Language Standardization: the Case of Kurpie

Abstract

Kurpie are an exogenous people. Their settlement dates back to the 14th up to the 18th century. The ethnonym comes from the Old Prussian name for the leather shoes they wore, which indicates their possible Old Prussian origin. Polish ethnic groups began accumulating in those areas in the Middle Ages. Kurpie developed an original folk culture (cf. dance, music, crafts) and their territory is among the most attractive areas in Europe for tourists to explore. Cultural activists have published spelling companions and a Polish- Kurpie dictionary; they publish local newspapers and works of literature — both original and translated into the dialect, modern as well as classic. The “Kurpie Mazovian literary dialect” is introduced as a subject in schools. The standardization of regional language in Kurpie is motivated by local patriotism.