Albania 2

Listen to Albania 2, a 26-year-old man from Gjirokastër, Albania. Click or tap the triangle-shaped play button to hear the subject.

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BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION

AGE: 26

DATE OF BIRTH (DD/MM/YYYY): 27/02/2000

PLACE OF BIRTH: Kelcyre, Albania

GENDER: male

ETHNICITY: Albanian

OCCUPATION: student

EDUCATION: bachelor’s degree

AREAS OF RESIDENCE OUTSIDE REPRESENTATIVE REGION FOR LONGER THAN SIX MONTHS:

The subject lived for two years in Romania and one year in Italy, while attending college.

OTHER INFLUENCES ON SPEECH: N/A

The text used in our recordings of scripted speech can be found by clicking here.

RECORDED BY: Haseeb Fazily

DATE OF RECORDING (DD/MM/YYYY): 18/09/2026

PHONETIC TRANSCRIPTION OF SCRIPTED SPEECH: N/A

TRANSCRIBED BY: N/A

DATE OF TRANSCRIPTION (DD/MM/YYYY): N/A

ORTHOGRAPHIC TRANSCRIPTION OF UNSCRIPTED SPEECH:

Well, I was born near Gjirokastër. I’ve lived here for at least 18 years in the beginning of — since the beginning of my life. Then I went to study in Romania for like two years. Then I dropped out. Then I came back in Albania, in my hometown, which is Gjirokastër. So I’ve basically lived my whole life in Albania near the south, so let’s say …

Then, then I have traveled like a student-exchange semester in Spain and, uh, my last year of bachelor’s, which I did it in Italy. So, but, but to say, I’ve seen Albania change quite a lot since I was, I was of little age, and, uh, it has changed in tremendous ways. So, for example, if you compare it with 10 years ago, everything, everything has basically changed: the salaries, maybe the mentality of people, the cost of living, etc.

[Subject speaks Albanian, also known as Shqip]: Përshëndetje. Unë kam jetuar … kam lindur afër qytetit të Gjirokastrës dhe shumicën e jetës sime e kam kaluar përgjatë qytetit të Gjirokastrës, i cili është edhe qyteti im bazë, le të themi. Kam jetuar në Gjirokastër fillimisht 18 vitet e para të jetës sime, derisa mbarova gjimnazin. Më pas, kam jetuar dy vite në Rumani, më pas një semestër e kam bërë në Spanjë, dhe derisa … pra vitin e fundit në Itali. Përgjatë gjithë këtyre … gjatë gjithë kësaj kohe e kam parë Shqipërinë të ndryshojë jashtëzakonisht shumë, duke filluar që nga kostoja e jetesës, rrogat, dhe shumë … ndoshta edhe mentaliteti i njerëzve. Ajo …

Unë jam fëmijë i vetëm. Babai im zotëron një dyqan të vogël, ndërsa mamaja ime është mësuese. Kam mbaruar … sapo mbarova në fakt studimet për bachelor, menaxhim digjital, edhe mezi pres që të vazhdoj për studimet master.

[English translation: Hello! My life began near the city of Gjirokastër. I spent most of my life throughout Gjirokastër, which you could call my hometown. I lived there for my first 18 years, right up until I graduated from high school. After that, I spent two years living in Romania, completed a study semester in Spain, and spent time in Italy over the past year. Throughout these years, I have watched Albania undergo massive changes, from the cost of living and average salaries to the overall mindset of the people.

I am an only child. My father runs a small shop, and my mother works as a teacher. I actually just finished my bachelor’s degree in digital management, and I’m really looking forward to starting my master’s studies.]

TRANSCRIBED BY: Haseeb Fazily

DATE OF TRANSCRIPTION (DD/MM/YYYY): 19/09/2026

PHONETIC TRANSCRIPTION OF UNSCRIPTED SPEECH: N/A

TRANSCRIBED BY: N/A

DATE OF TRANSCRIPTION (DD/MM/YYYY): N/A

SCHOLARLY COMMENTARY: N/A

COMMENTARY BY: N/A

DATE OF COMMENTARY (DD/MM/YYYY): N/A

The archive provides:

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• Text of the speakers’ biographical details.

• Scholarly commentary and analysis in some cases.

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