Maldzis Initiative Acquires Nasovich's Dictionary

The Maldzis initiative acquired Ivan Nasovich's "Dictionary of Belarusian Dialect" (original title — "Словарь бѣлорусскаго нарѣчія"). The work was published by the Imperial Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg in 1870. This dictionary is one of the most important lexicographical collections in the history of Belarusian linguistics.

Павялічыць

«Nasovich's Dictionary is an attempt to record a world that could have disappeared without a trace. And although Nasovich himself thought in the categories of his imperial era, the result of his work continues to serve the Belarusian future to this day. By returning this dictionary to the Belarusian context, we are restoring evidence that the Belarusian language has been fully-fledged and vibrant for centuries,» says Pavel Matsukevich, head of the initiative.

The book was purchased at an auction in the Netherlands with funds that MALDZIS collects through monthly donations. Subsequent collections are open to everyone — you can support them via the form.

In the future, the book will be donated as a public gift to the author's homeland — the Chavus Historical and Local Lore Museum.

Павялічыць

Ivan Nasovich was born on September 26, 1788, in the village of Hrazіўcy, Bykhaw county, Mogilev Governorate (now Chavus district, Mogilev region) into a psalmist's family. He studied at the Mogilev Gymnasium, then at the theological seminary; he graduated in 1812 and was immediately appointed as a teacher of Russian language and literature at the higher department of the Orsha Theological School.

In addition to Belarusian and Russian, he knew Old Church Slavonic, Latin, Greek, and French, as well as Ancient Hebrew and Polish.

Павялічыць

The next thirty-plus years were spent in service — first in schools of the spiritual department, then in the system of the Ministry of Public Education of the Russian Empire: teacher of Russian language and literature, teacher of Latin, inspector, director.

His service provided an opportunity to collect scientific material. Relocations to Orsha, Mstsislaw, Mogilev, Maladzyechna, Sviantsiany, and later, after retirement, travels through the Mogilev, Minsk, and Grodno Governorates allowed him to hear Belarusian dialects in their living diversity, to get closely acquainted with folk songs, and to collect vocabulary and phraseology from various corners of Belarus.

In 1843, Nasovich retired, returned to Mstsislaw, and at the age of 55, took up scientific work.

He was 64 when «Belarusian Proverbs and Sayings» was published. At 79, «Collection of Belarusian Proverbs» was published, at 80 — «Belarusian Proverbs and Riddles», at 85 — «Belarusian Songs». In manuscripts remained «Collection of Belarusian Words by Alphabet» and «Alphabetical Index of Ancient Words», extracted from «Acts Relating to the History of Western Russia» (1853).

His main work — «Dictionary of Belarusian Dialect» — was published in 1870, when the author was 82. He began it in 1847 and dedicated 16 years to it.

This was the first complete dictionary of the Belarusian language. Today, institutions with dozens of employees work on projects of such scale — Nasovich did it alone. His ethnographic works were unparalleled in his time and still serve researchers.

The collection of Belarusian fables, legends, beliefs, and anecdotes compiled by him could not be published; where the manuscript is today — is unknown.

Nasovich's figure is complex for the modern Belarusian perspective: his worldview and political convictions belonged to the empire he served. But the work done in those realities serves the Belarusian language — and this very contradiction should be perceived as a sign of an era when Belarusian culture existed between the imperial system and its own identity.

• 2
• 0
• 0
• 0
• 0
• 0
• 0
• 0