The Sūdovian language belongs to the Indo-European linguistic family. It is a branch of the Baltic group of languages. Of this group, the Lithuanian and Latvian languages are more well known.Together with Old Prussian they share an extraordinarily archaic lexicon. Sūdovian is therefore also of first-rate significance for Indo-European linguistic studies.

Recent scholarship has highlighted the Sūdovian linguistic influence in the 2nd and 3rd Old Prussian Catechisms, which were also produced for the many exiled Sūdovians in Sembia. The Preface to the First Old Prussian Catechism of 1545 comments that the Sūdovians sound more "rustic" than the Prussians & understand all words.

The account of Hieronymus Meletius', Warhafftige Beschreibung der Sudawen auff Samland sambt ihren Bock heyligen und Ceremonien (True Description of the Sūdovians in Samland along with their goat sanctifications and ceremonies) that came out in two editions (mid 16th century) contained a few phrases or sentences from the exiled Sūdovian enclave as well.

    Kails naussen gnigethe.

    Kellewesze perioth, Kellewesze perioth.

    Ocho Moy myle schwante Panike.

    Beigeite beygeyte peckolle.

    Kails poskails ains par antres.

There is also the wealth of regional toponyms, hydronyms, and accented vocabulary preserved for us by those that remained in their homeland, and survived. This lexicon draws from all those historical and authentic regional sources. Assertions by a few that there are no records of the Sūdovian language are evidently baseless.

Why did the Sūdovians / Yotvingians "vanish"? For the same reason the Anasazi in the American Southwest "vanished". It is the fiction of incompetent Academics.
It never happened. 

The myth of Terra Nullius was merely historical propaganda justifying papal conquests.
A census by the clergy of the Belarus Grodno area in the late 1800's had thousands identifying themselves as Yatviags (descendants). Today, Sūduva is officially called "Suvalkija", as the purge goes on. More nonsense. But simpletons believe this nonsense.

It is because, historically, rather than herd into a lifeless cathedral to worship names -
Sūdovians would instead enter the timeless forest, and there, reverently worship
the Holy Presence.

And it is told that under a tree, not in some temple,
a man once found Freedom.

Studies in various languages (Proto Indo-European, Proto Baltic, Proto West-Baltic, Proto Slavic, Proto Germanic, Hittite, Old Indic / Sanskrit, Old Persian / Avestan, Celtic, Old Norse / Icelandic, Old Armenian, Khotanese Saka , Old Sogdian, Yagnobi, Tokharian, Dacian, Thracian, Gypsy, Old Church Slavic, Old Russian, Belorussian, Old Lithuanian, Curonian, Samogitian, Estonian Finnic, Turkic, Nostratic, etc,...) will be enriched by the lexical treasures Sūdovian has to offer.

Historical forces almost exterminated the various West-Baltic dialects. Today, the Prussian language is enjoying a revival primarily due to the exceptional scholarship of the late great Prof. Vytautas Mažiulis and Prof. Letas Palmaitis. Perhaps the Sūdovian language (known also by the names język jaćwiński, яцьвяжская мова) will fare as well.

Sūdovian/Yotvingian vocabulary, terminology, and accentuation has a natural continuum in current dialects of descendants in Lithuania, Belarus, and Poland. Sūdovian/Yotvingian is resting, not dead. Of those whom have inherited it, some may choose to use it more. It is a cultural right and choice they may freely make for themselves . It is a genuine indigenous continuum of our culture.

By including just the one word greeting "Kails", the Lithuanian, Polish, and Belarusian inhabitants of the old Yotvingian area may transcend petty ethnic, political, and religious differences and re-affirm a forgotten unity they still share with each other. It can minimize the neo-tribalism of politics, superficial ethnicity, language, and religious dogmas. "Kails" re-affirms that we are all One - with each other, and with the Earth we share.

This small lexicon (Слоўнік) is a memorial to the Holocaust of the Sūdovians - the descendants of which, having mixed in (as area dialects & genetics reveal), still walk and inhabit this present world.

Sūdovian was the language of immense forests, long rivers, and the friendly people of Sūduva. It is surviving. It is waking.

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- Joseph Pashka

Virdainas - U.S.A. Copyright 1994
 All Rights Reserved

For use by
Sūduviai / Яцьвягі
Jaćwingowie

We Shall Remain.

United Nations Declaration
on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples