shqip

Shqip is a term used in the Albanian language with several related meanings tied to the Albanian people and their land. In Albanian, shqip is the root of core terms for identity: the language is gjuha shqipe (the Albanian language), the country is Shqipëria (Albania), and a person from the country is Shqiptar. The root shqip- also appears in other ethnonyms and cultural expressions connected to Albanian identity.

Etymology and scope: The term shqip originates from the self-designation of Albanians as Shqiptarë and from the name of the country Shqipëria, literally “the land of the Shqiptar.” The adjective form appears as shqip or shqipe depending on gender and grammatical context; shqipe is used in phrases like gjuha shqipe.

Usage: In non-Albanian contexts the term Shqip is rarely used alone in English; Albanian-language sources typically use Shqipëria for the country and shqip as a root within compound forms. In English-language writing, Albania and Albanian or Albanian language are normally used, with the Albanian terms provided for precision.

See also: Albania; Albanian language; Shqiptar; Shqipëria.