TARMIŲ YPATYBIŲ VERTĖ KULTŪRINIU POŽIŪRIU: LYDUOKIŲ ŠNEKTA
CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE OF DIALECTS: THE LYDUOKIAI ACCENT

Summary/Abstract: The paper aims at the analysis of differential characteristics of dialects in the perspective of culture. The differential features are understood in the tradition of Lithuanian dialectology: they are the features that distinguish dialects and subdialects. The significance of such features has been generalized on the basis of one of East Highland Anykðtënai dialects, i. e. the Lyduokiai accent, as it is used at present. An attempt has been made at the comparison of the spectrum of sound utterance in the case of oldest and youngest generations. No doubt such an inductive solution, i. e. the concentration on a single accent, guarantees only the initial assumptions with regard to the cultural significance of dialectal characteristics in general. On the other hand, the obtained results may form the basis for the general assumptions in the context of the cultural significance of dialectal distinctions. The author arrived at the conclusion that the dialect identity deformed the territorial boundaries of language identity solely in the case of the oldest generation of dialect users. By the use of clear code the oldest members of the discussed dialectal community do express their distinct dialect identity. However, the absence of differential features in speech of the members of the youngest generation, firstly, it causes the confrontation between the representatives of this particular accent; secondly, it does not allow for the specification and determination of language identity and, consequently, cultural identity of the youngest generation; thirdly, it implies the question whether its language might be qualified at all and, if so, with what should be related from the cultural point of view.

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