Editing Vilnius (section)

===Language===
{{See also|Demographic history of Vilnius#Historic ethnic makeup|Lithuanian language}}
[[File:Edict of Vytautas the Great. Issued 1410- 02-16.jpg|thumb|left|alt=An old manuscript|Edict issued by Vytautas the Great in Vilnius on 16 February 1410 in [[Latin]]]]
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| image1 = Lithuanian primer for kids, published in Vilnius, Grand Duchy of Lithuania, 1783 edition.jpg
| caption1 = 1783 [[Mokslas skaitymo rašto lietuviško|Lithuanian language primer]], published in Vilnius
| alt1 = Title page of an old book
| image2 = Constitution of May 3 in Lithuanian language.jpg
| caption2 = Manuscript of the [[Constitution of 3 May 1791]] in Lithuanian<ref name="Old Lithuanian texts">{{cite web |title=Lituanistica |url=http://lietuvos.istorija.net/lituanistica/ |website=lietuvos.istorija.net |language=lt-LT |access-date=26 June 2017 |archive-date=12 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141012210054/http://lietuvos.istorija.net/lituanistica/ |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| alt2 = An old manuscript
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A [[Multiculturalism|multicultural]] city, Vilnius' language changed over the centuries. The predominant spoken language in [[medieval]] Lithuania was Lithuanian. It had no literary tradition, however, and was not used in writing except for religious texts such as the [[Lord's Prayer]] and the [[Hail Mary]].<ref name="kalbos">{{cite web |title=Raštas ir kalbos viduramžių Lietuvoje |url=http://viduramziu.istorija.net/socium/rastas.htm |website=viduramziu.istorija.net |language=lt |access-date=22 September 2019 |archive-date=27 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190927123608/http://viduramziu.istorija.net/socium/rastas.htm |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Dubonis2002" /> [[Vytautas]] the Great spoke in Lithuanian with [[Władysław II Jagiełło|Jogaila]], whose son [[Casimir IV Jagiellon]] also spoke Lithuanian.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ar perrašinėjamos istorijos pasakų įkvėpta Baltarusija gali kėsintis į Rytų Lietuvą? |url=https://www.15min.lt/naujiena/aktualu/istorija/ar-perrasinejamos-istorijos-pasaku-ikvepta-baltarusija-gali-kesintis-i-rytu-lietuva-582-456877 |last=Pancerovas |first=Dovydas |website=[[15min.lt]] |access-date=1 October 2014 |language=lt}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Statkuvienė |first=Regina |title=Jogailaičiai. Kodėl ne Gediminaičiai? |url=https://www.15min.lt/naujiena/aktualu/istorija/jogailaiciai-kodel-ne-gediminaiciai-582-1056552 |website=15min.lt |access-date=9 November 2018 |language=lt}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Kurie Lietuvos valdovai mokėjo protėvių kalbą, kurie – ne? / Laida "Lietuva – mūsų lūpose" |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_I9qGa1J44 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/o_I9qGa1J44 |archive-date=2021-12-11 |url-status=live |website=YouTube | date=22 February 2021 |publisher=Palace of the Grand Dukes of Lithuania |access-date=12 February 2023 |language=lt}}{{cbignore}}</ref> [[Saint Casimir]], the patron saint of Lithuania, knew Lithuanian, Polish, German and Latin.<ref name="VilniusCathedral">{{cite web |title=Šventojo Kazimiero gyvenimo istorija |url=https://www.katedra.lt/sv-kazimieras/istorija/ |website=[[Vilnius Cathedral]] |access-date=3 March 2023 |language=lt |quote=Autorius akcentuoja, kad Kazimieras mokėjęs lietuvių, lenkų, vokiečių ir lotynų kalbas, turėjęs nemažai dorybių: buvo teisingas, susivaldantis, tvirtos dvasios, išmintingas.}}</ref> Fifteenth-century [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] historian [[Laonikos Chalkokondyles]] reported that the Lithuanians had a distinct language.<ref>{{cite web |last=Baronas |first=Darius |title=LDK istorija: Lietuviai bizantiečių akimis |url=https://www.15min.lt/naujiena/aktualu/istorija/ldkistorija-lietuviai-bizantieciu-akimis-582-298281 |website=[[15min.lt]] |access-date=20 January 2020 |language=lt}}</ref>{{better source needed|date=December 2022}}

[[Ruthenian language|Ruthenian]] was used after the incorporation of [[Kievan Rus']], forming the basis of 19th-century Ukrainian and [[Belarusian language|Belarusian]]. Written Ruthenian stemmed from the interaction of [[Old East Slavic]] with Ruthenian dialects, becoming the main language of the [[Chancery (medieval office)|chancery]] of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania in the 14th and 15th centuries and maintained its dominance until the mid-17th century.<ref name="kalbos" /><ref>{{cite web |last=Zinkevičius |first=Zigmas |title=Lietuvos Didžiosios Kunigaikštystės kanceliarinės slavų kalbos termino nusakymo problema |url=http://viduramziu.istorija.net/socium/zinkevicius1995.htm |website=viduramziu.istorija.net |language=lt |access-date=22 September 2019 |archive-date=10 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090710180554/http://viduramziu.istorija.net/socium/zinkevicius1995.htm |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Latin and [[Polish language|Polish]] were also widely used in the chancery; Polish replaced Ruthenian in written sources and Lithuanian in public use during the second half of the 17th century. The first state documents in Lithuanian appeared in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania at the end of its existence.<ref name="kalbos" />

At the Vilnius court of [[Sigismund II Augustus]], the last Grand Duke of Lithuania before the [[Union of Lublin]], Polish and Lithuanian were spoken.<ref>{{cite book |last=Stone |first=Daniel |title=The Polish-Lithuanian State, 1386-1795 |date=2001 |publisher=University of Washington Press |isbn=978-0-295-98093-5 |pages=52 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LFgB_l4SdHAC&q=Lithuanian&pg=PA52 |access-date=12 February 2023}}</ref> In 1552, Sigismund ordered that orders from the Magistrate of Vilnius be announced in Lithuanian, Polish, and Ruthenian.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Menelis |first1=E. |last2=Samavičius |first2=R. |title=Vilniaus miesto istorijos chronologija |url=http://www.vilnijosvartai.lt/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Vilniaus-miesto-istorijos-chronologija.pdf |website=vilnijosvartai.lt |access-date=28 March 2021 |language=lt}}</ref> Minorities such as [[Litvaks|Jews]], [[Lipka Tatars]], and [[Crimean Karaites]] were ruled by the Grand Duke of Lithuania, and their languages were only used among themselves.<ref>{{cite web |title=Žydų padėtis LDK |url=http://www.zydai.lt/lt/content/viewitem/243/ |website=zydai.lt |language=lt |access-date=22 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190922104112/http://www.zydai.lt/lt/content/viewitem/243/ |archive-date=22 September 2019}}</ref> According to Article 14 of the Lithuanian constitution, Lithuanian is the [[official language]]; however, [[interpreter]] assistance is sometimes provided.<ref>{{cite web |title=Valstybinės kalbos teisinė informacija |url=https://vilnius.lt/lt/savivaldybe/saugus-miestas/valstybine-kalba/teisine-informacija/ |website=vilnius.lt |language=lt |access-date=22 September 2019}}</ref>