The curonien or dialect of Courlande is an extinct language belonging to the Baltic group of the Indo-European Langues and being connected considerably with the Vieux Prussian.

History

Of this language, there especially remain to us only traces present in the proper names, since no old writing can testify to the dialect of origin. With the the Middle Ages, the Curoniens underwent frequent invasions because of their geographical location. Already at the 7th century, the Viking S unloaded on their territory in order to plunder rather than to colonize. They had to rather frequently push back these enemies until the 8th century. The teutonic Chevaliers conquered their territory at the 13th century and the people curonien passed under Lithuanian predominance to the 15th century. Their language started to dissolve in the Lituanien and the Latvian about the middle of the 16th century. At the 17th century, the dialect was still alive, but the invasions of the Germans, then Russians and finally of the Latvians gradually caused his disappearance. Before the Second world war, one reports that 9.500 people still spoke it, against only 2.500 after 1950. Certain dialects of the East of Lithuania show characteristics of the curonien today.

There would remain still speakers in Germany and Lithuania (see Kursenieki)

Distribution

He spoke himself in the Courlande, area Latvian located at the south-west of the Golfe of Rīga, and in Lithuania, edge of the Baltique.

Writing

We do not have any proof of written form.

See too

• Linguistic

• Dictionary of the languages
• Languages by family
• Indo-European Languages
• Baltic Languages
• Eastern Baltic Languages

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