Summary
This study examines Albanian and Catholic toponymic layers in the Adriatic and surrounding Balkan regions through comparative historical linguistics. Rather than assuming that Slavic-looking place-names are necessarily Slavic in origin, it compares historical attestations, phonological development, morphology, Albanian lexical parallels, population history, and competing Latin, Romance, Paleo-Balkan, and Slavic explanations.
Particular attention is given to names such as Krute, Paštrovići, Gjenaši, Gjurmani, and Bečići, which may preserve Albanian or Albanian-mediated elements. A separate group, including Risan, Perast, and Katun, is treated as potentially Paleo-Balkan or Albanian-related but not securely Albanian.
The study also identifies a significant Catholic and Latin-Romance layer, represented by names such as Sutomore, Sustjepan, Sumartin, Povljana, Postira, Pučišća, and Barbat. These demonstrate that later Slavic forms can preserve earlier Christian, Latin, or Romance origins without necessarily having an Albanian connection.
The overall approach treats “de-Slavization” as linguistic stratigraphy: reconstructing earlier linguistic layers beneath later forms while distinguishing probable Albanian survivals from possible, Paleo-Balkan, Catholic-Romance, and genuinely Slavic names. This allows Albanian theory to be tested against competing explanations rather than assumed in advance.
Toponyms extracted from the Opcinski Glasnik. mjesecnik “Zadruge opcinskih cinovnika u Dalmaciji” , Volume 1, 1895.
Albanian / Albanian-mediated
Krute — Kryethi – Krytha/Kruta; strongest Albanian candidate.
Paštrovići — Pastro/Pastroje, connected with Albanian pastër “clean”; competing Vlach/Slavic explanations exist.
Gjenaši / Đenaši — related to Albanian Gjeno or Gjin.
Gjurmani / Džurmanj — documented in a historical Catholic-Albanian context; etymology remains uncertain.
Bečići — maybe Albanian/Vlach-Albanian anthroponymic layer.
Katun — connection with Albanian katund.
Risan — ancient Rhizon/Risinium; possible Albanian interpretation, but better classified as Paleo-Balkan rather than securely Albanian.
Perast — maybe Paleo-Balkan/Illyrian substrate.
Catholic / Latin-Christian toponyms
Sutomore / Sutomorje — Sancta Maria , Sutomore.
Sustjepan / Sušćepan — Sanctus Stephanus.
Sumartin — Sanctus Martinus / San Martino.
Sveti Martin — Christian/Latin saint-name.
Sveti Vid / Vid — cult of Saint Vitus.
Povljana — Latin Pauliana.
Postira — Latin pastura.
Pučišća — Latin puteus (“well”).
Barbat — Latin barbatus, Barbato.
Sources
Petar Skok, Etimologijski rječnik hrvatskoga ili srpskoga jezika (1971–1973).
Vladimir Orel, Albanian Etymological Dictionary (1998)
Eqrem Çabej, Studime etimologjike në fushë të shqipes.
Valentin Putanec, “Dva paleolingvistička toponimna prežitka na hrvatskom insulariju: Komiža, Premuda” (1999).
Xhelal Ylli, work on Albanian–Slavic contact.
Noel Malcolm, Kosovo: A Short History (1998).
Opcinski Glasnik. mjesecnik “Zadruge opcinskih cinovnika u Dalmaciji” · Volume 1. 1895.
