'Case' podcast explores learning Latvian in Daugavpils without a language environment
LSM Latgale desk journalist Aleksejs Dunda examines in a new episode of the podcast 'Case' how both adults and children in Daugavpils learn Latvian in a city where Russian dominates everyday life. Most of the episode is filmed in Latvian with translation provided.
A journalist from LSM's Russian-language Latgale desk, Aleksejs Dunda, has released a new episode of the podcast 'Case' focused on how people can learn and maintain the Latvian language in a city where hearing it daily is difficult.
Dunda notes that in Daugavpils, Latvian speech can go unheard for months at a time — a fact felt even by someone arriving from Riga. He admits that his own command of the language begins to 'rust' without daily practice.
Lack of language environment
In the special episode, Dunda looks into how both adults and children in the city learn Latvian, given that Russian can be heard almost everywhere in daily life. The episode illustrates the situation in a place where Latvian is the official state language, yet often takes a back seat in everyday communication.
Most of the episode was filmed in Latvian, but a translation is provided for those who need it, making the content accessible to both Latvian- and Russian-speaking audiences.
