Białystok dialect

Białystok dialect
gwara białostocka
Native to	Poland
Region	Podlasie
Language family	Indo-European Balto-Slavic Slavic West Slavic Lechitic Polish Mazovian dialects Białystok dialect
Language codes
ISO 639-3	–

The Białystok dialect (Polish: gwara białostocka) is a Polish language dialect characteristic of the inhabitants of Białystok and parts of Podlasie. It is closely related to the Vilnius dialect and has emerged as a result of the mutual influence of several language patterns: Polish, Belarusian, Lithuanian, and to a lesser extent Russian, Ukrainian, and Yiddish. The dialect is also known as the Podlasie dialect and is considered a branch of the Mazovian dialect.

Phonetics

The phonetic features of the Białystok dialect are distinct and influenced by multiple languages.

• Hushing consonants: Hushing consonants such as "ś, ć, dź, ź" are pronounced similarly to sounds of foreign origin, which is known locally as "śledzikowanie." These sounds are prepalatal, directed more towards the front of the mouth, resulting in a soft consonant sound.
• Glottal stop: There is a noticeable glottal stop in the pronunciation of "e" in the word "nie," causing it to become disyllabic ("nie-e").
• Differentiation of 'h' and 'ch': The dialect maintains a clear distinction between the voiced "h" and the voiceless "ch."
• Articulation of 'ł': The Białystok dialect retains the traditional pronunciation of "ł" as a front dental-alveolar sound, similar to how it was historically pronounced by poets and actors.
• Prolongation of vowels: The accentuated vowel is often pronounced with a long, falling tone, giving the dialect a melodic, singing quality, known as "zaciąganie."

Grammar and Syntax

The grammar and syntax of the Białystok dialect feature several unique characteristics.

• Use of "Weź" as an auxiliary verb: The word "weź" (meaning "take") is frequently used as an auxiliary verb, similar to how "do" is used in English imperative constructions (e.g., "Weź otwórz okno" meaning "Please open the window").
• Dative case substitution: The dative case is often replaced by constructions using the preposition "dla" (for), such as "kup dla mnie" (buy for me) or "daj dla babci" (give to grandma).
• Simplified past tense: The endings in the active past tense are often dropped, resulting in forms like "my dawali" instead of "my dawaliśmy" (we were giving) and "ja pojechał" instead of "ja pojechałem" (I went).
• Polite forms: The polite form often omits the words "pan/pani" (Mr./Mrs.), using constructions like "Kiedy do mnie zajdzie?" (When will you come to me?) and "Dlaczego o tym dla mnie nie mówił?" (Why didn't you tell me about this?).
• Imperative in polite forms: In the polite form, the imperative mood is equivalent to the indicative mood and also omits "pan/pani" (e.g., "Siedzi spokojnie!" meaning "Sit quietly!" and "Zapłaci dla mnie sto złotych!" meaning "Pay me a hundred zlotys!").

Vocabulary

The Białystok dialect contains numerous unique words and expressions, reflecting its diverse linguistic influences. Here are a few examples:

• apiać – again
• badziewie – something worthless
• bradziaga – an inappropriate person
• bułka chleba – loaf of bread
• dziamgać – to talk nonsense
• gumno – meadow
• kabanina – pork
• kasza hreczana – buckwheat groats
• kucia, kutia – a Christmas dish made of rice, poppy seeds, and dried fruits
• leci jakby jemu soli na ogon nasypał – runs fast, is in a hurry
• odkazać – to refuse
• rozbuwaj się – take off your shoes
• tołkować – to explain
• uchażor – suitor
• wrzaskun – someone who screams loudly
• zapalić – to turn on (e.g., light, TV)
• zasynać – to fall asleep