Theodore Anastasios Kavalliotis (Greek: Θεόδωρος Αναστασίου Καβαλλιώτης; Aromanian: Teodor Anastasie Cavalioti;[1] Albanian: Theodor Kavalioti,[2] 1718 – 11 August 1789[3]) was a Greek Orthodox priest, teacher and a figure of the Greek Enlightenment.[4] He is also known for having drafted an Aromanian–Greek–Albanian dictionary.[5]
Theodore Kavalliotis | |
---|---|
Born | 1718 |
Died | 1789 |
Occupation(s) | Schoolmaster at the New Academy (Moscopole), Philosopher, Priest |
Early life
Theodoros Anastasiou Kavalliotis was born in Kavala or Moscopole, where he spent most of his life. He has been described variously as either Aromanian or Albanian[6] or Greek.[7] Regardless, Kavalliotis had a Greek identity.[8] He studied in Moscopole and later pursued higher studies in mathematical and philosophical sciences at the Maroutseios college in Ioannina (in 1732-1734), directed by Eugenios Voulgaris.[9]
Working period
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Shkolla-e-voskopojes.jpg/220px-Shkolla-e-voskopojes.jpg)
He returned to Moscopole and was appointed teacher at the New Academy (Greek: Νέα Ακαδημία, romanized: Nea Akadimia) in 1743.[10] In 1750 he succeeded his former teacher Sevastos Leontiadis and became director of the New Academy for more than 20 years (1748–1769).[11] His works, written in Greek, are Logic (1749, unpublished), Physics (1752, unpublished), Grammar of modern Greek (1760), Metaphysics (1767), Protopeiria (1770). They were used extensively and hand-made copies were found even as far as Iaşi, Romania. After the destruction of Moscopole in 1769, he probably went to Tokaj, Hungary, but returned in 1773.[11]
In 1770, he published in Venice, at Antonio Bortoli's printing press, a school textbook, called Protopeiria.[12] Protopeiria is a 104 pages textbook which in pages 15–59 included a trilingual lexicon of 1,170 Greek, Aromanian, and Albanian words.[13] This work aimed at the Hellenization of the non-Greek-speaking Christian communities in the Balkans.[14][15] The lexicon was re-published in 1774 by the Swedish[16] professor Johann Thunmann, who taught at the University of Halle-Wittenberg. Thunmann added a Latin translation to the words in Greek, Aromanian, and Albanian.[17]
Besides Eugenios Voulgaris, he was also influenced by the work of Vikentios Damodos, Methodios Anthrakites, René Descartes, and medieval scholastics.[citation needed]
Kavalliotis couldn't manage to reestablish the destroyed New Academy.[18] During his last months he witnessed another wave of destruction of his home place, in June 1789 by local Muslim lords. Kavalliotis died at August 11, 1789, aged 71.[19]
Sample from the first page of the Lexicon
Ῥωμαίϊκα (Romaic - modern Greek) | Βλάχικα (Vlach - Aromanian) | Ἀλβανίτικα (Albanian) | English translation |
---|---|---|---|
Ἀββᾶς | Ηγούμενου (Igumenu) | Ηγκουμέν (Igumen) | Abbot |
Ἀγαλια | Ανάργα (Anarga) | Γκαντάλε (Ngadalë) | Slowly |
Ἀγαπῶ | Βόη (Voe) | Ντούα (Dua) | (I) Love |
Ἄγγελος | Άγγελου (Aghelu) | Έγγελ (Engjëll) | Angel |
Ἀγγεῖον | Βάσου (Vasu) | Ένᾳ (Enë) | Pot |
Ἀγγίσρι | Γκρέπου (Grepu) | Γκρέπ (Grep) | Fish hook |
Ἀγελάδα | Βάκᾳ (Vaca) | Λιόπᾳ (Lopë) | Cow |
Ἅγιος | Σᾴμτου (Santu) | Σσιέντ (Shenjt) | Saint |
Ἀγκάθι | Σκίνου (Schinu) | Γκιέπ (Gjemb) | Thorn |
Ἀγκάλη | Μπράτζᾳ (Mbrata) | Πουσστίμ (Pushtim) | Embrace |
Ἀγκοῦρι | Καϛραβέτζου (Castravetu) | Κραϛαβέτζ (Kastravec) | Cucumber |
Ἀγκῶνας | Κότου (Cotu) | Μπᾳλλίουλ (Bërryl) | Elbow |
Ἀγνάντια | Καρσσί (Carsi) | Κουντρέ (Kundër) | Opposite |
Works
- Εἰσαγωγὴ εἰς τὰ ὀκτω μέρη τοῦ λόγου. Ἐν Μοσχοπόλει 1760 καὶ Ἑνετίῃσι 1774.
- Ἔπη πρὸς τὸν ἐξαρχικῶν ἐν Μοσχοπόλει ἐπιδημήσαντα Ἰωαννίκιον Χαλκηδόνος ἐν ἔτει 1750 Μαΐου 2.
- Πρωτοπειρία. (Starting out) Ἑνετίῃσιν, 1770. Παρὰ Ἀντωνίῳ τῷ Βόρτολι. Superiorum permissu. Ac privilegio.
References
Sources
- Hetzer, Armin; Roman, Viorel S. (February 1983), Albania, Walter De Gruyter Inc, ISBN 978-3-598-21133-1
- Κεκριδής Ευστάθιος (1989), "Θεόδωρος Αναστασίου Καβαλλιώτης (1718; 1789). Ο Διδάσκαλος του Γένους", Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Doctoral Dissertation), doi:10.12681/eadd/1624, retrieved 2010-09-11
- Lloshi, Xhevat (2008), Rreth Alfabetit te Shqipes, Logos, ISBN 9789989582684