The Albanian language, an Indo-European langage, is among the oldest in Europe and the world and is spoken by by around 5 million people who are mainly in and around the Balkans. Interestingly, Albanian has its own "branch" in the Indo-European family tree, meaning it cannot conclusively be related to any other Indo-European language. While the language itself is quite old, mention of the Albanian people appears relatively late, with the earliest known unarguable reference to this group of people dating to the 11th Century. The first mentions of the Albanian language occur in the 13th Century. In the 14th Century, Albanian texts are mentioned as well. 

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The language that is primarily spoken in Albania, Kosovo, and parts of neighboring countries. Its roots trace back to the Illyrian and Thracian languages, which were spoken in the region before the spread of Latin during the Roman Empire. Over time, the language developed into distinct dialects, with the two main ones being Gheg (spoken in the north) and Tosk (spoken in the south). Albanian remained relatively isolated, preserving many archaic features of Indo-European languages. During the Middle Ages, the language absorbed influences from Latin, Greek, Slavic, and Turkish, reflecting the political and cultural changes in the region.

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The Albanian language's standardization began in the 20th century. In 1908, the Congress of Monastir established the basis for a unified alphabet, which was later solidified during the establishment of the Albanian state. After Albania's independence in 1912, the language underwent further modernization, with a significant focus on improving literacy rates and standardizing grammar. In the late 20th century, Albania's isolation under communist rule had an impact on the language's development, but post-communism saw the language grow in prominence both domestically and internationally. Today, Albanian is recognized as a key language in the Balkans, with a rich literary tradition and a growing influence within global Albanian diaspora communities.​