The Carl Beck Papers in Russian & Matthew C. Curtis East European Studies Number 1808 Petar II Petrović Njegoš and Gjergj Fishta: Composers of National Epics The Carl Beck Papers in Russian & East European Studies Number 1808 Matthew C. Curtis Petar II Petrović Njegoš and Gjergj Fishta: Composers of National Epics Matthew C. Curtis holds an M.A. in Russian and East European Studies, special- izing in Balkan Literatures from Indiana University’s Russian and East European Institute, and a B.A. in linguistics from Brigham Young University. He is currently a linguistics Ph.D. student in the department of Slavic and East European Languages and Literatures at The Ohio State University. His interests include Balkan, compara- tive, and historical linguistics, social linguistics, language standardization, religion, and issues of national identity in language and literature. His fi rst experiences with Balkan languages and cultures came as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, when he stayed in Albania from 1999-2001. Matthew Curtis continues a lifetime engagement with people from all over the Balkans and their languages and cultures. He lives in Columbus, Ohio with his wife Barbie and their children. He may be contacted at
[email protected]. No. 1808, October 2007 © 2007 by The Center for Russian and East European Studies, a program of the University Center for International Studies, University of Pittsburgh ISSN 0889-275X Image from cover: “Ringjallje”-Acrylic on canvas, 80x98 cm. Xhevahir Kolgjini, 1991. The Carl Beck Papers Editors: William Chase, Bob Donnorummo, Ronald H. Linden Managing Editor: Eileen O’Malley Editorial Assistant: Vera Dorosh Sebulsky Submissions to The Carl Beck Papers are welcome.