The baltic elements in the grammar of traditional local dialects of north-western Belarus  Cover Image

Балцкія элементы ў граматыцы традыцыйных мясцовых гаворак паўночна заходняй Беларусі
The baltic elements in the grammar of traditional local dialects of north-western Belarus

Author(s): Vera Astrejka
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies
Published by: Instytut Slawistyki Polskiej Akademii Nauk
Keywords: Belarusian language; North-West dialect zone; Slavic and Baltic language interaction; grammatical peculiarities; substratum; language support

Summary/Abstract: The article analyzes a number of grammatical features typical for the North West dialect zone of the Belarusian language. These peculiarities are interpreted as a possible result of Slavic-Baltic contacts in the region. Some phenomena can be explained as a Baltic (mainly (great)Lithuanian) substratum in North-West Belarusian dialects. The factor of areal neighborhood has to be taken into consideration too. Such phe-nomenon as language support has effect just in connection with the last one. A lot of the appropriate lingual facts are in restricted and inconsistent use. However, it is possible to be said about more or less significant (now or/and before) tendencies of regional lingual development. These tendencies has not got the status of a structural (= constitutional) lingual regularity. As a rule the wide and compact areas are characterized of some lingual facts (= lexemes), which illustrate the given transformations in the system of Belarusian dialects. Baltic influence upon the North-West Belaru¬sian dialects grammar is detected on as the formal level so the structural one. And it is not noticeable at all times. The definite changes in the sphere of morphology and syntax can provoke different modifications in the other parts of a language system (word building, semantics). The results of this process are the evidences of ethnic and language assimilation of native Balts by Slavs in the region. That comes in support of forming the singular North-West Belarusian regiolect (= the regionally marked variety of a dialect language).

  • Issue Year: 2012
  • Issue No: 36
  • Page Range: 51-59
  • Page Count: 9
  • Language: Belarusian
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