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What are the two main dialects of the Albanian language?

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The two principal dialects of the Albanian language are:

  • Gheg: Spoken primarily in the north, this dialect is separated from the southern variety roughly by the Shkumbin River.1
  • Tosk: Spoken in the south, this dialect serves as the basis for the modern standard Albanian language.1

While these dialects have been diverging for at least a millennium, their less extreme forms remain mutually intelligible.1