Editing Lithuania (section)

==Etymology==
{{Main|Name of Lithuania}}
[[File:Lietuvos vardas. The first name of Lithuania in writing 1009.jpg|thumb|left|Lithuania's name in writing (''Litua'', on line 7), 1009]]
The spelling of ''Lithuania'' was a later addition to the original Latinate ''Lituania'' since 1800 as a form of [[hyperforeignism]] (such as the word {{wikt-lang|en|author}} being a superseding form of older ''autor'') influenced by [[English words of Greek origin|Greek loanwords]] with the [[theta]]; it is ultimately from {{langx|lt|Lietuva}}.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Bammesberger|first=Alfred|author-link=Alfred Bammesberger|date=Mar 2012|title=''Lietuvà'', ''Lithuania'', and Chaucer's ''Lettow''|url=http://www.old.lituanus.org/2012/12_1_01Bammesberger.html|journal=[[Lituanus]]|volume=58|issue=1|pages=5–8}}</ref> The first known record of ''Lietuva'' is in a 9 March 1009 story of [[Bruno of Querfurt|Saint Bruno]] in the [[Quedlinburg Chronicle]].<ref>{{cite journal | title=On the Origin of the Name of Lithuania | journal=Lithuanian Quarterly Journal of Arts and Sciences | volume=55 | issue=3 | date=Fall 2009 | first=Tomas | last=Baranauskas | issn=0024-5089}}</ref> The Chronicle recorded a Latinized form of the name Lietuva: ''Litua''<ref>Vilnius. [http://www.vilnius-tourism.lt/index.php/en/39453/ Key dates] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070117201537/http://www.vilnius-tourism.lt/index.php/en/39453/ |date=17 January 2007}}. Retrieved on 18 January 2007.</ref> (pronounced {{IPA|[litua]}}). Due to lack of reliable evidence, the true meaning of the name is unknown and scholars still debate it. There are a few plausible versions.<ref name="VardasVle">{{cite web |last1=Zinkevičius |first1=Zigmas |author-link1=Zigmas Zinkevičius |title=Lietuvos vardas |url=https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/lietuvos-vardas/ |website=[[Vle.lt]] |access-date=12 July 2021 |language=lt |archive-date=4 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220704040617/https://www.vle.lt/straipsnis/lietuvos-vardas/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Lietava River|Lietava]], a small river not far from [[Kernavė]], the core area of the [[Duchy of Lithuania|early Lithuanian state]] and a possible first capital of the eventual [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania]], is usually credited as the source of the name.<ref name=Zigmas2>Zigmas Zinkevičius. Kelios mintys, kurios kyla skaitant Alfredo Bumblausko Senosios Lietuvos istoriją 1009-1795m. Voruta, 2005.</ref> However, the river is very small and some find it improbable that such a small and local object could have lent its name to an entire nation. On the other hand, such naming is not unprecedented in world history.<ref name=Zigmas>{{cite journal |first=Zigmas |last=Zinkevičius |url=http://www.voruta.lt/archyvas/74/253 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220510083828/https://www.voruta.lt/archyvas/74/253 |archive-date=10 May 2022 |title=Lietuvos vardo kilmė |journal=Voruta |issn=1392-0677 |date=30 November 1999 |volume=3 |issue=669 |language=lt}}</ref>

Artūras Dubonis proposed another hypothesis,<ref>{{Cite book|last=Dubonis|first=Artūras|title=Lietuvos didžiojo kunigaikščio leičiai: iš Lietuvos ankstyvųjų valstybinių struktūrų praeities Leičiai of Grand Duke of Lithuania: from the past of Lithuanian stative structures|publisher=Lietuvos istorijos instituto leidykla|location=Vilnius|year=1998|language=lt}}</ref> that Lietuva relates to the word ''[[leičiai]]'' (plural of ''leitis''). From the middle of the 13th century, ''leičiai'' were a distinct warrior social group of the [[Lithuanians|Lithuanian]] society subordinate to the [[List of rulers of Lithuania|Lithuanian ruler]] or the state itself. The word ''leičiai'' is used in 14–16th century historical sources as an [[ethnonym]] for Lithuanians (but not [[Samogitians]]) and is still used, usually poetically or in historical contexts, in the [[Latvian language]], which is closely related to Lithuanian.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Dubonis |first1=Artūras |title=Leičiai {{!}} Orbis Lituaniae |url=https://ldkistorija.lt/pasakojimai/leiciai/ |publisher=[[Vilnius University]] |website=LDKistorija.lt |date=30 April 2020 |access-date=13 July 2021 |language=lt |archive-date=13 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210713174930/https://ldkistorija.lt/pasakojimai/leiciai/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Čeponis |first1=Tomas |last2=Sakalauskas |first2=Mindaugas |title=Leičiai |publisher=[[Ministry of National Defence (Lithuania)|Ministry of National Defence of Lithuania]] |location=[[Vilnius]] |isbn=978-609-412-143-2 |url=https://kam.lt/download/63818/lei%C4%8Diai%20bro%C5%A1i%C5%ABra%2020x20%20lt%20internetui.pdf |access-date=13 July 2021}}{{Dead link|date=July 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Patackas|first1=Algirdas|title=Lietuva, Lieta, Leitis, arba ką reiškia žodis "Lietuva"|url=https://kultura.lrytas.lt/-12499654771249731456-lietuva-lieta-leitis-arba-k%C4%85-rei%C5%A1kia-%C5%BEodis-lietuva.htm|website=[[Lrytas.lt]]|access-date=11 August 2009|language=lt-LT|archive-date=2 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210702013521/https://kultura.lrytas.lt/-12499654771249731456-lietuva-lieta-leitis-arba-k%C4%85-rei%C5%A1kia-%C5%BEodis-lietuva.htm}}</ref>