The year 1989 was both in Poland and in many other European countries, which were in the sphere of the Soviet influences, the beginning of revolutionary changes: political, economie, social and cultural ones. They also influenced the Polish language of politics which has changed radically for the last 20 years. An important reason for a variety of styles and registers is the instability of the Polish political scene, the abundance of political parties, constantly forming new parliamentary groups and government coalitions, and the disappearance of the others. In the language of the contemporary politics the lexis is particularly extensive and includes thousands of words referring to the public life of the Poles. The major point of the article is the claim that the language of contemporary politics is getting poorer, loses its elegance and becomes more and more primitive. The author sees the reasons for this pauperization in the trends of contemporary culture. He shows the main features of the phenomenon: a turn towards commonness and informality, an emotionality of expressions, a hermetic vision of the world, an impossibility of a dialogue and an increase in populist attitudes.
When the year 2001 was announced the European Language Year this was a good occasion to point out how culturally and linguistically diverse Europe is and how important a role language education plays as a means of getting to know one another, furthering tolerance for various cultures, intensifying and enriching ways of language promotion, and showing how important language skills are for employment and migration in Europe. Both the European Union and the Council of Europe are very actively promoting linguistic diversity and language education. The Bologna Declaration, which was signed in 1999, posits the development of a European Space of Higher Education by 2010. The aim of this Bolognese process is to create adequate conditions of teaching at the university level in Europe and to encourage the greater mobility of students and academic teachers. Well aware of the challenges and the role which higher education establishments must play in uniting Europe, the Scientific Committee of the Berlin Conference "The European Foreign Language Year, Berlin, 28-30 June 2001" launched an appeal for cooperation in the field of furthering and promotion of cross-cultural knowledge and skills and multilingualism to the authorities of European institutions and organisations. It called for the acceptance of the Berlin Declaration entitled "Language Education in Higher Education - A Crucial Element in the process of European Integration". The authors of the Declaration appeal to the authorities of European universities to take action to develop and implement a language policy for both didactic and research spheres as a well as a developmental strategy for the entire institution. So far, no document, clearly and explicitly formulating the assumptions for university language policy, has been drawn up at Warsaw University, the largest humanistic university in Poland, where about 10 thousand students undergo some form of foreign language instruction each year. ; Ogłoszenie roku 2001 Europejskim Rokiem Języków stało się okazją do podkreślenia różnorodności kulturowej i językowej Europy oraz roli kształcenia językowego jako ważnego środka wzajemnego poznania i budowania tolerancji dla różnych kultur, a także do zintensyfikowania i wzbogacenia sposobów promocji języków oraz ukazania znaczenia umiejętności językowych w procesach zatrudnienia i przepływu osób w Europie. Zarówno Unia Europejska, jak i Rada Europy wykazują dużą aktywność w promowaniu różnorodności językowej i nauczania języków. Deklaracja Bolońska, podpisana w 1999 roku, przewiduje utworzenie do roku 2010 europejskiej przestrzeni szkolnictwa wyższego. Tak rozpoczęty proces boloński ma na celu stworzenie odpowiednich warunków kształcenia na poziomie wyższym w Europie oraz przyczynienie się do zwiększenia mobilności studentów i nauczycieli akademickich. Mając świadomość wyzwań i roli, jaką szkoły wyższe muszą odegrać w jednoczącej się Europie, Komitet Naukowy Berlińskiej Konferencji "Europejski Rok Języków Obcych, Berlin 28-30 czerwca 2001" wystosował apel do władz instytucji i organizacji europejskich o współpracę w dziedzinie rozwijania oraz promowania wiedzy i umiejętności interkulturowych, a także wielojęzyczności. Zaproponowano przyjęcie Deklaracji Berlińskiej, zatytułowanej "Kształcenie językowe w szkolnictwie wyższym - kluczowy element procesu integracji europejskiej" . Autorzy projektu Deklaracji zwracają się do władz uczelni europejskich z apelem o podjęcie prac mających na celu opracowanie i wdrożenie polityki językowej dotyczącej zarówno sfery dydaktyki i badań naukowych, jak i strategii rozwoju całej instytucji. W Uniwersytecie Warszawskim, największej polskiej uczelni humanistycznej, gdzie nauczaniem języków obcych w różnej formie objętych jest rocznie około 10 tys. studentów, dotąd nie stworzono jednak dokumentu, w którym jasno i wyraźnie zostałyby sformułowane założenia polityki językowej tej uczelni.
This book aims at revealing the trends of development of the spoken Polish language in Lithuania and drawing attention to the impact of the Russian, Lithuanian and Belarusian languages on contemporary Polish which is currently used in Lithuania. Based on the results of observing the formal and informal use of the Polish language in a public space as well as in private the publication presents a socio-linguistic approach regarding the issues concerning the language culture. The greatest focus falls on the elimination of the most frequent mistakes penetrating the formal speaking. The didactic teaching resource has been developed based on the programme of contemporary advanced Polish and it is designed for students studying humanitarian sciences in Vilnius University and those who are concerned with correctness of the Polish language. The book consists of theoretical and practical parts; the material of the latter is divided into 12 topics. Each topic is finished with self-control tasks which may be used by students for testing their knowledge and skills. The reference list is provided at the very end of the publication. The fact that Polish is primarily used as the spoken language in Lithuania is taken into consideration in the thesis. The Poles use the Polish language in a private environment, they use it for communication with family members (especially with people of older generations). The language is also used in informal situations in a public space, i.e. when communicating with neighbours and acquaintances. In the latter case other languages are used as well. Almost all Poles residing in Lithuania know three languages (Lithuanian, Russian and Polish); "the new Polish intellectuals" (Kurzowa 1992: 131) speak standard Polish at home. The goal of the lectures is to promote the language culture and linguistic self-awareness as it will influence further linguistic changes. The analysis focuses on lexical changes which have been taking place during the last decades in the language of Lithuanian Polish intellectuals. Linguistic processes which are taking place are similar to the development of the standard Polish language (new terms for economic, political, educational and cultural phenomena emerge, new connotations are attributed to the words); nevertheless, specific features of the Polish language used in Lithuania remain and the development itself is slower. The quality of said changes depends on the impact made by Lithuanian and Russian languages, new words corresponding with the Lithuanian realia are created, new borrowings from Lithuanian and Russian appear, dialecticisms are used as well as linguistic elements of social varieties. The interferential lexis is characteristic of many phraseological novelties related to phenomena of the social and economic nature. Many officially used phraseological novelties have a colloquial connotation; the stylistic and expressive evaluation of the contemporary Polish language are thus neutralised, for instance, stylistic and linguistic means, which do not correspond with the standards of the official language, namely colloquial words, abbreviations, dialecticisms and expressive borrowings, may be observed in mass media. Lectures promote the culture of the Polish language, since the knowledge of the standard Polish language would allow understanding the rapidly changing contemporary Polish culture and participating in the dialogue between Poland and Lithuania.
This book aims at revealing the trends of development of the spoken Polish language in Lithuania and drawing attention to the impact of the Russian, Lithuanian and Belarusian languages on contemporary Polish which is currently used in Lithuania. Based on the results of observing the formal and informal use of the Polish language in a public space as well as in private the publication presents a socio-linguistic approach regarding the issues concerning the language culture. The greatest focus falls on the elimination of the most frequent mistakes penetrating the formal speaking. The didactic teaching resource has been developed based on the programme of contemporary advanced Polish and it is designed for students studying humanitarian sciences in Vilnius University and those who are concerned with correctness of the Polish language. The book consists of theoretical and practical parts; the material of the latter is divided into 12 topics. Each topic is finished with self-control tasks which may be used by students for testing their knowledge and skills. The reference list is provided at the very end of the publication. The fact that Polish is primarily used as the spoken language in Lithuania is taken into consideration in the thesis. The Poles use the Polish language in a private environment, they use it for communication with family members (especially with people of older generations). The language is also used in informal situations in a public space, i.e. when communicating with neighbours and acquaintances. In the latter case other languages are used as well. Almost all Poles residing in Lithuania know three languages (Lithuanian, Russian and Polish); "the new Polish intellectuals" (Kurzowa 1992: 131) speak standard Polish at home. The goal of the lectures is to promote the language culture and linguistic self-awareness as it will influence further linguistic changes. The analysis focuses on lexical changes which have been taking place during the last decades in the language of Lithuanian Polish intellectuals. Linguistic processes which are taking place are similar to the development of the standard Polish language (new terms for economic, political, educational and cultural phenomena emerge, new connotations are attributed to the words); nevertheless, specific features of the Polish language used in Lithuania remain and the development itself is slower. The quality of said changes depends on the impact made by Lithuanian and Russian languages, new words corresponding with the Lithuanian realia are created, new borrowings from Lithuanian and Russian appear, dialecticisms are used as well as linguistic elements of social varieties. The interferential lexis is characteristic of many phraseological novelties related to phenomena of the social and economic nature. Many officially used phraseological novelties have a colloquial connotation; the stylistic and expressive evaluation of the contemporary Polish language are thus neutralised, for instance, stylistic and linguistic means, which do not correspond with the standards of the official language, namely colloquial words, abbreviations, dialecticisms and expressive borrowings, may be observed in mass media. Lectures promote the culture of the Polish language, since the knowledge of the standard Polish language would allow understanding the rapidly changing contemporary Polish culture and participating in the dialogue between Poland and Lithuania.
"Praca jest nowa, oryginalna i pionierska nie tylko w literalnie rozumianym zakresie tematyczno-problemowym (jako studium o językach i tożsamościach w regionie lubuskim), ale także w szerszym aspekcie uczciwego, aideologicznego spojrzenia na tzw. nowe dialekty mieszane na tzw. Ziemiach Zachodnich i Północnych" (z recenzji prof. Bogdana Walczaka). "Anna Zielińska w badaniach nad kontaktami językowymi na pograniczach dopracowała się własnej, oryginalnej metodologii, łącząc elementy socjolingwistyczne, dialektologiczne i kulturologiczne. W monografii przedstawiła spójny opis rzeczywistych sposobów komunikowania się na terenie wielojęzycznym, z różnorodną, napływową ludnością, o zróżnicowanej hierarchii prestiżowej różnych języków i ich odmian. Takie podejście badawcze nie było dotychczas stosowane dla regionu lubuskiego, w którym starano się raczej wymodelować idealny stan zintegrowanej polszczyzny" (z recenzji prof. Ewy Wolnicz-Pawłowskiej). "Książka Anny Zielińskiej dekonstruuje polskie stereotypy narosłe wokół tzw. Ziem Odzyskanych wskutek uwarunkowań politycznych i ideologicznych ostatniego półwiecza. Jej znakomicie uargumentowany materiałowo i teoretycznie wywód nie tylko łączy w sposób nowatorski klasyczne podejście socjolingwistyczne z perspektywą antropologiczną, ale także prowokuje do dociekań nad mechanizmami nacjonalizmu w polskim dyskursie naukowym dotyczącym tego obszaru" (z recenzji dr hab. Anny Engelking). ; "The work is novel, original and pioneering not only in terms of its narrowly understood subject matter (a study of languages and identities in the Lubusz region) but likewise in wider terms as a sincere, aeideological look at so-called new mixed dialects in so-called Western and Northern Territories" (Professor Bogdan Walczak). "In her studies on language contact in the borderlands, Anna Zielińska has developed her own original methodology, combining elements of sociolinguistics, dialectology and cultural studies. In the monograph she present a comprehensive description of ways of communication actually at play in multilingual territories with diverse immigrant populations and a multifaceted hierarchy of languages and their varieties. Approach of this kind has hitherto not been applied to the Lubusz region, with existing studies usually attempting to model an ideal state of integrated Polish" (Professor Ewa Wolnicz-Pawłowska). "Anna Zielińska's book deconstructs the stereotypes which have accrued in Poland about the so-called Recovered Territories due to the political and ideological conditions of the last half century. This study, brilliantly underpinned in terms of material and theory, is a pioneering combination of classic sociolinguistic approach with an anthropological perspective which inspires deliberations about the nationalistic mechanisms in Polish scholarly discourse concerning this area" (Professor Anna Engelking). ; Praca naukowa finansowana ze środków budżetowych na naukę w latach 2010-2013 jako projekt badawczy nr N N104 079739
Before the First World War, the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy was one of the largest European countries inhabited by a dozen of ethnic groups who spoke several languages. A language issue was one of the challenges for the Monarchy after the "national awakening" under the influence of the Spring of Nations and changes in society. For a long time, political thinkers of different nationalities discussed various proposals to the Monarchy reform so as it would save its unity and satisfy everyone. Maintaining of this heterogeneous entity by creating a certain balance of forces, taking into account the aspirations of different language groups, was very difficult. In the "Austrian" part of the Monarchy, reigns were based on a pluralistic ethnic policy, strengthening rather than weakening political stability. In the "Hungarian" part, despite the preached rules of far-reaching tolerance, in fear of majorization by the Slavic and Romanian elements, "Magyarization" was carried out, which pushed the role of regional languages to the significance of local dialects. Wrong language and nationality policy carried out by Hungary resulted in the loss of two-thirds of its territory. However, with all its disadvantages, the Monarchy was the first model of a wider "European home" in the modern times. Old Austria can be an example of both right and wrong attempts of approaching social, ethnic or religious problems and is an inexhaustible material for scientific research. ; Przed I wojną światową monarchia austro-węgierska była jednym z największych państw Europy, które zamieszkiwało kilkanaście grup etnicznych i w którym posługiwano się kilkoma językami. Jednym z wyzwań dla niej po "obudzeniu narodowym" pod wpływem Wiosny Ludów i zmianach w społeczeństwie była kwestia językowa. Przez długi czas myśliciele polityczni różnych narodowości występowali z rozmaitymi propozycjami zreformowania monarchii, aby utrzymać ją w całości i zadowolić wszystkich. Utrzymanie tego heterogenicznego tworu przez wytworzenie pewnej równowagi sił z uwzględnieniem aspiracji różnych grup językowych było bardzo trudne. W części "austriackiej" monarchii rządy były oparte na pluralistycznej polityce etnicznej, wzmacniającej, a nie osłabiającej stabilność polityczną. W części "węgierskiej", pomimo głoszonych zasad daleko posuniętej tolerancji, w obawie przed majoryzacją przez elementy słowiańskie i rumuńskie prowadzono "madziaryzację", która spychała rolę języków regionalnych do znaczenia lokalnych narzeczy. Błędną politykę językową i narodowościową Węgry przypłaciły utratą dwóch trzecich swojej powierzchni. Jakkolwiek przy wszystkich swych wadach monarchia stanowiła jednak pierwszy model szerszego "domu europejskiego" w czasach nowożytnych. Stara Austria może być przykładem zarówno słusznych, jak i błędnych prób podejścia do rozwiązywania problemów społecznych, etnicznych czy wyznaniowych oraz stanowi niewyczerpalny materiał do badań naukowych. ; До Первой мировой войны Австро-Венгерская монархия была одним из крупнейших государств Европы, где проживали около дюжины этнических групп и в котором говорили на нескольких языках. Одной из проблем Монархии после «национального пробуждения» под влиянием Весны наций и изменений в обществе была языковая проблема. В течение длительного времени политические мыслители разных национальностей выдвигали различные предложения по реформированию Монархии, поддержанию ее целостности и удовлетворению всех заинтересованных групп. Поддержание этого гетерогенного образования путем создания определенного баланса сил с учетом устремлений различных языковых групп было очень сложным. В «австрийской» части Монархии управление государством было основано на плюралистической этнической политике, укреплении, а не ослаблении политической стабильности. В «венгерской» части, несмотря на декларации о далеко идущей толерантности, в страхе перед мажоризацией славянскими и румынскими элементами, была проведена «мадяризация», которая свела роль региональных языков к значению локальных наречий. Ошибочная языковая и национальная политика стоила потери двух третей ее территории. Однако со всеми своими недостатками, Монархия была первой моделью более широкого «европейского дома» в наше время. Старая Австрия может служить примером как правильных, так и неправильных попыток приблизиться к решению социальных, этнических или религиозных проблем и является неисчерпаемым материалом для научных исследований.
The article contributes to the discussion regarding the state certificate Since the new legislation in 2015 was introduced, the number of foreign sessions of the state certificate examinations in Polish as a foreign language has significantly decreased. The article aims to show the impact of the amended legal provisions on the availability of the certificate examinations outside of Poland and, consequently on the level of knowledge about them among potential candidates in Italy. The article is based on the results of the survey conducted by the authors among the students of Polish studies in Italy. ; The article contributes to the discussion regarding the state certificate Since the new legislation in 2015 was introduced, the number of foreign sessions of the state certificate examinations in Polish as a foreign language has significantly decreased. The article aims to show the impact of the amended legal provisions on the availability of the certificate examinations outside of Poland and, consequently on the level of knowledge about them among potential candidates in Italy. The article is based on the results of the survey conducted by the authors among the students of Polish studies in Italy.
After 1918, the two Catholic convents on the territory of the Republic of Lithuania faced the issue of Lithuanisation, which was solved in different ways. The Benedictine Convent in Kaunas, the provisional capital of Lithuania, had been firmly Lithuanised by 1924. However, St Catherine's Convent in Krakės in Samogitia chose a different path. This article aims to find out how the Krakės convent dealt with the challenges of nationalism in the context of ongoing modernisation of its life at that time. The main objective is to present the shift from the Polish to the Lithuanian language in public and private life of the convent. The study is mostly based on original documents held in the archives of St Catherine's Convent in Kaunas. The Polish language was very important for the Krakės convent (established in 1645). According to the modified Rule of St Catherine the Virgin and Martyr adopted in Krakės in 1673, the language of prayers and sermons was Polish. Only daughters of noblemen were accepted to join; they were obliged to donate a dowry, which meant that only wealthy girls could become nuns. The Krakės convent stemmed from the cultural traditions of the nobility of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The establishment of the independent Republic of Lithuania meant that St Catherine's sisters of Krakės needed to re-evaluate their political (civic), national and cultural identities. The study indicates that the solution to the language question in the Krakės convent was not enforced. The sisters were able to naturally reconcile to the situation, with time left to adapt. The article provides a detailed account of the reasons behind the gradual shift from Polish to Lithuanian. Initially, the nuns used Lithuanian to communicate outside the convent. It was not until 1930 that it began to be used in their community life, including prayers. Even then nuns could use Polish to communicate among themselves, say their private prayers or write letters. The study reveals various tensions which existed during this transitional period. However, the conclusion is that the convent successfully managed to avoid hasty decisions and resist emotions, as well as to balance between the universal and local church, the congregation of St Catherine in Braniewo (Braunsberg), the aims of various Lithuanian institutions, and the needs of the convent itself. The greatest achievement can be seen in the fact that the language issue in Krakės was not given unnecessary prominence and prioritised. As the study shows, giving it time was the best solution as the issue of language became resolved naturally, although the transition period lasted for a decade.
After 1918, the two Catholic convents on the territory of the Republic of Lithuania faced the issue of Lithuanisation, which was solved in different ways. The Benedictine Convent in Kaunas, the provisional capital of Lithuania, had been firmly Lithuanised by 1924. However, St Catherine's Convent in Krakės in Samogitia chose a different path. This article aims to find out how the Krakės convent dealt with the challenges of nationalism in the context of ongoing modernisation of its life at that time. The main objective is to present the shift from the Polish to the Lithuanian language in public and private life of the convent. The study is mostly based on original documents held in the archives of St Catherine's Convent in Kaunas. The Polish language was very important for the Krakės convent (established in 1645). According to the modified Rule of St Catherine the Virgin and Martyr adopted in Krakės in 1673, the language of prayers and sermons was Polish. Only daughters of noblemen were accepted to join; they were obliged to donate a dowry, which meant that only wealthy girls could become nuns. The Krakės convent stemmed from the cultural traditions of the nobility of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The establishment of the independent Republic of Lithuania meant that St Catherine's sisters of Krakės needed to re-evaluate their political (civic), national and cultural identities. The study indicates that the solution to the language question in the Krakės convent was not enforced. The sisters were able to naturally reconcile to the situation, with time left to adapt. The article provides a detailed account of the reasons behind the gradual shift from Polish to Lithuanian. Initially, the nuns used Lithuanian to communicate outside the convent. It was not until 1930 that it began to be used in their community life, including prayers. Even then nuns could use Polish to communicate among themselves, say their private prayers or write letters. The study reveals various tensions which existed during this transitional period. However, the conclusion is that the convent successfully managed to avoid hasty decisions and resist emotions, as well as to balance between the universal and local church, the congregation of St Catherine in Braniewo (Braunsberg), the aims of various Lithuanian institutions, and the needs of the convent itself. The greatest achievement can be seen in the fact that the language issue in Krakės was not given unnecessary prominence and prioritised. As the study shows, giving it time was the best solution as the issue of language became resolved naturally, although the transition period lasted for a decade.
After 1918, the two Catholic convents on the territory of the Republic of Lithuania faced the issue of Lithuanisation, which was solved in different ways. The Benedictine Convent in Kaunas, the provisional capital of Lithuania, had been firmly Lithuanised by 1924. However, St Catherine's Convent in Krakės in Samogitia chose a different path. This article aims to find out how the Krakės convent dealt with the challenges of nationalism in the context of ongoing modernisation of its life at that time. The main objective is to present the shift from the Polish to the Lithuanian language in public and private life of the convent. The study is mostly based on original documents held in the archives of St Catherine's Convent in Kaunas. The Polish language was very important for the Krakės convent (established in 1645). According to the modified Rule of St Catherine the Virgin and Martyr adopted in Krakės in 1673, the language of prayers and sermons was Polish. Only daughters of noblemen were accepted to join; they were obliged to donate a dowry, which meant that only wealthy girls could become nuns. The Krakės convent stemmed from the cultural traditions of the nobility of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The establishment of the independent Republic of Lithuania meant that St Catherine's sisters of Krakės needed to re-evaluate their political (civic), national and cultural identities. The study indicates that the solution to the language question in the Krakės convent was not enforced. The sisters were able to naturally reconcile to the situation, with time left to adapt. The article provides a detailed account of the reasons behind the gradual shift from Polish to Lithuanian. Initially, the nuns used Lithuanian to communicate outside the convent. It was not until 1930 that it began to be used in their community life, including prayers. Even then nuns could use Polish to communicate among themselves, say their private prayers or write letters. The study reveals various tensions which existed during this transitional period. However, the conclusion is that the convent successfully managed to avoid hasty decisions and resist emotions, as well as to balance between the universal and local church, the congregation of St Catherine in Braniewo (Braunsberg), the aims of various Lithuanian institutions, and the needs of the convent itself. The greatest achievement can be seen in the fact that the language issue in Krakės was not given unnecessary prominence and prioritised. As the study shows, giving it time was the best solution as the issue of language became resolved naturally, although the transition period lasted for a decade.
After 1918, the two Catholic convents on the territory of the Republic of Lithuania faced the issue of Lithuanisation, which was solved in different ways. The Benedictine Convent in Kaunas, the provisional capital of Lithuania, had been firmly Lithuanised by 1924. However, St Catherine's Convent in Krakės in Samogitia chose a different path. This article aims to find out how the Krakės convent dealt with the challenges of nationalism in the context of ongoing modernisation of its life at that time. The main objective is to present the shift from the Polish to the Lithuanian language in public and private life of the convent. The study is mostly based on original documents held in the archives of St Catherine's Convent in Kaunas. The Polish language was very important for the Krakės convent (established in 1645). According to the modified Rule of St Catherine the Virgin and Martyr adopted in Krakės in 1673, the language of prayers and sermons was Polish. Only daughters of noblemen were accepted to join; they were obliged to donate a dowry, which meant that only wealthy girls could become nuns. The Krakės convent stemmed from the cultural traditions of the nobility of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The establishment of the independent Republic of Lithuania meant that St Catherine's sisters of Krakės needed to re-evaluate their political (civic), national and cultural identities. The study indicates that the solution to the language question in the Krakės convent was not enforced. The sisters were able to naturally reconcile to the situation, with time left to adapt. The article provides a detailed account of the reasons behind the gradual shift from Polish to Lithuanian. Initially, the nuns used Lithuanian to communicate outside the convent. It was not until 1930 that it began to be used in their community life, including prayers. Even then nuns could use Polish to communicate among themselves, say their private prayers or write letters. The study reveals various tensions which existed during this transitional period. However, the conclusion is that the convent successfully managed to avoid hasty decisions and resist emotions, as well as to balance between the universal and local church, the congregation of St Catherine in Braniewo (Braunsberg), the aims of various Lithuanian institutions, and the needs of the convent itself. The greatest achievement can be seen in the fact that the language issue in Krakės was not given unnecessary prominence and prioritised. As the study shows, giving it time was the best solution as the issue of language became resolved naturally, although the transition period lasted for a decade.
After 1918, the two Catholic convents on the territory of the Republic of Lithuania faced the issue of Lithuanisation, which was solved in different ways. The Benedictine Convent in Kaunas, the provisional capital of Lithuania, had been firmly Lithuanised by 1924. However, St Catherine's Convent in Krakės in Samogitia chose a different path. This article aims to find out how the Krakės convent dealt with the challenges of nationalism in the context of ongoing modernisation of its life at that time. The main objective is to present the shift from the Polish to the Lithuanian language in public and private life of the convent. The study is mostly based on original documents held in the archives of St Catherine's Convent in Kaunas. The Polish language was very important for the Krakės convent (established in 1645). According to the modified Rule of St Catherine the Virgin and Martyr adopted in Krakės in 1673, the language of prayers and sermons was Polish. Only daughters of noblemen were accepted to join; they were obliged to donate a dowry, which meant that only wealthy girls could become nuns. The Krakės convent stemmed from the cultural traditions of the nobility of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. The establishment of the independent Republic of Lithuania meant that St Catherine's sisters of Krakės needed to re-evaluate their political (civic), national and cultural identities. The study indicates that the solution to the language question in the Krakės convent was not enforced. The sisters were able to naturally reconcile to the situation, with time left to adapt. The article provides a detailed account of the reasons behind the gradual shift from Polish to Lithuanian. Initially, the nuns used Lithuanian to communicate outside the convent. It was not until 1930 that it began to be used in their community life, including prayers. Even then nuns could use Polish to communicate among themselves, say their private prayers or write letters. The study reveals various tensions which existed during this transitional period. However, the conclusion is that the convent successfully managed to avoid hasty decisions and resist emotions, as well as to balance between the universal and local church, the congregation of St Catherine in Braniewo (Braunsberg), the aims of various Lithuanian institutions, and the needs of the convent itself. The greatest achievement can be seen in the fact that the language issue in Krakės was not given unnecessary prominence and prioritised. As the study shows, giving it time was the best solution as the issue of language became resolved naturally, although the transition period lasted for a decade.
The paper concerns foreign language typhlomethodology and presents an overview of available research findings in the field, arranged in chronological order. The studies discussed in the paper have insight into either first language acquisition or foreign language learning by visually impaired learners. The former shed light on the potential problems the visually impaired might have while learning foreign languages. The problems might emerge both in the phonological or semantic domain. The latter, in turn, discuss such issues as the use of foreign language vocabulary learning strategies and the role of affective factors which facilitate the language learning process. Nowadays the European Union promotes 'Languages to All' principle, i.e. teaching languages to all groups of learners, regardless of their disabilities and impairments, preferably in inclusive education setting. Therefore, foreign language teachers should be acquainted with the research findings and their implications presented herein. ; The paper concerns foreign language typhlomethodology and presents an overview of available research findings in the field, arranged in chronological order. The studies discussed in the paper have insight into either first language acquisition or foreign language learning by visually impaired learners. The former shed light on the potential problems the visually impaired might have while learning foreign languages. The problems might emerge both in the phonological or semantic domain. The latter, in turn, discuss such issues as the use of foreign language vocabulary learning strategies and the role of affective factors which facilitate the language learning process. Nowadays the European Union promotes 'Languages to All' principle, i.e. teaching languages to all groups of learners, regardless of their disabilities and impairments, preferably in inclusive education setting. Therefore, foreign language teachers should be acquainted with the research findings and their implications presented herein.
Książka stanowi tom studiów autorstwa polskich i zagranicznych językoznawców poświęcony zmianom we współczesnych językach słowiańskich, szczególnie widocznym w słownictwie i słowotwórstwie. Uwzględnienie aspektu stylowo-funkcjonalnego w rozwoju leksyki pozwala lepiej zrozumieć dynamikę zmian językowych i skuteczność działań komunikacyjnych. Celowościowy i pragmatyczny charakter zachowań komunikacyjnych ujawnia się szeroko w uwzględnionych przez Autorów kontekstach społecznych, politycznych i kulturowych. Prace zostały pogrupowane w trzy działy tematyczne: - Zjawiska, procesy i tendencje rozwojowe w słownictwie specjalistycznym (terminologii); - Dynamika mechanizmów słowotwórczych i leksykalnych; - Zmiany leksykalne we współczesnej komunikacji językowej i dyskursie. Wyodrębnione działy pomagają uporządkować przedstawioną w tomie problematykę, wskazując na dominantę tematyczną w poszczególnych tekstach. Zakresy tych grup nie są jednak ostre, złożona i wielowarstwowa problematyka tendencji i zmian we współczesnym słownictwie słowiańskim jest omawiana w różnym stopniu w każdym z wydzielonych działów. W większości prac zastosowano podejście konfrontatywne, pozostałe stanowią podstawę do takiego ujęcia. Do badań wykorzystany został bogaty materiał języków słowiańskich: polskiego, czeskiego, słowackiego, białoruskiego, rosyjskiego, ukraińskiego, bułgarskiego, słoweńskiego, a także innych języków, jak np. nowogreckiego. ; This volume of studies by Polish and international linguists is devoted to changes in modern Slavic languages, which are especially noticeable in the spheres of vocabulary and word formation. Taking into consideration the stylistic and functional aspect of lexis development allows for a better understanding of the dynamics of language change and the efficacy of communicational acts. The purposeful and pragmatic character of communicational behaviour manifests itself widely in the social, political and cultural contexts considered by the Authors. The works comprising the volume are divided into three thematic sections: - Phenomena, processes and tendencies in the development of specialist lexis (terminology); - Word formation and lexical mechanisms dynamics; - Lexical change in modern language communication and discourse. The sections help organize the volume by highlighting the dominant theme in particular texts. The scopes of the sections are, nevertheless, not sharply delineated – each section is to an equal extent devoted to the complex and multifaceted subject-matter of the tendencies and changes in modern Slavic vocabulary. Most of the works comprised in the volume adopt a contrastive approach, the remaining ones can serve as bases for contrastive studies. The text analyse the rich material of the Slavic languages – Polish, Czech, Slovak, Belarusian, Russian, Ukrainian, Bulgarian and Slovene – as well as of other languages, like Modern Greek. ; Publikacja finansowana ze środków Instytutu Slawistyki Polskiej Akademii Nauk
W artykule przedstawiono multimedialną grę dydaktyczną I SPY (poz. A2–B1), przeznaczoną dla młodzieży uczącej się kilku europejskich języków obcych, w tym języka polskiego. Polskojęzyczna wersja gry przygotowywana jest obecnie w ramach projektu edukacyjnego, w którym uczestniczy Uniwersytet Łódzki. W części teoretycznej artykułu gra została ukazana jako narzędzie umożliwiające realizację zasad podejścia ludycznego oraz zadaniowego. W części głównej – analitycznej – skoncentrowano się na określeniu przydatności gry w zakresie skłaniania użytkowników języka do podejmowania działań językowych wynikających z wcześniej postawionych zadań. ; The multimedia educational game I SPY is addressed to the A2–B1 level learners of six European languages: English, Dutch, Spanish, German, Romanian, and Polish. The game was created by the international team with the participation of the University of Łódź School of Polish for Foreigners. The authors of the article, and co-creators of Polish version of the game as well, present the game as an effective tool for realization of the assumptions of the ludic and action-oriented approaches to learning and teaching foreign languages. In the main, analytical, part of the article, the authors concentrate on defining the effectiveness of the game in making learners undertake the linguistic activities in order to perform various tasks set in the game.
