DBWI: More surviving languages in the Lithuanian language branch

[Augenis]

The Lithuanian language is an isolate language branch in the Indo-European language group - while it is sometimes grouped with the Slavic languages into the "Litho-Slavic" language group, it is almost universally considered to be a separate independent language group, much like Albanian or Armenian.

Is it possible for there to somehow be more languages in the Lithuanian language branch? Bonus points if they somehow form nations separate from Lithuania (no idea how you could make that, though, the Lithuanians had been united since the 13th century)

 

[The Professor]

Is Lithuanian the correct term now?
Have to get used to not using the terms Lettish and Lettvania!

 

[Augenis]

Is Lithuanian the correct term now?
Have to get used to not using the terms Lettish and Lettvania!

I don't like either of them, I prefer Lietuviškai and Lietuva, but hey, have to go with the anglicization.

 

[Lalli]

Pretty difficult when Lithuania has been local great power since Middle Ages and controlled large area centuries. Only way would be that you create other powerful nations which speak other languages which are on same branch.

 

[The Professor]

Perhaps make the area a mix of creeds rather than all orthodox?

 

[Augenis]

Perhaps make the area a mix of creeds rather than all orthodox?

But how in the world do you get other religions like Catholicism or Reformism out there? The only non-Orthodox power in the region was Poland, and they weren't all that interested in converting the north.

 

[tus3]

Well, my guess would be let the Mongols conquer all of the Baltic territory and Poland, only to then fall apart thanks to overstretching themselves.
In this case the Lithuanian state will (maybe) be again broken up into lots of independent tribes and there won't be any strong neighbour which will then just conquer them as they have been ravaged by the Mongols.

The only problem is I can't see a reason why the Mongols would invade East-Europe instead of the wealthy Byzantine empire, or the middle-eastern trade centres.

 

[Dathi THorfinnsson]

There were LOTS of peoples and languages in that language family. Unfortunately, the Lithuanians were the only ones who converted before being conquered.

It WOULD be fun if Prussia had been a major power.

OOC: what we call Old Prussian.

Prussian, Semogallian, Lettish, I think there were half a dozen or more of those peoples/languages.