Latvian is the "low-key star" of the Baltic language family, spoken by around 1.5 million people in Latvia and spread all over the world. Latvian is one of the only two remaining Baltic languages (the other being Lithuanian). It has a number of unique features that make it stand out among the Indo-European language family.
The story in Latvian is like an epic movie plot. Latvian as an Indo-European language originated centuries ago, but its real rise was around the 16th century. Things get bad when foreign powers, such as Germany and Russia, come to Latvia and try to promote their language. But the Latvians were not reconciled. At the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century, during the period of the Latvian national awakening, people began to unite and use their language as a symbol of national identity. It's like a superhero moment that belongs to the Latvians themselves.
The advantage of Latvian words is that they are compact and can express meanings that other languages need to express in sentences. to".cjsFor example, it refers to the person who sniffs around – literally, the sniffer! And "kreisThe term is used to describe a tricky or complex situation, such as when you are caught in a dilemma. Don't forget that there is also".zīleIt's a very specific word that means wood chips or sawdust – why use two words because one word does the trick?
The Latvian language is like that friend who always surprises you. First of all, it has a high and low accent that is rare in European languages. This means that the tone of your voice can change the meaning of a word. Secondly, the Latvian language is also keen to use conjugations. It works by changing the ending of a word to show its role in the sentence. In addition, some letters in Latvian may look familiar, but have a completely different pronunciation, which makes you always on your toes.
The Latvian language uses the art of poetry in everyday life and conversation. These poems are called ".dainasJust like Twitter centuries ago – short and concise but full of wisdom. Latvian is also the language used in some cool modern ** and literature. It's a language that knows how to tell a story, whether it's songs, poems, or small talk over coffee.
Learning Latvian is becoming more and more popular. In Latvia, the school is committed to keeping the Latvian language alive. For people outside of Latvia, universities and language centers offer courses that make it easier for them to master these endings and high and low accents. In addition, there are now many resources and apps available for those who want to learn Latvian out of interest. The more people discover the charm of Latvia (beautiful forests, cool coastline and fascinating history), the more interested they are in learning the Latvian language in depth.
Read the "Book of Languages" series:
Book of Languages Series No. 28 – Czech Book of Languages Series No. 27 Māori.