Lithuanian language

History

Lithuanian still retains many of the original peculiarities of phonetics and nominal morphology of the prototypical Indo-European language and has therefore been the focus of much study in the area of Indo-European linguistics. Evidence suggests the existence of a Balto-Slavic language group after the breakup of Proto-Indo-European, with the Slavic and Baltic languages then splitting perhaps around the 10th century BC. However, this is still disputed by some linguists and, for reasons of nationalism, many Lithuanians. While the possession of many archaic features is undeniable, the exact manner by which the Baltic languages have developed from the Proto-Indo-European language is not clear.

Related Topics:
Indo-European language - Indo-European - Balto-Slavic - 10th century BC

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The Eastern Baltic languages split from the Western Baltic ones (or, perhaps, from the hypothetic proto-Baltic language) between 400 and 600. The differentiation between Lithuanian and Latvian started after 800, with a long period of being one language but different dialects. At a minimum, transitional dialects existed until the 14th century or 15th century, and perhaps as late as the 17th century. As well, the 13th and 14th centuries occupation of the western part of the Daugava basin (almost coinciding with the territory of modern Latvia) by German Sword Brethren had a significant influence on the languages' independent development.

Related Topics:
400 - 600 - 800 - 14th century - 15th century - 17th century - 13th - Daugava - Latvia - German - Sword Brethren

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The earliest-known written Lithuanian text is a hymnal translation from 1545. Printed books exist from 1547, but the level of literacy among Lithuanians was low through the 18th century and books were not commonly available. In 1864, following the January Uprising, Mikhail Nikolayevich Muravyov, Governor General of Lithuania, instituted a complete ban on the use of the Latin alphabet and education and printed matter in Lithuanian. Books written using the Latin alphabet continued to be printed across the border in East Prussia and in the United States. Smuggled into the country despite stiff prison sentences, they helped fuel growing nationalist sentiment that finally led to the lifting of the ban in 1904. Lithuanian has been the official language of Lithuania since 1918. During the Soviet period (see History of Lithuania), it was used in official affairs alongside Russian which, as the official language of the USSR, took precedence over Lithuanian.

Related Topics:
1545 - 1547 - 18th century - 1864 - January Uprising - Mikhail Nikolayevich Muravyov - Alphabet - East Prussia - United States - 1904 - 1918 - History of Lithuania - Russian - USSR

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