educational institutions and official state documents, while the dialectal forms continue to be preserved in everyday use, demonstrating a strong sense of local identity. The study emphasizes the need to document dialectal forms, as this effort will contribute to building a database of the toponyms of this area and to preserving the onomastic and linguistic heritage of Southeastern Albania.
Pages: 101 - 107