The term Curonian language (; ; ) may refer to two different, but related Baltic languages.

Old Curonian

Traditionally Old Curonian refers to an extinct language spoken by the Curonian tribe, who lived mainly on the Courland peninsula (now western Latvia) and along the nearby Baltic shores.

The language disappeared by the 17th century, leaving substrata in western dialects of the Latvian and Lithuanian languages, namely the Samogitian dialect. No written documents in this language are known, but some ancient Lithuanian texts from western regions show some Curonian influence.

New Curonian

The area where New Curonian was spoken in 1649

Their language was influenced by Low German, High German and Lithuanian respectively, and by the end of the 18th century new Curonian dialects had formed, with the dialect of the Curonian Spit being notably distinct, due to its isolation from the mainland. New Curonian vocabulary published in 1927 shows: 60% of Curonian words were the same as Latvian, 26% were loanwords from ?German? (i.e. Low German and High German), and 13% from Lithuanian dialects. The New Curonian languages is mutually intelligible with Latvian, especially with its southwestern dialects, and Latvians can communicate easily with Kursenieki today.

Before World War II, the New Curonian language was a sociolect of Kursenieki fishermen at the Curonian Spit. In other spheres of everyday life Kursenieki used the Low German and High German languages. The events of the first half of the 20th century, including the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states and later East Prussia, led to the near extinction of the language, making it severely endangered. Several remaining native speakers live in Germany, having been expelled in the ethnic cleansing that took place in East Prussia after World War II.

Curonian language revival

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Baltic states observed a revival of scientific and cultural interest in the extinct Baltic languages and tribes, including Yotvingian, Curonian, and Old Prussian. An example is the documentary film Tarp 8 v?j? ("Amidst 8 Winds") by Arturas Barysas, about the decline of the Curonian language.

There are many enthusiasts of the Curonian language trying to preserve knowledge about the language, including Paul Kwauka and Richard Pietsch.

Curonian grammar

The Curonian language is a highly inflected and archaic language. Its grammar is reconstructed basing on Latvian, Lithuanian and Old Prussian grammars and known Curonian place-names and New Curonian texts and vocabulary.

References

• Paul Kwauka, Richard Pietsch, Kurisches Wörterbuch, 1977, ISBN 3-921515-03-3
• Richard Pietsch, Deutsch-Kurisches Wörterbuch, 1991, ISBN 3-922296-60-2
• Studentu zin?tnisk?s konferences "Aktu?li baltistikas jaut?jumi" t?zes Loreta Stonkut?. Kur?inink? tarm?s lituanizmai. p.43,44

External links

• The Curonian Language in Linguist List

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