The Narrative of a naïve estimator or the spread of perceptual dialectology in Lithuanian dialect research

LTŠiame straipsnyje siekiama glaustai pristatyti perceptyviosios dialektologijos paradigmą ir pateikti kelių perceptyviosios dialektologijos tyrimų, vykdytų Lietuvoje, rezultatų pavyzdžius. Taip siekiama atskleisti vadinamojo požiūrio iš vidaus vertę regioninio kalbos variantiškumo tyrimuose, taip pat parodyti tokio požiūrio sąsajas ir santykį su požiūrio iš išorės tyrimų rezultatais. Perceptyviosios dialektologijos (PD) tyrimų tradicija Lietuvoje formuojama nuo XXI amžiaus pradžios, tačiau holistiniai tyrimai, aprėpiantys ir kalbos variantų konceptualizaciją, ir žymėtųjų tekstų-stimulų percepciją, vykdomi tik 5-8 metų. Straipsnyje plėtojamo analitinio diskurso empirinis pagrindas - dviejų mokslinių projektų rezultatai. Pirmuoju projektu "Bendrinės kalbos vieta mentaliniame lietuvių kalbos žemėlapyje" siekta ištirti geolingvistinę paprastųjų kalbos bendruomenės narių kompetenciją. Antrojo projekto "Regioninių variantų ir tariamosios bendrinės kalbos (kvazistandarto) sklaida XXI amžiaus pradžioje: percepcinis tyrimas" objektas - percepcinė variantų kategorizacija, t. y. taigi siekiama aiškintis, kaip naujųjų tarminių darinių požymiai ir jų kalbinė vertė yra susiję su bendrinės kalbos ir kvazistandarto vaizdiniais ir jų paplitimu visuomenėje. [Iš leidinio]Reikšminiai žodžiai: Perceptyvioji dialektologija; Požiūris iš vidaus; Požiūris iš išorės; Regioninis variantiškumas; Perceptual dialectology; View from the inside; View from the outside; Regional variation.

ENThe aim of the article is to briefly introduce the approach of the perceptual dialectology (PD) paradigm and to present a sample results of the PD research carried out in Lithuania. The purpose of this research was to reveal the significance of the view from the inside perspective in the research of the regional language variation, as well as the correlation and relationship with the results of the view from the outside research. The tradition of PD research in Lithuania started at the beginning of the 21st century, however, the holistic research embracing both the conceptualisation of language variants and the perception of markedtext-stimuli has been carried out only for the last 5-8 years. The empirical basis for the analytical discourse developed in the paper was constructed from the results of the project "The Position of Standard Language in the Mental Map of the Lithuanian Language", which investigated the geolinguistic competence of the ordinary members of language community, and the project "Distribution of Regional Variants and Quasi-standard Language at the Beginning of the 21st Century: Perceptual Approach (Perceptual Categorisation of Variants)", the research object of which is the categorisation of perceptual variants, i.e. how the attributes of new dialect formations, their linguistic value and features are related to the image of the quasi-standard language and its spread within the society. The article does not thoroughly present the results of the afore-mentioned research, since that is an object for present and future scientific works. In this paper, the PD research data and the sample results, as well as any case studies are used to substantiate the principal value of the PD paradigm research for the field of dialectology in general. The data of hand-drawn maps are particularly important for this paper.To outline the ideas developed in the article, a few concluding remarks can be made: 1) Although the development of PD research in Lithuania started relatively late, both the theoretical and the methodological principles of the PD paradigm have nonetheless been adopted, and the paradigm has become an integral part of the dialectological research in Lithuania; 2) It should be highlighted that in dialectological discourse the PD paradigm represents the view from the inside dialectological research group. Data gathered in PD research provides empirical basis for the construction of the emic narrative, i.e. for the inclusion of the knowledge, opinion and standpoints on linguistic reality held by the naïve estimator into the scientific discourse; 3) The results of the case studies demonstrated in the paper suggest the following insights into the peculiarities of the view from the inside perspective: a. The images of variants are stable and widespread among naïve estimators. This observation is primarily substantiated by the image of the Standard Language as an urban variant, which was analysed in the paper; b. The hand-drawn maps from various localities promote the assumption about the existence of regional standards; c. Based on the results of the PD research presented in the article, conclusions can be made that naïve estimators strive to preserve a positive image of their linguistic homeland. Such efforts are reflected in the localisation of the dialectal and non-dialectal areas in the hand-drawn maps; d. The view from the inside research reveals that naïve estimators assess regional dialects differently. The hand-drawn maps revealed that some localities are associated with certain dialects much more frequently.An assumption can be made that the view from the inside perspective has parallels with the view from the outside perspective. The hand-drawn maps demonstrate that dialects are drawn to the areas which have been identified in etic discourses as having the highest dialectal markedness, i.e. thegeolect and regiolect zones. It is important to note that the results of the PD research broaden and diversify the dialectological discourses. Of significance is the fact that during the inventory process of the information concerning the naïve estimators' view from the outside perspective on language variation, certain new perspectives on language variation, as an object of analysis, can be observed. Primarily, novel dialectological topics can be raised, such asthe value and self-worth of a regional variant, the interrelationship of variants from the perspective of language users; a possibility for a more accurate prediction of the tendencies in the shift of variants, and others. [From the publication]