Phonology
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 jabłonkowanie: ciaszka (czaszka), ciasam (czasem), with much variation, especially for cz, sz. However, most common is a realization that of Standard Polish. Similarly, ś, ź, ć, and dź may be realized in many ways. Most commonly they are realized as in Standard Polish: siano (siano); they may sometimes harden to szi, żi, czi, and dżi or sz, ż, cz: sziano, szano (siano), and dż, or least commonly kaszubienie may occur: sano (siano). These changes are usually in the north and are likely the result of German influence.Vowels
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: (rozwarł), 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 ł: buł ‘był’, buła (była). Mobile -e- sometimes disappears in nouns formed with -ek, -ec, especially in the genitive of place names: podwieczórk (podwieczorek), do Mikołajk (do Mikołajek).Slanted vowels
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.Nasal vowels
Medial nasal vowels may raise: dziesiunti (dziesiąty), gorónce (gorące), gynsi (gęsi). Medial and final ę may also lower: bandzie (będzie). na tu łolsztyńsko droga (na tę olsztyńską drogę). Nasal vowels decompose before non-sibilants word-medially. Before sibilants, nasality may be retained, or denasalization may occur: gęś, geś (gęś), wąs, wos (wąs), sometimes with -j: gajsi (gęsi), wojsi (wąsy). Word-finally and also before l, ł, both nasal vowels denasalize and often raise: wode (wodę), spsieywajo (śpiewają), nie chcu (nie chcą). Similarly, eN may lower: ciamno (ciemno), as well as iN/yN: jenaczyj (inaczej), gościeniec (gościniec), and oN may raise: czerwónam (czerwonym).Prothesis
Initial i- often has a prothetic j-, and can then sometimes lower: jimię (imię), jenaczyj (inaczej). Initial o- typically labializes to ô, as does u- to û- to a lesser extent.Consonants
Soft labials decompose: wzino (wino), psiwo (piwo); around Olsztyn m’ shifts to mń: mniasto (miasto); but around Reszel to mn: mnasto (miasto); rarely to ń. f’, w’ may lose all labial elements: zidzioł (widział), przytrasiuło (przytrafiło), and the result sibilant can sometimes harden: psziwo (piwo), bżiały (biały); pszana (piana), bżały (biały). Other types of decomposition occur but are less common: pjes, pchies (pies) bhiały (biały). Decomposition can also occur word-finally: jedwabś (jedwab), szczaś (szczaw). Soft palatals may also sporadically harden, especially around Reszel, probably due to German influence: peśń (pieśń); or due to a more relaxed pronunciation: wyberam (wybieram).Contraction
Verbs tend to appear in uncontracted forms here: stojać (stać). św’, ćw’ i dźw’ harden: śwecie (świecie), ćwerć (ćwierć), dźwyrzów (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: łokeć (łokieć), 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 -ę also softens: matkie (matkę). ch is generally hard, but sometimes softens: głuchi (głuchy), alongside głuchy. kt typically shifts to cht: chto (kto). k also frequently weakens to kᶜʰ: belkᶜʰi (belki), kᶜʰapa (kapa), takᶜʰ (tak).Inflection
Typical Masovian inflectional traits are common here.Nouns
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: chłopozi (chłopu). The accusative singular of feminine nouns ending in -a is equivalent to the nominative singular, as nasal -ę often lowers and denasalizes: spsiół nogawka (spiął nogawkę). Masculine and neuter nouns ending in sz, ż 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: rękamy (rękami) alongside rękami. Alongside the hardened -amy, -óma (less frequently -oma), from the old dual instrumental, occurs: słowoma/słowóma (słowami).Adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, and numerals
Dual forms of pronouns are retained: łu noju (u nas), noma (nam), u woju (u was).Verbs
Some past tense verbs have -er- instead of -ar- due to sound changes. The past tense may also be formed with -uł instead of -ył/-ił 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: żniwujam (żniwujemy); or sometimes the old dual ending -wa: chodziwa (chodzimy). The first person plural imperative is typically -my of Standard Polish: choćmy (chodźmy); or sometimes the old dual ending -wa: chodziwa. The first person plural past tense is typically -śmy of Standard Polish: chodziliśmy; sometimes -m: poślim (poszliśmy); or sometimes the old dual ending -wa: chodziliśwa (chodziliśmy). The second person plural past tense is typically -ta: niesieta (niesiecie). -cie is typically used for respect or older people: Siądźcie, babciu. The first person conditional may formed with -bych, from the old aorist: robziułbich (robiłbym). Masculine personal nouns are generally declined as masculine animal nouns: te dobre chłopy (ci dobrzy chłopi), but virile agreement is used with verbs: te dobre chłopy kosili (ci dobrzy chłopi kosili), te dobre chłopy kosili (ci dobrzy chłopi kosili). Often verbs ending with -eć are raised to -éć: leżéć (leżeć).Vocabulary
Word-Formation
Typical Masovian word-forming tendencies are present here.Adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, and numerals
The superlative is formed with ná-/no-/náj- instead of naj-.Verbs
Verbs ending in -ować end in -uwać: pokazuwać (pokazywać); powyjmuwali (powyjmowali).Syntax
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.See also
*Citations
References
{{Polish language Polish dialects Prussia