LIETUVIŲ KALBOTYROS KLAUSIMAI XXXVI (1996) LIETUVIŲ KALBA: TYRĖJAI IR TYRIMAI

Nijolė ČEPIENĖ

CONSONANTS s AND š, s AND z, s AND c, š AND ž, š AND č, z AND ž, AND c AND č IN LOANWORDS FROM GERMAN

In old Lithuanian writings and dialects, there are variants of Germanisms with the consonants s and š, s and z, s and c, š and ž, š and č, z and ž, and c and č. It has already been noted that the German consonant š became the Lithuanian sounds š and s, German z > Lithuanian z and s, and German c > Lithuanian c and č, while no other variants have been presented (Giriūnienė 27–29).

Variants with s and š. Variants with the consonants s and š are common, especially before p, t, e.g.: spýkerė “grain store, granary” (in East Prussian Lithuanian writings from the 16th century), spýkeris (Prk), and spýkerė (in East Prussian Lithuanian writings from the 16th century, Rsn, Plšk), špykerė, špýkerė, špýkeris (in western and southwestern Lithuania), cf. Low German spîker “same” (MndW), Prussian German špiker “same” (Alm(PrW)); stūndas “hour” (in East Prussian Lithuanian writings from the 17th century, JV 518, Kdl), stūnda (from the 18th century, Šlu, Vlky) and stūndas (JV 16), štūnda (Prk), cf. Low German stunde “same” (Sehwers 126), Prussian German stund “same”, Standard German Stunde “same,” stakìėtas and stakìėtas “fence stake; fence made of boards” (common in northern, western, and southwestern Lithuania, cf. Low German stacket “board,” stake fence; Prussian German Stakėt “stick for a fence, fence made of boards” (Fr II 360), Standard German Staké “picket fence”. Even in the very same sources (Bretkūnas’s Bible, A. Juška’s songs), recorded words may have both s and š.

Loanwords with the word-initial sounds s and š also occur before other consonants, e.g., before v, l, m, n: svėlis “threshold” (N, K, NdŽ) and švėlis/švėlys “wall timber, log” (in East Prussian Lithuanian writings from the 18th century, Pgg, Lkš, Jrb), švėliai (Br, Lkš, Snt), cf. Middle Low German swelle (Kluge 691), Prussian German švėl “threshold, foundation beam, log” (Alm(PrW)); svėbelis “match” is widespread in Samogitia (Dr, Krtn, Žd, Mžk, Kl) and švėbelis (LB 166, KŽ, Plk, Smln, Vn, Prk), švėbelis (NdŽ), švėbelis (Mrj, Brt, Grdž, Vdžg), cf. Middle Low German swēbel “fire-steel” (Kluge 691), Prussian German šwebel “match”; slėdes “sled for hauling logs” (J) and šlėdes (S.Dauk, Šlu, Klp, Skd, Pln), cf. Low German slēde “same” (Sehwers 110), East Prussian German šlēde “same”; smēra “wheel grease” (N, /K/, KŽ) and šmėras (Q, KŽ, Vv, Mrj, Krs), šmėrė (Dr, Pš, Krš, Vkš), cf. Low German smēr “same” (Sehwers 112), Prussian German šmẽr “same” (Alm(PrW)).

Thus, the question arises whether the German consonant š became the Lithuanian sounds š and s. The German source words given alongside the loanwords already invite doubt about this claim.

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The German consonant s before l, m, n, w began to develop into the sound š in the 13th–14th centuries. This process, which began in southern Germany, later spread through central Germany, while across a large area of Low German s remained unchanged (Paul I 348, Lasch § 333). In H. Paul’s view, the change of word-initial s before all consonants took place at the same time, and only for orthographic reasons did sp and st remain in spelling, since these clusters were common in Latin as well (Paul I 348). In 20th-century East Prussian German, š was pronounced instead of West Germanic word-initial s before consonants (Mitzka 161—162, Natau 39). However, K. Alminauskis’s study, which drew on W. Ziesemer’s manuscript dictionary “Preussisches Wörterbuch,” gives words with the consonants š and s, cf. špíl and spíl “spike,” špunt and spunt “bung for a barrel.” In East Prussia, Low German was spoken for the most part. Central German was merely an “island,” but it was the literary language of Prussia. Thus loanwords with s probably derive from Low German dialects and are older—the German š did not become s in Lithuanian. Later, in the 16th–17th centuries, and especially in the 18th century, under the influence of High German, words were adapted to High German forms, particularly in spelling. In the 18th century, the increased influx of settlers from High German-speaking areas led to more words with the consonant š. However, s also persisted in the dialects.

The old German consonant cluster sk has been preserved in loanwords, e.g.: skỹvis “plate” (N, K, TP 1880, 42, LC 1879, 38, Rsn, Kin, Prk, Krg, Klp), skỹvas (Prk, Klp), skỹvė (K, Rtr, NdŽ, KŽ), cf. Low German schîw “same” (ME IV 50); skiñdelis/ skindelys “wood shingle, roofing chip” (in East Prussian Lithuanian dictionaries from the 17th century, Adm,Skp, Grž, Krč, Vb, Vkš, Gr, Kdl), skiñdulis (R II 94, MŽ II 123, N, K, NdŽ, KŽ), skiñdelius (SD63, N, K, Ndž, Sut, I, KŽ), cf. Low German schindele “same” (ME IV 41); skiñkis “poor, weak beer, kvass” (Lex 74a, C II 412, Q 442, R II 305, MŽ II 409, N, LsB 285, K, K.Donel, Jn), cf. Low German schenkebēr “beer given as a gift” (Mnd W); skutulė “wooden vessel with a lid for storing butter, curd cheese, or the like” (K, NdŽ, S.Dauk., KŽ), skutulas (NdŽ, Kos 210 (Šl), KŽ), cf. Low German schuttel “same,” Old German scutala (Alm); skãpas “cupboard” (N, /K/, KŽ, Klp), skãpis (Klp, Kin), skãpė (BzF 169, KŽ, Šlu, Klp, Sg, Prk,), cf. Low German schap(-pp-) “same” (Sehwers 106). However, there are also later words with the same meaning that have the sound š, e.g.: šiñdelis (K I 274, LC 1887, 21), škutulė (Mžš).

In High German, the old German sound cluster sk developed into the sound sch /š/ from about the 12th–13th centuries. In Middle Low German writings around 1500, sk is used alongside sch /š/. At the end of the 16th century, G. Rollenhagen, in the publication “Niederdeutsches Jahrbuch,” reproached the Westphalians for being unable to pronounce the sound š. On this basis, it is concluded that Magdeburg and the Brandenburg region already pronounced the sound š in the 16th century, corresponding to the High German sound. This š was a voiceless palatal sound, brighter than s. In some Low German dialects, word-initial sk has still been preserved (Lasch § 334).

The data cited above show that German had coexisting variants with the consonants s and š. Lithuanian loanwords with the sounds s and š derive from different German dialects. Loanwords with s before consonants mostly came

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from Low German dialects and are older, whereas those with š are from High German dialects or from Lithuanian Samogitian words that have been adapted to High Lithuanian, and are more recent.

Variants with s and z. Lithuanian has variants with the word-initial sounds s and z before vowels, e.g.: supà “soup” (N, K, Rtr, KŽ), sùpe (R II 347, MŽ II 464, N, KŽ) and zupà (K), zùpe (in Samogitian dialects), cf. NLG Suppe “same”; sàksas “inhabitant of Saxony” (N, K, NdŽ, Rtr) and zàksas (B 1032, K), cf. NLG Sachse “same.”

In Prussian German, the consonants s and z were also pronounced in this position, cf. salwī, zalwīj botanical “sage”; sip, zip “soap” (Alm(PrW)). The West Germanic consonant s was voiceless, but medial s before a voiced consonant in Low German became voiced. Today it is voiced to some extent even word-initially before a vowel (Lasch § 329). Thus, words with s could be older, originating in Low German dialects. However, voicing was not characteristic of the consonants in the dialects of southern and central Germany (Paul I 343). It can therefore be argued that loanwords with s and z probably came from different German dialects; that is, German z did not become Lithuanian s.

Variants with s and c. Variants of Germanisms with the consonants s and c occur in written sources and dialects, e.g.: dýselis/dyselỹs “indicator, draught pole” (in East Prussian Lithuanian dictionaries from the 17th century, in Western Aukštaitian and Samogitian dialects) and dýcelis (BzF, KŽ), dycelė (Šlu), dycelė (Prk, Plik, Klp, Šlu), dicelė (Klp), cf. MLG dïssel “same” (Sehwers 27), East Prussian Low German dīsel (Mitzka 162); syrupas “sugar solution” (Q), sirupas (NdŽ, Adm) and cỹrupas (Grg, Šts), cýrupas (K), cf. MLG sirup, sirop (Sehwers Lw), NLG Sirup “same” and Prussian German Zīrop “same” (Fr 495); svìkis “spigot, barrel bung” (S.Dauk., J, KŽ, Yl, Lc, Mžk, Prk, Štk) and cvìkis (KŽ, Jnš, Grž, Krš), čvikis (Šl), cf. MLG swìck (ck) (Sehwers 128) and East Prussian German zwicke (Alm(PrW)).

Thus, as the examples show, loanwords with the sounds s and c probably came from different German dialects: those with s from Low German, and those with c from the High German dialects of Prussia.

Variants with š and ž. There are loanwords with the consonants š and ž, e.g.: šiùrštas “apron” (Bb 1 Moz 3, 7, MŽ, N, K, KŽ, Jms), diminutive šiùrštelis (RD 12, KlvD 249), as well as the widespread žiùrštas, cf. Prussian German šoršt, šėršt “same” (Alm(PrW)); šveñgelis “name of a wagon’s shaft” (Klp, Šlu) and žveñgelis (Vgr, Akm, Žml), cf. NLG Schwengel “a device that swings, vibrates, rotates,” MLG swęngel, Dutch zwengel (Kluge 692). Prussian German also had words with the sounds š and ž, cf. brùša, brużo “to rage, roar, rush” (PrW 845); East Prussian Low German brõšor, brāžer (Klp), Bratscher “chatterbox, braggart” (PrW 766).

Variants with š and č. Loanwords with the sounds š and č have also been found, e.g.: šėrė “wing of a spinning wheel” (in East Prussian Lithuanian dictionaries from the 18th century; used in dialects (Klp, Krtn, Pln, Dr, Kal, Šlu, Ms, Skd, Šl, Tl/…/) and čėrė (Klp), cf. East Prussian German šėre “same” (Alm(PrW)); šarpúoti “to sharpen, make pointed” (N, K, NdŽ, KŽ, J, Klp) and čer·pyti “to make pointed” (J), cf. NLG schärfen “same”; cf. the East Prussian Low German forms mentioned above, brõšor and Bratscher.

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Since Prussian German had variants with the consonants š and ž, and š and č, loanwords with these sounds may have entered Lithuanian from Prussian German dialects.

Variants with z and ž. Variants with the consonants z and ž are found, e.g.: žak(a)s “sack” (PVG 239 (1765), B 543) and žal(a)s¹ (in East Prussian Lithuanian writings from the 18th century, Klp, Šlu.), cf. NLG Sack “same”; žógas “saw” (B 136, R, MŽ, N, K, NdŽ, KŽ), zóga (B 1033, N, NdŽ, KŽ) and žiȯgas (Q, R, MŽ, KŽ, Graž, Dbč, Gdl, Lzd, Mrk, Pjv), žiȯga (KŽ), cf. Prussian German żoge “same” (Alm(PrW)), MLG sage (ME IV 695). The consonants z and ž can also occur medially, e.g., kézas “cheese, curds” (Lex 53, Q 292, B 880) and kéžas (in East Prussian Lithuanian writings from the 18th century, J, Kv, Snt, Skr, Bt, Ar), cf. East Prussian German kéz “cheese” (Mitzka 129), Prussian German kėš “same” (Alm(PrW)).

Word-final s in nouns and adjectives after a vowel in Prussian German was a fricative (Fr II 240–241). In the old geminate and the old word-final position, East Prussian Low German speakers pronounced a voiceless sound, whereas in the new word-final position they generally pronounced a voiced sound, cf. uas “street”, róž “rose” (Mitzka 162). Prussian German had words with the consonants z and ž not only word-finally but also word-initially, e.g.: briz, briž “breeze, strong gust of wind” (PrW 807), żok, żok “half-stocking”, żėle, żėle “(harness) strap, trace” (Alm(PrW)). Examples in the works of W. Mitzka and O. Natau also attest to the presence of the sound ž in East Prussian Low German, although voiced ž was rare in Germanic words and occurred mainly in loanwords. W. Mitzka was uncertain about the origin of the sound ž in East Prussian Low German. He questioned whether this sound derived from West Germanic sk or s, or arose under the influence of Lithuanian, Polish, or French. Since East Prussian German had words with the consonants z and ž, Lithuanian loanwords with these sounds could have come from Prussian German dialects.

Variants with c and č. Loanwords with the sounds c and č have also been found, e.g.: akciżė “indirect tax on goods” (PVG 188), akciżas (Kp) and akčyžė (C 1175, B 43, MŽ 2, PVG 112, A 1884, 190, N, K), akčyžia (K I 37, PVG 341), cf. Prussian German Akzise “tax, especially on beer, mead, and other drinks” (PrW 104); čiekis/čiekis “mark; stain” (Kel 1881, 183, Mrj, Vdžg, Rdm, Žgč), “device for marking something” (PVG 446, Mrj) and čėkis/čiekis “mark” (in East Prussian Lithuanian writings from the 17th century, BsP III 117), “device for marking something” (from the 18th century), cf. Prussian German zėxen “mark” (Alm(PrW)); hybrid čimernink(a)s “carpenter” (in East Prussian Lithuanian dictionaries from the 17th century) and čimerninkas (C 1054, R II 413, MŽ II 71, N, K, KŽ), cf. NLG Zimmerer, Zimmermann “same” (Alm).

German words with the consonants c and č are recorded in the dictionaries of W. Ziesemer and H. Frischbier, e.g.: Pritsche and pritze “bunks, beds”, pratsch and pratz interj. “suddenly” (PrW 771), Brudergrucz “porridge for the order’s brothers” (PrW), cf. NLG Grütze; Zetschke and Tschezke zool. “chaffinch (bird) Fringilla can-

¹ In addition, a loanword with initial š is also recorded: šākas LB 185 (Grl), KŽ.

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nabina” (Fr II 414, 492). In the language of the Teutonic Order there were words with cz /č/ instead of N.H.G. z /c/, e.g.: herrengrocze, -pelcz, -smalcz (Ziesemer 115). Thus, the Germans of East Prussia already pronounced the sound č instead of c, so German c probably did not develop into Lithuanian č.

Since German dialects, especially those of East Prussia, had word variants with the consonants s and š, s and z, s and c, š and ž, š and č, z and ž, and c and č, it is thought that Lithuanian loanwords with these sounds may have originated in German dialects.

ABBREVIATIONS OF LITERATURE AND SOURCES

Alm - A l m i n a u s k i s K. The Germanisms of Lithuanian. Part I: The German Loanwords in Lithuanian, K: St. Casimir Society Bookshop, 1934.

Giriūnienė — G i r i ū n i e n ė S. Phonetic adaptation of German loanwords in the Lithuanian writing of the 16th–18th centuries in East Prussia. II. Consonantism. — Kalbotyra 29(4), 26–31, 1978.

Kluge — K l u g e F. Etymological Dictionary of the German Language. 17th edition, Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. & CO, 1957.

Lasch — L a s c h A. Middle Low German Grammar, Halle: Verlag von Max Niemeyer, 1914.

ME - M ū l e n b a c h a K. Latvian Dictionary. Edited, supplemented, and completed by J. Endzelīns, Riga: Cultural Foundation publication, 1929–1932.

Mitzka — M i t z k a W. East Prussian Low German north of Ermland, Marburg: N. G. Elwert’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1919.

MndW — S c h i l l e r K., L ü b b e n A. Middle Low German Dictionary, Münster in Westphalia: Aschendorffsche Verlagsbuchhandlung, 1931.

Natau — N a t a u O. Dialect and Settlement in Northeastern East Prussia, Königsberg; Berlin: Ost-Europa-Verlag, 1937.

Paul — P a u l H. German Grammar 1, Halle (Saale): VEB Max Niemeyer Verlag, 1956.

PrW — Z i e s e m e r W. Preußisches Wörterbuch, Königsberg: Gräfe und Unzer, 1935–1944. (PrW) — W. Ziesemerio ”Preußisches Wörterbuch” rankraštis, kuriuo pasinaudojo K. Alminauskas.

PVG — Orders and Notices of the Prussian Authorities to Lithuanian Peasants. Compiled by P. Pakarklis, V.: State Publishing House for Political and Scientific Literature, 1960.

Schwers — S e h w e r s J. The German Loanwords in Latvian, Zürich: Buchdruckerei Berichthaus, 1918.

Schwers — S e h w e r s J. Linguistic and Cultural-Historical Studies, Primarily on German Influence in Latvian, Berlin: Kommissionsverlag Otto Harrassowitz Wiesbaden, 1953.

n.nl. — New Dutch. n.v.a. — New High German. Pr. — Prussian. Rt. — East. v.v.a. — Middle High German. v.v.ž. — Middle Low German. v.ž. — Low German. The other abbreviations are the same as in the Great Dictionary of the Lithuanian Language.

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_{CONSONANTS s AND š, s AND z, s AND c, š AND ž, š AND č, z AND ž, c AND č IN LOANWORDS FROM GERMAN}

Summary

In old Lithuanian texts and dialects, there are variants of Germanisms with the consonants s and š, s and z, s and c, š and ž, š and č, z and ž, c and č, e.g.: spýkėre and špýkėre ”storage room”; sãksas and zãksas ”Saxon”; dýselis (dyselys) and dýcelis, -ė ”drawbar”; šiūrstas and žiūrstas ”apron”; šėrė and čėrė ”scissors on a spinning wheel”; žākas and žākas ”sack”; cėkis (ciekis) and čėkis (čiekis) ”sign; drawing instrument”.

Loanwords with s mostly originate from Low German dialects and are older, while those with š originate from High German dialects or from Low German words that have been adapted to High German pronunciation, and are younger. In loanwords, the old German consonant cluster sk, which later became š, has been preserved, e.g.: skāpas, -ė ”cupboard”; skūndėlis, -ys ”roof shingle”; skūpys, -as, -ė ”plate”; skūnžis ”bad, weak beer”; skutūlė, -ulas ”casket”. The Lithuanian variants with the consonants listed above could derive from the corresponding German base words, since German dialects, especially those of East Prussia, had variants of the same lexemes with the consonants mentioned.

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