Spisz dialect

Typical of Lesser Polish dialects (as well as Greater Polish dialects), voicing of word-final consonants before vowels and liquids is present here. Also typical of Lesser Polish dialects is the presence of mazuration. Initial stress is present here.

The so-called “Podhalanian archaism”, whereby after etymological cz, ż, sz (now c, z, s) as well as after etymological cy, zy, sy, i is retained, is present in eleven settlements.

Slanted vowels are both retained and merged: á is either separate or merged with o: teroz (teraz). Slanted é is either separate or has merged with y after both hard and soft consonants: mlyko (mleko). Slanted ó is separate or merges with u: gazdówka (may be gazdówka or gazduwka).

Nasal vowels are typically raised. Final -ą typically decomposes to -om, or sometimes -um.

Initial vowels rarely undergo prothesis here, likely as a result of Slovakian influence, atypical of Goral and Lesser Polish dialects.

Whereas in other Goral dialects final -ch becomes -k, here it becomes -f, and ch can become f in other positions as well: o tyf (o tych), przykufennych (przykuchennych). The cluster -kt- always gives -ft-: nifto (nikto). However, in the south-east of Spisz, the typical shift of ch > k is present, but not only finally: kałup (chałup), tyk małyk (tych małych). As a result of -ch > -f, a regional hypercorrection can be seen in the genitive plural ending -ów, which may be realized as -uk. This is because the final -w often devoices to -f, which was then confused with final -ch becoming -f. Many consonant clusters are simplified: trz > cz, and strz > szcz. Both dark ł and /w/ are present here, with /w/ becoming the more common realization. h can appear in place of g as a result of Slovakian influence: hruby (gruby). r can appear in place of rz as a result of Slovakian influence: wrucały (wrzucały). ki and gi can harden due to Slovakian influence: słodke (słodkie). w can be voiced after t and k as a result of Slovakian influence.

ch is often weakened or lost: ᶜʰłop (chłop), fᶜʰodzić, fodzić (wchodzić).

Traits common to Southern Poland, notably to other Goral dialects are also found here.

The locative singular is often syncretic with the dative singular: w tym cłowiekowi (w tym człowieku). An archaic genitive singular -e is kept in feminine soft-stem nouns: z pościele (z pościeli). The locative plural may have -o- instead of -a- from Slovakian influence: w rynkof (w rynkach).

Superlatives are formed with both noj- and naj-. Many numerals are declined with -k: ośmiuk (ośmiu), śteruk (czterech).

The first person present/future singular of verbs is -ym: idym (idę). The first person present/future plural of verbs is -ma/-me: piecyme (pieczymy). -me also appears in the first person imperative plural: podźme (pójdźmy). The first person past (aorist) -ch is retained here, realized as either -f or as -k in the west: przysłaf (przyszłam), zef ucyła (żech uczyła). The first person singular and third person plural present/future tense are often levelled: jo mozym – my mozemy – oni mozum (ja mogę, my możemy, oni mogą); level can also occur in the other direction as well: jo mogym – my mogymy – oni mogum.

Many typical Lesser Polish word-formation tendencies are present here.

The prefix roz- has lost initial r-: ozgrzoło (rozgrzało). -uwać appears here in place of -ować: buduwać (budować), brakuwało (brakuwało).

dwa may be used for feminine nouns instead of dwie due to Slovakian influence. Often virile past tense forms are used with non-virile subjects: baby byli (baby były).

• Dialects of the Polish language
• Languages of Europe
• Polish language

{{reflist}}

{{Polish language}}

Category:Polish dialects