Prof. Dr. Jorgji Gjinari, my teacher, colleague and co-author

Abstract

The author discusses Gjinari’s personality in three aspects: Gjinari’s contributions in teaching process as lecturer at the Faculty of History and Philology, as an office colleague for a period of 23 years (from 1967 to 1990 we worked in the same fields of study and designed together different projects), as a companion in numerous dialectological expeditions all around Albania, in Kosovo and other Albanian settlements like Calabria; as a collaborator and as a co-worker in some important works, such as the drafting of the basic Principles of ADGjSh and the corresponding Questionnaire, the drafting of the relevant surveys for the scientific improvement of the materials for the Dialectological Atlas of Albanian Language, the chips of ALE and the mapping of ADGjSh, where Professor Gjinari had the main role and responsibility. We have done many surveys in terrain, even in the most distant geographic points such as Konispol, Vermosh, Tropoje, Mirdita, Mokra and Labëri. Professor Gjinari has always been considered as “a big cheese” in regard to ADGjSh's maps and he made a wonderful job. There is nothing more I can say in regard to Professor Gjinari’s scientific contribution and personality, since they are described in details in the “Albanian Encyclopedic Dictionary” FESH (Tirana, 2008, p. 842) and in the speech hold by Professor Anila Omari. I totally agree with the previous reviews and without further ado, I will only say a few words in regard to two of his greatest works: his monograph “The dialects of Albanian language” (1989, republished in 2014), which represents the most comprehensive and the best presentation of the expansion, structure and separation of the Albanian language dialects. This is a work resulting from a lifetime of research on the dialects of Albanian language which reflects his knowledge, skills and dedication; thus, representing a great example for all those who are engaged in the studying of dialectology. Professor Jorgji Gjinari has also the merit of being the director and organizer of the work for the creation of the Dialectological Atlas of the Albanian Language, a group work, which was conceived, directed and edited by him. In addition to working beyond the desks, in the office or archives, the creation of the Atlas made it necessary the travelling in terrain, in the most remote inhabited places, mainly in the highlands of remote villages, even in urban centres, in order to find the appropriate informants and to carry out the full survey and to do the complete transcriptions according to the international phonetic alphabet and diacritical marks needed for a loyal and correct transcription. The period of time needed for the survey, filing, processing of the material and its mapping has been very long, nearly twenty years. The work was completed in 1990. However, we are pleased that the work was published in two major volumes and I would say with a magnificent typography. Unfortunately, the official assessment done for this work and for the difficulties faced by our team has been the worst possible, or, to put it more clearly, is completely missing. We can mention here the almost ‘silent’ inaugurations done at the Academy of Sciences, at the University of Gjirokastra and some reviews written by several professors. The only serious inauguration which highlights the scientific values of the work is the inauguration organized by the Oriental University in Naples and the Arbëresh Municipality of Greci (Avelino) in 2008. At these event three of the authors who are still alive participated and held some papers together with some outstanding Italian professors, such as the prominent glottolog Romano LAZZARONI of the Florence University, professor Nullo Minissi of the University of Naples and professor Italo Costante Fortino, head of the Department of Albanian language in Orientale University of Naples, who is the person that realized the publication of the work in the Italian language. Finally, I will conclude very briefly by asserting confidently (but with great regret) that Professor Gjinari, and the group of authors (B. Beci, Gj. Shkurtaj, Xh. Gosturani) who made possible this magnificent and unrepeatable work “Dialectological Atlas of the Albanian Language” should have received a better recognition, at least the prize “Çmimi i Republikës i Shkallës së Parë.”