Why does everyone think that Lithuanian sounds like Russian?

[Minde]

I'm tired of hearing everyone say ''It sounds like Russian'' sometimes even Polish I be get offended all the time :picard2: :picard2: But I thinks this because people be have not enough experience with the language :thumb001:

[riverman]

.........

[Dacul]

Well of what you would want to sound most close,after Letonian,as german?
:rofl:
These languages are from Balto-slavic branch,closest languages to Latvian/Letonian are slavic languages,guess those Eastern Slavic languages.

[Dombra]

They do sound like eachother. Stop living in denial, they all sound like Balto-Slavovicho style

[Mans not hot]

sometimes even Polish I be get offended all the time :picard2: :picard2::
Don't tell me you're one of those Lithuanian chauvinist like Humanmaster.

[Minde]

But you don't hear stuff like ''Polish sounds Russian'' while the two languages are alot, alot more similar. Accent thing maybe?

[Meow]

It sounds like gypsy, are you happy :) ?

[member]

I'm tired of hearing everyone say ''It sounds like Russian'' sometimes even Polish I be get offended all the time :picard2: :picard2: But I thinks this because people be have not enough experience with the language :thumb001:

That happens for several reasons:

Lithuanian belongs to Balto-Slavic IE branch
Baltic and Slavic are both Satem while Cetlic, Italic, Germanic are not


So, no suprise that foreigners hear similarities. Though how much similar they may sound depends on listener's level of experience/contact with these languages. If someone thinks Lithuanian sounds completely alike/identical to Russian/Polish, then you may suspect that that somebody has had little contact with these languages. Also, people expect neighbouring languages to sound similar. If they heard about such language Lithuanian for the first time in theirlife and didn't knew where it's spoken, maybe their opinion would be a bit different.

[Dacul]

Lol Minde are you some kind of Karl?

[Mans not hot]

the two languages are alot, alot more similar. Accent thing maybe?
No, for one thing Russian uses the cyrillic alphabet and Polish uses the latin alphabet. They may sound similar to untrained ears but then so would other Slavic languages like Croatian, Czech, Bulgarian.

Anyway, what's the point of this thread really?

[Meow]

Lol Minde are you some kind of Karl?

He's a good example of an average lithuanian, don't get surprised.

[Dacul]

He's a good example of an average lithuanian, don't get surprised.

Lies,Lithuania and Letonia most exports (which is around 1/3 from what they produce) is sold in Russia.
They are just saying they are against Russians but they are not.
Or these people who are saying they are against Russians are just trolling.

[Meow]

Lies,Lithuania and Letonia most exports (which is around 1/3 from what they produce) is sold in Russia.
They are just saying they are against Russians but they are not.
Or these people who are saying they are against Russians are just trolling.

No, they aren't, they really are like that, no trolling here.

[member]

No, they aren't, they really are like that, no trolling here.

Russian and Lithuanian are not even mutually intelligible, when Russians speak in Lithuanian, they have a clear accent, etc. There is no suprise that some Lithuanians are suprised when foreigners say that they hear little difference between the two languages.

[Minde]

Lithuanian and Russian is as different as English and Klingon. The point be that it doesn't sound Russian at all, So I ask people why they think that

[Mans not hot]

Lithuanian and Russian is as different as English and Klingon. The point be that it doesn't sound Russian at all, So I ask people why they think that
Troll.

[Minde]

I just used Klingon to express the level of difference... Poles...

[Dacul]

Lithuanian and Russian is as different as English and Klingon. The point be that it doesn't sound Russian at all, So I ask people why they think that

That is nonsense,are enough common words between Latvian/Lithuanian and Russian.
I even noticed how closed the sonority of Latvian/Lithuanian is to Russian.
Go look at alphabets,lol and see that you almost got same sounds in alphabets.

[Minde]

Im not against Russians. I actually like the bastards. The problem is foreigners thinking ''Lithuania= Tiny Russia''

[Meow]

Im not against Russians. I actually like the bastards. The problem is foreigners thinking ''Lithuania= Tiny Russia''

Why do you want that an average foreigner would know difference between lithuanian language and Russian when you have no idea what's the difference between Congo and Central African Republic ?

[Austrvegr]

Lithuanian does sound like Russian. Probably because it does not have weird sounds absent in Russian.

In some respects Lithuanian is the ancestral language to Russian. Some Lithuanian words are the ancient forms from which actual Russian words have developed, for example, Lit. gyvas > Rus. жив.

[Mans not hot]

The problem is foreigners thinking ''Lithuania= Tiny Russia''
The problem is you're butthurt. Seriously, who cares? No one cares about uneducated fools.

[bella1407]

Lithuanian does NOT sound like Russian. As I said before It sounds like someone non-polish try to speak Polish.

[Minde]

Polish? How much experience do you have with either languages? nearly next to none id say

[inactive_member]

Lithuanian does NOT sound like Russian. As I said before It sounds like someone non-polish try to speak Polish.

I disagree. Polish language has more hushing (шипящих) and nasal sounds.

[Meow]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36Zaqf1DTNg

You judge how it sounds :D

[Mans not hot]

I disagree. Polish language has more hushing (шипящих) and nasal sounds.
I agree that Lithuanian doesn't sound Russian nor Polish. I think the closest sounding one would be Belarusian.. who are apparently Slavicised Lithuanians...

[Smaug]

I'm not an expert, but since I'm part Lithuanian I have read somethig about the subject out of pure curiosity. In my opinion Lithuanian souds a little more "flat" than Russian and other Slavic languages.

[Twistedmind]

That happens for several reasons:

Lithuanian belongs to Balto-Slavic IE branch
Baltic and Slavic are both Satem while Cetlic, Italic, Germanic are not


So, no suprise that foreigners hear similarities. Though how much similar they may sound depends on listener's level of experience/contact with these languages. If someone thinks Lithuanian sounds completely alike/identical to Russian/Polish, then you may suspect that that somebody has had little contact with these languages. Also, people expect neighbouring languages to sound similar. If they heard about such language Lithuanian for the first time in theirlife and didn't knew where it's spoken, maybe their opinion would be a bit different.

Also, most importnant, both languages have verry soft pronounciation, hence sound similar (keyword is sounding). Slovak is another example of verry soft pronouned language.
About Polish, it sounds more like Serbian/Croatian with its rather hard prononciation.

[inactive_member]

I agree that Lithuanian doesn't sound Russian nor Polish. I think the closest sounding one would be Belarusian.. who are apparently Slavicised Lithuanians...

Troll! :)

[Mans not hot]

Troll! :)
I'm not trolling. I'm just stating a fact.

[inactive_member]

Lithuanian and Latgalian dialect of Latvian are most similar from what I know. There are not many Latgalians out there speaking Latgalian abroad in comparison to Russians. So, foreigners would compare Lithuanian to the languages they were exposed.
I visited a foreign country in which people had little contacts with Slavs. I have appearance of northern European and people were guessing anything but Slavic accent which is prominent in my speech.

OP disregard the comments of foreigners. Lithuanian language is not the same as Russian, Polish or any other Slavic language.

[inactive_member]

I'm not trolling. I'm just stating a fact.

I would have paid more attention to comments of someone who knows about ethnogenesis of Belarusians and Balto-Slavic commonalities.

Blunt comments such as Belarusians are Balts, Romanians are Slavs, southern Slavs are Illyrians are best ignored.

[Dacul]

Lol Rugevit, we are slavs,even if we are speaking a language with mostly words from Latin.
As how the structure of the sentence is Romanian language is most closed with Bulgarian,not with Romance languages.

[inactive_member]

Lol Rugevit, we are slavs,even if we are speaking a language with mostly words from Latin.

I know...Poles and Romanians are so much alike due to common Vlach substrate in south-eastern Poland. A foreigner would not know the difference. XtraXavier will confirm it.

[Mans not hot]

You're talking about Gorals in South Poland, not Poles from whole South Poland who don't have Vlach substrate at all.

[Minde]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36Zaqf1DTNg

You judge how it sounds :D

Made me laugh :D some funny stuff there :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uz2g2MHsZrI&list=LLTbY9hilTXwSKYaR2FmCKnA
Heres this should give you a better idea. Half of it is in Lithuanian, other in Russian.

[Twistedmind]

I agree that Lithuanian doesn't sound Russian nor Polish. I think the closest sounding one would be Belarusian.. who are apparently Slavicised Lithuanians...
It does not mean anything. Despite the fact, that Russian and Lithuanian sound (again I say sound) soft, Russian would understand Serb and Pole speaking in their native tongues much more due common roots for the most of words among Slavic languages, and similar grammar, syntax, morphology, isoglosses etc. (Gennetic relationship between languages)

[Minde]

Troll! :)

Agree. Belarussians and Lithuanians don't have much in common linguistics wise. Listened to few Belarussian rap songs and i must say if I didn't know any Russian I would understand a total of 3%

[inactive_member]

Agree. Belarussians and Lithuanians don't have much in common linguistics wise. Listened to few Belarussian rap songs and i must say if I didn't know any Russian I would understand a total of 3%
Mutual understanding does not equate to linguistic proximity. If you put Lithuanian language on a map of Indo-European languages, then you will find Latvian coming first followed by Slavic languages. Baltic and Slavic languages are grouped for a reason.

[inactive_member]

Agree. Belarussians and Lithuanians don't have much in common linguistics wise. Listened to few Belarussian rap songs and i must say if I didn't know any Russian I would understand a total of 3%



Two beautiful songs. One song is from Dzukija, the other one is from Belarus.


1.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rKQP_rRzLpg


2.

http://folk.archyvas.albinas.lt/Folk/RUS/Guda%20%27%27Arhaicnya%20abradavya%20spevy%27%27/06%20-%20Jure,%20ustavai%20rana.mp3



I cannot understand a thing in Dzukijan dialect, but I can hear phonetic similarities. Minde, how can you expect a foreigner to recognise the differences between the languages?


For all others, let's stay away from silly discussions about 'Balts are Slavs in denial' and 'Belarusians being Slivicesed Balts'. These are ridiculous claims. There is a discipline on Balto-Slavic studies in some universities and there is a body of knowledge on the subject.

[sevruk]

Latvian more than Lithuanian similar to Russian

[RussiaPrussia]

its because of americans

everything which is eastern european is russian for them
for western europeans everything eastern is sounding more and more polish to them, thanks to polish immigration

[Mans not hot]

For all others, let's stay away from silly discussions about 'Balts are Slavs in denial' and 'Belarusians being Slivicesed Balts'. These are ridiculous claims. There is a discipline on Balto-Slavic studies in some universities and there is a body of knowledge on the subject.
I might have exaggerated a bit, but Belarus do have significant Baltic substrate. Of course, overall they're Slavic to the core

[Mans not hot]

its because of americans

everything which is eastern european is russian for them
for western europeans everything eastern is sounding more and more polish to them, thanks to polish immigration
They're ignorant just like you are.

[Dacul]

I heard that most R1A1 paternal lines from Russia are also found in Lithuania and that on R1A1 paternal lines,Russia is rather clustering with Lithuania,that with Poland.

[Minde]

For all others, let's stay away from silly discussions about 'Balts are Slavs in denial' and 'Belarusians being Slivicesed Balts'. These are ridiculous claims. There is a discipline on Balto-Slavic studies in some universities and there is a body of knowledge on the subject.

I know how you feel man. History creates some weird stereotypes about countries. I find the accent quite similar which is not too surprising as the two countries (the Dzukija region most) had long hystorical ties with Belarus.

[Aunt Hilda]

both lithuanian and russian are satem languages, Russian being the most famous satem language, people are going to associate the two(or any balto-slavic language)

[Twistedmind]

both lithuanian and russian are satem languages, Russian being the most famous satem language, people are going to associate the two(or any balto-slavic language)
Well Migla Pashtoo is also Satem but nobody confuse it with Lithuanian and Russian.
My point was why do you speak about things you dont understand at all? Do you even have clue what's satemisation? And that Baltic and Slavic Languages share far more than just satemisation.

[Minde]

both lithuanian and russian are satem languages, Russian being the most famous satem language, people are going to associate the two(or any balto-slavic language)

Famous ain't a word for it. Well known would be more fitting I think

[inactive_member]

I find the accent quite similar which is not too surprising as the two countries (the Dzukija region most) had long hystorical ties with Belarus.

Ever since Slavs arrived in Belarus beginning from the 6th century. Two groups of people lived peacefully side by side within the same political borders for much of the history till early 90s. So, you are not going to convince the world you sound completely different.

[Mans not hot]

I agree that Slavs and Balts used to be a single nation and do not differ much from each other.

[inactive_member]

I agree that Slavs and Balts used to be a single nation and do not differ much from each other.
Balts are small nations surrounded by Slavs. It’s very important for them to keep separate cultural identities. They can be excused for getting butt hurt when they are mixed up with their neighbours. Can they? :)

[Aunt Hilda]

http://accent.gmu.edu/browse_language.php?function=find&language=lithuanian



Phonological Generalizations of lithuanian accents

Consonant:

final obstruent devoicing
interdental fricative to stop


Vowel:

vowel shortening
vowel raising


Syllable Structure:

consonant insertion







Phonological Generalizations of Latvian accents

Consonant:


final obstruent devoicing
interdental fricative to alveolar fricative
w to labial fricative


Vowel:

vowel shortening


Syllable Structure:






Phonological Generalizations of belarusian accents


Consonant:

final obstruent devoicing
interdental fricative to alveolar fricative
w to labial fricative
non aspiration


Vowel:

vowel shortening
vowel raising
vowel lowering
vowel fronting


Syllable Structure:






Phonological Generalizations of Polish accents

Consonant:

final obstruent devoicing
interdental fricative to stop
interdental fricative to alveolar fricative
non aspiration



Vowel:

vowel shortening
vowel raising
vowel backing
vowel fronting


Syllable Structure:





Phonological Generalizations of Russian accents

Consonant:

final obstruent devoicing
w to labial fricative
r to trill
palatalization
h to velar fricative


Vowel:

vowel shortening
vowel raising
vowel lowering



Syllable Structure:

vowel insertion





as you can see all of them share a few characteristics

source - http://accent.gmu.edu/browse_language.php

[RussiaPrussia]

I agree that Slavs and Balts used to be a single nation and do not differ much from each other.

overall they belong to eastern germanic group so it doesnt really matter

[Mans not hot]

overall they belong to eastern germanic group so it doesnt really matter
:picard2:

[baraSYR]

Who cares? Incidentally I had a guy ask me if I was Russian or Lithuanian, associating the two.

the Baltic Countries have bad history with Russia, and they hate each other.

[Veneda]

overall they belong to eastern germanic group so it doesnt really matter

:picard2:

[RussiaPrussia]

i really dont understand you whats so crazy about? What sounds more logical that slavs are an east germanic a tribe, a germanic group that we heard about which existed but died off so we dont know anything about them to really deny they were the predecessor. Or that slavs just popped out from no where after the huns?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Visigothic_-_Pair_of_Eagle_Fibula_-_Walters_54421%2C_54422_-_Group.jpg

[Veneda]

i really dont understand you whats so crazy about? What sounds more logical that slavs are an east germanic a tribe, a germanic group that we heard about which existed but died off so we dont know anything about them to really deny they were the predecessor. Or that slavs just popped out from no where after the huns?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Visigothic_-_Pair_of_Eagle_Fibula_-_Walters_54421%2C_54422_-_Group.jpg

I recommend you to learn something about genetics before saying stuff like that.

[Mans not hot]

i really dont understand you whats so crazy about? What sounds more logical that slavs are an east germanic a tribe, a germanic group that we heard about which existed but died off so we dont know anything about them to really deny they were the predecessor. Or that slavs just popped out from no where after the huns?

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Visigothic_-_Pair_of_Eagle_Fibula_-_Walters_54421%2C_54422_-_Group.jpg
Great logic, bravo.

[arcticwolf]

overall they belong to eastern germanic group so it doesnt really matter

Buahahahahaàààaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahaha

Kid, stop it right there. Go away please! lol

[tiger]

overall they belong to eastern germanic group so it doesnt really matter

Why you people avoid using the term Balto-Slavo-Germanic? Nobody will laugh at you then.

Genetic classification of English:
English < Western Germanic < Germanic < Balto-Slavo-Germanic < Indo-European

Genetic classification of Polish:
Polish < West Slavic < Slavic < Balto-Slavo-Germanic < Indo-European

[Dacul]

Some people want to deny the fact that Slavic languages appeared as term in history,only after Gothic migration.

[Minde]

Iv found some brilliant language examples:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeObWOv84p8
Russian


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m064rQw8rEo
Lithuanian


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U42HjTJXbc4
Polish

[Twistedmind]

Why you people avoid using the term Balto-Slavo-Germanic? Nobody will laugh at you then.

Genetic classification of English:
English < Western Germanic < Germanic < Balto-Slavo-Germanic < Indo-European

Genetic classification of Polish:
Polish < West Slavic < Slavic < Balto-Slavo-Germanic < Indo-European

Because Germanic languages do not belong to Satem group. :D While Balto-Slavic do.

[tiger]

Because Germanic languages do not belong to Satem group. :D While Balto-Slavic do.

Satem group is the result of convergention, not the genetic term, isn't it?

[Twistedmind]

Satem group is the result of convergention, not the genetic term, isn't it?

Depends of theory of classification. But in anyway, there is just one theory which puts Germanic languages together with Balto-Slavic, due to one layer of isoglosses. It is in wider accepted theories explained by secondary interaction between two (or three) groups. :)
Except Satemisation there is plenty more similarities with Sanskrt than with Germanic languages.

[tiger]

Depends of theory of classification.

So, my suggestion is still valid. :)

[Aunt Hilda]

Do all Lithuanians have the same accent? because your prime minister doesn't sound very Russian


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ib7AfGGJZU

[Roy]

overall they belong to eastern germanic group so it doesnt really matter


:picard2: :ranger:

[Pure ja]

overall they belong to eastern germanic group so it doesnt really matter

I would rather suggest that both have a finnic substrate (in pronounciation).
Baltic dialects have relatively more baltic-finnic pronounciation influences, while russian has relatively more volga-finnic influences.
:p

[tiger]

I would rather suggest that both have a finnic substrate (in pronounciation).
Baltic dialects have relatively more baltic-finnic pronounciation influences, while russian has relatively more volga-finnic influences.
:p

this can be true only for Latvian
:p

[Twistedmind]

while russian has relatively more volga-finnic influences.
:p
Hm, let me guess you dont speak Russian at all.

[Pure ja]

Hm, let me guess you dont speak Russian at all.

I don't, but I am a good listener (of russian). And I also discern the pronounciation differences of western estonians and south-eastern estonians. And of maris and other Volga finns.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQMgiDgvdA0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7k2K4KGO5g&feature=related

[Pure ja]

this can be true only for Latvian
:p

Latvian is more similar to estonian language.
Lithuanian is more similar to finnish (more archaic baltic-finnic) language.

[Minde]

Latvian is more similar to estonian language.
Lithuanian is more similar to finnish (more archaic baltic-finnic) language.
have yu be into even hear liauhaninan?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo-kES7uWN0

[Aunt Hilda]

have yu be into even hear liauhaninan?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo-kES7uWN0

god that sounds horrible,
besides why is half of it in german?

[Minde]

god that sounds horrible
i offender

[Aunt Hilda]

^ I'm very confused.

[Minde]

^ I'm very confused.
yez musik to good i tink that one had some german

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3E3Jfzp56K4

[Aunt Hilda]

^ I give in.

[Twistedmind]

I don't, but I am a good listener (of russian). And I also discern the pronounciation differences of western estonians and south-eastern estonians. And of maris and other Volga finns.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQMgiDgvdA0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7k2K4KGO5g&feature=related
If you look language with similar pronounciation as Russian, its Belarusian or Slovak. Slovaks have Finish substratum as well? :laugh:

Anyway, languages fro that two videos do not sound even remotely close to Russian, which is for start lot softer.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTXwZJ4XxvE

[Harkonnen]

rap

Isäntä maan tiputti korvaani jyviä,
maailman laului primitiivisen syviä.
Kotkan kuvast synty koski ja maa,
sotkan munast tähdet taivaalle jaa.
Taivaalla kalamaa pohjalle kotahan,
yli kuun ali päivä olkapäille otavan.
Vaarnoi vaskisii kuurasta pimeää
Luojal isot kädet mut ei ikin' omaa nimeä.
Karjalan kalliol kuvista hiiden ojaa,
kipuvuoren louhikoista alas pimentolaan,
osaran aukioilla väittää kivenkovaa,
nimenomaan.


As As avaa, aatelisel avaa,
sä sankari maistaa nytte ugrilaista sanaa



http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=JFaW2Whpw1Q

[Diërker]

Why would you get offended period.
Russians are bad-ass.

[glass]

lithuanian sounds like greek or spanish to me:confused:
latvian sounds like finish with greek accent

[Aunt Hilda]

yez musik to good i tink that one had some german

maybe something that doesn't have german in it.

like...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnYzDjn45jk

[Mans not hot]

Polish rap

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yxz5G4foV0E

[gregorius]

Polish rap

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yxz5G4foV0E

who iez diez baltonegro :cool:

[Mans not hot]

who iez diez baltonegro :cool:
Your mama's lover.

[gregorius]

Your mama's lover.

No way, She wouldnt do diez guy.

[Minde]

maybe something that doesn't have german in it.

like...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnYzDjn45jk

You offender me again by sharing this very bad rap grup ment for rookies

[Aunt Hilda]

You offender me again by sharing this very bad rap grup ment for rookies

fair enough....i think.

[Dacul]

Lithuanians have an accent very closed to Russians,when they are speaking.
This is how it seems to me.
I also heard Didriksson talking in Russian,was sound very Russian,would have not made difference between native Russian speakers and Didriksson.

[Minde]

Didriksson be into latvian

[Minde]

lithuanian sounds like greek or spanish to me:confused:
latvian sounds like finish with greek accent

anything but not spanish that language by far the worst in europe

[Pure ja]

Karl will shit his pants when he sees it.

Pure Ja vs. Karl. I wanna see that!

My observation about pronounciation is subjective and speculative.

As to Karl, I am sure that we can agree on the original origin of curonians as being baltic-finnic and only later on becoming first bilingual baltic-finnic (and being fluent in baltic), then split into bilingual baltic and bilingual baltic-finnic, and finally forgot baltic-finnic and became just baltic. The northern Latvia to the north of Väina (Daugava) had a similar trend, but the relative timeline is open for debate. And we can work south from there :thumb001:

[tiger]

My observation about pronounciation is subjective and speculative.

As to Karl, I am sure that we can agree on the original origin of curonians as being baltic-finnic and only later on becoming first bilingual baltic-finnic (and being fluent in baltic), then split into bilingual baltic and bilingual baltic-finnic, and finally forgot baltic-finnic and became just baltic. The northern Latvia to the north of Väina (Daugava) had a similar trend, but the relative timeline is open for debate. And we can work south from there :thumb001:

Do not forget that Curonian is an extinct language. Vast majority of Curonians were exterminated by the conquerors Germans and were diluted by newcomers. Baltic languages have both Finnic and Slavic traits, because both groups are our neighbours and always were.

[Pure ja]

Do not forget that Curonian is an extinct language. Vast majority of Curonians were exterminated by the conquerors Germans and were diluted by newcomers.

That is assuming that oeselians were originally more similar to estonians than to curonians. There are indications that oeselians might well have been in between, perhaps during some period even closer to curonians than to estonians. And then there is that small peculiarity with the toponym of Kuressaare in Saaremaa. So maybe it didn't die out after all.



Baltic languages have both Finnic and Slavic traits, because both groups are our neighbours and always were.

Sure. And not just baltic-finnic, but also volga-finnic.

[Aunt Hilda]

is this accent common?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3i8VBich1k

[kvarc]

bcs it sound remotely Slavic

[tiger]

That is assuming that oeselians were originally more similar to estonians than to curonians. There are indications that oeselians might well have been in between, perhaps during some period even closer to curonians than to estonians. And then there is that small peculiarity with the toponym of Kuressaare in Saaremaa. So maybe it didn't die out after all.

Sure. And not just baltic-finnic, but also volga-finnic.

Lithuanians historically were situated in the center, surrounded by other Baltic tribes and therefore remained less affected by our Finnic and Slavic neighbours. As for me, strong Lithuanian accent is easely distinguishable from strong accent of Estonian, Latvian or any Slavic speaker. Link mentioned in the other thread that a certan Bulgarian dialect may have very similar accent, but I don‘t have practice with Southern Slavs, so cannot confirm that. Perhaps, the same can be true also about a certain archaic Finnish dialect.

[Äike]

Lithuanian sounds similar to Slavic languages and Latvian. Latvian also has a Slavic undertone. It makes sense as the Baltic and Slavic languages split at the same time when Northern- and Western-Germanic split.

[Minde]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRCz2tcxAWE

[Äike]

Latvian is more similar to estonian language.
Lithuanian is more similar to finnish (more archaic baltic-finnic) language.

lulz what? Are you deaf?

Neither of those languages have any similarity to Estonia or Finnish.

[tiger]

Lithuanian sounds similar to Slavic languages and Latvian. Latvian also has a Slavic undertone. It makes sense as the Baltic and Slavic languages split at the same time when Northern- and Western-Germanic split.

That is true about the same time, but Northern- and Western-Germanics are staying in relatively more isolated place in Western Europe, in comparison with Slavs in Eastern Europe. There are theories that Sarmatians participated in formation of proto-Slavic tongue, whereas Baltic group remained more archaic. Germanics are still grouping into one family after all, whereas Baltics and Slavics are not.


We know that while many "border"zone inhabitants died, migrations to and from safer places happened. Crusade era caused many migrations in Baltic lands.

That was my point. “Border” zones between Lithuania and the Crusade lands were about two hundred kilometers width and overlap with the lands of ancient Curonians.

[Äike]

Germanics are still grouping into one family after all, whereas Baltics and Slavics are not.


But they should be one family. Because they split "recently".

[tiger]

But they should be one family. Because they split "recently".

But they are not, because they are too different :)

[Minde]

lulz what? Are you deaf?

Neither of those languages have any similarity to Estonia or Finnish.
yez i agree

[Mans not hot]

But they are not, because they are too different :)
Unite with us then.

[Minde]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVSCZ7RtpN0
when liauanian want to sound slavic it can show this song to not slavic speak person and see what he say family of language

[tiger]

As far as I remember you once claimed something that I would call extreme. I got an impression you don't know much about Curonian heritage in NW Lithuania.

As you told yourself, nobody, neither you know how much Curonian ancestry modern Lithuanians have. Considering Samogitians as Lithuanized Curonians is something that I would also call extreme.

[Mordid]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVSCZ7RtpN0
when liauanian want to sound slavic it can show this song to not slavic speak person and see what he say family of language
Yo Minde, I heard you is like rap is it troo brethren?

Polish rap, this iz how we rollz ya get me


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq_uqAQno9o

Ya dig it man?

[tiger]

It is accepted that one of the most important reasons why North and Western Samogitian differ so much from the rest of Lithuanian dialects is Curonian substratum. This is not my personal opinion but something you can easily find in books dealing with dialects.

Curonian substratum in Samogitian is a well known fact and I'm not arguing against this. It is about how much Curonian ancestry modern Lithuanians have. Since many Curonians were annihilated by Germans, there could be that there was Lithuanian majority that mixed with Curonian minority, but not necessarily otherwise.

[tiger]

I would use the word Samogitian, not Lithuanian. Southern Samogiian dialect shows that ancestors South Samogitians could have participated in the birth of Curonian language i.e. they lived rather close to each other. Their skulls also show some similarities and mixing of the two groups.

Since Lithuanians s.lat. are 'a very homogeneous group', you could also apply the word 'Lithuanian':

http://www.theapricity.com/forum/showthread.php?57456-Anthropological-differences-in-Lithuanian-regions

[tiger]

We are not talking about present. I'm saying what happened 1,5 thousand their ago. :picard1: You are showing plain ignorance.

Actually, we were talking about modern Lithuanians, except of the last your post about the situation ‘1,5 thousand years ago’, which is useless in this respect.

[Minde]

Yo Minde, I heard you is like rap is it troo brethren?

Polish rap, this iz how we rollz ya get me


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq_uqAQno9o

Ya dig it man?
not amused to much pshzhchsikzhch

[gregorius]

My favorite lithuanian rap :cool:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72suh_sfgZw

[Minde]

My favorite lithuanian rap :cool:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72suh_sfgZw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tvkcwa0k5KQ
beter

[tiger]

You know too little about Curonians and Samogitians to judge anything as you just showed yourself. What are you even arguing about?

Samogitians with Curonian identity .... you remind me one of those Latvians with strange identities ...

[Didriksson]

Didn't you guys know that all people of Eastern Europe are Russians and we all speak Russian, just different dialects. :D



But if seriously... I don't think that so many people have heard so much Russian or other Slavic languages to tell whether it's Russian or Polish being spoken or Lithuanian for that matter. I've heard from people saying that Latvian sounds Russian too, but I've also heard that it sounds Finnish, French, German, Saami, ect. :D

[Didriksson]

But they should be one family. Because they split "recently".

For obvious reasons they are not. ;)

[Minde]

what happen here? i dont understand no more

[Didriksson]

They haven't split yet in karl's mind to be precize.

And in the minds of many other...

[Didriksson]

Look what I found while googling ''Latvian sounds like...''
http://www.antimoon.com/forum/t8912.htm

[Aunt Hilda]

Look what I found while googling ''Latvian sounds like...''
http://www.antimoon.com/forum/t8912.htm

I wonder how many of those commenting were Latvians :P

[Didriksson]

I wonder how many of those commenting were Latvians :P

The guy who made the topic is German and there's one more Lithuanian who says that he doesn't understand Latvian with the exception of few words and phrases. I feel the same way about Lithuanian.

[Didriksson]

what happen here? i dont understand no more

Do you understand Latvian?

[Aunt Hilda]

I didn't notice any Latvians participating. The guy who made the topic is German and there's one more Lithuanian who says that he doesn't understand Latvian with the exception of few words and phrases. I feel the same way about Lithuanian.

i don't know, both sound Slavic to me.

[Didriksson]

There is one feature that Latvian and part of NW Lithuanian share - broken tone which is something similar to Danish Stød.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St%C3%B8d. I wonder if foreigners notice that feature of Latvian.

Interesting!

From my experience in Sweden, people who actually asked my to say something in Latvian were completely shocked how much it reminded them of Finnish. I'm sure it's because of the stress on the first syllable.

By the way, do you understand Latvian?

[Minde]

Do you understand Latvian?
can understand a bit when written but no when spek

[Minde]

who want rap?

[Didriksson]

can understand a bit when written but no when spek

Yup, I feel the same way about Lithuanian. Some words are understabdable, but usually I'm just guessing their meaning. It doesn't help much in understanding the whole context of a text though... when Lithuanian is being spoken it's just a lot of ''ssss'' ''ššššš'''what you hear at the end of unintelligible utterances. :D

[Minde]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3clYSAqaFc
good part 1:40

[Pure ja]

lulz what? Are you deaf?

Neither of those languages have any similarity to Estonia or Finnish.

Both are a bit similar in pronounciation both to estonian and finnish.
The same as swedish is also a bit similar.
Russian language - not so much.
Danish - not so much.
Polish - not so much.

[Pure ja]

Both are a bit similar in pronounciation both to estonian and finnish.
The same as swedish is also a bit similar.
Russian language - not so much.
Danish - not so much.
Polish - not so much.

More speculations:
Dutch - more similarities with estonian than with finnish
Low German - probably more similarities with estonian than with finnish
Compared to German, estonian has more pronounciation similarities with Dutch.

[Äike]

Both are a bit similar in pronounciation both to estonian and finnish.
The same as swedish is also a bit similar.
Russian language - not so much.
Danish - not so much.
Polish - not so much.


More speculations:
Dutch - more similarities with estonian than with finnish
Low German - probably more similarities with estonian than with finnish
Compared to German, estonian has more pronounciation similarities with Dutch.

http://www.babyhearing.org/images/HearingAmp/Choices/hearing_aid.jpg

Dutch more similar to Estonian than Finnish.. or German.. Are you trying to be funny?

[Pure ja]

http://www.babyhearing.org/images/HearingAmp/Choices/hearing_aid.jpg

Dutch more similar to Estonian than Finnish.. or German..

Let me rephrase.

Let there be a similarity function SoundsLike(language1, language2), which would give a large value if there is a similarity between the two languages.

SoundsLike(Estonian, Dutch) > SoundsLike(Estonian, German)

SoundsLike(Estonian, Dutch) > SoundsLike(Finnish, Dutch)

SoundsLike(Lithuanian, Finnish) > SoundsLike(Lithuanian, Estonian)

SoundsLike(Latvian, Estonian) > SoundsLike(Latvian, Finnish)
--------------------
And the most important one:
SoundsLike(Lithuanian, Russian) ? SoundsLike(Lithuanian, Finnish)

I sort of claimed (tongue in cheek) that
SoundsLike(Lithuanian, Russian) < SoundsLike(Lithuanian, Finnish)
but I only made that claim to widen the discussion to include
SoundsLike(Lithuanian, Russian) ? SoundsLike(Lithuanian, old "south-western" baltic-finnic)

[Minde]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAJS4YHbvv4
man this good one, wait for bald guy he good rap

[Hercus Monte]

I don't think we sound Russian. then again, I'm in no position to judge.

here's a lecture in Lithuanian. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ehOYIeRkDI&feature=share&list=PLFpX_kuh11Tjqv9OBauGVldI7xxqQxV3A) what do other Europeans think?

[JeanBaMac]

Lithuanian sounds like an "hybrid" language, somewhat Slavic, Finnish, Romance or Greek...
It's a nice sounding language IMHO.

[RussiaPrussia]

I don't think we sound Russian. then again, I'm in no position to judge.

here's a lecture in Lithuanian. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ehOYIeRkDI&feature=share&list=PLFpX_kuh11Tjqv9OBauGVldI7xxqQxV3A) what do other Europeans think?

language doesnt sound russian but here voice kinda

[Hercus Monte]

language doesnt sound russian but here voice kinda

Her voice sounds russian? what does that mean?

here's the exact same video.

one of them is in lithuanian - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuOdfyPF9pw

another in russian - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chg_TwUjzG4

[Açores]

My ex girlfriend is from Alytus, Lituania and now I have a Latvian girlfriend. To my amateur uneducated observation, and I am a fan of the Baltic countries, where I have been visiting a few times in my life, Lituanian is closest related to Latvian Lettonia and I have notiçed some words are similar. I also have noticed that Lituanian has some words that are similar to Russian (example - steklos vs. steklo = glass, begit vs. bezhat', iescoti vs. iskat', jveries vs. zver', ranca vs. ruka, galava vs. golova and so on) and Lituania language is probably older than Russian. Yet as much as I understood so far, to tell a Lithuanian that he or she is Russian has similar consequences as to tell a Greek that he is a Turk.

I have observed Baltic and Lituanian people talking, listened to Lituanian songs and watched news and videos over several years now and so far Lituanian to me sounds a bit like the following languages: Chinese (sometimes), Tchetchen, Tchec, Croatian, Espanish, French, German, Greco, Kurd, Latin, Portugues, Serbian, Turco-arabic, Ukrainian. Every time different. While it only sounds a bit alike to my untrained ears, but I think it is quite a beautiful language and I give it 7 out of 10 for the sound of it. It is definitely a unique language in the Indo-European language group and seemingly has similarities not only to Slavic, but also to Latin and Germanic languages, yet most of it is just unlike any other, apart from Latvian, an original language,and seems very archaic in form. I have now studied linguistics a little bit and I think that Lituania language is a transitional Centum-Satem language. This is my rather amateur observaçion and nothing more. I apologise if I offended anyone.

[Loxie]

I listened to news in Albanian language, and was amazed how much it reminded me of Lithuanian.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AQw1aUDtZg

Albanian and Lithuanian are the most archaic IE languages, they are most similar to the proto indo-european language. It's not surprising there is some similarity in how they sound.

[Petros Houhoulis]

I listened to news in Albanian language, and was amazed how much it reminded me of Lithuanian.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AQw1aUDtZg

Albanian and Lithuanian are the most archaic IE languages, they are most similar to the proto indo-european language. It's not surprising there is some similarity in how they sound.

Lithuanian is actually somewhat related to Greek, not Albanian:

https://elms.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/lexicaldistanceielangs.jpg

Lithuanian is the closest living relative of Ancient Thracian.