Current issues

We’ve published a book “Par valodu — tas ir interesanti?!” (“On language — is it interesting?!”)

27.12.2020.

The book includes transcripts of several public discussions that were held in 2018 and 2019 as part of a series of public events titled “Evenings with language”, organized by the Latvian Language Agency. The discussions were moderated by journalists Sandra Kropa, Elvis Jansons, Paula Gulbinska and Jānis Krops, who spoke with several linguists, looking for answers to the question: “On language — is it interesting?!”

Each conversation had its own subtitle or motto and focused on a field of linguistics such as computational linguistics, sociolinguistics, history of language, phonetics, onomastics, dialectology, translation science, and others.

We hope the transcripts of these conversations that we have published in this book will seem as interesting on paper as they did live.

Author and editor of the book — Anna Frīdenberga.
Photographer — Juris Bērziņš-Soms.
Cover and layout design — Baiba Lazdiņa.

Introductory words by the editor Anna Friedenberg: “Public discussions on literature, translation, and texts have now become a traditional form of events organized by the Latvian Language Agency.  This time we have published fourteen conversations with linguists and language specialists. The discussions “Par valodu – tas ir interesanti?!” had two seasons and were held at “Birojnīca” on Thursday evenings. Read more

Twelve study groups have completed the Latvian language course.

21.12.2020.

12 study groups of third-country nationals in Riga and other Latvian cities have completed the Latvian language course. These courses were organized by the Latvian Language Agency as part of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund’s project “Learning Latvian language in order to facilitate the integration of third-country nationals into the labour market 2” (No. PMIF/8/2019/3/01).

Over the course of their studies, the students also studied Latvian culture, traditions and the geography of Latvia, and participated in remote field trips. The participants of these courses want to continue what they have started and improve their language skills by participating in courses which will help them achieve the next levels of Latvian proficiency. Competent educators and motivated students are the basis for successful learning. Together they have acquired the ability to teach and learn remotely.

We hope that the course participants will be equally motivated and interested in learning the Latvian language next year.

Let’s come together in Latvian! Read more

An inspirational conference for teachers working in the European diaspora

09.12.2020.

This year has been a challenge for the diaspora weekend schools and teachers alike. The new circumstances have brought about various changes, facilitated the formation of new forms of cooperation and made us more flexible as a society, strengthening us as we adapt to the changes. We will explore these and other issues live at the conference “We create change!”, organized by the European Latvian Association and the Latvian Language Agency on December 12 at 10.00–15.00 (Latvian time).

This year has been a challenge for the diaspora weekend schools and teachers alike. The new circumstances have brought about various changes, facilitated the formation of new forms of cooperation and made us more flexible as a society, strengthening us as we adapt to the changes. We will explore these and other issues live at the conference “We create change!”, organized by the European Latvian Association and the Latvian Language Agency on December 12 at 10.00–15.00 (Latvian time).

The program of the conference: https://ela.stasti.lv/

Read more

When everything depended on a squirrel and an owl!

30.11.2020.

The Latvian Language Agency just concluded its mind game tournament “Uncrackable puzzles for Latvians around the world”.  The tournament began on October 19, 2020, with 50 teams competing from all over the world actively participating in five games.

The best of the best made it to the final — Cep4 (Belgium), Pohjoismaa (Finland), Salenti sievas (Italy), Protu Protu (Ireland), Liepiņš (Austria), Trifeles (Norway), Ziemeļu Zibenītis (Sweden), Vecīši (USA), Perfukio (Netherlands), Vestfoldas Četrinieks (Norway), Cietās Zīles (Austria), Black Worms (Germany), Praktiskie latvieši (Norway), Prāgas riekstkoži (Czech Republic), Londonas Kastaņi (Great Britain) and Begi (Ireland).

The grand final was something to behold —six rounds, with five questions in each round. The participants performed very well in the musical questions, as well as in recognizing celebrities. However, they faced the biggest difficulties when the topic came to the nature of Latvia.

So, as it turned out, the fate of the winners was decided by the queen of uncrackable nuts — a squirrel and a wise owl.

Congratulations to the winners — Cep4 (Belgium), Pohjoismaa (Finland) and Salento sievas (Italy).

Each team that won one of the rounds will receive a box of sweets as a gift. As for the winners of the final, each team will receive a gift card worth 100 EUR (courtesy of the e-bookstore Jānis Roze). Photograph by Agita Želtkovska.

Read more

The European day of Languages 2020

23.09.2020.

European Language Day is an initiative launched by the Council of Europe. Latvian Language Agency has been responsible for carrying out events in Latvia under this initiative for already sixteen years. Events are planned and completed in close collaboration with local partner organisations. European Language Day is usually marked in September 26th, however there are a wide variety of events happening also before and after this exact date. This year European Language Day events in Latvia will be held between September 21th and October 17th. We invite everyone in Latvia and abroad to join us in enriching the experience of learning and using the languages spoken in Europe, while simultaneously appreciating and using our national language – Latvian – in their everyday affairs.

Read more

New Tool to Assist in Transliteration of Foreign Personal Names in Latvian

04.08.2020.

Language experts at the Latvian Language Agency provide daily consultations over the phone and in person on questions related to correct  transliteration of foreign language personal names into Latvian language.

Now there is a convenient online tool to check correct options for transliteration of foreign personal names – Latvian Language Agency has launched a special Application „Citvalodu personvārdu atveide latviešu valodā” (created by visual communication agency „E Forma”).

The new App „Citvalodu personvārdu atveide latviešu valodā” ” („Transliteration of Foreign Language Personal Names into Latvian Language”)  is an electronic dictionary of first names and last names in many languages, where we have currently gatehered information regarding correct transliteration and variants thereof, as well as rules regarding how it should be done and recommended additional literature regarding personal names in 27 languages. The dictionary is based in the Regulations for Transliteration of Foreign personal names, starting from broschures published 1960 and onward by the Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences of the Latvian SSR and until the most recent publications in the XXI century. The dictionary is still being improved and expanded, as well as adjusting content to the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No. 122 from 27th february, 2018 „Ammendments to the Cabinet of Ministers Regulations No. 114 „On Regulations Concerning Transliteration and Usage of Foreign Personal Names in Latvian Language, as well as Their Identification” . Read more

New App for Improving Skills in Latvian Language

02.08.2020.

Its another study year again, and it is important to revise what was learned before, find explanations for the new material in language learning and to complement the knwoledge gained so far. We have something new to offer for improving Latvian language skills: an electronic tool that was created as linguistic study material for primary, middle and secondary school students, also students at university level and anyone else who may be interested to improve their language skills for whatever reason they have. This app will also be an additional tool to help teachers, especially teachers working at Latvian diaspora schools abroad or teaching Latvian as a forein language outside Latvia.

The new electronic  Latviešu valodas rokasgrāmata (valodasrokasgramata.lv/) (Handbook of the Latvian Language) is an encyclopedia type tool that can be used as informative complementary study material in linguistics of the Latvian language. It presents and elaborates on main questions in 26 various branches and sub-branches of linguistics (total of 1500 content units). It includes questions in such specialized branches of linguistics that will not usually be dealt with in ordinary school study materal or will only be touched upon briefly, however may be required to understand in order to use the language properly.

Main content part starts with basic information (brief definitions and examples, information sorted in table format, diverse logical listings etc.). For the interest and convenience of the reader some of the content units also have additional information, including certain interesting facts. Chapter „ Further Reading” lists published research and articles in the respective area of study for further individual work. Visual information is included as well, whilst chapter on phonetics and dialectology has an audio recorded material. Several content units come equipped with special interactive tasks and exercises to check knowledhe and understanding and to revise the material. Handbook content is further divided into 2 parts according to the level of difficulty. Read more