No Albanian On Duolingo? We’ve Got You Covered
There is no Albanian on Duolingo. So, let’s talk about the possible reasons for that and some alternatives.
Albanian is definitely one very interesting language and I would like to learn it! I’ve been looking for a place (platform or language learning app) where I can learn at least a word or two in this interesting language. A good friend of mine told me that Duolingo is a great and most popular program for learning a new language. Can you imagine my disappointment when I found out that there is no Albanian on Duolingo? I wish to learn how to introduce myself and know how to say at least a few most common words and phrases, but I’ve had no luck finding any possibility for that.
I was very disappointed when I found out that there is No Albanian in Duolingo. That is the reason why I decided to look into this “Problem” a bit more.
About The Albanian Language
Albanian (Albanian gjuha shqipe) is an Indo-European language, which itself represents one branch of this family of languages. Throughout history, the Albanian language has adopted words from a number of foreign languages: Latin, Slavic, Turkish, Ancient Greek, Italian and other languages. The Albanian language is in a distant connection with the Slavic and Baltic languages and is considered to be in a close connection with the extinct Illyrian language.
Albanian is spoken by more than 7.5 million people in Albania, Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, and some other European countries (Italy, Greece, Germany).
The Albanian language has 2 dialects: Gege, north of the Shkumbin River, and Tosk south. The Toske dialect is the official language of Albania. Albanian has many features in common with other Balkan languages — these are mainly Bulgarian languages with dialects of eastern Serbia, northern Macedonia, and northern Greece, incl. dimotiki, Albanian and Eastern Romance languages, as well as some Turkish spoken in Marmara (region).
The Albanian language has 7 vowels and 29 consonants. The Gege dialect has nasal vowels that are not present in the Tosk dialect. The emphasis is mainly on the penultimate syllable.
Nouns are divided into 3 genders (masculine, feminine and neutral) and 2 numbers (singular and plural). There are 4 declensions and 6 cases (nominative, accusative, genitive, dative, ablative, and vocative).
The article can be before or after the noun, as in Romanian, Bulgarian, or Macedonian (bulg. planina — planinata, alb. mal-mali).
Why Is There No Albanian On Duolingo?
Albanian can be characterized as “primitive”, “undeveloped” and constantly “evolving” language. I was just wondering if that is the main reason why there is no Albanian on Duolingo. In other words, is it possible that Duolingo has decided they don’t need an Albanian course if they have other more common courses?
This interesting language can be considered “primitive” because its basic vocabulary is composed of monosyllabic words. It can be considered “undeveloped” or “poor” because undeveloped and poor have been Albanian society throughout the centuries. It is the social and scientific advancement that results in the development of a language. The Albanian language is constantly “evolving” because for centuries it has been only a spoken language, and only very recently was standardized (1972).
If a language is “primitive” and constantly “evolving” then it is natural for this language to be different and strange. I understand that people who study linguistics like to find patterns and similarities among languages but honestly I don’t quite understand how those similarities are confirmed, especially in the case when a language has many monosyllabic words and very few written texts. I personally believe that the Albanian language has many Latin and Greek features (apart from the scientific words which every European language has) and this makes sense from a historical point of view. Some might argue that Albanian has Slavic influences but I am not sure if that is true and I don’t know how this argument can be supported. Maybe that is another reason why we don’t have Albanian on Duolingo…
What Are The Alternatives To Duolingo?
Ling
I am glad you asked. There is one very obvious recommendation that can be made here, and that is the Ling Albanian app. Ling uses native Albanian speakers to help you learn Albanian, just like it will sound in the country.
Through the gamification of learning, also makes the whole process much more engaging. You can see yourself progress as you make your way through the different topics and tests that come along with it.
Then there is the chatbot feature that simulates conversations and makes for great practicing your Albanian language skills. For an introvert like me, it helps to build up my courage to eventually feel confident enough to use it when out and about.
While these mobile apps do share a common goal of making language learning fun and accessible, what sets Ling apart is the focus on practical vocabulary, sentences, and phrases that you will use in everyday speech.
Simply Learn
This one is actually a part of the same family as Ling. Simply Learn Albanian s is a phrasebook in app form, giving you all the benefits that come with that. You can listen to the words and phrases being spoken by native Albanian speakers, along with the Albanian and phonetic spellings of the words.
It makes for a great companion both when practicing and when you are in Albania. It makes use of flashcards and the spaced repetition learning technique that is said to really improve language learning.
It may not be the top choice if you want a deep understanding of the language but helps you start out with pronunciation and basic grammar like word order.
Other Resources
There are quite a few different apps and websites that work great with helping you to learn Albanian. Each one goes about its own way to replace the hole made by the lack of Albanian in Duolingo. Ultimately, it is a case of finding which option works best for your case.
Like we said before, it is good to make a language learning plan and mix things up if you are serious about learning Albanian. If you are just looking for a more casual experience to learn a few phrases before traveling, then apps like the Ling Albanian app might be the best option for you.
What Are The Chances Of Albanian Appearing In Duolingo?
I know many people who would like to see Albanian In Duolingo. However, I would advise them not to get their hopes high. I doubt that an English/Albanian course will ever happen on Duolingo.
Albanian is a totally unpopular and overlooked country. The most common answer to that situation is that Turks understand Albanians so they can use that language in conversation with foreigners. I am so discouraged by that way of thinking since language learning it does not work that way.
Duolingo has proven to be pretty disappointing in this regard. So, maybe you should consider some other language learning apps for learning the Albanian language.
Final Thoughts
I am interested in learning Albanian. It would be so nice if Duo adds this course in. I think you can try Ling App which has both app version and web version, while you guys are waiting for an Albanian course in Duolingo. You can also learn many languages on this app(I see a lot in the app). I like this app because it is so fun to learn by playing games with 50 units to learn in total. Hope there will be an Albanian course very soon.
Original blog post: https://ling-app.com/tips/no-albanian-on-duolingo/
