Dialects of Polish

The Polish dialects are divided into linguistic tradition into seven groups, each group dialect of the Polish language is mainly associated with a particular geographical region. The dialects (Polish: dialect ) are further subdivided into subdialects, called Gwara or region. At least since the second half of the 20th century, there is a strong tendency to unify the Polish language, which is partially a result of the mass migration process after the Second World War. Nevertheless, the standard Polish is still spoken somewhat different in the various regions of the country, although the differences between the dialects compared with German dialects are weak. Dialects prepare the poles usually no difficulty in mutual understanding, and non-native speakers are not often able to distinguish readily between them.

5.1 Breakdown by certain characteristics
5.2 Grammatical features of the main dialect groups

7.1 See also
7.2 Literature
7.3 External links

History of Polish dialects

Prehistory

The old Polish dialects were divided in the 8th and 9th centuries from only from the pre-Slavic and then from the western Slavic unity. They formed against the background vorpiastischer ethnic and linguistic collections, which corresponded to the territories and arrangements former tribal cultural centers. Thus, the Polish language was not uniform early in their history and it formed within the tribal boundaries five dialect groups, which can be assigned to specific river basins:

The Kashubian dialects attributed to the Pomeranians and the rivers Radaune in the eastern part of East Pomerania, and in the adjacent areas of the upper stream area ( Radunia ), heel ( Wierzyca ), Black Water ( Wda ) and Brahe ( Brda ) spoken. They range up to the line Danzig- Konitz.
The Masovian dialects are descended from the Masowiern and Mazury and are spoken in the central basin of the Vistula. The range extends from the lower basin at Pilitza ( Pilicą ) over the rivers Radomka, lower Wieprz, lower Bzury to the current field of Skrwa, which in its propagation, the areas of the lower Drewenz ( Dręca ) Ossa ( Osa ), heel ( Wierzyca ) nogat, Passarge ( Pasłęka ), includes all ( Łyna ) and Memel ( Niemen ).
The great Polish dialects lead back to the West Slavic language that was once spoken by the Polans. These dialects are found in the middle and lower basin of the Warta river ( Warta ). These include the rivers Prosna, Obra, Wełna ( right tributary of the Warta ) and networks ( Noteć ). The dialect area extends further to the adjacent river basins of the lower Bzury, lower Drewenz ( Dręca ), Black Water ( Wda ) and Brahe ( Brda ).
The small Polish dialects attributed to the Vistulans and are spoken in the upper basin of the Vistula (Wisła ). Little Polish is considered the most numerous dialect group and of the current areas of Sola ( Soła ) and Przemsa extends ( Przemsza ) on the average current areas of Pilitza ) ( Pilicą ) and Wieprz up to the adjacent upper basin of Arwa ( Orava ).
The Silesian dialects derived from the Slavic tribes of the Slensanen from and have been used recently in the Upper Silesia region in the current area of the Oder ( Odra ) spoken, from the current field of Olsa ( Olza ) to the headwaters of the Vistula and Kischütz ( Kysuca )

Dialect development in the Polish State

During the Polish state formation in the year 1000 began with the translation of religious texts and sermons systematic recording of the not yet written Polish. A first Polish spelling it was in the 13th century. Until the development of the Polish literary language in the 15th and 16th centuries, while the Polish dialects formed the basic shape for the communication of all social classes - with the exception of that intellectual elite. Educated layers such as the clergy, aristocratic officers, part of the nobility and the wealthy bourgeoisie used from the 16th century, a common Polish language. There is here no consensus on what basis the Polish literary language based: either large Polish, as in the 10th and 11th centuries, Great Poland, the central area of the church and Gniezno was the first capital of Poland. Or Little Polish since 1038 the capital was moved to Kraków and lay there for several centuries the Polish center of culture, literature and education. Also Mazovian had influence on the Polish language common after Warsaw in 1596, the new capital of Poland was. The single common Polish language was spoken by more and more layers, so that the Polish dialects were gradually pushed back from about 1600 and developed the language of the common people. Between the common Polish language and the dialects of the people always greater differences stood out during this period. It began to emerge in both the main and city dialects.

During the partitions of Poland in 1772 went for about 150 years of the trans-regional character of language once more into the background, although the Polish language just at this time was a unifying element for Poland and from the mid-19th century, more and more workers less dialect spoke. As of 1918, the Polish lost the reborn Polish state further standardization, which was still driven by the structure of the school system. Rural exodus and the nation-wide dissemination of mass media (press, radio, and later television) have ensured, at least since the 1960s that fade the historically shaped dialects of the people.

Traditional layout with selected dialects

Great Polish dialects

Krajnaer dialect ( Gwara krajniacka )
Tucholaer dialect ( Gwara Tucholska )
Kociewier dialect ( Gwara kociewska )
Chelmno ( Vistula ) Dobrzyńska dialect ( Gwara chełmińsko - Dobrzyńska )
Kujawischer dialect ( Gwara Kujawska )
Chojno dialect ( Gwara chazacka )

Mazowiecki dialects

Podlachisch - Suwałkier dialect ( Gwara podlasko - Suwalska )
Ermländischer dialect ( Gwara Warmińska )
Kurpier dialect ( Gwara Kurpiowska )
Masurian dialect ( Gwara Mazurska )
Malbork Löbauer dialect ( Gwara malborsko - Lubawska )
Ostródaer dialect ( Gwara Ostródzka )
Warsaw dialect ( Gwara warszawska )

Small Polish dialects

Łowicz dialect ( Gwara Łowicka )
Sieradz - Łęczycaer dialect ( Gwara sieradzko - Łęczycka )
Dialects of Kielce Bergland ( Gwary świętokrzyskie ) that are often associated with the ancient tribe of the Lendizen
Grębówer dialect ( Gwara lasowska )
Orawischer dialect ( Gwara Orawska )
Zipser dialect ( Gwara Spiska )
Goralisch ( Gwara góralska ), a transitional dialect from Slovak to Polish, often with the Podhalischen dialect ( Gwara Podhalańska ) is equated

Kashubian language ( Kaszubski Język, dialect Kaszubski ) - refers to the language that is spoken in the region of Pomerania descendants of Pomeranen. However, if today officially recognized as a language.

Slowinski language ( Gwara Słowińska ) died out in the 20th century. Whether it can be considered a separate language or a dialect of Kashubian, is debatable.

Silesian ( dialect śląski ) - again, there are efforts to recognize the independent languages.

Central dialects ( Dialekty centralne ) include Pyskowice and the circles powiat Rybnicki and powiat Mikołowski.
Silesian- small Polish border dialects ( Dialekty Pogranicza Śląsko - małopolskiego ) include Katowice, Tychy and the powiat Pszczyński.
Gliwice - Opoler border dialects ( Dialekty Pogranicza gliwicko - opolskiego ) include the circles powiat tarnogórski and powiat Lubliniecki.
North Silesian dialects ( Dialekty Północne ) include the circle powiat Raciborski east of the Oder.
Lachische language ( Język laski ), also Lašsko dialects ( Dialekty laskie ) or Lašsko dialects ( Gwary laskie ) called, is a transition between the Polish and the Czech language and includes the area of Pietrowice Wielkie and Kranowitz ( southwestern part of the Powiats Raciborski ).
The dialect Kobylorzy covers the area Strzelce, Kamien Slaski and Kotlarnia
Namslauer dialect ( dialect Namysłowski ) east of Namyslów (without the City Region)
Sycówer dialect ( dialect sycowski ) east of Sycow (excluding the city)
Teschen dialects ( Gwara Cieszyńska, Slask Cieszyński ) dialect from Cieszyn Silesia
Niederschlesisch ( Dolnośląski ) is spoken in Lower Silesia, the western part of Silesia

The following two dialects are also summarized under the term Ostpolnisch and are available in many areas due to the loss of the former Polish eastern territories ( Kresy ) threatened with extinction.

Północnokresowy ( " northeast edge Polish " ) is spoken in the north-eastern border areas and mostly still of the Polish minority in Lithuania and Belarus.

Białystok dialect ( Gwara Białostocka )
Lithuanian Polish ( Polszczyzna Litewska ) and Vilnius dialect ( Gwara Wileńska ) with Lithuanian and Belarusian features.
Suwałki dialect ( Gwara Suwalska )

Półudniowokresowy ( " southeast edge Polish " ) is spoken in south-eastern border areas and considered as descendants of a Pidgin Polish and Old Ruthenian language.

Lviv dialect ( Gwara Lwowska ) with Austrian and Ukrainian features

New mixed dialects

As a new mixed dialects ( Nowe dialekty mieszane ) is called dialects that emerged after the Second World War in the former German territories were inhabited by Poles and Lemken from the East. The linguistic situation in these areas is uneven. While there is no obvious clustering of certain dialect features, but can be found in the cities, for example in Wroclaw to Lviv dialect, in addition to features from the Polish heartland also those of the eastern Polish dialects Pólnocnokresowe and Południowokresowe. Since there differed greatly linguistically the population, replacing the so-called " recovered " areas, the standard Polish very quickly the regional dialects and made as an informal communication possible.

Polish dialects abroad

Polish dialects abroad act as an extension of the dialects of the current territory of the Republic of Poland only in the Czech Republic and in Slovakia. This mainly includes the Teschen dialects ( gwary cieszyńskie ), the dialects gwary czadeckie, the Orawische dialect ( gwary orawskie ) and Zipser dialects ( gwary Spiskie ).

Larger and smaller Polish language clusters emerged in the former Polish border areas in the east, that is, in present-day Belarus, Lithuania and Latvia ( former Polish northern edge ), in Ukraine ( former Polish southern edge ), and as a result of deportations to Kazakhstan and Russia, where in particular in Siberia. Polish dialects of settlers, mainly from the former Galicia, remained as in Romania ( Bukovina, Moldavia ), Hungary ( Istvánmajor, a district of Emőd ) and in Turkey ( Polonezköy ) was obtained. Some features of the dialects have been preserved also in the language of Polish immigrants who emigrated to Western Europe and America. In English-speaking countries, the standard Polish mingled with the English language to a new hybrid language that Ponglisch is called.

All Polish dialects abroad were more or less intensely influenced by the strange features. The fastest way to get rid of the emigrants latest generation of their regional dialect features. The probability that dialects are maintained abroad, is greatest when the speaker in Polish-language collections come in spite of external influences from the former settlements of ethnically non-Polish territories of border or former territories of the Polish state.

Dialectal Special Features

In terms of vocabulary, syntax, pronunciation and morphology exist in every dialect features that differ from the standard Polish. An example is the existing in different regions of Poland pronunciation of nasal consonants without Nasalresonanz, as found for example in Silesia, while you can express such as when Mazovia nasalized sound in other areas. The Endungsflektierung used in the dialects have preserved some characteristics of the ancient Polish, just as you would find in the Malopolska. There is also a tendency to simplify the inflectional language structure.

Breakdown by certain characteristics

After following features, the Polish dialects can be divided:

When Masurieren occurs instead of the consonant series cz, sz, ż, double the consonant c, s, z in their place. Nichtmasurierende dialects have both series.
The pronunciation of final consonant initial sound before voiced consonants and sonorants is voiced or voiceless (eg brad brat instead of " brother ").
Other phonetic features are, for example, the pronunciation of vowels and closed old long vowels, the synchronous and asynchronous realization of the nasal vowels, as well as realizing the bilabial palatalized consonants.
More rarely occur morphological and lexical features.

Grammatical features of the main dialect groups

Great Polish characterized by lack of Masurieren. It also lacks the initial sound devoicing before voiced consonants and sonorants. The nasal vowels can be enhanced with the standard Polish and there are diphthongs. The pronunciation of v after voiceless consonant is voiced ( kvas instead of kvass for " acid"; kvat instead kwiat for " flower "). Moreover, the first -person plural past tense ends in- ma - place on my ( siedźma instead siedźmy for " to sit " )
Little Polish used in the western part of Malopolska the Masurieren, while it is absent in the southeastern parts of the dialect area. In addition, end of a word will not harden before initial sound voiced consonants and sonorants. A final- ch goes to -k, but it is a property that is in retreat ( instead grok groch for " pea" ). In addition, can be found in Lesser Poland dialects have preserved the ancient trains. Thus, for example, the podhalische dialect nor the initial accent and the old RI ( Griby instead grzyby for " fungi "). In addition, the nasal vowels are implemented inconsistently. Some areas are distinguished by their vocal quality. So there is the anterior nasal than ą realized ( prądzy instead prędzej for " faster "). In other areas, the two nasal vowels are viewed either as o together ( śfoty instead Święty for " holy"; prondzy instead prędzej for " fast " ) or completely denasaliert (GES instead Gęś for " goose ").
Mazovian uses the Masurieren. The final sound is hardened before initial consonants and sonorants. The pronunciation of palatalized labials p, b, f, v, and m is asynchronous and biphonematisch, often even tripled ( mńasto or nasto instead miasto ). For the most part does not distinguish between the open and closed a. There are also numerous morphological features. Thus, the first and second person plural in - wa or - ta ends rather than on -my and -cie ( chodziwa instead chodzimy for " we go "; chodzita instead chodzicie for " you go " ) and nouns often have the suffix -ak ( dziewczak instead dziewczę for " girl ").
Silesian positioned between the Malopolska and Wielkopolska. The Masurieren has Schlesisch together with the western part of Malopolska, the diphthongs with the Wielkopolska. The voiced pronunciation of final consonant initial sound before voiced consonants and sonorants is found in all three dialect areas. Typical examples of the Silesian pronunciation are TSI instead trzy for " three ", kšivy " crooked " or bžitki "ugly " instead brzydki place for Krzywy for. A final- ê is as -a realized ( widza ta baba instead Widze Te Babe for " I see this old woman "). A striking distinguishing feature is also the large number of German loan words.
Kashubian is in a special position among Polish dialects and is characterized by a number of special features that differ greatly from the Polish.

The social role of dialects

Dialects and languages are socially very small stigmatized in Poland and the Polish language policy is based on the protection of the "right " standard Polish ago " provincialism ". The default language is connected with higher education and gives the speaker a higher social prestige. There is even a regular TVP television program entitled Profesor Miodek odpowiada ( "Professor Miodek responding" ), in 1995 the well-known linguist January Miodek the poles teaches the "correct" Polish. The social role of dialects is thus limited to communication within the family, in everyday life and to the stylisation of literary texts. Although there is a distinct dialect poetry, this is limited, however, to the folklore. In addition to the sociolects the dialects form an inexhaustible source of colloquial language. In dialectology should be noted that the dialects are fading on what was caused by the industrialization and urbanization of society, which is also intensely influenced by the mass media. At least in the postwar years, when it became possible to eradicate illiteracy and almost radio and television general distribution found, began this process. As a result, lost the prestige dialects, and particularly pronounced features of the dialects disappear, such as the Masurieren and the open debate, the nasal vowels ( gamba instead of Geba for " mouth" ). In certain regions, for example, in Silesia, in the Kashubian region or in the Podhale, the dialects are, however, used as a means of cultural identification and cultured.

References

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