Root Language of Albanian: Illyrian

The Albanian language descends directly from Illyrian, an ancient Indo-European language spoken in the western Balkans (modern Albania, Montenegro, Kosovo, parts of Croatia/Serbia/Slovenia) before and during Roman times.

Key Points

• Illyrian is the parent language of Albanian.
• Messapic (extinct, SE Italy) is its closest known relative; both form the Illyric branch of Indo-European.
• Albanian is the sole surviving descendant of this branch.
• Earliest written Albanian: 15th century; language itself much older.
• Heavy Latin, Slavic, Greek, Turkish loanwords, but core grammar/vocabulary is Illyrian-derived.

Thus, Albanian is a linguistic "living fossil" of the Paleo-Balkan group.