Dniestrian Ukrainian dialect

The Dniestrian Ukrainian dialect (), Opillia dialect () or Galician (Halychian) dialect () is a dialect of Ukrainian spoken in the western part of Ukraine, along the upper flow of the Dniester river. The Dniestrian Ukrainian dialect is typically grouped together with other southwestern dialects of Ukrainian.

Origins

The dialect formed during the 14-16th centuries as a result of interaction between Pokutian-Bukovinian, Sian and western part of Podolian dialects.

Main features

Phonetics

Main phonetic features which distinguish the Dniestrian dialect from other varieties of Ukrainian are:

• transition of the vowel [] (derived from old [a], []) into [], [], [] following palatalized consonants: гарьичий [ɦɐˈrʲet͡ʃei̯], дєкувати [ˈdʲɛkʊwɐte], сажі [ˈsaʒɪ], compared to standard Ukrainian - гарячий [ɦɐˈrʲat͡ʃei̯], дякувати [ˈdʲakʊwɐte], сажа [ˈsaʒɐ];
• different formation of personal forms in some verbs, for example любˈять [ˈlʲubjɐtʲ], ловˈять [ˈlɔu̯jɐtʲ] instead of Standard Ukrainian люблять [ˈlʲublʲɐtʲ], ловлять [ˈlɔu̯lʲɐtʲ];
• so-called ukannya - pronunciation of unstressed [] as []: бджула [b(d)ʒʊˈla], скору [ˈskɔrʊ] compared to literary Ukrainian бджола [bd͡ʒɔˈla], скоро [ˈskɔrɔ];
• change of [e] into [ɪ], [i] with softening of preceding consonant in unstressed positions: спечіна [ˈspɛt͡ʃʲinɐ] instead of standard спечена [ˈspɛt͡ʃenɐ];
• widespread use of [] before word-initial [ɔ], [ʊ] and [i] (derived from [ɔ]): вогірок [wɔɦʲiˈrɔk], воріх [wɔˈrʲix] compared to standard Ukrainian огірок [ɔɦʲiˈrɔk], горіх [ɦɔˈrʲix]; in some varieties [w] is replaced with []: локунь [ˈɫɔkʊnʲ] instead of standard окунь [ˈɔkʊnʲ]; usage of [] before word-initial [a], [i] is also widespread: їндик [ˈjindɪk] instead of індик [ˈindɪk];
• softer pronunciation of sibilants in word roots with preservation of original [ɛ]: шестий [ˈʃɛstei̯], вечєріти [ʋet͡ʃɛˈrʲite] compared to standard Ukrainian шостий [ˈʃɔstei̯], вечоріти [ʋet͡ʃɔˈrʲite];
• softening of consonants in -ки-, -хи- in both stressed and unstressed positions: глибокій [ɦleˈbɔkʲii̯], лихєй [leˈxʲɛi̯] compared to standard Ukrainian глибокий [ɦleˈbɔkei̯], лихий [leˈxɪi̯];
• shortening of -iy- into -i-: віт [ʋʲit] instead of standard Ukrainian війт [ʋʲii̯t];
• big local variation in pronunciation of certain vowels and vowel combinations: свʼято [ˈsʋjatɔ], цвʼях [ˈtÍ¡sʋjax] or свато [ˈsʋatɔ], цвах [tÍ¡sʋax] compared to standard Ukrainian свято [ˈsʲʋʲatɔ], цвях [tÍ¡sʲʋʲax]; здоровлє [zdɔˈrɔu̯lʲɛ], памніть [ˈpamnʲitʲ] instead of literary здоровʼя [zdɔˈrɔu̯jɐ], памʼять [ˈpamjɐtʲ]; some varieties of Dniestrian dialect have an exclusively "hard" [] - зора [zɔˈra], зорʼя [zɔrˈja], in others it can be palatalized, like in standard Ukrainian - зоря [zɔˈrʲa];
• unlike in most other Ukrainian varieties, devoicing of consonants at the end of the word and before other unvoiced consonants is widespread in Dniestrian dialect;
• disappearance or replacement of [] in word-initial positions and [u̯] in consonant clusters: пав [pau̯], міти [ˈmʲite], дамно [dɐmˈnɔ], рімний [ˈrʲimnei̯] compared to normative Ukrainian впав [wpau̯], вміти [ˈwmʲite], давно [dɐu̯ˈnɔ], рівний [ˈrʲiu̯nei̯]; at the same time, "hard" [l] at the end of a syllable may be replaced with [u̯]: попіў [ˈpɔpʲiu̯], стіў [sʲtʲiu̯], гоўка [ˈɦɔu̯kɐ] unlike standard попіл [ˈpɔpʲiÉ«], стіл [sʲtʲiÉ«], голка [ˈɦɔɫkɐ].
• widespread change of [], [], [], [], [], [xʋ] in some words into [], [], [], [], [É¡] and [] respectively: саджє [ˈsad͡ʒʲɛ], дзерно [dÍ¡zerˈnɔ], дзелений [dÍ¡zeˈlɛnei̯], скіна [sʲciˈna], наґія [nɐˈɟijɐ], гадюґа [ɦɐˈdʲʊɡɐ], фалити [fɐˈlɪte], форий [ˈfɔrei̯] compared to standard Ukrainian сажа [ˈsaʒɐ], зерно [zerˈnɔ], зелений [zeˈlɛnei̯], стіна [sʲtʲiˈna], надія [nɐdʲijɐ], гадюка [ɦɐˈdʲʊkɐ], хвалити [xʋɐˈlɪte], хворий [ˈxwɔrei̯];
• unsystematic development of old trъt clusters into -ир, -ри, -ро depending on the word form: кирниця [kerˈnɪtÍ¡sʲɐ], кривавий [kreˈʋaʋei̯], дрива [dreˈʋa], брови [ˈbrɔʋe] compared to standard Ukrainian криниця [krenˈɪtÍ¡sʲɐ], кривавий, дрова [drɔˈʋa], брови;
• shortening of soft consonants in forms of neutral nouns: жикє [ʒeˈcɛ], насінє [nɐˈsʲinʲɛ] in contrast to життя [ʒetʲːa], насіння [nɐˈsʲinʲːɐ] in standard Ukrainian;
• lack of palatalization of word-final [tÍ¡s]: хлопиц [ˈxlɔpetÍ¡s], жнец [ʒnɛtÍ¡s] compared to standard Ukrainian хлопець [ˈxlɔpetÍ¡sʲ], жнець [ʒnɛtÍ¡sʲ];
• pronunciation of vowels in some roots differs from standard Ukrainian: дюра [dʲʊˈra], видро [ʋedˈrɔ], зазуля [zɐˈzulʲɐ] compared to literary діра [dʲiˈra], відро [ʋʲidˈrɔ], зозуля [zɔˈzulʲɐ]; assimilation in consonant clusters such as -лн-, -рн- is also widespread: мел:ик [ˈmɛlːɪk], мен:ик [ˈmɛnːɪk], терлиця [terˈlɪtÍ¡sʲɐ] instead of standard pronunciation мельник [ˈmɛlʲnɪk], терниця [terˈnɪtÍ¡sʲɐ];
• in some local varieties of Dniestrian dialect final consonants [] and [] are eliminated: порі [poˈrʲiː], сні [sʲnʲiː], гроше [ˈɦrɔʃeː] compared to standard Ukrainian поріг [poˈrʲiɦ], сніг [sʲnʲiɦ], грошей [ˈɦrɔʃei̯];
• palatalized consonants [zʲ], [sʲ], [tÍ¡sʲ], [dÍ¡zʲ] in Dniestrian dialect are normally pronounced softer than in other dialects and in literary Ukrainian;
• many pronouns, nouns and verbs in Dniestrian dialect have their accents on different syllables than in standard Ukrainian: мóго [ˈmɔɦɔ], твóго [ˈtʋɔɦɔ], хóджу [ˈxɔd͡ʒʊ], прóшу [ˈprɔʃʊ], трýна [ˈtrunɐ], кочéрга [koˈt͡ʃɛrɦɐ], пíду [ˈpidʊ] compared to standard Ukrainian могó [mɔˈɦɔ], твогó [tʋɔˈɦɔ], ходжý [xoˈd͡ʒu], прошý [prɔˈʃu], трунá [truˈna], кочергá [kɔt͡ʃeˈrɦa], підý [piˈdu].

Grammar and word structure

Many words attain different forms in Dniestrian dialect than in standard Ukrainian:

• endings of feminine single nouns in instrumental case: землеў [zemˈlɛu̯], душеў [dʊˈʃɛu̯], головоў [ɦoloˈʋɔu̯], ногом [noˈɦɔm], солем [ˈsɔlem] (standard Ukrainian - землею [zemˈlɛjʊ], душею [dʊˈʃɛjʊ], головою [ɦɔlɔˈʋɔjʊ], ногою [nɔˈɦɔjʊ], сіллю [ˈsʲilʲːʊ]); in genitive case: ріли [rʲiˈlɪ], земли [zemˈlɪ], ночи [ˈnɔt͡ʃe], любови [lʲʊˈbɔwe] (standard Ukrainian - ріллі [rʲilʲːi], землі [zemˈlʲi], ночі [ˈnɔt͡ʃi], любові [lʲʊˈbɔwi]); in genitive plural: бабіў [bɐˈbʲiu̯], козіў [koˈzʲiu̯], козуў [ˈkɔzʊu̯] (standard Ukrainian баб [bab], кіз [kʲiz]);
• endings of masculine single nouns in dative: братови [ˈbratɔwe], коневи [koˈnɛwe], конови [koˈnɔwe] (standard Ukrainian братові [ˈbratɔʋʲi], коневі [kɔˈnɛʋʲi]); in instrumental: коном [koˈnɔm] (standard Ukrainian конем [kɔˈnɛm]); in locative у кінци [kʲinˈtÍ¡sɪ] (standard Ukrainian у кінці [kʲinʲˈtÍ¡sʲi]); in dative plural: конім [koˈnʲim], конем [koˈnɛm], коном [koˈnɔm] (in standard Ukrainian коням [koˈnʲam]); in instrumental plural: гостями [ɦosʲˈtʲame], гостєми [ɦosʲˈtʲɛme], гостєма [ɦosʲˈtʲɛmɐ], гостіма [ɦosʲˈtʲimɐ] (in standard Ukrainian only гостями); in single locative plural: на грудьох [ɦrʊˈdʲɔx], на дверох [dʋeˈrɔx] (standard Ukrainian на грудях [ɦrʊˈdʲax], на дверях [dʋeˈrʲax];
• certain neutrum single nouns in genitive: теляті [teˈlʲɛtʲi], телятʼа [teˈlʲɛtʲɐ], телята [teˈlʲɛtɐ] (standard Ukrainian теляти [teˈlʲate]); in dative: теляту [teˈlʲɛtʊ], телятʼу [teˈlʲɛtʲʊ] (standard Ukrainian - теляті [teˈlʲatʲi]); in instrumental: телятьом [teˈlʲɛtʲom], телятом [teˈlʲɛtom] (standard Ukrainian телям [teˈlʲam]);
• shortening of endings in adjectives: добри [ˈdɔbrɪ], молоді [ˈmɔlodʲi] (standard Ukrainian - добрий [ˈdɔbrei̯], молодій [mɔlɔˈdʲii̯]); assimilation in comparative adjectives: молоч:и [moˈlɔt͡ʃːɪ] (standard Ukrainian - молодший [mɔˈlɔd͡ʒʃei̯]);
• different structure of many numerals: оден [oˈdɛn], їден [jiˈdɛn], єден [jeˈdɛn] (in standard Ukrainian - один [ɔˈdɪn]), штири [ˈʃtere] (standard Ukrainian - чотири [t͡ʃɔˈtɪre), одинайціть, єдинайцік (literary Ukrainian - одинадцять); in instrumental case: двума [dʋʊˈma] (standard Ukrainian двома [dʋɔˈma]); complex numerals піўтретя, піўчетверта (literary Ukrainian - пів на третю, пів на четверту), девʼїдесєть, девидесєк (standard Ukrainian - девʼяносто), двіста, двасто (in standard Ukrainian - двісті);
• dative forms of pronouns ми, ти (standard Ukrainian мені, тобі); locative pronoun form него (standard Ukrainian - його); instrumental forms неў, тоў (literary Ukrainian - нею, тою); directional pronoun тамтой (in standard Ukrainian only той);
• different verb forms: infinitive печи, стрихчи (standard Ukrainian пекти, стригти); present 1st person form лєю, лєїш (standard Ukrainian ллю. ллєш); 3rd person ending ходит, ходят (standard Ukrainian ходить, ходять); parallel usage of present past person plural verbs несемо and несем, ходимо and ходим (standard Ukrainian несемо, ходимо); lack of ending in 2nd person present singular of some verbs: дась, їсь (standard Ukrainian даси, їси); usage of future form буду браў (standard Ukrainian - буду брати), past forms ходиў, ходиўїм, ходивем, робили, робилисмо (in standard Ukrainian only ходив, робили); subjunctive mood forms даў бим, даў бис (standard Ukrainian - дав би);
• widespread usage of particular suffixes and affixes: -май, -мак, -кут, -уємци, -иск(о), -анк(а), -альник.

Lexical features

During the period of Austrian rule inhabitants of Galicia and neighbouring Bukovyna adopted numerous German words, many of which are now seen as archaisms. Some words, which are characteristic of the Dniestrian dialect and differ from standard Ukrainian are:

Subdialects

The so-called Batiuk group of subdialects, which is spoken to the southwest of Lviv, is transitional to Sian dialect. They are characterized by the transitions [e]>[ɪ],[i], [o]>[u] in unstressed positions.

The group of varieties spoken south of the Dniester is transitional to Pokutian dialects and is characterized by palatalization of coronal consonants before [i]<[o]; transitions [sʲtʲ]>[sʲc], presence of palatalized [r], future forms of verbs with infinitive (буду ходити), noun endings конéви, -нéм, землéў, but на кони́, пóли, зимли́, differences in stress rules and lexicon.

Northeastern varieties have many common features with Volhynian dialect, such as non-palatalized [r], use of prothetic [ɦ] instead of [w], [j] (горáти, ги́ндик).

External links

• A sample of Dniestrian dialect from Zhuravno

See also

• Naddnistrianshchyna

References