Lithuanian loanwords used in the standard Latvian language, e.g., ģēmis, pagiras, although the latter are also mentioned quite often in the dissertation). In the reviewers’ opinion, it would have been better to include all Lithuanian loanwords in the dictionary, since the dissertation author herself acknowledges that no comprehensive study of these borrowings has yet been carried out in Latvian linguistics. In addition, the author provides etymologies for the Lithuanian loanwords examined in the dictionary, more than a quarter of which she has explained herself. Both the author and the reviewers emphasized the practical significance of the dissertation: the material collected using the questionnaire devised by the dissertation author can be used both in compiling dictionaries of Latvian dialects and in seminars on dialect vocabulary and language contacts (this is already being done at Daugavpils Pedagogical University), as well as elsewhere.

On June 20, 1995, Vilma KalmėVilma Kalmė, a lecturer at the Liepāja Pedagogical Institute of Higher Education, defended her doctoral dissertation “Vingrošanas termini latviešu valodā” (“Gymnastics Terms in Latvian”). The official reviewers of the dissertation were: habil. dr. V. Skujiņa, doc. dr. G. Smiltniece, prof. habil. dr. J. Rozenbergas.

The dissertation examined the vocabulary of one sport—gymnastics—analyzing changes in the terminology of this field from the 1860s to the present and offering specific recommendations for improving Latvian gymnastics terminology. The particular nature of V. Kalmė’s research is determined by the specific character of the chosen field of study—gymnastics: here, not only terms but also entire syntactic constructions are used as terminological units. This expands the boundaries of the very notion of term. Unfortunately, as the reviewers noted, it is not always clear by what criteria some sports teams are considered team terms, or constructions denoting the performance of particular elements (i.e., descriptions of these elements) are classified as terms consisting of word groups or sentence terms. Despite these uncertainties, however, the reviewers recognized the dissertation’s great specific significance not only for sports terminology but also for the development of Latvian terminology studies as a whole.

Evija LIPARTĖ

IN MEMORIAM VALIJA DAMBĖ (1912–1995)

On October 15, 1995, the distinguished Latvian linguist Valija Dambė (Valija Dambe) died in Riga and completed her earthly journey in this city’s Forest Cemetery. V. Dambė was one of the few Latvian linguists who linked contemporary Latvian linguistics with the prewar University of Latvia and the finest traditions of this center of Latvian culture.

V. Dambė was born on May 26, 1912, in Riga. In 1941 she graduated from the Department of Classical Philology at the University of Latvia. Alongside classical philology, she also attended lectures in Baltic philology at the university.

From 1946, V. Dambė worked at the Institute of Language and Literature of the Latvian Academy of Sciences. In 1963, she was awarded the degree of Candidate of Philological Sciences for her research on Latvian toponymy, without having to submit a formal dissertation.

Among her studies, particularly noteworthy is “Blydienės place names as

233

“witnesses of the past” (“Blīdienes place names as witnesses of the past.” — Collection of articles... to J. Endzelīns. Riga, 1959, pp. 391–452), in which it is demonstrated that the Semigallians, like Lithuanians and Prussians, retained the consonants k, g before front vowels. The history of collecting Latvian place names and the traditions of their study were discussed in V. Dambė’s extensive article “The Collection and Study of Place Names in the Latvian SSR” (“Vietvārdu vākšana un pētīšana Latvijas PSR”. — Latvijas PSR Z.A. Valodas un lit. i-ta Raksti, III, 1954, pp. 175–187). In “Questions of Lithuanian Linguistics” (1963, 6, pp. 247–267), she presented the study “Several Remarks on the Place Names of the Southwestern Part of the Latvian SSR” (“Daži vērojumi Latvijas PSR dienvidrietumu daļas toponīmikā”, pp. 247–267).

V. Dambė’s study “Roots bal(i)-, pal(i)- (sound alternation) in place names meaning ‘wet place’” (“Saknes bal(i)-, pal(i)- (skaņu mijā) ar slapjas vietas nozīmi vietvārdos”. — Dedication... to J. Endzelīns, Riga, 1972, pp. 125–150) is very important to researchers of both Latvian and Lithuanian onomastics.

In 1990, V. Dambė’s book “Names of Latvian Settlements and Their Inhabitants” (“Latvijas apdzīvoto vietu un to iedzīvotāju nosaukumi”. Riga. 1990) was published.

One of V. Dambė’s last significant studies was the article “On the Origin of the Name Rygos” (“Par Rīgas vārda izcelsmi” — Onomastica Lettica, Riga, 1990, pp. 5–20).

During what was probably the most productive period of her scholarly career, the late scholar devoted part of her time to work connected with the name of the great Latvian linguist Jānis Endzelīns. She supplemented, edited, and continued J. Endzelīns’s work “Place Names of the Latvian SSR” (“Latvijas PSR vietvārdi”. Riga, 1956–1961; the subsequent volumes of the work prepared by V. Dambė have, unfortunately, remained with the publisher for many years). Together with other Latvian linguists, V. Dambė prepared for publication and edited J. Endzelīns’s “Collected Works” (“Darbu izlase”, I–IV. Riga, 1971–1982; volumes III, parts I and II, were prepared by V. Dambė alone).

In 1993, the Latvian Academy of Sciences awarded V. Dambė an honorary doctorate.

V. Dambė knew Lithuanian well and visited Lithuania many times. She had warm bonds of friendship with linguists of our older generation: Juozas Balčikonis, Jonas Kruopas, Juozas Senkus, and Kazys Ulvydas. She also took part in the conference organized in Vilnius in 1964 on the initiative of Jonas Kazlauskas, which marked the beginning of the Balticist conferences that later became international.

Valija Dambė was an exceptionally modest and sincere colleague who helped many of our linguists in various ways, including the author of these lines. Thank you.

Algirdas Sabaliauskas

234