Fjalori

Fjalori is the Albanian word for a dictionary, a reference work that lists words of a language and provides information about their meanings, pronunciation, usage, and often etymology and grammatical features. In Albanian, fjalori is a masculine noun and is commonly used to denote the dictionary as a book or a digital resource.

Etymology and meaning: fjalori is formed from the root fjal- meaning word, with the suffix -or indicating a collection or instrument, producing the sense of a compilation of words. The definite singular form fjalori is widely used to refer to “the dictionary.”

Types and uses: Dictionaries come in various forms, including monolingual Albanian dictionaries, bilingual dictionaries (such as Albanian–English, Albanian–Italian, or Albanian–French), and specialized dictionaries focused on fields like law, medicine, or science. Learner’s dictionaries are common for language learners, while electronic and online dictionaries have become increasingly prevalent. Dictionaries serve not only to translate or define words, but also to show pronunciation, part of speech, inflection, usage notes, examples, synonyms, antonyms, and etymology.

Structure: A typical entry includes the headword, its part of speech, pronunciation, senses or meanings, usage notes, and often etymological information. Cross-references to related words and example sentences help illustrate proper usage.

History and role: The production of Albanian dictionaries has contributed to language standardization and literary development, especially during periods of national awakening and modernization. Today, dictionaries exist in print and digital forms and are essential tools for education, translation, and language research.

See also: Albanian language, lexicography, bilingual dictionaries, language standardization.