Vedat Kokona (August 8, 1913 – October 14, 1998) was an Albanian translator, writer and lexicologist of the 20th century, well known for his dual dictionaries English-Albanian and French-Albanian and his contributions in Albanian lexicology and

lexicography Lexicography is the study of lexicons, and is divided into two separate academic disciplines. It is the art of compiling dictionaries. * Practical lexicography is the art or craft of compiling, writing and editing dictionaries. * Theoreti ...

Early life

Kokona was born on August 8, 1913, in Izmir, Ottoman Empire, to an Albanian intellectual family, originating from Gjirokastra, Albania. His father, Elmaz, was a lawyer and a judge of the Ottoman Empire. Upon the family moving to Albania in 1920, he followed the primary school in Tirana. He finished in 1935 the Albanian National

lyceum The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies among countries; usually it is a type of secondary school. Generally in that type of school the t ...

of Korca, then pursued higher studies in law in Paris, France.

Teaching years

After his law studies Kokona was appointed to the Civil Court of Kruja, which office he did not accept. Subsequently, he was appointed as a teacher of Albanian in the Lyceum of Korca. There, Kokona was distinguished as a gifted teacher. Subsequently, in the early 1940s he was appointed at the Gymnasium of Tirana. During the fascist invasion, when Kokona worked as a teacher, he was required to spy on the students and to deal with work that he could not accept due to his principles and character. This was the reason why he felt that he had to resign from the teaching profession. After

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

he went back to the Gymnasium of Tirana, now "Qemal Stafa" High School. In 1949 he was appointed as an editor and translator in the publishing house "Naim Frasheri" and as a professor of French at the University of Tirana, where he taught until retirement.

Work

Vedat Kokona devoted most of life and work to French language. He was one of the best lexicologues of this language. He worked on and published different French-Albanian and Albanian-French dictionaries and also English-Albanian dictionaries. His first dictionary was published in 1932. His last dictionary is a 40-thousand words work. He is one of the most important Albanian authors in lexicology and lexicography. Kokona is one of the most renowned translators from French, Italian, English and Russian. He has made significant contributions in translation of poetry and prose by translating about 15,000 verses from the poetry of the world into Albanian.Saga e Forsajtve By John Galsworthy, Vedat Kokona "Naim Frasher" 1969
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Recognition

Vedat Kokona holds numerous titles, orders and decorations. He holds a PhD "Honoris causa" from the

University of Tirana The University of Tirana ( sq, Universiteti i Tiranës, abbreviated UT) is a public university located at the central borough of Tirana 10 in Tirana, Albania. It was established as the ''State University of Tirana'' in 1957 through merging of f ...

and also is Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters, and Officer of the Order of the Academic Palms, two orders of chivalry, awarded by the French Government.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kokona, Vedat 1913 births 1998 deaths French–Albanian translators Italian–Albanian translators English–Albanian translators Russian–Albanian translators Albanian translators 20th-century Albanian writers 20th-century translators People from İzmir Albanian National Lyceum alumni Emigrants from the Ottoman Empire Immigrants to Albania