Šiandieniniai lietuvių mitai apie kaimynines tautas
Contemporary Lithuanian Myths aboutn Neighbouring Nations

Summary/Abstract: The aim of this article is to discuss the image of our neighbours – Russians, Belorussians, Poles, Latvians, Estonians – in contemporary Lithuanian culture, to present the most popular stereotypes. Objectives: to survey the nicknames given by Lithuanians to the neighbouring nations, to introduce the most popular folklore plots and to indicate the reasons making impact on these plots and stereotypes of the closest states to Lithuania, their citizens, their origin and alternation. The attitude towards neighbours is well reflected in given nicknames – informal ethnonyms usually bear a negative connotation. Some nicknames last for several centuries already while others are created in the last decades. Contemptuous nicknames and negative remarks on other nationals are especially numerous in Internet forums. Folklore also reflects the real life, social culture, mentality and living style values. Approach towards other nationalities in folklore often contains irony, mock, sometimes even insulting or contemptuous. Most often Lithuanians ridicule Russians and Russia, there are quite a lot of jokes on Estonians. Other our neighbours in folklore are mentioned rather rarely. Today told anekdotes as well as other folklore genres mostly bear international character and tend to migrate rapidly. There are local examples reflecting the particularities of centuries lasting communication with neighbours, reactions to various differences and actualities.

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