Nerlicho (1808 – 1860) gramatika. Taigi rytų aukštaičių tarmė reformatų raštijoje yra atlikusi kur kas didesnį vaidmenį, negu paprastai manoma.

LITHUANIAN INSCRIPTIONS IN A COPY OF ”KNYGA NOBAŽNYSTĖS”

Summary

The article analyses the handwritten text of two prayers found in a copy of ”Knyga nobažnystės” kept in the M. Mažvydas Library in Vilnius. It was established that the inscription had been made by an evangelist reformist priest, a native of the district of Biržai, who worked in Kelme. Texts written by the same person can be found in the collection of manuscripts of the reformists of Kelme, at the library of Warszaw University. These texts are supposed to have been copied out of some old prayer book either of the end of the 18th or the beginning of the 19th century. This text is written in the East High Lithuanian dialect. The linguistic peculiarities of the Biržai region can be seen easily. The facts presented show that the East High Lithuanian dialect played a much more important role in the writings of the reformists than it was supposed before.

FOUR LETTERS FROM K. BŪGA TO TORE TORBIÖRNSSON

In May–June 1992, I worked in the library and archive of the Slavist and Balticist T. Torbiörnsson ^*, located in the Department of Slavic Studies at Lund University (Sweden). There I met Georg Jaugelis, a former member of staff in the department, who mentioned in a conversation that he had transcribed four letters from K. Būga to T. Torbiörnsson, intending to publish them. The originals of the letters, written in Russian, were kept for some time in T. Torbiörnsson’s archive together with other correspondence and manuscripts.

G. Jaugelis had typed the letters, added the diacritical marks, and reproduced the underlining. The only omissions were the yat sign (ь), which was unavailable on the typewriter, and the Latin letter z in some Russian words. The proofreading could not be completed because illness kept G. Jaugelis bedridden for a considerable time. After he returned from hospital, it turned out that the originals of the letters had disappeared somewhere (despite carefully checking T. Torbiörnsson’s archive and the catalogue of the Manuscript Collection at Lund University Library, I too was unable to find them). Since the originals never turned up, the letters remained unfinished for publication and were never published.

Although the copies of the letters had not been fully prepared for publication, they can be trusted (for one or two questionable details, see the Notes). G. Jaugelis was regarded as one of the best proofreaders and editors of the publications of the Institute of Slavic Studies; moreover, he had prepared, with exemplary care, a considerable number of letters by Russian writers to the Slavists in Lund (see Slavica Lundensia, 1973. Vol. 1, p. 115—140; 1974. Vol. 2, p. 7—116). I would like to thank G. Jaugelis for allowing me to copy the transcripts and publish them in the Lithuanian press.

* For information on T. Torbiörnsson’s library and archive, see Stundžia B. Lituanistika Lundo universitete // Gimtoji kalba, 1992, Nr. 11. P. 21—25.

The research work in the aforementioned library and archive was funded through the mediation of the Swedish Institute (Svenska Institutet) by the Nordic Council of Ministers; the foreign-currency portion of the travel expenses was paid by the Open Lithuania Fund.

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The Manuscripts Department of the Vilnius University Library holds six letters from T. Torbjörnsson to K. Būga (two of them postcards; shelf mark D 841), so it is possible to reconstruct approximately the correspondence between these two linguists. In his first letter (1923 03 04), the Swedish scholar writes in German about how difficult it is to obtain Lithuanian books in Uppsala; he asks for the name of a bookseller in Kaunas. A list of five publications was enclosed with a separate letter. K. Būga replied to this letter very quickly—on March 15. He was pleased to be able to help obtain Lithuanian books and invited him to write for the journal ”Tauta ir žodis”.

T. Torbjörnsson replied to K. Būga’s letter in Russian on March 21. He thanked him for the books sent and asked for more. He wrote that until then he had read mostly Lithuanian folk tales, the translation of the New Testament, and K. Donelaitis. While reading the books, he could not find many words in dictionaries. On April 14, he sent another postcard. K. Būga wrote his reply to these two letters on April 27. In the letter, he apologized for his long silence, which had been due to writing the dictionary.

This time T. Torbjörnsson was somewhat delayed in replying—his letter is dated June 23. K. Būga could have replied to it at the earliest at the very end of June, so the date of Būga’s third letter, which is the reply (June 2), is apparently a mistake (see Explanatory Notes).

K. Būga’s fourth letter—a postcard—was written on February 6, 1924. It announced that the first fascicle of the ”Lietuvių kalbos žodynas” had been sent; T. Torbjörnsson thanked him for it in a letter dated February 14. Later (May 11), T. Torbjörnsson sent another postcard.

The letters by K. Būga published here are presented in modern Russian orthography, arranged chronologically, and numbered. One of them (the fourth) was written on the reverse of a postcard. Words underlined in the text are set in bold, while examples that Būga likes to underline (sometimes with more than one stroke) are set in italics. Variations in spelling and other forms have been retained, e.g., славяне и словене. I thank Professor Z. Zinkevičius for his advice on matters concerning the publication of the letters.

[1]

Kaunas, March 15, 1923.

Dear Colleague!

The book trade is poorly organized here. I send you books not through a bookshop but personally, which is more reliable and quicker for many. My Kalbos dalykai is sold out.

I sent you several books that you had not asked for. I think you will not hold it against me.

I consider ”Švietimo darbas” unnecessary to send you, since you will find everything reprinted in my book ”Kalba ir senovė”. There were no other articles on linguistics in Švietimo darbas besides mine. In a few days you will be sent no. 3—6 for 1922 of ”Švietimo darbas” (Festschrift Dr. Johannes Basanavičius), which contains articles by Prof. G. Gerullis, J. Endzelin, R. Trautmann, M. Vasmer, and St. Mladenov.

I will also gladly try to send you any other books on the Lithuanian language that become available on the Kaunas book market, should you wish.

I am very pleased that people abroad are also beginning to take an interest

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the Lithuanian language. I consider it my duty to science and my homeland to help everyone obtain Lithuanian books.

You can send me the money for the books by enclosing it in a registered letter (rekomend.). It would be preferable to receive it in American currency, i.e., dollars. The amount due to me for the books already sent is 6 dollars 50 cents (65 litai in Lithuanian currency).

By Easter, a large volume (448 pp.) of the collection ”Tauta ir žodis”) will be published, containing a whole series of my articles on questions of Baltic and Slavic linguistics. Our faculty intends to send this collection to various universities and learned societies in exchange for their publications. I think that Uppsala University will also agree to enter into an exchange with us.

In ”Tauta ir žodis” we will accept articles on Baltic (Aistian) philology and in foreign languages (French, German, English). We (the faculty) would be very pleased if our northern neighbors—the Swedes—would honor us with articles on Baltic or Balto-Slavic linguistic questions.

G. Gerulis, R. Trautmann, M. Vasmer, L. Bulachovski (Kharkiv), and P. Schmidt (Riga) have promised to submit articles for volume II of ”Tauta ir žodis”. Volume II will be sent to the press in June or July of this year.

In the next few days I will send you an offprint from ”Tauta ir žodis” of my article ”Comparative Guide to Potamology in Connection with Baltic (Aistian) and Slavic Antiquities”¹, in which I argue that the Slavs still retained the diphthongs (ai, ei, au) in the 6th century.

Please use part of the money due to me to buy me your book ”Die gemein slavische Liquidametathese”², which is not available in Kaunas.

Are you familiar with R. Trautmann’s book ”Baltisch-slavischer Wörterbuch”³?

Is the journal Le Monde Oriental still being published? In my book ”Kalba ir senovė” you will find a devastating critique of the works of Agrell and Petersonn⁴.

I remain, with respect, yours sincerely, K. Būgà

[2]

Kaunas, 27 April (IV), 1923.

Most esteemed colleague!

Forgive me for having been silent for so long. My silence was caused by work on the dictionary. Around 5 V I will begin compiling the manuscript (transferring the cards into notebooks).

For Šv. darbas 3—6, Tauta ir žodis I, and Odisėja I am due three dollars (= 30 litai).

I received your ”Liquidametathese” quite some time ago, for which I thank you warmly.

It would be interesting to learn the Slavicists’ opinion of my reconstruction of individual Proto-Slavic dialects on the basis of geographical names (Ladoga < *āldāgā, Polish Lana < Prussian Alnā, Olsta <

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Latv. Alūksta, Меречь < Lith. Merkỹs, Лучеса < Lith. Laukesà, etc.)⁵.

All the best! Yours devotedly, K. Būga

[3]

Kaunas, June 2, 1923⁶

Dear Colleague!

I received your letter of 23/VI together with the enclosure, received it⁷, for which I thank you warmly.

I am very glad that you have already read my article, in which I discuss Slavic phonetics in the 6th–7th centuries after the birth of Christ.

Lautsbstition⁸ можно было бы принять для Ardigastos (Радигость), если это явление наблюдалось повсеместно: Ладога||Aldeigjoborg⁹ (1311 года Oldag в ливонском акте Грусман Чудско-лит.яем. I 155)⁹ — на севере, Lana¹⁰ Alnī ”нем. Alle” (в вост. Пруссии), Label||Albis ‘Elbe’, Lābīn¹⁰ Albōna (на Балканах). Фин. (вод.) artti ”Zank, Streit” показывает, что русские (словене) пришли в соприкосновение с финнами еще в ту эпоху, в которую вместо ratь (serb. rat/rāt) говорили еще ārti [с акутом] или ǵrti (ǝ = (ǝ̄— широкое, открытое о, близкое к глубокому а, напр. в лит. словах lãpas, lăbas). Встреча русских словен с финнами раньше VI—VII века не могла иметь места. В VI—VII веке проникли славяне и на Балканы. Балканское Raša ”Fluss in Istrien Aršia”, Rab” die dalmatinische Insel Arbe” ясно доказывает, что и предки сербов, словинцев и болгар пришли еще с ārt, alt~ārt, ālt. Rāt, lāt, rāt, lāt развились самостоятельно на Балканах и самостоятельно в Чехии. Для меня нет ни малейшего сомнения, что при расселении славян на новых территориях, т.е. опять в VI—VII веке после P.Xp., все славяне вместо č и ž еще имели kʹ и gʹ. Это показывает не только айстийский (балтийский) и финский материал, но также и западнославянский. Laukesà > Лучеса, Sārg(i)jar(v)i > Сережар. Фин. Kimala-inen ”Hummel”, эст. Kääw (gen. Kääwi) || фин. Käämi ”цевка” показывает, что русские словене в эпоху встречи с финнами говорили еще вместо чьмель и цевь еще *kįmǝl̄a (срв. kǝdelь рядом с kǝdelь и kǝdelʹa~kǝdǝlʹa в латыш. kuo-dala и фин.-воп. kuontalʹ/o) и kēvi. Kēvi из более древней формы koivī или *kaivī.

When the Finns met the Russian Slovenes on the Western Dvina, the name was still pronounced Dveinā instead of Dvina, as shown by Livonian Veina (the Lenser Livonians) and Estonian Weina-jõgi ”Düna, Зап. Двина”. By the time the Russians reached the Northern Dvina, Dveinā had changed into Dvēna, whence Karelian Vienā¹².

As you see, the facts of the Proto-Slavic and Common Slavic periods appear to me in a completely different light. Labų dienų! K. Būga¹³

[4]

Kaunas, February 6, 1924

Dear Colleague!

Thank you for the articles you sent me!

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Yesterday I sent you the first issue of my “Lietuvių kalbos žodynas”; please inform your linguist colleagues about it. The price of the first issue in Kaunas is 12 litas (= 1 U.S. dollar 20 cents), postage not included. Postage for one copy by registered printed matter is 1 litas 44 cents. I have already written about this to Prof. E. Lidén and H. Petersson. The second issue of the dictionary will be published soon after Easter. All the best! K. Būga¹⁴

EXPLANATORY NOTES

¹ The word потомология should be enclosed in parentheses. See B ū g a K. Studies of River Names and the Antiquity of the Aistians and Slavs // Tauta ir žodis. K., 1923. Vol. 1. P. 1—44 (= B ū g a K. Selected Writings. Vol. 3. V., 1961. P. 493—550).

² T o r b i ö r n s s o n T. The Common Slavic Liquid Metathesis. 1—2. Upsala, 1901; 1903 (— Upsala Universitets Årsskrift, 1902; 1904).

³ It should be Slawisches.

⁴ See B ū g a K. Selected Writings. Vol. 2. V., 1959. P. 151—153, 214—223.

⁵ For more on these and other reconstructions, see B ū g a K. Selected Writings. Vol. 3. P. 493—550, 741 ff.

⁶ The date of this letter (June 2) is incorrect, since it is a reply to T. Torbiörnsson’s letter of June 23.

⁷ получил is repeated twice.

⁸ It should be Lautsubstitution.

⁹ It should be Трусман; see Т р у с м а н Ю. Ю. Чудско-литовские элементы в новгородских пятинах. Часть первая. Ревель, 1897.

¹⁰ Apparently, the || sign is missing.

¹¹ (9 = is repeated twice.

¹² The problems discussed in the letter are examined in K. Būga’s articles; see B ū-g a K. Selected Writings. Vol. 3. P. 493—550, 741 ff., and elsewhere.

¹³ At the end of this letter it is indicated that it is an open letter; the addresses of T. Torbiörnsson (Schweden/Herrn Dr. Tore Torbiörnsson / Upsala, Universitet) and K. Būga (Abs. Prof. K. Būga. Kaunas, D. Vilniaus gatvė N 2. Litauen) are also provided.

¹⁴ This letter was written on the reverse side of a postcard. The front bears the addresses of T. Torbiörnsson and K. Būga, and the date (6—II—24).

Note. After this publication is printed, copies of K. Būga’s letters to T. Torbiörnsson will be deposited in the Manuscripts Department of the Vilnius University Library.

Bonifacas Stundžia

K. BŪGA’S LETTERS TO THE POLISH LINGUIST JAN ROZWADOWSKI

Among the many letters in the archive of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Kraków, written by famous and lesser-known people from various parts of the world to the Polish linguist Prof. Jan Rozwadowski, there is also correspondence important to the study of the Lithuanian language and cultural history.

J. Rozwadowski (1867–1935) was one of the greatest Polish linguists, a scholar of classical languages, and a distinguished Slavist, Indo-Europeanist, and Balticist. He

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