Polish vernaculars in Lithuania online!

The Centre of Polish Studies of the Vilnius University has activated a multimedia guide to Polish vernaculars in Lithuania – inform the authorities of the university.

“Polish language in Lithuania has been studied for over 20 years. In 1993 was created the Centre of Polish Studies at the Vilnius University and already in 1995 along with first students and a well-known researcher Walery Czekman PhD and Halina Karaś PhD we set off to conduct studies. Since that time, we set off almost every year.” –  said the author of a platform Docent dr. Krystyna Rutkowska in a talk with zw.lt

As a result of the studies carried out in the Centre of Polish Studies was created rich vernacular’s archives, which include: sounds records about various topics concerning language, history and culture, pictures of cemeteries, churches, preserved, former manor houses and other buildings; films preserve past customs, rites, folk songs. After many years, the archives saw the light of day and became a ground to prepare a guide.

„Such a guide can become, not only an unique encyclopedia about Polish vernaculars in Lithuania but also, it can function as a didactic aid at Polish studies, can be useful in a school education. Works over the guide has just been started, we have been working only a year. We hope to continue already  started works. We dream of presenting every Polish village in our language map.” – stresses Rutkowska and she adds that the platform is both in Polish and Lithuanian.

„This way we aim at showing the  richness and diversity of folk vernaculars with their connection to the history and culture, presenting their peculiarity and uniqueness in comparison to Polish, indigenous vernaculars and the general Polish. One of an important goal of the guide is also to make people aware that Polish vernaculars in Lithuania are not a worse language, which we should be ashamed of and put them in a lower place in a hierarchy of used codes – the general Polish, Lithuanian or Russian, but they are equally rich and beautiful, even though different from the general Polish.” – explains the scientist.

“During the last three years I was working, together with experts on Lithuanian language and culture, on a big European project. All of us was studying his own vernaculars in an entire Lithuania. I was dealing with Polish vernaculars and I had to write a study in “ The atlas of Lithuanian vernaculars” about the range of existence of Polish vernaculars in Lithuania and the ways of their functioning. I am very proud, that in this atlas there is also a map presenting Polish vernaculars.” – says Rutkowska.

The platform of Polish vernaculars in Lithuania is available here www.lenkutarmes.flf.vu.lt