The Impact of Slavic Languages on Lithuanian and Latvian

The influence of Slavic languages on Lithuanian and Latvian is a subtle and multifaceted subject. While Slavic languages have left their mark, particularly in loanwords, the core grammatical and syntactical structures of both languages remain primarily indigenous.

The Historical Context

For approximately six hundred years, Lithuanian and Slavic Ruthenians (Belarusians) and Poles were in close contact. In Latvia, however, the historical trajectory took a different path, making one expect a greater Slavic influence in Lithuanian compared to Latvian. Despite this, it is interesting to note that Latvians often use words like 'cilveks' and 'cena,' akin to Russian 'человек' and 'цена,' rather than Lithuanian 'mogus' and 'kaina.' This suggests some influence, even if it manifests differently.

Indo-European Roots and Separation

It's important to note that the Balts separated from the Slavs in their Indo-European homeland more than two thousand years ago. This significant historical divergence has shaped the languages' unique characteristics and explains why Latvian, despite its proximity to Lithuania, shows less direct Slavic influence.

Lithuanian Language

The core of Lithuanian grammar, morphology, syntax, and vocabulary is not substantially impacted by Slavic languages. This means that the primary influence is through loanwords, specifically Slavisms, which form about 1.5% of the Lithuanian lexicon. These are further categorized into Belarusianisms, Polonisms, and Russianisms. Scholars often find it challenging to determine the exact origin of words due to the shared roots among these languages.

Historical Borrowing Patterns

The earliest Slavisms in the Baltic languages can be traced back to the 9th-11th centuries, primarily from Western dialects of Eastern Slavs. Starting from the 13th century, most borrowings came from Ruthenian and its dialects. During the 15th-17th centuries, Slavic clerical language became the official language of the government offices of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, significantly spreading Slavisms.

Modern Influences

Cultural exchange between Slavs has introduced non-Slavic words into Lithuanian vocabulary, categorized under Slavic influence due to similar integration patterns. The Soviet era saw a significant influx of Russianisms, with words appearing in the spoken language of the less educated and impacting the syntax of the Latvian language similarly.

Latvian Language

Latvian, while sharing some Slavic influences, sees a slightly higher percentage of new Slavisms compared to Lithuanian, particularly from the Soviet occupation era. Three layers of Slavisms exist in Latvian: old, middle, and new. The old Slavisms were introduced through trade and battles with Eastern Slavs, while the late 18th and 19th centuries brought significant Russianisms during the Soviet era. Eastern dialects and Latgale are more influenced by Polish and Belarusian languages.

Language Purification Efforts

In response to the increasing "contamination" of the language, 19th and early 20th century Lithuanian philologists embarked on a movement to replace Slavisms with native Lithuanian words from dialects and older dictionaries. They also created neologisms to address newly appearing concepts.

Conclusion

While Slavic languages have impacted both Lithuanian and Latvian, the degree and nature of this influence differ. Lithuanian's resistance to Slavic influence is historic and rooted in distinct origins, while Latvian has seen more recent periods of linguistic contamination, particularly with Russianisms. Nonetheless, ongoing efforts to preserve and purify the language continue in both countries.