By: Rami Memushaj

On Sunday afternoon my wife and I sat down to drink some tea.

Since it was very quiet we felt deaf, I opened the TV to channel two, where we watch Top Channel.

At that moment, a text appeared on the screen that we could not read because we were wearing glasses, but also because the text seemed to disappear.

My wife, who does not know English, read "Heshes on top", yes, not understanding anything, she gave up deciphering the text.

And I, who know a little English, read "Heshe's on Top", ie.

"Heshe is on Top".

I thought HESHE would be a foreign singer invited to that show.

But when I saw our girls come on stage, I realized that HESHE was not a singer's name.

What was it?

I went back to the text.

After concentrating, I noticed that the first syllable was separated from the second by a slash.

Aha, I caught it: HE / SHE is "he / she", so "He / she is on Top",

dmth.

Albanian "He / she is on Top (Channel?)".

After translating the text to my friend, she said, "How can I and anyone who does not know English understand the titles in this language?"

This remark of hers prompted me to sit down to write these lines, in the hope that those who use foreign names will read it and reflect (?!).

I opened a document on my cell phone where I wrote down many of these titles in English, which hold many of our television programs, especially Top Channel, which ranks first for the obsession with using English show titles.

And, I found the following names of his programs: A.live.Night, Big Brother (instead of "Big Brother", if we follow the example of countries that have respect for their language, such as Italians, which say "Grande Fratello"), Balkan Project, Black History, Breaking News (instead of "Latest News"), a title copied from Anglo-Saxon television;

High Albania, Horseback Riding, Inside Story, Just Dance, On - Melody Tv, Top Story, Wake Up (instead of "Zgjohu",

English program titles use, albeit less, other televisions, such as the Aldo Moring Show and the Info Weekend on Klan television;

Dance with the Stars "Vizion Plus-i" etc.

Such names which are not understood by viewers who do not know English, leave a bad taste even to those who know this language, because they give the impression of running after the foreigner and imitating or copying it.

The authors of these names, with a little effort and in consultation with linguistic institutions, could have given them in Albanian.

And we believe that, by giving it in Albanian, the interest and the number of viewers for these shows will increase.

For someone who does not know English, "Breaking News" says nothing, while "Latest News" arouses curiosity to see what happened.

The disease of xenomania has especially affected television journalism, but not only that.

Institutions and even business owners are infected with this disease of using English words and word order as in English.

Thus, the stadium of Tirana is called "Air Albania Stadium";

Rinas airport is called "Tirana International Airport";

the port terminals of Durrës and Vlora are called respectively "Durrësi Terminal", "Vlora Terminal";

Tirana Industrial Park is called "Tirana Industrial Park" (and, if this logic were followed, the names of all Albanian companies and enterprises would have to be written in English!).

Indeed, the stadium of Tirana for commercial reasons is called "Air Albania", but why the word "stadium" to be placed behind and written "Air Albania Stadium" as in English, when in Albanian is needed the stadium "Air Albania"?

This stadium was built for Albanians and Albanians enjoy the second name, because it is in the nature of Albanian to draw the suffix in quotation marks after the word that defines;

as for the foreigners who will have to watch matches in this stadium, they will have no difficulty in orienting themselves and grasping the meaning of the name which is more Albanian.

Other similar names do not have to be in English only.

They must be Albanian and under them the English name.

So, at the beginning "Tirana International Airport" and below it the English name.

Also should be written in Albanian at the top "Durrës Terminal",

“Vlora terminal and below them the English name.

This practice is followed by many other countries, where the English name comes down to the local language name.

The mania of using foreign names instead of Albanian ones has also affected commercial and service units.

For example, in the signs of shops in the alleys of Tirana, where 99 percent, if not one hundred percent of customers are Albanians, you see "Underwear" written, instead of "Underwear";

cafes are called "Coffee shops" and not cafes;

the corners are called "Tobacco shop" (although they do not sell only cigarettes) and not "Kinkaleri";

the places where you eat on foot, are called "Fast Food" and not "Instant food", "Pjekurina" or "Breakfast";

hairdressers are called "Barber shop" etc.

In the units where the currency is exchanged, it is written "Money ecxhange" and very rarely it is given as a second name "Foreign exchange" or "Exchange", when the opposite should have happened: the Albanian name should be given first, and the foreigner the second.

Endless examples of names in English or other languages ​​can only be seen as evidence of the foolishness of ignoring the mother tongue and turning unnecessarily to foreign languages ​​and as a sign of a tendency to surrender the mother tongue, in order to look modern, the trend.

The English names of programs, institutions, business units go against the need of ordinary people to hear Albanian and understand what is written, because, after all, the language is used to communicate and communication in the mother tongue facilitates the understanding of the speaker. simple.

The use of foreign names not only makes it difficult or hinders the grasp of the content of the message they convey, but also has negative consequences on the vocabulary and structure of the language.

First,

paves the way for the use of unnecessary foreign words and names, polluting the Albanian lexicon and the Albanian linguistic environment in general;

second, it adversely affects the syntax of Albanian, introducing word order that is foreign to the nature of our language.

Only a country that is not aware of the value of its language, calls for help a foreign language, be it international.

That the sign of identity is not only the flag, but also the language, which is the connective tissue that unites the limbs of the nation.

Therefore, dear journalists, statesmen and citizens, let us love our language and say enough about xenomania in the field of mother tongue.