LIETUVIŲ KALBOTYROS KLAUSIMAI, XXX (1993)

PERIFERINĖS LIETUVIŲ KALBOS TARMĖS

Nijolė ČEPIENĖ

GERMANISMS IN THE 17TH-CENTURY WESTERN HIGHLAND DIALECT OF LITHUANIA MINOR (BASED ON “LEXICON LITHUANICUM”)

The handwritten German–Lithuanian dictionary “Lexicon Lithuanicum” is the first lexicographical work from mid-17th-century Lithuania Minor; its Lithuanian section is based primarily on words from the southern Western Highland dialects¹. Of the 7,200 Lithuanian words it contains, about 210 are lexical Germanisms (excluding phonetic and graphic variants of the same word). Of these, approximately 175 are pure Germanisms and 35 are hybrids, i.e. words whose stem contains derivational affixes or roots originating in other languages². Germanisms account for about 3% of the dictionary’s entire Lithuanian vocabulary. Loans that entered via Slavic languages are not included here. For some words, it is difficult to determine how they entered Lithuanian, since it is unclear whether they were borrowed directly from German or came via Slavic languages, e.g.: anjei (= anyžiai), lampa (= lempa), pancierus (= pancierius) “armor,” spunta “wedge.”

Most of the dictionary’s Germanisms are nouns (~185); there are considerably fewer verbs (~20), as well as a few adjectives and a particle (ja, je). All the Germanisms are adapted to the grammatical system of Lithuanian.

This article discusses the semantics, origin, and use of German loanwords in contemporary Lithuanian, and compares them with German loanwords in other dictionaries published in Lithuania Minor.

I. NOUNS³

1. Names of household and farm objects and tools (46):

a) vessels and kitchen utensils (13), e.g.: bosas “barrel” < Pr. German Faß “same,” kragas “jug” < Pr. German krog, krug “vessel,” legere “small barrel” < Pr. German lägel “same,” mežeris “mortar” < Pr. German Měser “same,” panė “frying pan” < Pr. German pan, pân “same,” tyne “bathtub” < Pr. German tin “large bathtub”;

¹ For more on this dictionary, see Drotvinas V. “Lexicon Lithuanicum”—a handwritten 17th-century German–Lithuanian dictionary // Lexicon Lithuanicum. V., 1987. P. 6-23.

² Hybrid derivatives and formations (~50), already formed within Lithuanian, are not counted here.

³ Semantic groups are presented in descending order according to the number of Germanisms. Their numbers are shown in parentheses.

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b) tools of trade and craft (12), e.g.: bindokas "carpenter’s axe", cf. Prussian German bindäxt "the same", borai "stretcher" ‹ Prussian German bor "the same", busokas "long pole with an iron hook" ‹ Prussian German bōshaken "the same", spatas "shovel" ‹ German Spaten "the same", zogas "saw" ‹ Prussian German zōge "the same", kneipis "shoemaker’s knife" ‹ Prussian German Kneif "the same";

c) parts of wagons, harrows, harnesses and their components (11), e.g.: dyselis "wagon shaft" ‹ Prussian German dīsel "the same", leiterės "wagon sideboards" ‹ Prussian German leiter "the same", negeliai "harrow teeth" ‹ Prussian German Nägel, pl. "nails", rungas "stick fitted between the wheel spokes" ‹ Prussian German rung, runge "the same", šenai "rim" ‹ Prussian German schēne, schēn, š(i)pykis "spoke" ‹ Prussian German schpīke "the same";

d) names of other objects (10), e.g.: dekis "cover (for covering a horse)" ‹ Prussian German dek "the same", liktis "candle" ‹ Prussian German licht "the same", spinta ‹ Prussian German spind, zakas "sack" ‹ German Sack.

2. Names for persons (30):

a) denoting people who perform a particular occupation or action (27), e.g.: bruvėlė "brewer" ‹ Middle Low German brüwer "the same", butkerė "cooper" ‹ Prussian German butker "the same", jėgerė "hunter" ‹ German Jäger "the same", patobelis "bell-ringer" ‹ Prussian German potabel "the same", skrybėlė "scribe", cf. Middle High German schrîboere "the same", šneiderius "tailor" ‹ German Schneider "the same"⁴;

b) according to social status (2): būras "peasant" ‹ Prussian German būr "the same", ercikis "duke" ‹ German Herzog "the same";

c) according to other characteristics (1): jumprova "young woman" ‹ Prussian German iunfraw "the same".

3. Names of buildings, their parts, and building materials (25):

a) buildings and their parts (14), e.g.: kelnorė "cellar" ‹ German Keller "the same", skūnė "barn" ‹ Prussian German schune "the same", staldas "stable" ‹ German Stall "the same", stuba "house" ‹ Prussian German stuba, stub, stobe, stow "house, room", kakalys "stove" ‹ Prussian German kachel, kaxel "the same", šupas "barn" ‹ Prussian German schōpe, schope "the same";

b) building materials and details (11), e.g.: balkis "log, beam" ‹ Middle Low German balke "the same", kalkės ‹ German Kalk "the same", kylis "wedge" ‹ Prussian German kil "the same", kenge "hook" ‹ Middle Low German henge "the same", skindeliai "roofing shingles" ‹ Middle Low German schindele "the same".

4. Names of units (10):

a) monetary units (5), e.g.: penigai "money" ‹ Low German pennig "ditto", tripelikis "three-groat coin" ‹ Prussian German dripelker "coin", dolerius ‹ High German doler "thaler (an old coin)"⁵;

⁴Quite a few names for persons (occupations) with the suffix -ininkas are derived from Germanisms already used in Lithuanian, e.g.: dieli(n)inkas “sawyer of boards” ‹ Lithuanian dielė “board,” vindininkas “turner” ‹ Lithuanian vindas “device for turning,” styrininkas “helmsman” ‹ Lithuanian styras “rudder.”

⁵The dictionary lists eight compound nouns containing penigas, pinigas and pinigas.

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b) measures (4): /hybrid/ akteinis “one eighth of something” ‹ Prussian German Achtel “one eighth” + Lithuanian suffix -einis, /hybrid/ bertainis, berteinis “one quarter, a quarter,” cf. German Vierchen “a German Order coin from the second half of the 14th century,” Vierung “one quarter of a mark,” hubas “a measure of land area” ‹ Prussian German hūbe “ditto,” murgas “unit of land measurement” ‹ Low German morgen “as much land as a person can plow with horses in one morning” (Kl 487);

c) units of time (1): stundas “hour” ‹ Prussian German stund “ditto.”

5. Names of plants and their fruits (14), e.g.: bukas ‹ Prussian German buk, kerveliai “culinary herb” ‹ Prussian German kerwel “ditto,” meironai “medicinal and culinary herb” ‹ Prussian German meiran, meirôn “ditto,” nėgelkės “carnations” ‹ Prussian German nêgelke “ditto,” vikiai ‹ German Wicke, tabakas ‹ German Tabak.

6. Names of clothing and its parts (9), e.g.: dimžakas (orig. dimžakas) “pocket,” cf. Prussian German Diebssack “ditto,” kėdelis “jacket” ‹ Prussian German kêdel “ditto,” mučė “cap” ‹ Old High German mutze, mütze “ditto,” vystė “waistcoat” ‹ German Weste “ditto,” žiurstas (orig. žurštas) “apron” ‹ Prussian German šoršt, šêršt “ditto,” /hybrid/ pabuteris “lining” ‹ German Futter “ditto” + Lithuanian prefix pa-

7. Names of foods and drinks (7), e.g.: kėžas (orig. kez̧as) “cheese” ‹ Low German kese “ditto,” kringelis “pretzel” ‹ German Kringel “ditto,” kulšolė (orig. kulb̧ole) “cold (sweet) soup” ‹ Prussian German kulschôl “ditto.”

8. Names of animals (7), e.g.: bulius ‹ Prussian German boll, bull “bull,” elefantas “elephant” ‹ German Elefant “ditto,” liovė “lioness?” (orig. German Hindin “hind” rendered in Lithuanian as lowe), cf. Low German lowe “lion,” trapas “bustard (bird)” ‹ German Trappe “ditto,” karusas “crucian carp” ‹ Low German karusse “ditto,” stinta ‹ German Stint.

9. Religious terms (5), e.g.: aptas (orig. apts) “head of a male Catholic monastery” ‹ German Abt “ditto,” kanteris “organist in a Protestant church” ‹ Prussian German kanter “organist, singer,” psalteras “psalter” ‹ German Psalter “ditto.”

10. Names of abstract concepts⁶ (5), e.g.: biskis “a little” ‹ Prussian German beske “ditto,” čiekis “sign” ‹ Prussian German zêxen “ditto.”

11. Terms for social life (5), e.g.: galgės “gallows” ‹ Prussian German galge “ditto,” pantas “pledge” ‹ Prussian German pant “ditto,” pustas “post” ‹ German Post “ditto,” cf. Low German post “messenger (rider),” turmas “prison” ‹ Prussian German tôrn “ditto.”

formed following German word-formation patterns, e.g., ragpenigai “a tax paid for horns,” cf. German Horngeld “ditto,” pervažpiṅingai “a charge for transportation,” cf. German Fahrgeld “ditto,” and so on.

⁶The dictionary contains quite a few hybrid derivatives formed in Lithuanian itself with the suffixes -imas, -ys-tė, etc., e.g.: priesthood ‹ Lithuanian priest, translation ‹ Lithuanian translator, išliuosavimas ‹ Lithuanian išliuosuoti.

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12. Names of metals and other materials (4), e.g.: tin “tin” < German Zinn “same”, pitch “resin, tar” < Prussian German pick, pek “same”, šmeras “(wheel) grease” < Prussian German schmēr “same”.

13. Names of weapons (3), e.g.: pistu(o)lė (original form pistūlu, plural genitive) “pistol” < German Pistole “same”.

14. Names of natural objects and phenomena (3), e.g.: šturmas “storm” < German Sturm “same”.

15. Names of body organs (and products they produce) and diseases (3): blėkai “entrails, intestines” < Prussian German flāk “same”, šlimas “phlegm”, cf. Prussian German šlam “same”, Low German slīm “same”, brantai “syphilis”, cf. Low German brant “fever, gangrene, plant disease”.

16. Names of musical instruments (2): arpa “harp” < Low German harpe “same”, trimita “trumpet” < Prussian German trömmete “same”, cf. Old High German trumet.

17. Nautical terms (2): inkara(s), cf. German Enker “same” and žėgnis (original zegnis) “sail”, cf. German Segel “same”, Low German segene “large net”.

18. Kinship terms (1): švogeris “brother-in-law” < Prussian German švöyer “same”, cf. Low German swager “same”.

19. Names of countries (1): Den­markas “Denmark” < German Dänemark “same”.

II. VERBS

Of the 20 verbs of German origin, 7 are prefixed. All the verbs are hybrids, formed with Lithuanian suffixes - (i)uoti, -(i)o-ti, -auti, -yti. The following semantic groups can be distinguished:

1. Words denoting an active action (16), e.g.: atspuntuoti (orig. atspunti̇ti) "to tap (a barrel)" < Prussian German spunde "to plug", cf. Middle Low German spunden "to plug (a barrel) with a bung", brukuoti (orig. brukkūti) "to pave" < Prussian German brucken "ditto", zoguoti (orig. zogūti) "to cut" < Prussian German zōge "ditto", pandyti "to take, confiscate" < Middle Low German panden "ditto".⁷

⁷The dictionary contains borrowings with nominal roots, e.g.: hebelioti "to plane" < Lithuanian hėbelis "plane", pabuterauti "to line (with padding)" < Lithuanian pabuteris "lining".

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2. Words denoting an abstract action (3): giliuoti "to have value“ ‹ Prussian German gele "ditto".

3. Words denoting a state (1): pernaroti "to disturb", cf. German vernarren "to deceive, to mock".

III. WORDS FROM OTHER PARTS OF SPEECH

The dictionary contains four German adjectival borrowings denoting qualities: a) external (1): čekas "dappled, variegated", cf. German scheckig "ditto"; b) internal (3); e.g.: vertas⁸ ‹ German wert "ditto", liuosas "free" ‹ German los "ditto".⁹

The dictionary contains one affirmative particle ja, je "yes" ‹ German ja "ditto".

Comparison of the Germanisms in "Lexicon Lithuanicum" with borrowings in other dictionaries

The Germanisms in "Lexicon Lithuanicum" presented above are also found in other seventeenth- to nineteenth-century dictionaries of Lithuania Minor and in its written monuments. Only the spelling and phonetic and morphological variants of some words differ. The number of German-language loanwords in dictionaries of Lithuania Minor depends on their size, purpose, and other factors. Dictionaries containing more words from spoken language have more Germanisms. These include the dictionaries of F. Pretorijus, J. Brodovskis, P. Ruigys, Ch. Mielckė, F. Nesselmanno, and F. Kuršaitis. The first printed dictionary, F. W. Haacko’s, which was modest in size, contains few Germanisms. As is known, F. W. Haackas drew on the lexicon of the New Testament of the Bible and the Psalter, and did not include words from spoken language. Other dictionaries from this region contain more German-language loanwords. By way of illustration, we present Germanisms from one thematic group in "Lexicon Lithuanicum" that are also found in other East Prussian dictionaries (see table).

Since by the mid-seventeenth century there was a substantial layer of German-language loanwords in the Lithuanian spoken in Lithuania Minor, it may be assumed that they had been used there even earlier.

Origin. Most Germanisms entered the Lithuanian language of Lithuania Minor from the German dialects of East Prussia.¹⁰ These include the previously mentioned terms for a cart, harrows, harnesses and their parts, various tools, and household items

⁸ The adverb of manner vertai, nevertai is derived from this loanword.

⁹ This group also includes hybrids: būriškas, ercičiškas.

¹⁰ Remiamasi šiais darbais: Frischbier H. Preussisches Wörterbuch. Berlin, 1882-1883. Bd. 1-2; Alminauskis K. Die Germanismen des Litauischen. K., [1935].

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names.¹¹ Many words in the German dialects of East Prussia derive from Middle Low German (MLG)¹² (based on the works of K. Schiller, A. Lübben¹³ and J. Sehwer¹⁴). Among these are: būras ‹ MLG būr, jėgerė “hunter” ‹ MLG jeger “ditto”, karusas “crucian carp” ‹ MLG karusse “ditto”, kylis “wedge” ‹ MLG kīl “ditto”, kringelis “pretzel” ‹ MLG kringel “ditto”, mira “fragrant resin” ‹ MLG mirre “ditto”, pandyti “to take, confiscate” ‹ MLG panden “ditto”, panė “frying pan” ‹ MLG pan, pân “ditto”, pantas “deposit” ‹ MLG pant “ditto”, pikis “tar, pitch” ‹ MLG pick “ditto”, rinda “gutter to drain water from the roof” ‹ MLG rinde “ditto”, skindeliai “wooden shingles for roofing” ‹ MLG skindele “ditto”, skūnė “barn, shed” ‹ MLG schune “ditto”, spinta ‹ MLG spind, spunta “wedge” ‹ MLG spunt “ditto”, stinta ‹ MLG stint, tynė “bath” ‹ MLG tine “tub”, trapas “coot (bird)” ‹ MLG trappe “ditto”.

Usage. Not all Germanisms used in the dialects and literature of Lithuania Minor have survived in contemporary Lithuanian. Some have become established, while other loanwords are used as synonyms (or lexical doublets) for corresponding Lithuanian words with the same meaning. They are used mainly by older people in dialects bordering former East Prussia. Some are no longer used even in those Lithuanian borderland dialects. Of the 210 German loanwords in “Lexicon Lithuanicum,” only about 40 (~19%) are used in the standard language. These are: bosąs, bulius, inkaras, kunigas, mūras, (hybrid) pašiūrė, pikis, pinigas, raitelis, spinta, stinta, šturmas, tabakas, vertas, and others. Germanisms are more numerous in our dialects, especially in the Western Aukštaitian and Samogitian dialects. These mainly include names for parts of carts and harnesses (e.g., leiterės “cart sides,” rungas “a pole placed across the wheel axle,” šėnai “wheel rim,” špykis “spoke”), work tools (e.g., busokas “long pole with an iron hook,” šiūpelė “scoop,” trogai “stretcher”), household items (e.g., dekis “coverlet,” kurbas “basket,” legerė “small cask”), names for buildings and their parts (e.g., skūnė “barn,” staldas “stable,” stuba “cottage,” kakalys “stove”), and building materials (e.g., skindeliai “roofing boards,” šrogai “support, prop”).

Since not only what words a language receives from other languages but also what it loses is important for the history of language and its culture, German loanwords that have already disappeared from Lithuanian or are disappearing should also be mentioned. These are: bekėrė "baker", bruvėlė "brewer", butkerė "cooper", dišerė "carpenter", skrybėlė "scribe", šneiderius "tailor", akteinis, -ainis (hybrid) "one eighth", bertainis (hybrid) "quarter, one quarter", hubas "unit of land area", murgas "unit of land measurement", tripelkis "coin worth three skatikai", stundas "hour", and so on.

¹¹ See the examples listed by thematic groups.

¹² Žr. Mitzka W. Grundzüge nordostdeutscher Sprachgeschichte. Halle / Saale, 1937.

¹³ Schiller K., Lübben A. Mittelniederdeutsches Wörterbuch. Bremen, 1875. Bd. 1-6.

¹⁴ Sehwers J. Linguistic and cultural-historical studies chiefly concerning German influence on Latvian. Berlin, 1953.

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Based on usage, Germanisms can be divided into three groups:

1) those widely used in the standard language;

2) those rarely used and widespread only in certain dialects;

3) those known only from written monuments.

From all that has been said, the following conclusions can be drawn:

1. In the seventeenth century (and perhaps earlier), quite a number of German loanwords entered the southwestern dialects of Lithuanian. These loanwords survived in the local varieties into the eighteenth through twentieth centuries.

2. The largest share of German loanwords consists of nouns denoting household and farm objects and tools; people, professions, duties, and occupations; buildings and their parts; and construction materials. The least numerous in the local varieties are terms of German origin for kinship, body parts, natural bodies, and natural phenomena.

3. Almost all German loanwords entered Lithuanian from the German dialects of Prussia and contain clear elements of Middle Low German.

4. Most loanwords are not used in standard Lithuanian. In particular, many names for people, professions, duties, occupations, monetary units, and measures have disappeared. Such German loanwords are still used in the southwestern Lithuanian local varieties today. They are mostly names for carts and their parts, harnesses, tools for work and crafts, and vessels.

Names of Buildings and Their Parts in East Prussian Dictionaries

Table

Names of buildings and their parts | Lex | C | Vad. Q | F | B | R | MZ | N | ✓ Balks “beam, log” | + | + | + | | + | + | + | + | + “dele” “thick plank” | + | + | + | | | | | | “buzas” “beer garden” | + | | + | | + | | | | / “dele” “dryžens” “door-handle press” | + | | | | + | | | | / “brūže” “katarys” “stove” | + | + | | | + | + | + | + | / “urnkeis” “wedge, broad wedge” | + | + | + | | + | + | + | + | + “kengė a hook driven into the doorpost, on which the latch catches when the door is closed” | + | + | + | | + | + | + | + | + “klėmbatis” | | | | | + | + | + | + | + “kenore” “cellar” | + | + | + | + | | | | | + “klemens” “iron coupling” | + | + | + | | | + | + | + | + “klingas” “part of an old-fashioned door handle and hook, a latch” | + | + | + | | + | + | + | + | + “mūras” | + | + | | | | | | | + “pašijure (tūbr.)” | + | | | + | + | + | + | + | + “rėmas” | + | + | | | + | | | | + “rinda” “gutter for draining water from the roof” | + | + | + | | + | + | + | + | + “skindelai” “shingles for roofing” | + | + | + | | + | + | + | + | + “skūnė” “barn” | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + “staldas” “barn” | + | + | + | | + | + | + | + | + “šluba” “dwelling house” | + | + | + | | + | + | + | + | + “rūmas” “room” | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + | + “sūpas” “barn” | + | + | + | | + | + | + | + | + “srogai” “supports” | + | + | + | | + | + | + | + | + sgėga | | | | | + | + | + | + | + sgėga | | | | | + | + | + | + | + sgėga | | | | | + | + | + | + | + sroga | | | | | + | + | + | + | + supas | | | | | | | | | + snagos

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Literatūra

Alminauskis K. Die Germanismen des Litauischen. Teil 1: Die deutschen Lehnwörter im Litauischen. K., [1935].

Brodowskij J. Lexicon Germanico-Lithvanicvm et Lithvanico-Germanicvm (Rankraštinis vokiečių-lietuvių kalbų žodynas, du tomai, apie 1740 m.).

Dabartinės lietuvių kalbos žodynas. V., 1972.

Frischbier H. Preussisches Wörterbuch. Ost- und Westpreussische Provinzialismen in alphabetischer Folge. Berlin, 1882. Bd. 1-2.

Haack F.W. Vocabularivm Litthvanico-Germanicvm et Germanico-Litthvanicvm. Halle, 1730.

Kluge F. Etymologisches Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache. Berlin, 1957.

Krauzės (vadinamasis) žodynas. (Buv. Karaliaučiaus archyvo rankraštinis vokiečių-lietuvių kalbų XVIII a. žodynas). Žodyno rankraštis saugomas Lietuvių literatūros ir tautosakos institute.

Kurschat F. Deutsch-littauisches Wörterbuch. Halle, Bd. 1, 1870. Bd. 2, 1874.

Kurschat F. Littauisch-deutsches Wörterbuch. Halle, 1883.

Lexicon Lithuanicum in usum eorum conscriptum". (Vokiečių-lietuvių kalbų žodynas, buv. Karaliaučiaus archyvo XVII a. rankraštis). Dabar saugomas Lietuvos MA bibliotekoje.

Lexicon Lithuanicum, parengė V.Drotvinas. V., 1987.

Lietuvių kalbos atlasas. T. 1, V., 1977.

Lietuvių kalbos žodynas. V., 1956-1986. T. 1-14.

Mielcke Ch. G. Littauisch-deutsches und deutsch-littauisches Wörterbuch. Königsberg, 1800.

Mitzka W. Grundzüge Nordostdeutscher Sprachgeschichte. Halle / Saale, 1937.

Nesselmann G.H.F. Wörterbuch der littauischen Sprache. Königsberg, 1851.

Pretorijus F. Clavis Germanico-Lithvana. (Vokiečių-lietuvių kalbų žodynas, buv. Karaliaučiaus archyvo dviejų tomų rankraštis, apie 1672-1675). Dabar saugomas Lietuvos MA bibliotekoje.

Ruhig P. Littauisch-deutsches und deutsch-littauisches Lexicon. Königsberg, 1747.

Schiller K., Lübben A. Mittelniederdeutsches Wörterbuch. Bremen, 1875-1881. Bd. 1-6.

Sehwers J. Sprachlich — kulturhistorische Untersuchungen vornehmlich über den deutschen Einfluss im Lettischen. Berlin, 1953.

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GERMANISMEN IN DER WESTAUKSCHTAITISCHEN MUNDART KLEINLITAUENS IM 17. JH. (AM MATERIAL DES "LEXICON LITHUANICUM")

Zusammenfassung

Im ersten handschriftlichen deutsch-litauischen Wörterbuch "Lexicon Lithuanicum" aus der Mitte des 17. Jhs. findet man unter 7200 litauischen Wörtern, die das Wörterbuch enthält, etwa 210 Entlehnungen aus dem Deutschen.

Die deutschen Lehnwörter werden in thematische Gruppen eingeteilt. Die größte Gruppe bilden Benennungen von Gegenständen und Werkzeugen des Haushalts und Wirtschaft, von Berufen, Beschäftigungen der Personen, von Gebäuden, ihren Teilen und Baumaterialien. Seltener sind Verwandtschaftsbezeichnungen, Benennungen von Körperteilen und von Naturerscheinungen.

Die Mehrheit der deutschen Lehnwörter gelangte in das Litauische aus den deutschen Mundarten Ostpreußens. Sie weisen deutlich mittelniederdeutsche Besonderheiten auf.

Der größte Teil der Germanismen wird in der gegenwärtigen litauischen Sprache nicht gebraucht. Es sind vor allem viele Benennungen von Berufen, Bezeichnungen für Beschäftigungen von Personen und Bezeichnungen für Geldeinheiten sowie für Maße verschwunden. In westlichen und südlichen Mundarten ist ein Teil davon noch bekannt und wird gebraucht.

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