THE SEMANTIC IMPACT OF GREEK BORROWINGS IN ALBANIAN LANGUAGE: A LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS

This study explores the semantic impact of Greek borrowings in the Albanian language, focusing on how these borrowed terms have been integrated and adapted within the Albanian lexicon. Greek has had a significant influence on Albanian due to historical, cultural, and geographical proximity, particularly in regions with long-standing Greek-Albanian interactions. Through a linguistic analysis, this paper investigates the semantic shifts that occur when Greek words are adopted into Albanian, examining how their meanings may evolve, broaden, or shift in the process of integration. The study also highlights patterns of borrowing, categorizing the borrowed Greek words into various semantic fields, such as religion, trade, governance, and daily life. The paper draws on both historical and contemporary data, using corpora of Albanian texts and interviews with native speakers to analyze the current status and nuances of these borrowings. By shedding light on the semantic relations between Greek borrowings and Albanian meanings, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of language contact, lexical adaptation, and the evolving dynamics of Albanian vocabulary.