On Polish lexical borrowings into the language of Old Belarusian chronicles (latopisy)

Lilia Citko

Uniwersytet w Białymstoku

Abstract

The research subject presented in the article is functioning of lexical polonisms in the last and most comprehensive code of Old Belarusian chronicles and annals (latopisy) – The Bychowiec Chronicle (16th–17th centuries). Three types of borrowings have been distinguished therein: 1) formal-semantic (e.g. biskup, kosteł, morderstwo, okrutny), 2) semantic calques (e.g. poniati ‘pojąć, wziąć za żonę’, podniati ‘podjąć’), and 3) structural calques (e.g. dokonati żywota ‘umrzeć’, podnesti oczy ‘spojrzeć’). As far as frequency is concerned, formal-semantic loans prevail. Their widespread usage in the then Belarusian language may have resulted from nominative needs – to name new realities, phenomena, or objects (names connected with state, church and army institutions prevail). Nevertheless, only a part of the analyzed lexemes have found their permanent place in the Belarusian language system.