The letter and lithuanian cyrillic script: two language planning strategies in the late Nineteenth century

LTLotyniški rašmenys lietuvių kalboje buvo draudžiami 1864-1904 laikotarpiu – vietoj jų privalėjo būti naudojami rusiškieji rašmenys - Kyrilica. Jono Juškos (1867) ir Eduardo Volterio (1887) pastangos modifikuoti rusų Kyrilicos abėcėlę pasireiškė naujų raidžių įvedimu ir daugelio tradicinių rusų abėcėlės raidžių atmetimu. Pakeitimai buvo tokie žymūs, kad skaitytojas galėjo nebeatskirti, ar jis skaito rusiškas raides su lotyniškais intarpais, ar atvirkščiai - lotynišką raštą su kai kuriais Kyrilicos elementais. Šių kalbininkų pastangos vėliau plačiai paplito ir rašant imta naudoti raidė /j/, nors ją ypač kritikavo rusų ortodoksų šventikai. Visi Kyrilicos pakeitimai lietuviams buvo atšaukti, tačiau netrukus po spaudos draudimo panaikinimo vėl buvo sugrąžinta lotyniškoji abėcėlė.Reikšminiai žodžiai: Lietuvių kalbos istorija; Spaudos draudimas; Kirilika; Rašytinė kalba; Abėcėlė; History of Lihuanian; Cyrillic letters; written language; Alphabet.

ENThe use of Latin script for the Lithuanian language was banned during the period 1864-1904, during which time Cyrillic letters were introduced. Jonas Juška's (1867) and Eduardas Volteris' (1887) efforts to modify the Russian Cyrillic alphabet for Lithuanian texts were most notable, with both Juška and Volteris adding new letters to and avoiding many traditional letters from the Russian alphabet. They modified the Russian Cyrillic alphabet to such an extent that a reader could even get confused if the Russian letters were read with some Latin insertions, or if Latin letters were read with certain Cyrillic elements. Their efforts were later partially accepted by others and many Lithuanian books in the Cyrillic script started to include the letter "j", even though this letter was specifically criticized by Russian Orthodox priests. All models of the Cyrillic alphabet for Lithuanian were discontinued; however, after the ban on Latin letters was lifted. [From the publication]During the time period of 1864 – 1904 the use of Latin fonts in the Lithuanian language was banned, one had to use the Russian Cyrillic fonts instead. Jonas Juška’s (1867) and Eduard Volteris’s (1887) attempts to modify the Russian Cyrillic alphabet resulted in the introduction of new letters and refusal of the most traditional letters of the Russian alphabet. The changes were so significant that the reader could no longer tell whether he/she reads Russian letters with Latin insertions or vice versa – a Latin text with certain Cyrillic elements. The attempts of the said linguists widely spread in the future when the new letter /j/ was commenced to be used for writing, although it was highly criticized by the Russian Orthodox priests and resulted in cancellation of all the modifications to the Cyrillic alphabet. However shortly, after the abolition of ban of the press, the Latin alphabet was reinstated.