The Warmian dialect (Warmian: warnijsko godka; ) is a dialect of the Polish language, present in the historical region of Warmia, in Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland. It is spoken by Warmians. It is commonly regarded as a part of the Masovian dialect group, and sometimes alternatively as a part of Greater Poland dialect group. It borders the Ostróda dialect to the west, the Masurian dialects to the south, and the new mixed dialects to the east and north.
It developed in the 14th century, after Polish speakers who settled in the area. It formed from various dialects of the settlers and was shaped by the literary version of Polish language used in religious literature. Since the 19th century, the subdialect began adopting loanwords from German, due to the Germanisation of the area.
Typical of Masovian dialects, devoicing of word-final consonants before vowels and liquids is present here. Atypical of Masovian dialects is the absence of mazuration. Sporadic masuration can be found amongst some speakers as a result of Masurian influence: pietruska (pietruszka). More common here instead is jabà Âonkowanie: ciaszka (czaszka), ciasam (czasem), with much variation, especially for cz, sz. However, most common is a realization that of Standard Polish. Similarly, à Â, à º, ÃÂ, and dà º may be realized in many ways. Most commonly they are realized as in Standard Polish: siano (siano); they may sometimes harden to szi, à ¼i, czi, and dà ¼i or sz, à ¼, cz: sziano, szano (siano), and dà ¼, or least commonly kaszubienie may occur: sano (siano). These changes are usually in the north and are likely the result of German influence.
The shift of initial ja-, ra- > je-, re- is present but limited to particular words: jek (jak), reno (rano). Medial -ar- shifts to -er-: rozwer: (rozwarà Â), w mercu (w marcu), ôsiera (ofiara). Ablaut is often levelled: wietrak (wiatrak). Final -ej shifts to -y/-i: dali (dalej). Often y merges with i: pisk (pysk), or with u before à Â: buà  âÂÂbyà ÂâÂÂ, buà Âa (byà Âa). Mobile -e- sometimes disappears in nouns formed with -ek, -ec, especially in the genitive of place names: podwieczórk (podwieczorek), do Mikoà Âajk (do Mikoà Âajek).
Slanted á may be retained as á or sometimes raised to o. Slanted é may sometimes be retained as é, or may either lower and merge with e or raise and merge with y. Slanted ó may sometimes be retained as ó, or may either lower and merge with o or raise and merge with u.
Medial nasal vowels may raise: dziesiunti (dziesiàty), gorónce (goràce), gynsi (gÃÂsi). Medial and final àmay also lower: bandzie (bÃÂdzie). na tu à Âolsztyà Âsko droga (na tàolsztyà ÂskàdrogÃÂ). Nasal vowels decompose before non-sibilants word-medially. Before sibilants, nasality may be retained, or denasalization may occur: gÃÂà Â, geà  (gÃÂà Â), wàs, wos (wàs), sometimes with -j: gajsi (gÃÂsi), wojsi (wàsy). Word-finally and also before l, à Â, both nasal vowels denasalize and often raise: wode (wodÃÂ), spsieywajo (à Âpiewajà), nie chcu (nie chcà). Similarly, eN may lower: ciamno (ciemno), as well as iN/yN: jenaczyj (inaczej), goà Âcieniec (goà Âciniec), and oN may raise: czerwónam (czerwonym).
Initial i- often has a prothetic j-, and can then sometimes lower: jimià(imiÃÂ), jenaczyj (inaczej). Initial o- typically labializes to ô, as does u- to û- to a lesser extent.
Soft labials decompose: wzino (wino), psiwo (piwo); around Olsztyn mâ shifts to mà Â: mniasto (miasto); but around Reszel to mn: mnasto (miasto); rarely to à Â. fâÂÂ, wâ may lose all labial elements: zidzioà  (widziaà Â), przytrasiuà Âo (przytrafià Âo), and the result sibilant can sometimes harden: psziwo (piwo), bà ¼iaà Ây (biaà Ây); pszana (piana), bà ¼aà Ây (biaà Ây). Other types of decomposition occur but are less common: pjes, pchies (pies) bhiaà Ây (biaà Ây). Decomposition can also occur word-finally: jedwabà  (jedwab), szczaà  (szczaw). Soft palatals may also sporadically harden, especially around Reszel, probably due to German influence: peà Âà  (pieà Âà Â); or due to a more relaxed pronunciation: wyberam (wybieram).
Verbs tend to appear in uncontracted forms here: stojaà(staÃÂ). à ÂwâÂÂ, ÃÂwâ i dà ºwâ harden: à Âwecie (à Âwiecie), ÃÂwerà(ÃÂwierÃÂ), dà ºwyrzów (drzwi). Fricative rz is retained by some speakers; however by the early 20th century it was already rare and present mostly among older speakers, and today is nearly non-existent, with rz generally being pronounced as in Standard Polish. li sometimes hardens: lypa (lipa). kie, gie, ki, and gi sometimes harden: à Âokeà(à ÂokieÃÂ), robaky (robaki), but generally are pronounced as in Standard Polish, with a soft pronunciation occurring more before kie than ki, but a hard pronunciation of gi. Sometimes denasalized final -àalso softens: matkie (matkÃÂ). ch is generally hard, but sometimes softens: gà Âuchi (gà Âuchy), alongside gà Âuchy. kt typically shifts to cht: chto (kto). k also frequently weakens to ká¶Âð: belká¶Âði (belki), ká¶Âðapa (kapa), taká¶Âð (tak).
Typical Masovian inflectional traits are common here.
The masculine dative singular is usually formed with -oziu (rarely -owiu) via contamination between -owi and -u: bratowiu//bratoziu (bratu). In the north-west -ozi occurs more often: chà Âopozi (chà Âopu). The accusative singular of feminine nouns ending in -a is equivalent to the nominative singular, as nasal -àoften lowers and denasalizes: spsiÃ³à  nogawka (spiÃ à  nogawkÃÂ). Masculine and neuter nouns ending in sz, à ¼ sometimes take -e instead of -u in the locative singular: o kosie (o koszu). -ów is used as a genitive plural ending regardless of gender or the hardness of a given noun: nauczycielów (nauczycieli). The dative plural is usually -ám/-am instead of -om: ludziám (ludziom). The instrumental plural ending may sometimes harden: rÃÂkamy (rÃÂkami) alongside rÃÂkami. Alongside the hardened -amy, -óma (less frequently -oma), from the old dual instrumental, occurs: sà Âowoma/sà Âowóma (sà Âowami).
Dual forms of pronouns are retained: Ã Âu noju (u nas), noma (nam), u woju (u was).
Some past tense verbs have -er- instead of -ar- due to sound changes. The past tense may also be formed with -uà  instead of -yà Â/-ià  also as a result of sound changes. The first person plural present tense of verbs is typically -my of Standard Polish: chodzimy (chodzimy); sometimes -m: à ¼niwujam (à ¼niwujemy); or sometimes the old dual ending -wa: chodziwa (chodzimy). The first person plural imperative is typically -my of Standard Polish: choÃÂmy (chodà ºmy); or sometimes the old dual ending -wa: chodziwa. The first person plural past tense is typically -à Âmy of Standard Polish: chodzilià Âmy; sometimes -m: poà Âlim (poszlià Âmy); or sometimes the old dual ending -wa: chodzilià Âwa (chodzilià Âmy). The second person plural past tense is typically -ta: niesieta (niesiecie). -cie is typically used for respect or older people: Siàdà ºcie, babciu. The first person conditional may formed with -bych, from the old aorist: robziuà Âbich (robià Âbym). Masculine personal nouns are generally declined as masculine animal nouns: te dobre chà Âopy (ci dobrzy chà Âopi), but virile agreement is used with verbs: te dobre chà Âopy kosili (ci dobrzy chà Âopi kosili), te dobre chà Âopy kosili (ci dobrzy chà Âopi kosili). Often verbs ending with -eàare raised to -éÃÂ: leà ¼Ã©Ã (leà ¼eÃÂ).
Typical Masovian word-forming tendencies are present here.
The superlative is formed with ná-/no-/náj- instead of naj-.
Verbs ending in -owaÃÂ end in -uwaÃÂ: pokazuwaÃÂ (pokazywaÃÂ); powyjmuwali (powyjmowali).
Often dwa is used for feminine nouns instead of dwie: dwa godziny (dwie godziny). Sometimes numbers above five do not govern the genitive plural. Often bez and przez are used interchangeably with each other.