| Theodore Kavalliotis | |
| Birth Date: | 1718 |
| Birth Place: | Moscopole, Ottoman Empire (modern Albania) or Kavala, Ottoman Empire (modern Greece) |
| Death Date: | 1789 |
| Death Place: | Moscopole, Ottoman Empire (modern Albania) |
| Occupation: | Schoolmaster at the New Academy (Moscopole), Philosopher, Priest |
Theodore Anastasios Kavalliotis (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Θεόδωρος Αναστασίου Καβαλλιώτης; Aromanian; Arumanian; Macedo-Romanian: 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]
Theodoros Anastasiou Kavalliotis was born in Kavala or Moscopole, where he spent most of his life. He has been described variously as either Aromanian, 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]
He returned to Moscopole and was appointed teacher at the New Academy (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Νέα Ακαδημία|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director of the New Academy for more than 20 years (1748–1769).[11] His works, written in Greek, are: Logic (1749, unpublished), Physics (1752, unpublished), Grammar of modern Greek (1760), Metaphysics (1767), Protopeiria (1770).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.
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]
| Ῥωμαίϊκα (Romaic - modern Greek) | Βλάχικα (Vlach - Aromanian) | Ἀλβανίτικα (Albanian) | English translation | (Daco-)Romanian translation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ἀββᾶς | Ηγούμενου (Igumenu) | Ηγκουμέν (Igumen) | Abbot | Egumen, abate, stareț | |
| Ἀγαλια | Ανάργα (Anarga) | Γκαντάλε (Ngadalë) | Slowly | Încet, lent | |
| Ἀγαπῶ | Βόη (Voe) | Ντούα (Dua) | (I) Love | Iubesc | |
| Ἄγγελος | Άγγελου (Aghelu) | Έγγελ (Engjëll) | Angel | Înger | |
| Ἀγγεῖον | Βάσου (Vasu) | Ένᾳ (Enë) | Pot | Vas | |
| Ἀγγίσρι | Γκρέπου (Grepu) | Γκρέπ (Grep) | Fish hook | Cârlig | |
| Ἀγελάδα | Βάκᾳ (Vaca) | Λιόπᾳ (Lopë) | Cow | Vacă | |
| Ἅγιος | Σᾴμτου (Santu) | Σσιέντ (Shenjt) | Saint | S(f)ânt | |
| Ἀγκάθι | Σκίνου (Schinu) | Γκιέπ (Gjemb) | Thorn | Ghimpe | |
| Ἀγκάλη | Μπράτζᾳ (Mbrata) | Πουσστίμ (Pushtim) | Embrace | Îmbrățișare | |
| Ἀγκοῦρι | Καϛραβέτζου (Castravetu) | Κραϛαβέτζ (Kastravec) | Cucumber | Castravete | |
| Ἀγκῶνας | Κότου (Cotu) | Μπᾳλλίουλ (Bërryl) | Elbow | Cot | |
| Ἀγνάντια | Καρσσί (Carsi) | Κουντρέ (Kundër) | Opposite | Opus, diferit |