Comments on: Popular Lithuanian Songs (Old and New) Sights, cities, culture, history and more Thu, 04 Apr 2019 19:33:02 +0000 hourly 1 By: unknown Thu, 04 Apr 2019 19:33:02 +0000 ide like to thank you you were such a great help

By: Augustinas Žemaitis Mon, 04 Mar 2019 17:41:22 +0000 This song is not Lithuanian. It sounds Russian. In 1795-1915, 1940-1941 and 1944-1990 Lithuania were occupied by Russians (Russian Empire, then by the Soviet Union), therefore, many people who grew up in this era had to learn Russian language and songs as well. Even if some people were pro-independence or anti-Russian, they would often still remember the songs they learned in their childhood and sometimes sing them.

By: Penelope A Wolfe Sun, 03 Mar 2019 08:21:02 +0000 Thanks for your informative website.
I would like to find out the meaning of a song my Lithuanian grandmother, Amelia Kavalas sang to me as a child. Sorry, I can only write phonetically.
Gevet possibilia, geset possibilia
Staro a sedova zebik nimagu
Tra ra ra, Tra ra ra ra ra ra ra–
Staro a sedova zebik nimagu
If you can make any sense of this, I will be grateful.

By: Augustinas Žemaitis Sun, 19 Aug 2018 07:09:23 +0000 The original Lithuanian word is “tėvynė”, from “tėvas” – “father”. In Lithuanian, there is no word “motinynė” derived from “mother”. There is an alternative word “gimtinė”, literally “birthland” but usually translated as “homeland”.

As the English language has no feminine and masculine genders, in the English language the word “Lithuania” has no gender at all. In Lithuanian, the use of “tėvynė” (Fatherland) is common for any country regardless of the grammatical gender of its name.

By: Irena Grant-Koch Sun, 19 Aug 2018 00:54:39 +0000 The name of the country – LIETUVA- is feminine, so it is MOTHERLAND ( NOT fatherland) .The vowel endings are generally feminine. If it was LietuvAS, then it would be masculine.

By: Augustinas Žemaitis Sun, 15 Apr 2018 14:37:52 +0000 Yes, I have translated the first four lines of this, as well as the refrain.

“Lietuvėla” is a diminutive of Lietuva. Actually, one of many forms of diminutives, others could be Lietuvytė, Lietuviukė and so on. English language does not have diminutives, except for a few words (e.g. “puppy” for “dog” or “kitty” for “cat”), while Lithuanian language has many diminutives for every word and they are especially common in folk songs. Basically, diminutives could carry the meaning of “little”, “lovely”, “beloved”, etc. So “Lietuvėla” would be best translated as “Lovely Lithuania” based on context.

Also, “Lietuvėla” is a dialect word. In fact, entire song is written in a dialect. The standard version would be “Lietuvėlė”, also “Panevėžio” instead of “Panevėžia”. Words like “slaunas”, “mieros” does not exist at all in standard modern Lithuanian.

Approximate translation of the rest of the song would be:

Old mother
Has put me to sleep and carries me

Aged 21,
She gives me away for war

The famous city of Panevėžys
Masonry built of bricks

And every year by our brothers
Stopped by peace(? – the real meaning of this is not fully clear to me)

Oak, you lovely tree,
Why don’t you have green leaves?

Lovely brother, you youngster,
Why don’t you sing?

(in all cases “lovely + some word” is an approximate translation of a diminutive)

By: Bill Mikelait (Dad was Mikelaitis) Sun, 15 Apr 2018 13:55:57 +0000 What is the difference in meaning between Lietuva and Lietuvėla?

Mane sena motinėla
migde ir nešioja,

Dvidešint vienų
metelių karan dovanoja.

Panevežia slaunas miestas,
mūras mūravotas,

Ir kas metai mūsų brolių
prie mieros nustotas.

Ąžuolėli tu medeli,
kodėl nežaliuoji,

Brolukėli tu jaunasai,
kodėl nedainuoji

By: Augustinas Žemaitis Sun, 15 Apr 2018 04:27:18 +0000 I am not aware of these extra lyrics. They may be written by him or, perhaps, more likely, by somebody else, as folk songs regularly get expanded. In any case, such lyrics/versions that are tied to a particular era of history tend to wither later, as they no longer seem actual after the politicians mentioned lose power and die, and the threats come from somebody else. Whereas the main patriotic lyrics are seemingly eternal and they remain and they may still be sung and recorded.

The main part of the song is translated like that:

You are Lithuania, you are mine, you are beautiful Fatherland
Lithuania, you are mine, shalala homeland.
Old mother put me to sleep and carried me
And gives me away for war, aged 21

You are Lithuania, you are mine, you are beautiful Fatherland
Lithuania, you are mine, shalala Homeland.

(shalala here is a meaningless word to give rhyme/rthytm)

By: Bill Mikelait (Dad was Mikelaitis) Sat, 14 Apr 2018 20:44:44 +0000 My father was from Lithuania and used to sing a song called “Tu Lietuva Tu Mana.”
It is on youtube but I am sure he used to have a verse or two in it about Stalin, Hitler and Italy, unless he decided to write his own lyrics. Are you aware of these extra lyrics? Anyhow, do you have an English translation of that song?

By: Jacqueline Thu, 15 Feb 2018 15:50:25 +0000 Is this the little bird song? Birdie, what hurts you? “My head”?