Latgalian language

Spoken in

• Indo-European baltic Ostbaltisch Latgalian

Lv (Latvian language )

Lav (Latvian language )

Ltg

Latgalian can be used as language have two meanings:

History

The Latgale language evolved since the 18th century in written tradition of dialects that were spoken of Latvians in the eastern part of the country. The earliest surviving book on the Evangelia toto anno Latgalian is (, Gospels for the whole year ') of 1753. The first spelling rules were borrowed from the Polish and used roman typefaces. They were very different from the spelling in the rest of Latvia, which, influenced by the Germans, usually in Gothic (font ) or Gothic script was written. Many Latgale books of the late 18th and early 19th century were written by Jesuit priests who came from different European countries to polish embossed Latgale, then the north-eastern outpost of Catholicism; their writings included religious literature, calendars, and poems.

The publication of books in Latgalian language was banned from 1865 to 1904. The associated prohibition to use the Latin alphabet in the area of the Russian Empire, followed immediately after uprisings in Poland, Lithuania and Latgale had challenged the tsarist rule. While the ban only a small amount of smuggled Catholic writings came into the country and beyond, little, mostly hand-written literature was available, eg the calendar of the farmer and self-taught Andryvs Jūrdžs.

After the repeal of prohibition in 1904 there was a rapid rebirth of Latgale font tradition; first newspapers, textbooks and grammars appeared. 1918 Latgale ( Latvian: Latgale ) part of the newly created State of Latvia. From 1920 to 1934, the two languages ​​of Latvians developed side by side, but after the seizure of power by Karlis Ulmanis in 1934 using the Latgale imposed severe limitations. Latgalian survived during the period of Soviet occupation 1940-1991 only as a spoken language; 1959-1989 there was virtually no pressure plants in the country. Some emigrated Latgale intellectuals but continued to publish books and studies in their language and through this, among them is especially Mikelis Bukšs mentioned.

Since the restoration of Latvia's independence, there is a noticeable increase in interest in the Latgale language and cultural heritage. The language is taught as an optional subject in some universities, Rezekne prints, the publisher of Latgale Culture Centre ( Latgale kultūras centra izdevniecība ) old and new Latgale books.

Description

Latgalian is a moderately inflected language; the number of verb -noun - forms is characteristic of many other Baltic and Slavic languages.

Geographical distribution

Latgalian is spoken by about 150,000 people, mainly in Latvia; there are small Latgalian - speaking communities in Siberia and the rest of Russia.

Official Status

Between 1920 and 1934, was Latgalian official and the language of education in Latgale. Today the language has no official status as an official language more. However, it is under the protection of the Latvian Language Law, which stipulates in its § 3.4: " The Latvian government is guaranteeing the preservation, protection and development of the Latgale language as a historical variation of the Latvian language." There is a state-sponsored Commission for spelling. Whether it is in the Latgale a separate language or a dialect of Latvian, in the 20th century has been the subject of heated debate. The research results of Anton Breidaks, Lidija Leikuma and other language scholars point out that the Latgale has all the character of an independent language.

Alphabet

Latgalian is traditionally written with Latin letters. The letter "Q ", "X " and "W " appear only in quotations of foreign origin. Different diacritics enrich the expressive possibilities. Today's spelling uses the same 33 characters as the Latvian language and additional " Y " and the " long O" ( O with macron " Ō ").

The following table shows the letters with their wording and in the correct sort order:

(Sub ) dialects

The Speaker of the Latgale can be divided into three main groups: northern, central and southern. These three local dialect colorations are mutually fully understood and differ only by small differences in vowels, diphthongs and diffraction shipments. The regional dialects of central Latgale ( as they are spoken in the cities and rural communities Jasmuiža, Vuorkova, Vydsmuiža, Vilani, Sakstagols, Ūzulaine, Makašāni, Drycāni, Gaigalova, Bierži, Tilža and Nautrāni ) today form the phonetic basis of modern standard Latgale. The literature of the 18th century, however, was more influenced by the southern dialects.