A lív költészet nyomában
Following the Traces of the Livonian Poetry

Summary/Abstract: This short study evokes a Baltic Finnic language that is now almost extinct, i.e. Livonian. After offering basic information on the medieval Livonian language area and the former dialectal distribution, the article focuses upon the linguistic heritage of the Salaca Livonian groups, who once lived along the seabanks of the Riga gulf and the Salaca and Svētupe rivers. The Livonians’ history does not end with their ancestors’ death. Curland Livonian has been revitalised, a standard grammar, vocabulary and spelling have been developed. This language is spoken in many places and on many forums, e.g. at summer courses and universities. Two remarkable volumes of poetry, containing the poems of Ķempi Kārl, were also published recently. The second part of the study is dedicated to the lyrical world of Ķempi Kārl, who experiments in his work with the poetical infinity of Salaca Livonian.

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