Edmunds Trumpa, Anna Stepiņa

Today, there is great attention paid to the research of Latgalistics, many publications have been devoted to the ethnic and linguistic identity problem of Latgale region. In recent years this problem has acquired a new turn, an issue of Latgalian as the third Baltic language ​​has been brought forward. The aim of this article is to evaluate shortly the ideas expressed in the recent studies and engage into discussions with the authors.

There are arguments that allow agreeing with those who want to see the type of Latgalian speech/writing as a full-fledged language: the status of language provides more benefits in terms of viability, development of Latgalian writing traditions, results of the sociolinguistic studies beneficial to the Latgalian identity. There are also a number of counter-arguments mentioned in the article: advocates of Latgalian language have a poor basis of ​​linguistic reasons, many previous studies in the field of linguistics are ignored. Moreover, the research data of sociolinguistics themselves are taken out of time and space context, sometimes are incomplete and misleading. Data of areal linguistics (Latgalian dialects are spread beyond the historical boundaries of Latgale) raises a question very difficult to answer - where are the boundaries of this hypothetical language?

There is a hypothesis of micro-identity raised in the article. The administrative boundaries and boundaries of parishes existing for a very long time may influence micro-identity – the old generation still consider themselves to be the inhabitants of the old parishes, although they haven’t been living in them anymore for many years (boundaries of the parishes have changed). They have double (micro-local Latgalian and Latvian) identity, and they do not speak proper Latgalian (i.e. Latgalian written) language. On the other hand, the representatives of the new generation are unfamiliar with the association with the old parishes. In current migration conditions their identity space has expanded. It can be argued with caution that the extinction of micro-identity promotes strengthening of a wider regional (whole Latgale) identity.