Fonetikos išlyginimas vykstant kodų kaitai
Phonetic Levelling in the Context of Code-switching

Summary/Abstract: The present article addresses the principal phonetic phenomena of the languages used in borderland areas (Belarus, Voranava district (Вороново)) and their interaction. It analyses the phonetic convergence of the dominating local language varieties – Belarusian, Polish and passively used Lithuanian – and establishes the tendencies of this process. The situations of natural communication in the context of code-switching are analysed in the study: when the speakers are fluent and use several languages at the same time by actively switching between them in conversations. It is sought to reveal how the competition of languages affects the phonetics of these languages. The research is based on the theory proposed by Valerijus Čekmonas, the researcher of the interaction of languages and Slavicist: the speaker switches between languages according to certain rules which can be described by algorithms. Based on this method of algorithms, the study reveals the phonetic tendencies and proves a very important role and influence of the now passively used Lithuanian language on the articulation of contemporary Slavic languages. The research showed that the reasons of convergence of phonetic phenomena of the language varieties functioning in the borderland areas are mainly sociolinguistic. After comparing the phonetic peculiarities of local Polish and Belarusian dialects, it turned out that the phonetics of both dialects is essentially the same. The informants pronounce the soft consonants used in the local Lithuanian dialect in the same way as they are pronounced when speaking local Slavic dialects. The cases which are not typical of Belarusian and Polish dialects when consonants are intensively confused were recorded; it is likely a feature of the Lithuanian substratum.

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