Lettish/Latvian scripture and liturgy

[Sandor Foldvari]

Dear Professor Kim Braithwaite;

The German influence was very strong and this is not the
only book and only example of this influence.

The LAtvian alphabet has been reformed in the first part of
20 c. The so-called "old spelling and writing" was formed
in 16 and codified in 17 c. It was replaced by the new system
in the first half of 20 c. the last is which you may be familiar with. 

Ozols, Arturs: Veclatviešu rakstu valoda, Riga, 1965. pp. 69-93.
Rudzite, Marta: Latviešu valodas vesturiska fonetika. Riga, 1993. 35-36, 
41-42, 61.

The codification of the Bible (mainly) by Ernst Glück (in Latvian: Glicks).

The new system of LAtvian ortography by Janis Endzelins, the greatest
LAtvian linguist. His collected works are being held in my flat :) but,
I very mean, you may find these in the main libraries around the world.

I should mention Professor Schmalstieg (maybe, on the list) who 
is not only a correct linguist but the editor of some books by Endzelins, 
too. You may consult his works in libraries, too. Or him.

Last, but non least, on the German influence on languages of the
Baltic sea region: Ariste, Paul: Keelekontaktid. Tallinn, 1981.

Let me notice, I mean Ariste's work is limited for he did not have
good contacts with the emmigration in Sweden (both LAtvian and
Estonian) in consequence of the Soviet era.

As for church liturgy and language, I could consult my former 
friends in the Baltics. My experiences in Estonia shows that the
innovations and purism are hot topics in the Baltics and I mean
the situation in LAtvia is similar to it. When I was in Riga six years
ago it was; some working papers on church terms in the Baltic 
region have been published in Hungary, Savaria University Press, 
Bernsteinstrasse-Project (Amber Way project), on several conferences.

I propose to continue discussion off-list. 
If sb is involved in the topic, do not hesitate to full me with mails.

Now I am hurrying so data are given at once mainly by memory.

Regards, 
Sándor Földvári
lecturer, Baltic studies,
Debrecen University, Hungary

------------------------------------------------------
Sandor Foldvari, research fellow; cell-phone +36-30-4332353 
KÉREM, N E LEGYEN BENNE LEVÉLSZÖVEGEM A VÁLASZBAN!!
Please, do NOT include my letter into the replay text!! Thanks!! 

Kim Braithwaite <kbtrans at COX.NET> írta:

> I'm curious about the language of an 1890 Lettish New Testament - 
Ta Jauna Derriba - that I acquired decades ago (teenage hobby). It is 
printed in Gothic/Fraktur script, and the orthography is quite unlike that 
of today's standard Latvian. Even more intriguing is the use of tas or ta 
(meaning "that") to mean "the" in noun phrases. Although I don't know 
Latvian - Russian and Georgian are my main languages - I do know that 
normal Latvian never did have the definite article. For all I know this NT 
may contain other violations of normal Latvian grammar as well.
> 
> My untutored hunch is that this version of the NT was translated from 
the German, and that the insistent use of tas and ta, along with any 
other deviations, somehow reflects either a crude translation or a 
deliberate aping, so to speak, of German der, die, das etc. In the front 
of the book there is a nihil obstat in German from the St Petersburg 
Lutheran office and a "Passed by censor" in Russian, dated Riga. I'm 
also aware that the Bible has been translated into regular Latvian since 
the time of my NT version.
> 
> Questions to anyone who knows:
> 
> (1) Do any of today's Latvian clergy and church-goers still cling to Ta 
Jauna Derriba, for liturgy or readings or whatever? It is well known that 
believers who are brought up on the sacred language of original 
translations of scripture almost universally tend to resist modernization 
or even correction (cf the King James Bible).
> 
> (2) Can you refer me to a brief history of the Lettish/Latvian version?
> 
> Thanks! Mr Kim Braithwaite, Translator
> 
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
>  Use your web browser to search the archives, control your 
subscription
>   options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web 
Interface at:
>                     http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 

___________________________________________________________________________
Játssz és nyerj könnyedén fényképezőgépet, babzsákfotelt vagy egyhetes, 
kétszemélyes egzotikus álomutazást! http://www.budavartours.hu/jatek/?from=frm_kimeno



-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------