Editing Lechitic languages

{{short description|Subgroup of West Slavic languages containing Polish and a few other languages}}
{{Infobox language family
|name=Lechitic
|altname=
|region=[[Poland]]
|familycolor=Indo-European
|fam2=[[Balto-Slavic languages|Balto-Slavic]]
|fam3=[[Slavic languages|Slavic]]
|fam4=[[West Slavic languages|West Slavic]]
|child1=East Lechitic ([[Polish language|Polish]] and [[Silesian language|Silesian]])
|child2=[[West Lechitic dialects|West Lechitic]] {{Extinct}} (includes [[Marcho-Magdeburgian dialect|Marcho-Magdeburgian]], [[Rani dialect|Rani]]) (evolved into [[Polabian language|Polabian]])
|child3=[[Pomeranian language|Pomeranian]]/Middle Lechitic {{Extinct}} (evolved into [[Kashubian language|Kashubian]] and [[Slovincian language|Slovincian]] {{Extinct}})
|glotto=lech1241
|glottorefname=Lechitic
}}

The '''Lechitic''' (or '''Lekhitic''') '''languages''' are a [[language group|language subgroup]] consisting of [[Polish language|Polish]] and several other languages and dialects that were once spoken in the area that is now Poland and eastern Germany.<ref>[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/335581/Lekhitic-languages Lekhitic languages], Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved July 2008</ref> It is one of the branches of the larger [[West Slavic languages|West Slavic]] subgroup; the other branches of this subgroup are the [[Czech–Slovak languages]] and the [[Sorbian languages]].

==Languages==
[[File:Book of Henryków.PNG|thumb|The [[Book of Henryków]], containing what is claimed to be the first written Polish sentence]]
[[File:Zendzenie kaszebow leba kartuze.jpg|thumb|Kashubian jamboree in [[Łeba]] in 2005 – banner showing the Kashubian name of [[Kartuzy County]]]]
The Lechitic languages are:
* [[Polish language|Polish]], used by approximately 38&nbsp;million native speakers in Poland and several million elsewhere. Polish is considered to have several [[Dialects of Polish|dialects]], including [[Greater Poland dialect|Greater Polish]], [[Lesser Poland dialect|Lesser Polish]], and [[Masovian dialect|Masovian]], among others;
** [[Silesian language|Silesian]], used today by over 530,000 people (2011 census)<ref name="GUS2011" /> in Polish [[Silesia]] and by some more in [[Czech Silesia]]. The different varieties of Silesian are often considered to be dialects of [[Polish language|Polish]] and [[Czech language|Czech]], and are sometimes seen as forming a distinct language;
* [[Pomeranian language|Pomeranian]], spoken by [[Pomeranians (tribe)|Slavic Pomeranians]], of which the only remaining variety is:
** [[Kashubian language|Kashubian]], used today by over 110,000 people (2011 census)<ref name="GUS2011">[http://www.stat.gov.pl/cps/rde/xbcr/gus/LUD_raport_z_wynikow_NSP2011.pdf Narodowy Spis Powszechny Ludności i Mieszkań 2011. Raport z wyników] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121221235509/http://www.stat.gov.pl/cps/rde/xbcr/gus/LUD_raport_z_wynikow_NSP2011.pdf |date=2012-12-21 }} – [[Central Statistical Office (Poland)|Central Statistical Office of Poland]]</ref> in the eastern part of [[Pomerania]]. Sometimes it is considered a dialect of [[Polish language|Polish]];
** [[Slovincian language|Slovincian]], extinct since the 20th century.
* [[Polabian language|Polabian]], extinct since the mid-18th century, a [[West Lechitic dialects|West Lechitic]] language formerly spoken by Slavic peoples in areas around the [[Elbe]] river in what is now the northeast of Germany.

==Features==
Common West Slavic features that are also present in Lechitic:<ref>{{cite book|title=Dialekty polskie|author= Karol Dejna|year=1973|pages=59–60}}</ref>
# χ́ > š́ in front of ě<sub>2</sub>, i<sub>2</sub>
# sk, zɡ > š́č́, ž́ǯ́ in front of ě<sub>2</sub>, i<sub>2</sub>
# χ́ > š́ after i, ь, ę, ŕ̥
# epenthetic l only in initial position after soft labials
# -ě<sub>3</sub> in the nominative/accusative plural and genitive singular (duš́ě<sub>3</sub>) and accusatieve plural of kon’ě<sub>3</sub> (instead of -ę)
# replacement of the instrumental singular ending -omъ with -ъmъ
# Creation of the nominative masculine/neuter singular ending/active preterite participle ending -a (reka, nesa instead of reky, nesy
# õrt-, õlt- > rot-, lot- (rola, radło)
# (ti̯, di̯ >) t́̄, d́̄; kt́ > ć, ʒ́
# Extension of the pronoun tъ > tъnъ
# Replacement of č́ьto with co via the genitive singular č́ьso
# Use of the compound adjectival genitive and dative masculine/neuter singular endings -ego and -emu through analogy with jego, jemu
# Temporal adverbs ending in -dy instead of -da
# Creation of the conjunction of intent aby
# Tendency for establishing a non-mobile accent
# Tendency to raise long vowels

There was no Proto-Lechitic language, but rather Lechitic languages are a group of dialects with many shared features.<ref>{{cite book|title=Dialekty polskie|author= Karol Dejna|year=1973|pages=64–65}}</ref> The central and eastern territories came under the control of the Piasts, which created a political, cultural (especially religious) unit, which caused the Pomeranians and Polabians to have weaker contact, as the Pomeranians were absorbed into the state by Mieszko I and began integrating with the Eastern Lechites.<ref>{{cite book|title=Dialekty polskie|author= Karol Dejna|year=1973|pages=65}}</ref>

Common Lechitic features include:<ref>{{cite book|title=Dialekty polskie|author= Karol Dejna|year=1973|pages=65–81}}</ref>
# Labiovelarization of *telt (but compare Polabian ''mlåkə'' and Kashubian/Slovincian ''młȯko''; also ''czółn'')
# Replacement of *tort, tolt, tert, telt
## In accented and preaccented syllables (i.e. under rising intonation): tórᵒt > tᵒrot > trot
## In circumflex and post-accented syllables (i.e. under falling intonation) *tolt > tòlᵒt or ‘tolòt > talt
# Softening of consonants before front vowels
# Velarization of ŕ̥
# Development of sonants (voiced consonants) into complex groups of a vowel and a consonant r, l
## west and central ĺ̥ l̥ > oł > åu̯; Pĺ̥T (before a non-back hard consonant_ in the northeast > ‘el, in the south > ‘il; after TČKP and Pĺ̥T in the northeast ĺ̥ l̥ > oł
## ŕ̥T, r̥ > ar (and then in Polabian > or); ŕ̥T́ > ir (Polabian) > er >ar, or > (Polish) ir, iř > er, eř (which hardens before labials and ch)
# Hardening of consonants before r̥ < ŕ̥T
# *ěT > ‘a (Lechitic ablaut)
# *ęT > ǫ
# eT >’o

==Sample text==
The following is the [[Lord's Prayer]] in several of the Lechitic languages:

{| class="wikitable"
!Polish
!Upper Silesian<ref>{{Cite web|title=Endangered Languages Project – Upper Silesian – Ôjcze nasz|url=https://www.endangeredlanguages.com/lang/8349/samples/6665|access-date=20 April 2021|website=www.endangeredlanguages.com|language=en}}</ref>
!Kashubian<ref>[[:File:Jerozolëma, kòscel Pater noster, "Òjcze nasz" pò kaszëbskù.JPG]]</ref>
!Polabian<ref>[http://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/didact/idg/slav/polabbs.htm Das polabische Vaterunser / "Our Father" in Polabian]</ref>
|-
|
<poem>Ojcze nasz, któryś jest w niebie,
święć się imię Twoje,
przyjdź królestwo Twoje,
bądź wola Twoja
jako w niebie tak i na ziemi.
Chleba naszego powszedniego daj nam dzisiaj.
I odpuść nam nasze winy,
jako i my odpuszczamy naszym winowajcom.
I nie wódź nas na pokuszenie,
ale nas zbaw ode złego.
Amen.</poem>
|
<poem>Fatrze nŏsz, kery jeżeś we niebie,
bydź poświyncōne miano Twoje.
Przińdź krōlestwo Twoje,
bydź wola Twoja,
jako we niebie, tak tyż na ziymi.
Chlyb nŏsz kŏżdodziynny dej nōm dzisiŏk.
A ôdpuś nōm nasze winy,
jako a my ôdpuszczōmy naszym winnikōm.
A niy wōdź nŏs na pokuszyniy,
nale zbŏw nŏs ôde złygo.
Amyn.</poem>
|
<poem>Òjcze nasz, jaczi jes w niebie,
niech sã swiãcy Twòje miono,
niech przińdze Twòje królestwò,
niech mdze Twòja wòlô 
jakno w niebie tak téż na zemi.
Chleba najégò pòwszednégò dôj nóm dzysô
i òdpùscë nóm naje winë,
jak i më òdpùszcziwómë naszim winowajcóm.
A nie dopùscë na nas pòkùszeniô,
ale nas zbawi òde złégò.
Amen.</poem>
|
<poem>Nôße Wader, ta toy giß wa Nebisgáy,
Sjungta woarda tügí Geima,
tia Rîk komma,
tia Willia ſchinyôt,
kok wa Nebisgáy, tôk kak no Sime,
Nôßi wißedanneisna Stgeiba doy nâm dâns,
un wittedoy nâm nôße Ggrêch,
kak moy wittedoyime nôßem Grêsmarim,
Ni bringoy nôs ka Warſikónye,
tay löſoáy nôs wit wißókak Chaudak.
Amen.</poem>
|}

==Etymology==
{{commons category}}The term ''Lechitic'' is applied both to the languages of this group and to Slavic peoples speaking these languages (known as [[Lechites]]). The term is related to the name of the legendary Polish forefather [[Lech, founder of Poland|Lech]] and the name [[Lechia]] by which Poland was formerly sometimes known. For more details, see ''[[Lechites]]''.

==See also==
* [[Lech, Čech, and Rus]]
* [[West Lechitic dialects]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|1}}

{{Slavic languages}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lechitic Languages}}
[[Category:Lechitic languages| ]]