Lietuvių ir latvių žvejų dainos: sąsajos ir skirtumai

Abstract

The article makes a comparison between Lithuanian and Latvian fishermen songs and aims at highlighting and discussing unique as well as common Baltic and general features of fishermen songs of these two adjacent nations. The study involves two main tasks, the first of which is to identify and single out separate components and smallest independent text elements of Lithuanian and Latvian fishermen songs, to demonstrate composition and variation possibilities of such components (elements) in different variants of the same song or different versions and variants of the same song as well as the dispersion of such components in totally different type songs or even in totally different genre songs. The second assignment is to compare gods, goddesses and mythical figures, mentioned in Lithuanian and Latvian fishermen songs and collate available folklore data with the historical, linguistic and ethnographical material. With relation to the structure of Lithuanian and Latvian fishermen songs, it could be stated that the songs are composed generally in the same way: they are mosaic, made up or combined with the help of separate compositional fragments. Due to the different development course of the singing tradition, these compositional fragments are also different to a certain degree. In Latvian songs, for example, they arc minimally developed or not developed at all (most frequently the hero's action only), the Lithuanian songs, however, include the plot and are developed consistently frm the initial situation to the final outcome, which is the source of all other differences. In long Latvian songs separate compositional fragments are usually linked only by a common song subject. Therefore in transition from one compositional fragment to another, there are unexpected and more important leaps of idea, thought, scene or space. A vivid metaphor and numerous symbols, prevalent in Latvian folk songs, serve this purpose. Meanwhile, in Lithuanian fishermen songs, a separate compositional fragment is usually the beginning of the following compositional fragment. It is the performer (composer) of both Lithuanian and Latvian songs who consistently and naturally connects separate compositional fragments into an integral piece on the basis of association, depending on where he/she directs his/her thoughts, what his/her mood is, what positive or negative associations he/she has, etc.