Introduction to the Latgalian Language - Inese Pintāne | PG 2025

Latvian and Lithuanian are often considered the most archaic living Indo-European languages. But what about Latgalian? Could it be a language in its own right, and not just a dialect of Latvian? And could it be even more archaic than Lithuanian? Spoken by about 165,000 people, mostly in Latgale, eastern Latvia, Latgalian is unique—but hardly understood by other Latvians. The Latvian nation and the country of Latvia are likely to have derived their name from the Latgalians. While written historical sources mention Latgalians as early as the 11th century, archaeological evidence from burial traditions suggests that their presence can be reliably traced back to the 6th-7th centuries. In this language crash course, I will briefly examine Latgalian from a historical and linguistic perspective, comparing it to Latvian and Lithuanian and assessing the influence of Slavic languages on it. We will also learn some basic phrases in Latgalian to bring this fascinating language to life. Join me in uncovering the story of Latgalian—an overlooked gem of the Baltic linguistic heritage! Inese Pintāne is a folklore researcher, linguist, and translator. Her academic path commenced with a Bachelor’s in Finno-Ugric Studies, followed by two Master’s degrees—one in Semiotics and Electronic Culture, and the other in Modern Linguistics. Currently, she is working towards a PhD in Slavic Philology. Her research focuses on how language shapes our cultures and the important role storytelling plays in preserving traditions. This video was recorded at the Polyglot Gathering 2025: https://www.polyglotgathering.com.