The term Curonian language (Latvian: kuršu valoda; Lithuanian: kuršių kalba) may refer to two different, but genetically related Baltic languages. The Baltic languages are a group of related languages belonging to the Indo-European language family and spoken mainly in areas extending east and southeast of the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. ...

Old Curonian

Traditionally Curonian refers to an extinct language that was spoken by Curonians mainly in Courland peninsula, Western Latvia, and along the nearby Baltic shores. It belonged to the Baltic languages and was closely related to Old Prussian, with some influence from the Livonian language. An extinct language (also called a dead language) is a language which no longer has any native speakers. ... The Curonians (also called Kursi, Latvian Kurši) are one of the extinct Baltic tribes that later formed the Latvian nation. ... coat of arms of Courland Courland (Latvian: Kurzeme, German: Kurland, Polish: Kurlandia, Latin: Curonia / Couronia) is a historical Baltic province now part of Latvia. ... The Baltic languages are a group of related languages belonging to the Indo-European language family and spoken mainly in areas extending east and southeast of the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. ... Old Prussian is an extinct Baltic language spoken by the inhabitants of the area that later became East Prussia (now in north-eastern Poland and the Kaliningrad Oblast of Russia) prior to German colonization of the area beginning in the 13th century. ... Livonian (Līvõ kēļ) belongs to the Finnic branch of the Finno-Ugric languages. ...

The language disappeared by the 17th century, leaving substrata in Western dialects of Latvian and Lithuanian languages. No written documents in this language are known, but some ancient Lithuanian texts from Western regions show influence of Curonian.

New Curonian

Curonian language is virtually the same Latvian language that is spoken around Nica, Gramzda, Rucava, Priekule in Latvia. Curonians not realised they are latvians, so own language was called Curonian language (Kursenieku valoda). Both Curonian language and southwestern Latvian dialects are preserved some curonisms. In the process of various migrations of the 14th-17th centuries, Curonians (allready speaking in latvian) settled in the Curonian Spit in East Prussia. Their language was influenced by German and Lithuanian respectively, and by the end of the 18th century new Curonian dialects had formed, with the dialect of the Curonian Spit being notably distinct, due to its isolation from the mainland. Curonian vocabulary published in 1927 shows: 60 % words are the same as latvian, 26 % are loanwords from german and 13 % from lithuanian languages. Anyway, latvians and curonians could easy understood each other, even today latvian linguists communicates with curonians (majority of curonians live in Germany and visit own birthplaces only in summers) in Curonian Spit without problems. Before World War II Curonian language was sociolect of fishermans in Curonian Spit. In other spheres of everyday life curonians used German language. The events of the first half of the 20th century, including the Soviet occupation of the Baltic states and, later East Prussia, have led to the near extinction of the language, making it severely endangered. Several remaining language speakers live in Germany, having been expelled in the ethnic cleansing that took place in East Prussia after World War II. The enthusiasts of the Curonian language, Paul Kwauka and Richard Pietsch, have been trying to preserve knowledge about the language. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the Baltic states are observing a revival of scientific and cultural interest in the extinct Baltic languages and tribes, including Yotvingian, Curonian, and others. An example is the documentary film Tarp 8 vėjų ("Amidst 8 Winds") by Arturas Barysas about the dwindling Curonian language. Current distribution of Human Language Families Most languages are known to belong to language families. ... The Indo-European languages comprise a family of several hundred related languages and dialects [1], including most of the major languages of Europe, as well as many spoken in the Indian subcontinent (South Asia), the Iranian plateau (Southwest Asia), and Central Asia. ... The Baltic languages are a group of related languages belonging to the Indo-European language family and spoken mainly in areas extending east and southeast of the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. ... The Baltic languages are a group of genetically-related languages spoken in the Northern Europe and belonging to the Indo-European language family. ... ISO 639-1 is the first part of the ISO 639 international-standard language-code family. ... ISO 639-2:1998 Codes for the representation of names of languages — Part 2: Alpha-3 code Twenty-two of the languages have two three-letter codes: a code for bibliographic use (ISO 639-2/B) a code for terminological use (ISO 639-2/T). ... ISO 639-3 is in process of development as an international standard for language codes. ... For information on how to read IPA transcriptions of English words see here. ... Phonetics (from the Greek word φωνή, phone meaning sound, voice) is the study of sounds and the human voice. ... Because of technical limitations, some web browsers may not display some special characters in this article. ... This is a concise version of the International Phonetic Alphabet for English sounds. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Latvian (latvieÅ¡u valoda), sometimes referred to as Lettish, is the official state language of the Republic of Latvia. ... National Intelligence Coordinating Agency National Intelligence Coordinating Agency or NICA is the primary intelligence collection and analysis arm of the Philippine government in charge in carrying out overt, covert, and clandestine intelligence programs. ... Priekule (German: ) is a town in southwestern Latvia. ... Curonian living area in 1649 Curonian house Pennant of curonian ship from Nida The Curonians (self-designation kursenieki) (German Kuren, Lithuanian KurÅ¡ininkai) are an ethnic group living in Curonian spit and speaking in a Latvian language dialect. ... This 14th-century statue from south India depicts the gods Shiva (on the left) and Uma (on the right). ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700. ... Curonian Spit and Lagoon The Curonian Spit (Lithuanian: KurÅ¡ių Nerija, Russian: Куршская коса, German: Kurische Nehrung) is a 98 km long, thin, curved sand dune peninsula that separates the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea. ... East Prussia (German: Ostpreu en; Polish: Prusy Wschodnie; Russian: Восточная Пруссия — Vostochnaya Prussiya) was a province of Kingdom of Prussia, situated on the territory of former Ducal Prussia. ... Combatants Major Allied powers: United Kingdom Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Major Axis powers: Nazi Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Harry Truman Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead... In linguistics, a sociolect is the language spoken by a social group, social class or subculture. ... It has been suggested that Baltic Republics be merged into this article or section. ... East Prussia (German: Ostpreu en; Polish: Prusy Wschodnie; Russian: Восточная Пруссия — Vostochnaya Prussiya) was a province of Kingdom of Prussia, situated on the territory of former Ducal Prussia. ... An endangered language is a language with so few surviving speakers that it is in danger of falling out of use. ... Combatants Major Allied powers: United Kingdom Soviet Union United States Republic of China and others Major Axis powers: Nazi Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Harry Truman Chiang Kai-Shek Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tojo Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead... The rise of Gorbachev Although reform stalled between 1964–1982, the generational shift gave new momentum for reform. ... Sudovian burial ground near Suwałki The Yotvingians or Yatvingians, (Latvian: Jātvingi, Lithuanian: Jotvingiai, Polish: Jaćwingowie) are one of the extinct Baltic tribes. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... ArtÅ«ras Barysas Baras (May 10, 1954 — January 28, 2005) was a Lithuanian counter-culture actor, singer, photographer, and filmmaker, known as father of modern Lithuanian avant-garde. ...

References

• Paul Kwauka, Richard Pietsch, Kurisches Wörterbuch, 1977, ISBN 3-921515-03-3
• Richard Pietsch, Deutsch-Kurisches Wörterbuch, 1991, ISBN 3-922296-60-2
• Studentu zinātniskās konferences "Aktuāli baltistikas jautājumi" tēzes Loreta Stonkutė. Kuršininkų tarmės lituanizmai. p.43,44