Z badań nad wielojęzycznością społeczności miejskich Polaków na Litwie
Investigation of Multilingualism of Poles Living in the Cities of Lithuania

Summary/Abstract: This article aims at describing the multilingualism of Poles living in Vilnius and other cities in Vilnius district. The article analyses quantitative data drawn from two representative surveys: one carried out in Vilnius in 2008 and the other one in Lithuania in 2010. The majority of the inhabitant of cities under investigation consider as their mother tongue the language indicated by their ethnicity. About 85% of the surveyed Polish population in Vilnius and 71% in other cities in Vilnius district treats Polish as their mother tongue or as one of their mother tongues. Contemporary Poles living in Lithuanian towns speak three languages, they have had a good command of Russian, Polish and Lithuanian languages as well. 15,3 % Polish living in Vilnius and 29,4 % Polish living in other cities in Vilnius district adopt the language of other ethnic group as their language. The Polish language is used first of all for speaking, thinking and praying. The most necessary language is Lithuanian, followed by English. 73,5% of the Polish respondents in Vilnius and 68,9% of the Polish respondents in other cities in Vilnius district report that they have Polish identity. The self-identification of the Polish respondents under investigation is an ongoing process.

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