Phonology
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, however, mazuration here is inconsistent and fading as result of a negative association with dialectal features, now being restricted to specific words. Often ablaut is levelled: uniesła (uniosła). In parts of this region, o can sometimes front, and then sometimes unround, sounding like e, phonetically near . A few cases of metathesis are recorded: druślok (durszlak). Somewords have lost a medial syllable as a result of initial stress that was common in Old Polish: płockej (poczekaj).Vowels
A few instances of eł switch to oł, or less commonly ół: połne (pełne), pudołko (pudełko), kukiołka (kukiełka), Pawół (Paweł). -ił, -ył shift to -uł, generally in verb forms, particularly the third person singular past: robiuł (robił). -ej shifts to -i (after soft consonants) and to -y (after hard consonants) typically in the comparative of adverbs as well as medially in a few words: zdymowały (zdejmowały), zdymcie (zdejmijcie). Regionally e may be inserted in certain consonant clusters: wiater (wiatr), especially in the prepositions/prefixes w(-), z(-).Slanted vowels
Slanted vowels are typically raised, so á > o, é > y (after both hard and soft consonants), but ó is often still ó. Vowels also tend to raise before liquids, and the group uN tends to lower óN.Nasal vowels
Word-medially nasal vowels tend to raise and decompose, except before sibilants, where they only raise; ę > yN, ą > oN, uN. Word finally, ę goes to em and ą decomposes to -om, -um, except in Olszyny, where -ą can denasalize to -o in certain inflections under influence of dialects in Bugaj, Sitnica i Łużna.Prothesis
Word initial o and rarely u labialize to ô and û, and medial o can labialize after labials and velars. Labialization may be avoided by speakers in formal contexts as there is often a negative association with dialectal features. Initial i, and rarely e and a can have a prothetic j inserted before them; however this is uncommon.Consonants
-ch shifts to -k in inflections and the particle niek (niech). Inflections may also be realized with -ch, especially on more recent times, where -k is fading. ch may change to k also in certain consonant clusters, particularly chc, chw, and especially chrz. The cluster tch rarely shifts to tf: tfórz (tchórz). ł often disappears in clusters, particularly after g: zogówek (zagłówek), and also intervocalically: bya (była). k, t, p, f in a few words are voiced, particularly when next to l: sweder (sweter), glizda (glista), blomba (plomba). t in consonant clusters can rarely shift to k: krzyźwy (trzeźwy). Many reductions of consonant clusters occurs, such as final -ść, -źć > -ś, -ź, -rdł- > -rł-, medial -łn- > -łń-, -stn- > -sn-, -rnk- > -rk-, -śln- > -śń-, -kk- > -k-, -strz- > -szcz-, -zdrz- > -żdż-, -trz- > -cz-, -strz- > -szcz-, and more rarely initial dl- > l-, gdź- > dź-. The group r-z (not the digraph rz) is typically realized as ż, sz: marznie (as if mażnie), gorztka (af if gosztka). Often s, ś in many words is doubled, and then the doubled s becomes c and śś becomes jś: błosco (boso), w lejsie (w lesie). Epenthetic -d- is also inserted in a few words. n before velars tends to be assimilated and pronounced velarly as well, even across morpheme boundaries. Syllable final -ń can sometimes be realized as -j: pajstwo (państwo), ciyj (cień). The group -jrz- in some verbs is rarely realized as -źr-: uźre (ujrzy). The group sł- shifts to sw- in a few verbs and their derivatives:: swyseć (słyszeć), wyswać (wysłać)/wysywać (wysyłać). -ższ- in certain comparative forms may shift to -ksz-: dłuksy (dłuższy), leksy (lżejszy).Inflection
Many inflectional patterns common to Lesser Polish dialects are found here.Nouns
A few nouns have a gender different than in Standard Polish, and a few feminine nouns that typically end in a soft consonant or -i end in -a here: wsza (wesz). There is a preference for -a as the masculine singular genitive over -u. An archaic genitive singular -e is regionally kept in feminine soft-stem nouns: ze studnie (ze studni). -owi as the dative masculine singular can appear in place of -u as a result of hypercorrection: kotowi (kotu). A masculine locative singular ending -e can be seen in place of standard -u in soft-stem nouns as a result of mazuration : w kapelusie = w kapeluszu. A masculine nomiative plural ending -o (from -á modelled on bracia, księża (historically braciá, księżá, here bracio, ksiy̨zo)) can be seen: wójcio (wójtowie), policjancio (policjanci), muzykancio (muzykanci). -ów can be used for the genitive plural regardless of gender. -ami can replace -mi as the instrumental plural via levelling: liściami (liśćmi).Adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, and numerals
The comparative of adverbs may be -i/-y due to sound changes. Many numerals display particularly different forms: z dwióma chłopokami (z dwoma chłopakami), dwójko, pięciórko ludzi (dwoje, pięcioro ludzi).Verbs
The past tense may be formed with -uł instead of -ył/-ił due to sound changes. -aj shifts to -ej in the imperative of verbs. Verbs ending in -nąć in the infinitive often do not have -ną-, -nę- in the past tense: ciągła (ciągnęła). A few verbs take a different declension paradigm than in Standard Polish: gwizdom (gwiżdżę), lubiałam (lubiłam); and stem-final labials often harden in declensions: złame (złamię). The first person singular and third person plural present/future tense are often levelled: mogymy, muszymy (możemy, musimy). -my may appear instead of -śmy in the first person past plural: jechalimy (jechaliśmy).Prepositions and prefixes
The prepositions/prefixes w(-), z(-) are often extended to we(-), ze(-) before certain consonant clusters.Vocabulary
Word-Formation
Many typical Lesser Polish word-formation tendencies are found here.Nouns
The suffixes -owo (from earlier -owá), -ino (from earlier -iná), and less commonly -ka denoting “wife of” attaching to surnames is common here: Karasiowo (wife of Karaś), Lijanino (wife of Lijana), Karaśka (wife of Karaś). The suffix -anka denoting “daughter of” attaching to surnames is also common: Lijanionka (daughter of Lijana). -ok (from earlier -ák) denoting “son of” attaching to surnames is also common: Majfelok (son of Majfela). -ok may also be appended to place names meaning “resident of”: bugajok (resident of Bugaj). The feminine equivalent of this is -ónka (from earlier -ánka: bugajónka (female resident of Bugaj).Adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, and numerals
Adjectives formed with -aty may be seen here where in Standard Polish might be a different ending: cyrwieniaty (czerwonawy), paniaty (pański), and -ni may be seen instead of -ny: tylni (tylny). Adjectives and adverbs are more frequently diminutized. Many pronouns and adverbs are formed with -ik, -ok: tutok (tu), dziesik (gdzieś). Indefinite pronouns may be formed with choć- which often assimilates: choćco/chojco: (coś). -k may also be used to create emphatic pronouns and adverbs: tutok (tuż).Verbs
Frequentative verbs are formed with -ować where in Standard Polish is typically -ywać.Syntax
In the east masculine and non-masculine syntax and declension is often levelled: chłopy siekli.See also
*References
{{Polish language Polish dialects