Dovanų – adytos pirštinės? Kultūrų sąveikos atspindžiai Klaipėdos krašto kalbiniame pavelde

Abstract

In the Klaipėda Region, we find signs of intertwined cultures that are a direct result of centuries- long cultural interaction. This can be seen not only in the results of scientific research but also through first-hand experience of the various aspects of the region’s culture. With this study, the author aims to reveal some lexical features of clothing traditions and the evidence of linguistic interaction in neighbouring dialects. The data used includes publications by ethnographers and linguists, written sources, dictionaries and audio recordings. Further, the author makes use of descriptive, semantic, comparative, and contextual methods. The ethnographic record shows that gifting knitted patterned gloves was a widespread custom not only in Lithuania but also in Latvia and Estonia. Notably, Latvians have maintained this custom to this day. For instance, ethnographic gloves are one of the most popular souvenirs in Latvia, reflecting the uniqueness of traditional gloves from different regions (in terms of patterns and colour combinations). Along the coast of the Curonian lagoon in the Klaipėda Region, multifaceted traces of the interaction between languages and cultures have been observed from as early as the 20th century: not only Lithuanian and German but also Latvian. The focus of this study, therefore, is on the lexical-semantic group associated with elements of clothing. Research results of the material provided by locals living in different villages in the northern part of the Klaipėda Region revealed that the lexical group contains not only the usual dominant influence of German but also elements of Latvian language and culture. The language of the fishermen of the Curonian Spit remained distinct for a long time and was largely unassimilated into Lithuanian. It was, however, influenced by the German language. Much of the borrowed German lexicon overlaps in the language of both groups of speakers (Lithuanians living along the Curonian Lagoon and kuršininkai). Moreover, the language of the kuršininkai has a distinct subgroup of lexicon related to fishermen’s clothing, which is almost entirely of German origin. A comparison of linguistic and ethnographic data on the prevalence of the lexicon and the realities it signifies (the custom of knitting gloves and gifting) suggests that some of the customs and language of the Lithuanians living along the Curonian Lagoon were influenced by the migration of the population from Courland during the 16th and 17th centuries. Evidence is not extensive, as they were quickly dissolved in the culturally similar Lithuanian environment. On the other hand, the lack of such evidence could also result from insufficient research.