Livonians – sustaining the indigenous language of Latvia through the wars and displacement

• In Event: Livonian Linguistic Heritage

Abstract

The Livonian language (ISO 693-3 code: liv) is listed in the UNESCO Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger as one of the most critically endangered languages in Europe, with only 20–30 speakers now. Over the centuries, the Livonian has been in decline, surviving in remote isolated areas. Various historical events at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and at the beginning of the 20th century in Europe, when major empires and global powers existed, global conflict took place in the territories inhabited by Livonians, and several new national states were proclaimed, show the importance of the official language prestige and value of a majority language. In the case of Livonian as a language of a very small community within newly established Latvia, it turned out to be quite challenging for the Livonian community to safeguard their linguistic and cultural identity. But especially after World War II, the Livonian coast turned from isolated and peripheral to the strategically important border line of the USSR, which led to the expulsion of the Livonian-speaking community, scattering it across Latvia and abroad. Thus, in addition to the very small size of the community, the Livonian language was exposed to the extremely poor possibilities of using it within a community and in families. After the restoration of Latvia’s independence, Livonian slowly started to return to use, dropping domains important for natural language transmission and conquering new domains that were not present previously.

Short Bio

Valts Ernštreits is director and senior researcher at the University of Latvia Livonian Institute and a researcher at the University of Tartu. He has extensive experience in the study, standardisation, and development of digital resources for Livonian. As a Livonian and one of the language’s few remaining speakers, he has been involved with many activities focused on safeguarding and empowering Livonian language and heritage for over 30 years.
Gunta Kļava is senior researcher in the Livonian Institute at the University of Latvia. Her research interests include language policy, endangered languages, language situation, language and identity, and language acquisition. For more than 10 years, she has been involved in and leading research on the language situation in Latvia that serves as the scientific foundation for a language policy in the country.

Authors

• Valts Ernštreits, University of Latvia Livonian Institute

• Gunta Kļava, University of Latvia Livonian Institute