Poland's Linguistic Heritage
Documentation Database for Endangered Languages
Welcome to the website of the documentation database of endangered language varieties spoken on the territory of Poland and developed in - synchronic or diachronic - language contact(s) with Polish (excluding the dialects of the Polish language itself). The focus of the present inventory is on a wide range of non-Polish languages and their non-standard varieties illustrating the richness and diversity of Poland's language landscape and the variety of its language contacts.
Kraslaw - Plater family vault
Molenna of Old Believers in Lucyn
Krāslava (Kraslaw) - Castle
Synagogue in Rēzekne (Rzeżyca)
- Lithuanian varieties
- Latgalian *
- (Polish) Yiddish *
- Wymysorys / Wilamowicean *
- Hałcnovian and Bielsko-Biała enclave *
- Armeno-Kipchak
- Belarusian dialects
- Czech dialects
- Low German
- Karaim
- Lachian / Lakh dialects
- dialect of Old Believers in Masuria
- German dialects in Silesia
- Oravian dialect (Polish-Slovak continuum)
- Podlachian and West Polesian
- Romani dialects
- Russian of Old Believers
- Lemko Rusyn
- Spiš dialects (Slovak-Polish dialect continuum)
- Tatar
- Ukrainian dialects
- High German varieties outside Silesia
In Poland and in its neighbouring countries (once included in the territory of Poland) there are many languages spoken by small groups of speakers that have not been documented so far and they are severely endangered. These languages prove the linguistic diversity and richness of the former Republic of Poland (the Polish historical name is "Rzeczypospolita") and are an important component of the Polish national legacy. In terms of linguistic diversity, the territory of "Rzeczypospolita" is a region of contacts between various languages and communication communities. Although today the diversity is significantly impoverished as compared to earlier times, it still exists.
Ms Wanda and Mr Jan
Ms Wanda and Mr Jan talk about their Polish, Latvian and multicultural history. Dom Polski, Daugavpils (Dyneburg), August 2013.
Conference
Presentation of language and culture of Wilamowice by a regional group "Wilamowice" at the conference European and Regional Instruments for Protection of Endangered Languages.
TOK.FM Radio Interview
Radio interview with Dr Tomasz Wicherkiewicz (in Polish) who speaks about the small languages of (not only) Poland. Archiving endangered languages. Dead languages. Languages revitalisation. Interviewer: Cezary Łasiczka.
Documentary mission to Latvia
Tracing Poland's language legacy in the present Latvia, and especially Latgalia. Meeting history and people speaking Polish, Latgalian, Belorussian...
This work was supported by the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education within "The National Programme for the Development of Humanities" in the years 2012-2013.