NOVCOJUSĪ LEKSIKA J. LANGIJA VĀRDNĪCĀ (1685): NAUDAS VIENĪBU NOSAUKUMI

Abstract

The Latvian language dictionary of J. Langius (1685) does not contain a large number of terms denoting monetary units – altogether there are 11 of them (ārtaugs, dālderis, diķis, eiduks, grosis, kauss, mārka, skatiks, šķiliņģis, vērdiņģis, zelta gabals), as well as some other money-related lexemes (e.g., sīknauda, vara nauda etc.) which are not designations of monetary units and therefore are not analyzed in this article. These lexemes are included in most 17–19th century dictionaries, and sometimes are borrowed from one dictionary into another. For instance, J. Langius has taken over the words included in the dictionary of G. Mancelius, but later J. Lange, in his turn, refers to J. Langius in his work.Nowadays most of these words are obsolete, because the objects they denoted are no longer in use. These lexemes can be found in dictionaries, and in many cases also in folklore and in idiomatic expressions, which testifies to their once wide scope of usage and, naturally, the significance of money in the culture and history of the Lower Kurzeme region and the whole territory of Latvia. This fact is supported not only by the analyzed material, but also by various other culturally historical sources.