Lithuanian

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A language of Lithuania

ISO 639-3
lit
Alternate Names
Lietuvi, Lietuviskai, Litauische, Litewski, Litovskiy
Population

2,960,000 in Lithuania (1998). Population total all countries: 3,130,970.

Location

Widespread. Also in Argentina, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Estonia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Poland, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, United Kingdom, United States, Uruguay, Uzbekistan.

Language Maps
Language Status

1 (National). Statutory national language (1992, Constitution, Article 14).

Classification
Indo-European, Baltic, Eastern
Dialects

Aukshtaitish (Aukshtaichiai, Aukstaitiskai, Highland Lithuanian), Dzukish (Dzukiskai), Shamaitish (Lowland Lithuanian, Samogitian, Zemachiai, Zemaitis, Zemaitiskai, Zhemaitish), Suvalkietiskai. Aukstaitiskai easily understand Suvalkai, Dzukai with some difficulty, and vice versa; Zemaitiskai difficult for others to understand.

Typology

Postpositions; genitives, relatives after noun heads

Language Use

All domains. All ages. Also use Russian [rus] or English [eng]. Some have reserved attitudes toward Russian and Polish [pol] use.

Language Development
Literacy rate in L1: 99%. Fully developed. Bible: 1735–1998.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Lithuanian
Writing
Gothic script, no longer in use. Latin script.
Other Comments

Christian, Muslim (Tatar).