Pranas Skardžius ir didysis Lietuvių kalbos žodynas
Pranas Skardžius and the grand Dictionary of the Lithuanian Language

Summary/Abstract: The article addresses the relations of the well-known Lithuanian linguist Pranas Skardžius with the grand Dictionary of the Lithuanian Language, the compilation of which began at the end of 1930, and its editor Juozas Balčikonis. It provides a new interpretation of the circumstances of appointment of the dictionary editor and shows the later Skardžius’ wish and attempts to improve the dictionary, his requests to approve the spelling promoted by him and to take over the office of the dictionary editor when the circumstances are right. The article asserts that the discussions of the famous linguists gradually evolved into the war of ambitions on minor spelling issues. It is concluded that even though the Scientific Auxiliary Commission set up in 1942 for the improvement of the compilation of the dictionary exclusively adopted some good proposals, it nevertheless approved the principal Balčikonis’ positions on the type of the dictionary and other fundamental principles of the compilation of the dictionary. Balčikonis’ persistence and historical circumstances determined that volume I and volume II of the dictionary were edited under the principles established by Balčikonis and published in the spelling used at that time.

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