The Todhri alphabet was possibly invented by Theodor Haxhifilipi (1730-1805), who was also known as Dhaskal Todhri ('teacher Todhri'), from Elbasan in Central Albania. Theodor Haxhifilipi was the first person to bring this alphabet to Elbasan. Alternatively, the Todhri alphabet might have been invented by Gregory of Durrës, a teacher at the New Academy of Voskopojë, where Haxhifilipi was a student.
The Todhri script first appeared in writing in a family notebook from Elbasan on 1st January 1780. Older texts exist, however they cannot be dated or confirmed. Todhri burned many of his texts from fear of plague. It also appears in a daybook (radhua hesapesh) of Jakov Popa i Vogël dhe Shokët (Jakov Popa Junior and Friends), a merchant partnership, first on 10th August 1795, and was used until 1797.
The alphabet featured in a number of scholarly works, including those by Johann Georg von Hahn (1811-1869), the Austrian consul in Janina, who discovered it and referred to it as 'the original' Albanian alphabet in his 1854 work, Albanesische Studien. He thought it had developed from the Phoenician alphabet, while Leopold Geitler (1847-1885) thought it was based on Roman cursive and Greek cursive scripts.
The Todhri alphabet was used to a limited extent in the Elbasan area from the late 18th century. It is not ideally suited to writing the Albanian language.
Download an alphabet chart for Todhri (Excel)
Të gjithë njerëzit lindin të lirë dhe të barabartë në dinjitet dhe në të drejta. Ata kanë arsye dhe ndërgjegje dhe duhet të sillen ndaj njëri tjetrit me frymë vëllazërimi.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)
Information about Albanian | Phrases (Gheg) | Phrases (Tosk) | Numbers (Gheg) | Numbers (Tosk) | Tongue twisters | Tower of Babel | Beitha Kukju alphabet | Elbasan alphabet | Todhri alphabet | Vellara alphabet | Veso Bey alphabet | Berati alphabet
Albanian courses on: Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk [affilate links]
Information about the Todhri alphabet
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todhri_alphabet
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theodhor_Haxhifilipi
https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2020/20188r2-n5139r2-todhri.pdf
https://hunterwb.com/albanian
Transliterate between the Latin and Todhri scripts
https://shqip.ee/todhri
A-chik Tokbirim, Adinkra, ADLaM, Armenian, Avestan, Avoiuli, Bactrian, Bassa (Vah), Beitha Kukju, Berati, Beria (Zaghawa), Borama / Gadabuursi, Carian, Carpathian Basin Rovas, Chinuk pipa, Chisoi, Coorgi-Cox, Coptic, Cyrillic, Dalecarlian runes, Elbasan, Etruscan, Faliscan, Fox, Galik, Georgian (Asomtavruli), Georgian (Nuskhuri), Georgian (Mkhedruli), Glagolitic, Global Alphabet, Gothic, Greek, Hurûf-ı munfasıla, Irish (Uncial), Kaddare, Kayah Li, Khatt-i-Badíʼ, Khazarian Rovas, Koch, Korean, Latin, Lepontic, Luo Lakeside Script, Lycian, Lydian, Manchu, Mandaic, Mandombe, Marsiliana, Medefaidrin, Messapic, Mongolian, Mro, Mundari Bani, Nag Chiki, Naasioi Otomaung, N'Ko, North Picene, Novo Tupi, Nyiakeng Puachue Hmong, Odùduwà, Ogham, Old Church Slavonic, Oirat Clear Script, Ol Chiki (Ol Cemet' / Santali), Old Italic, Old Nubian, Old Permic, Ol Onal, Orkhon, Osage, Oscan, Osmanya (Somali), Pau Cin Hau, Phrygian, Pollard script, Quốc âm tân tự, Runic, Székely-Hungarian Rovás (Hungarian Runes), South Picene, Sutton SignWriting, Sunuwar, Tai Viet, Tangsa, Todhri, Toto, Umbrian, (Old) Uyghur, Vellara, Veso Bey, Wancho, Yezidi, Zoulai
Page last modified: 02.02.26
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