Latvian Language Institute, UL

State research programme project "The Latvian Language in Time, Space, and Society (LaTS)"

The goal of the project “The Latvian Language in Time, Space, and Society (LaTS)” (No. VPP-LETONIKA-2025/1-0012, project lead Sanda Rapa) is to strengthen and expand knowledge of Latvian as a dynamic system shaped by its historical development, regional and social diversity, functional variety, and multilingual environment in Latvia and beyond, while simultaneously developing Latvian as a cornerstone of national identity and state security. To achieve this goal, the Latvian language will be studied in six dimensions: sociolinguistics, terminology and translation studies, dialectology and the study of the Latgalian written language, onomastics, the history of the Latvian language, and language acquisition. The project consists of six interrelated sub-projects that together correspond to the research tasks defined in sub-paragraph 6.1.1 of the Cabinet Order No. 559 of 12 September 2025. All sub-projects will contribute to the horizontal objectives of the programme: the development of human capital through student involvement; the expansion of the knowledge base in linguistics and related disciplines through peer-reviewed publications and monographs; the improvement of digital resources and tools by enhancing open-access linguistic databases and corpora; contributions to education and language policy development; as well as the dissemination of research results and the provision of recommendations for policymakers

Project events

16.03.2026. Project Data Management Plan Published

Within the State Research Programme project “The Latvian Language in Time, Space, and Society (LaTS)” (No. VPP-LETONIKA-2025/1-0012), the project Data Management Plan (DMP) has been prepared and published in the Zenodo repository (https://zenodo.org/records/19056122). The document defines the principles for the collection, processing, documentation, storage, and dissemination of the research data generated in the project, in accordance with the FAIR data management principles.

The plan covers several project data sources and digital infrastructures, including the Corpus of Early Latvian Texts (senie.lv), the Historical Dictionary of the Latvian Language (tezaurs.lv), the Interactive Map of Latvian Dialects (dialekti.lu.lv), as well as the citizen-science platforms vietvardi.lu.lv and apvidvardi.lu.lv, which collect data on place names and regional vocabulary.

5.03.2026. Project presented at the CLARIN-DARIAH conference

On 5 March 2026, the head of the LaTS project, Sanda Rapa, presented the project at the CLARIN and DARIAH conference “Digital Infrastructure for the Humanities.” In her presentation, she introduced each sub-project and addressed three key questions: why we conduct this research, what is being studied within the project, and what should be explored in the future. The presentation was attended not only by researchers but also by representatives of the Ministry of Education and Science.

The presentation emphasized that research on the Latvian language encompasses its historical development, regional and social diversity, and its functioning in a multilingual environment. The project is structured into six subprojects: sociolinguistics; terminology and translation studies; dialectology and the Latgalian written language; onomastics; the history of the Latvian language; and the acquisition of Latvian as a foreign language. Together, these areas cover the main directions of Latvian linguistic research.

The lecture also outlined the planned results of the project, including the preparation of monographs and dictionaries, studies of dialects and place names, sociolinguistic analyses, research on the development of terminology, and investigations into the acquisition of Latvian in Latvia, in the diaspora, and at foreign universities. Particular attention was also given to the importance of digital resources and future research directions, such as language data analysis, digital maps, and new tools for studying the Latvian language.

In conclusion, it was stressed that the project provides a broad foundation for understanding the development of the Latvian language and strengthens its role as a unifying element of Latvia’s culture, identity, and society.

19-20.02.2026. Project-supported international scientific conference

On 19–20 February 2026, the international scientific conference commemorating the 153rd anniversary of academician Jānis Endzelīns, “Research for Language Practice: Sociolinguistic Aspects, Terminology Development, and Standardization”, took place. The conference was devoted to the interaction between language research and language practice – to how contemporary sociolinguistics, the development of terminology, and processes of language standardization shape and influence the use of Latvian in different spheres of society and communication and across various groups, while also examining language in its social and cultural contexts and the processes of language planning, norm setting, terminology development, and language policy, outlining their theoretical foundations and practical impact on the language environment in Latvia and beyond.

The first session focused on the historical and conceptual foundations of terminology. Māris Baltiņš analysed the development of the Terminology Commission of the Latvian Academy of Sciences and its role in language standardization, while Andrejs Veisbergs addressed boundary issues between grammatical constructions and phraseological units. Jānis Veckrācis highlighted lexicographic problems in legal terminology, and Vaida Misevičiūtė analysed the influence of English on contemporary Lithuanian in translation. The session highlighted the systemic nature of terminology, the principles of standardization, and cross-linguistic influence.

The second session emphasized the importance of standardization, internationalization, and conceptual consistency in terminology. Within the framework of social and semantic aspects of terminology development, Vaida Buivydienė and Lina Rutkienė analysed the semantic transformation of the mythonym angel across different domains, demonstrating the interaction between terminology and culture. Rasuolė Vladarskienė examined legal aspects of administrative language regulation, while Aida Čižikaitė discussed the formation of international terminology theory through the cooperation of Eugen Wüster and Ernst Drezen. The status of methodological terminology was discussed by Anna Vulāne and Elita Stikute.

The third session highlighted the dynamics of language norms and their social and historical contexts. Ilze Auziņa, Dace Markus, Guna Rābante-Buša, and Paula Miķelsone analysed possibilities for standardizing syllable intonation in Latvian literary language. Palmira Zemlevičiūtė addressed terminological and lexical issues in medical texts, while Egita Proveja analysed language use in obituaries in the Latvian press of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

The fourth session emphasized the role of language in social integration, legal practice, and intercultural communication. Silvija Papaurelīte-Klovienė analysed the concept of neighborliness in the Lithuanian worldview, Viktorija Prituļaka discussed the role of language policy in the linguistic integration of Ukrainian refugees in Latvia, Ina Druviete addressed linguistic expert evidence in court practice, Vija Požarnova explored language as a value system, and Olga Freimane examined the use of English as a lingua franca in medical professional communication.

The fifth session was devoted to dialectology and regional language in several directions. Ieva Ozola and Liene Markus-Narvila discussed theoretical aspects of dialect research, Ilze Ziņģe analysed the relationship between contemporary Latgalian literature and standard Latvian through translation, Lidija Leikuma addressed the lexicon of crafts in Southern Latgale, and Edeite Laime together with Lidija Leikuma analysed plant names in Latgalian. The presentations highlighted the diversity of Latvian, regional identity, and the role of dialects in language development.

The sixth session demonstrated the variability of terminology, domain-specific features, and the role of education in consolidating terminology. Anna Šēfere addressed equivalence issues in adventure tourism terminology, Anna Rudzīte analysed the development of music terminology in pedagogical sources, Arturs Stalažs discussed organism name terminology, and Elza Seile together with Anna Vulāne examined the interpretation of students’ language use.

The seventh session highlighted language quality, the dynamics of norms, and the impact of technology on language use. Evelīna Zilgalve analysed aspects of language culture and digital communication through the functions of the particle vien, Regīna Kvašīte examined Lithuanian terminology used in Latvia, Aiga Bādere analysed the classification and impact of machine translation errors, and Baiba Valkovska addressed issues of editorial consensus.

The final session outlined the continuity of language research and the connection between theory and contemporary language practice. Albina Auksoriūtė examined theoretical and historical issues of language and terminology through the linguistic ideas of Romanas Bytautas, Ilze Lokmane, Baiba Valkovska, and Gunta Nešpore-Bērzkallne discussed the marking of expressive vocabulary in the electronic dictionary Tēzaurs, Raivis Bičevskis addressed principles of philosophical terminology development, Dalia Kiseliūnaitė analysed issues of personal name standardization, and Harald Bichlmeier discussed features of early lexicographic standardization in an 18th-century dictionary.

Overall, the conference demonstrated that language research in Latvia and the Baltic region is increasingly closely connected with practical language use, policy, terminology, and the needs of society, while remaining grounded in a strong theoretical and historical tradition.

Video overview of the first day of the conference. Prepared by Vija Požarnova.

Video overview of the second day of the conference. Prepared by Vija Požarnova



3.02.2026. Project participant awarded a doctoral degree

On 3 February 2026, VELGA POLINSKA, a participant in the subproject “Sociolinguistic Studies of the Latvian Language”, defended her doctoral dissertation “Easy Language within the System of Latvian Language Varieties” (scientific supervisor: Professor Ina Druviete, head of this subproject). The dissertation analyses Easy Language as a contemporary variety of Latvian, drawing on theoretical literature, linguistic text analysis, and sociolinguistic data. It characterizes its lexical, syntactic, morphological, and text-structural features, as well as public attitudes towards this language form and its users. The main conclusion of the dissertation is that Easy Language is a modified form of standard Latvian that ensures accessibility of information and inclusive communication for diverse groups in society.

22.12.2026. Project launch and first meeting of sub-project leaders

 

On 22 December 2025, the first management meeting of the LaTS project took place, focusing on issues related to the project launch, the planned outcomes, and the organisation of further work.
The meeting participants agreed on the key administrative steps required to initiate the project, including the streamlining of work organisation and the review of staff workloads in view of parallel commitments in other projects. The need to ensure clear and timely information flow between the sub-projects was emphasised.
Special attention was given to the results outlined in the project application and to the initial planning of how these results would be achieved. In particular, the preparation of scientific publications and the rational use of work resources were highlighted during the discussions.
The meeting also addressed the recommendations of the project’s external evaluators, with an emphasis on the interconnection of the sub-projects, technological aspects, dissemination of results, and the timely assessment of potential risks.
Finally, issues related to work mobility and participation in academic events were discussed, clarifying the general principles for linking project-related activities with the project’s results during the initial phase of the project.

Project events

Latvian Language Institute
of the University of Latvia

Kalpaka bulvāris 4

Rīga LV-1050
Latvia

☏ 371 67034016

✉ lavi@lu.lv

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