Winners of Endzelīns language contest on dialect words and place names announced
A contest run by Jānis Endzelīns Kauguri Primary School, in which a jury assessed 39 student entries about dialect words and place names, has named its winners. First place went to Anete Alberta of Riga.
Jānis Endzelīns Kauguri Primary School, located in Kauguri parish in Latvia's Valmiera municipality, has announced the winners of its language contest "Dialect Words and Place Names". The contest was open to pupils in grades 4 to 9 at Latvian general education schools, and the results were shared by Dzintars Močs, a public relations specialist for the Valmiera municipality.
The school organised the contest in the birthplace parish of linguist Jānis Endzelīns. Its aim is to encourage pupils' interest in Endzelīns and his contribution to the study of the Latvian language, to develop creative skills and to build understanding of linguistic diversity.
Entries and participants
This year the jury assessed 39 pupils' works, including fairy tales, legends, essays and local tales. Participants came from places such as Nereta, Aizkraukle, Ķekava, Prauliena, Riga, Jaunpiebalga and Valmiera. In their entries, pupils described the history of place names, dialect words and farmstead names, as well as legends and personal observations.
Winners
First place and a €70 prize went to Anete Alberta, a grade 4 pupil at Riga Centre Humanities Secondary School, for her work "Friendship of the Rivers". Second place and €50 went to Beāte Janeka, a grade 6 pupil at Jaunpiebalga Secondary School, for "While Words Live". Third place and €30 went to Madara Girgensone, a grade 6 pupil at Kauguri Primary School, for "How 'Papardes' Came to Be".
Five pupils received commendations and €20 each: Gusts Alberts (Riga Centre Humanities Secondary School), Jānis Klīdzējs (Valmiera Viesturs Secondary School), Nikija Kima Markitāne (Kauguri Primary School), Elza Urbiņa (Valmiera Pārgauja State Gymnasium) and Amēlija Homiča (Riga Nordic Gymnasium).
About Endzelīns
Jānis Endzelīns was born on 22 February 1873 at "Mičkēni" in Kauguri parish. His life's work is the Latvian Language Dictionary ("Latviešu valodas vārdnīca"), compiled together with Kārlis Mīlenbahs.
