Curonian language: Difference between revisions

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Not only Latvian researchers, but the vast majority of specialists considers the language Baltic, notably even the cited source! A few isolated names/lexemes of uncertain etymology, possibly borrowed from Livonian, are irrelevant for origin, see talk
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The '''Curonian language''' ({{lang-de|Kurisch}}; {{lang-lv|kuršu valoda}}; {{lang-lt|kuršių kalba}}) or '''Old Curonian''' is an [[extinct language]] of uncertain origin spoken by the [[Curonians|Curonian]] tribe,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://linguistlist.org/forms/langs/LLDescription.cfm?code=xcu |title=Linguist List - Description of Curonian |work=linguistlist.org |year=2011 [last update] |accessdate=1 December 2011}}</ref> who lived mainly on the [[Courland]] peninsula (now western [[Latvia]]) and along the nearby Baltic shores.
The '''Curonian language''' ({{lang-de|Kurisch}}; {{lang-lv|kuršu valoda}}; {{lang-lt|kuršių kalba}}) or '''Old Curonian''' is an [[extinct language]] spoken by the [[Curonians|Curonian]] tribe,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://linguistlist.org/forms/langs/LLDescription.cfm?code=xcu |title=Linguist List - Description of Curonian |work=linguistlist.org |year=2011 [last update] |accessdate=1 December 2011}}</ref> who lived mainly on the [[Courland]] peninsula (now western [[Latvia]]) and along the nearby Baltic shores.


The language had disappeared by the 17th century, leaving substrata in western dialects of the [[Latvian language|Latvian]] and [[Lithuanian language|Lithuanian]] languages, namely the [[Samogitian dialect]]. No written documents in this language are known, but some ancient Lithuanian texts from western regions show some Curonian influence.
The language disappeared by the 17th century, leaving substrata in western dialects of the [[Latvian language|Latvian]] and [[Lithuanian language|Lithuanian]] languages, namely the [[Samogitian dialect]]. No written documents in this language are known, but some ancient Lithuanian texts from western regions show some Curonian influence.


==Hypotheses of Finnic origin==
==Origin==


As almost nothing of the old Curonian language remains, it is not clear what language family it belongs in. Some authors such as [[Edgar V. Saks]] and Eduard Vääri have pointed out several Curonian words and names which are clearly of [[Finnic languages|Finnic]] origin. For example, a treaty from 1230 calls Curonian administrative divisions ''kiligunden'' (''kihelkond'' in [[Estonian language|Estonian]]) and Curonian army ''[[Malev (military unit)|maleva]]''. The elder who signed the treaty was named Lammechinus (resp. [[Lemminkäinen]]). Self-denomination of Curonians, ''kure'', means '[[Grus (genus)|grus]]' in Estonian.<ref>[[Edgar V. Saks]]. ''Aestii''. 1960. p. 116.</ref><ref>Edgar V. Saks. ''Eesti viikingid''. 2005. p. 31–34.</ref><ref>Eduard Vääri, [http://www.suri.ee/hs/vaari.html EESTLASTE TUTVUMINE HÕIMURAHVASTEGA JA NENDE KEELTEGA KUNI 1918. AASTANI]</ref>
As almost nothing of the old Curonian language remains, it is not clear what language family it belongs in. Some authors such as [[Edgar V. Saks]] and Eduard Vääri have pointed out several Curonian words and names which are clearly of [[Finnic languages|Finnic]] origin. For example, a treaty from 1230 calls Curonian administrative divisions ''kiligunden'' (''kihelkond'' in [[Estonian language|Estonian]]) and Curonian army ''[[Malev (military unit)|maleva]]''. The elder who signed the treaty was named Lammechinus (resp. [[Lemminkäinen]]). Self-denomination of Curonians, ''kure'', means '[[Grus (genus)|grus]]' in Estonian.<ref>[[Edgar V. Saks]]. ''Aestii''. 1960. p. 116.</ref><ref>Edgar V. Saks. ''Eesti viikingid''. 2005. p. 31–34.</ref><ref>Eduard Vääri, [http://www.suri.ee/hs/vaari.html EESTLASTE TUTVUMINE HÕIMURAHVASTEGA JA NENDE KEELTEGA KUNI 1918. AASTANI]</ref>

Latvian researchers typically consider the Curonian language [[Baltic languages|Baltic]].


==Revival==
==Revival==

Revision as of 18:51, 24 April 2012

This article is about the old Curonian language. For New Curonian, see Kursenieki § Language.
Old Curonian
Kursenieku valoda
Native toLatvia, Lithuania, Germany
Extinct14-17th century
Language codes
ISO 639-3xcu

The Curonian language (German: Kurisch; Latvian: kuršu valoda; Lithuanian: kuršių kalba) or Old Curonian is an extinct language spoken by the Curonian tribe,[1] who lived mainly on the Courland peninsula (now western Latvia) and along the nearby Baltic shores.

The language disappeared by the 17th century, leaving substrata in western dialects of the Latvian and Lithuanian languages, namely the Samogitian dialect. No written documents in this language are known, but some ancient Lithuanian texts from western regions show some Curonian influence.

Hypotheses of Finnic origin

As almost nothing of the old Curonian language remains, it is not clear what language family it belongs in. Some authors such as Edgar V. Saks and Eduard Vääri have pointed out several Curonian words and names which are clearly of Finnic origin. For example, a treaty from 1230 calls Curonian administrative divisions kiligunden (kihelkond in Estonian) and Curonian army maleva. The elder who signed the treaty was named Lammechinus (resp. Lemminkäinen). Self-denomination of Curonians, kure, means 'grus' in Estonian.[2][3][4]

Revival

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Baltic states saw a revival of scientific and cultural interest in the extinct Baltic languages and tribes, including Yotvingian, Curonian, and Old Prussian. An example is the documentary film Tarp 8 vėjų ("Amidst 8 Winds") by Arturas Barysas, about the decline of the Curonian language.

Grammar

Main article: Curonian grammar

The Curonian language was a highly inflected and archaic language. Its grammar is reconstructed based on Latvian, Lithuanian and Old Prussian grammars and known Curonian place-names and New Curonian texts and vocabulary.

References

  1. ^ "Linguist List - Description of Curonian". linguistlist.org. 2011 [last update]. Retrieved 1 December 2011. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |year= (help)
  2. ^ Edgar V. Saks. Aestii. 1960. p. 116.
  3. ^ Edgar V. Saks. Eesti viikingid. 2005. p. 31–34.
  4. ^ Eduard Vääri, EESTLASTE TUTVUMINE HÕIMURAHVASTEGA JA NENDE KEELTEGA KUNI 1918. AASTANI

Literature

  • Ambrassat, August "Die Provinz Ostpreußen", Frankfurt/ Main 1912
  • Endzelin, J.: Über die Nationalität und Sprache der Kuren, in Finnisch-Ungarische Forschungen, XII, 1912
  • Gaerte, Wilhelm "Urgeschichte Ostpreussens", Königsberg 1929
  • Gimbutas, Marija "Die Balten", München-Berlin 1983
  • Kurschat, Heinrich A.: Das Buch vom Memelland, Siebert Oldenburg 1968
  • Kwauka, Paul, Pietsch, Richard: Kurisches Wörterbuch, Verlag Ulrich Camen Berlin, 1977, ISBN 3-921515-03-3
  • Kwauka, Paul: Namen des Memellandes/ Unsere „fremdartigen“ Familiennamen, Archiv AdM, Oldenburg
  • Lepa, Gerhard (Hrsg) "Die Schalauer", Tolkemita-Texte Dieburg 1997
  • Mortensen, Hans und Gertrud "Die Besiedlung des nordöstlichen Ostpreußens bis zum Beginn des 17. Jahrhunderts", Leipzig 1938
  • Mortensen, Hans und Gertrud: Kants väterliche Ahnen und ihre Umwelt, Rede von 1952 in Jahrbuch der Albertus-Universität zu Königsberg / Pr., Holzner- Verlag Kitzingen/ Main 1953 Bd. 3
  • Peteraitis, Vilius: Mažoji Lietuva ir Tvanksta (Lithuania Minor and Tvanksta) Vilnius 1992
  • Pietsch, Richard (künstlerischer Entwurf und Text): Bildkarte rund um das Kurische Haff, Heimat-Buchdienst Georg Banszerus, Höxter, Herstellung: Neue Stalling, Oldenburg
  • Pietsch, Richard: Deutsch-Kurisches Wörterbuch, Verlag Nordostdeutsches Kulturwerk Lüneburg 1991, ISBN 3-922296-60-2
  • Pietsch, Richard: Fischerleben auf der Kurischen Nehrung dargestellt in kurischer und deutscher Sprache, Verlag Ulrich Camen Berlin 1982
  • Schmid, Wolfgang P. (Hrg): Nehrungskurisch, Sprachhistorische und instrumentalphonetische Studien zu einem aussterbenden Dialekt, Stuttgart 1989
  • Schmid, Wolfgang P.: Das Nehrungskurische, ein sprachhistorischer Überblick
  • Tolksdorf, Ulrich "Fischerei und Fischerkultur in Ostpreußen", Heide/ Holstein 1991
  • Žadeikiene, Daiva, Krajinskas, Albertas: Kurenkahnwimpel, ISBN 9986-830-63-X
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