Tosk (Albanian definite form: toskërishtja) is the southern group of dialects of the Albanian language, spoken by the ethnographic group known as Tosks. The line of demarcation between Tosk and Gheg (the northern variety) is the Shkumbin River. Tosk is the basis of the standard Albanian language.
Tosk
toskërishtja
Region
Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Italy, Greece, Turkey
Native speakers
1.8 million (2011 census)[1]
Early form
Dialects
Albanian alphabet, formerly Elbasan
Language codes
55-AAA-aca to 55-AAA-ace
A map showing Tosk speakers in the two palest shades of brown.
Major Tosk-speaking groups include the Myzeqars of Myzeqe, Labs of Labëria, ChamsofÇamëria, ArvanitesofGreece and the ArbëreshëofItaly, as well as the original inhabitants of MandritsainBulgaria. In North Macedonia, there were approximately 3000 speakers in the early 1980s.[2]
Description
Written as
i
i
y
y
e
Close-mid front unrounded vowel
e
a
a
ɜ
Open-mid central unrounded vowel
ë
ɔ
o
u
u
Thus, for example, even the small numbers of Tosk Albanians of southern North Macedonia (only approximately 3,000 in the early 1980s)
